Breaking in Jotul Insert

[drewsome]

So I'm currently on my 3rd fire since getting the Jotul Rockland installed on Thursday. Both the owners manual, and the installer, warn about a bad odor that is supposed to come off the unit during the break-in period. However, I've been making progressively bigger fires each time, and still no foul smell. My current fire consists of three smallish splits of hard wood. The unit definitely feels warm, and if I turn on the blower, nice warm air comes out. But oddly, no smell. Do I have to make an even bigger fire to expect these "curing" odors? Just wondering if anyone had a similar experience.

 

[begreen]

Curing smells vary with the stove. But yes, you will need a good sized fire to really burn in the paint. Sounds like you are ready for a decent sized fire and it's going to be chilly in NY tonight. Go for it.

And take some pictures of that handsome beast with a nice load of wood burning. We want proof!

 

[JeffT]

If ceramic or flat stove paint it will make a deference.

 

[BrotherBart]

If ceramic or flat stove paint it will make a deference.

Jotul started making ceramic inserts?

 

[JeffT]

Thought the blue-black is baked on

 

[begreen]

They do come in blue-black enamel or flat black paint front facade. But unlike the freestanding stoves, the body is painted steel.

 

[JeffT]

Haven't seen one but it says porcelain in the specs.I shouldn't have said ceramic.I thought with the body tucked in the fireplace it mite smell less.

 

[BrotherBart]

Haven't seen one but it says porcelain in the specs.I shouldn't have said ceramic.I thought with the body tucked in the fireplace it mite smell less.

My bad. I knew what ya meant but had forgotten that they offer the enamel on the inserts.

 

[logger]

Do you have a termometer on the stove? Jotul gives you the temps the three fires should get up to and how long to burn each one. Our stove actually smelled for a week or two before going completely away, but of course you have a much diff model.

 

[drewsome]

Do you have a termometer on the stove? Jotul gives you the temps the three fires should get up to and how long to burn each one. Our stove actually smelled for a week or two before going completely away, but of course you have a much diff model.

Jotul gives temps? Where? I didn't see them in the owners manual, and I read the whole thing.

 

[drewsome]

Curing smells vary with the stove. But yes, you will need a good sized fire to really burn in the paint. Sounds like you are ready for a decent sized fire and it's going to be chilly in NY tonight. Go for it.

And take some pictures of that handsome beast with a nice load of wood burning. We want proof!

Here's the proof.

Finally got it hot enough to give a little curing smell. The heat coming off it wasn't too impressive, so it's probably b/c the fire wasn't big enough. Also, though I tried & tried, the dealer was very resistant to putting in a block off plate. And he was the only Jotul dealer around, so I didn't have much of a choice if I wanted the Jotul (which I obviously did).

 

[begreen]

That's the ticket. Looks great.

 

[gibson]

Mine was hardly noticeable, little bit of smell on my first break-in fire. Not much to speak of after that. That was a year and a half ago. I have the matte-black insert. I would recommend the block off. Mine isn't as tight as possible but better than nothing, I imagine. You need to run that insert 24/7 to get max productivity out of it. It is not a "light a small fire to get the chill out" type of stove. That hearth is a lot of mass to heat up. December thru January, mine runs like a tank, the colder the better. Shoulder season, it is not the most economical, but it is still fun. I can't imagine a better insert for a new burner.

 

[logger]

Do you have a termometer on the stove? Jotul gives you the temps the three fires should get up to and how long to burn each one. Our stove actually smelled for a week or two before going completely away, but of course you have a much diff model.

Jotul gives temps? Where? I didn't see them in the owners manual, and I read the whole thing.

Our manual was probably diff from yours, but for our Oslo, the manual said something like the first fire should reach 200 deg for an hour, second fire 300 deg for an hour, then last break in should reach 400. After that she's ready to go. Yours might not state that because Im guessing there is less cast. Pics look great.. enjoy.