F500 Surface Temperature Break-In

[Chimnoob]

Wow I have to concur with a few others on the Jotul manual. It's terribly written. Thank God for this community for providing real info. My hat's off to you all.

I'm in the break-in process now for the Jotul f500 V3 Oslo, and from the other threads I gather that the thermometer/probe that comes with the wood stove and enters into the top of the right plate is a catalytic thermometer and not what they're talking about when they say three break-in fire temps of 200, 400, and 500. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

So I plan on purchasing an IR thermometer today to take the surface temperature.

1. My question is whether it matters where I take the surface temperature. Should it be on the top middle? Or am I just searching for the hottest surface of the wood stove and keeping that just below their max recommended temps? The reason I ask is that at least for a small fire, to the touch, the stove hasn't felt uniformly hot.

2. My second question is that after the break-in, the manual recommends a most-efficient surface temp of 400-600. So can the catalytic thermostat be too hot? Or is that just a gauge of whether the catalyst is kicking in and all that matters is the surface temperature? What information should I be acquiring from the catalytic thermostat and how should it affect what I do to air flow, etc?

Thanks so much for all of your help!

 

[begreen]

Break-in temps are stove top temps, not the catalyst. There used to be this diagram for the thermometer placement in the F500 manual. Seems like it was forgotten.



The catalyst would be too hot if it got over 1500º for more than a short time.

 

[Chimnoob]

As always, super helpful. Thank you, begreen!