After much deliberation and many posts here I decided to buy an Oslo and install it in a 1st floor great room fireplace. We already have a Firelight in out uninsulated basement. I realized after reading here that I was spending much of the heat output from that stove heating the basement walls and the soil outside them instead of our living area. I thought I'd post the results of my Oslo install efforts here in case someone notices something unsafe or my experience benefits someone else. I've certainly benefited from the information I've found here. It was a fairly involved install mainly because I was installing in a Heatform prefab fireplace. Photos are in the order of their discussion in this text.
Stove choice: We have had good luck with our Firelight and nearby dealer options were limited. I wanted to buy local if possible. VC, Buck, and Hearthstone were my other options. I chose the Oslo because of its heat output rating, physical size, and reviews here. I thought I could make it work in my existing stone fireplace. I did, but it was tough. I didn't chose VC because of recent reports with quality. Hearthstones looked nice but I didn't like the ash handling capabilities. We wanted the look of cast iron not steel so we didn't consider Buck. We did consider a stove with a steel firebox and cast iron exterior but none are sold locally. I wish PE was sold locally. I'd have liked to have had that option.
Chimney lining: I installed a rigid 6" Heatfab 304 stainless liner with insulation in our 25' tall, 12"x12" tile-lined stone chimney. I worked from the roof and had to install in 3 sections; 2 from the top joined as it was lowered in, and 1 from the bottom using a "slip connector" pipe. The last section at the bottom is an adjustable elbow that enters the stove from the top. There is not enough room for a tee at the back of the stove. Ease of flue cleaning was an issue for me so I considered other options since I had no tee (more later on that). I bought lining supplies from Hart's Hearth. They were were knowledgeable, fast, and great to deal with. I highly recommend them. (see photos)
Fireplace modifications: since the existing fireplace was a prefab built into masonry (no combustibles nearby) I modified the Heatform to allow the flue to exit the top of the stove. This involved a cutting torch, lots of cussing, and a bit of masonry work. I also had to modify the fireplace's masonry arch a bit to allow the stove to fit. I installed a 4" outside air supply in what was the ash clean out at the rear of the fireplace. I filled with masonry what was the fresh air supply at the front of the fireplace. I also built and installed a blockoff plate and an OAK adapter for the 3" air inlet at the bottom of the stove. (see photos)
Stove tear-down: because we have no tee at the back of the stove I wanted to be able to access fallen creosote from inside the stove when flue cleaning. I also needed to move the stove up some stairs to our 1st floor. At 440 lb that was going to be tough. I disassembled the stove to inspect and lighten it figuring I needed to be able to remove the top of the stove for flue cleaning anyway. The stove looked pretty well made but I was disappointed by a few things like the washers not installed properly and excessive casting flash left around the the seal between the top an sides. I also noted some gaps and sloppy application of cement. I ground off the casting flash and removed excess cement. I expected better from Jotul especially seeing as they are highly regarded on this forum. (see photos)
Installation: despite careful measuring our first install of the stove in the fireplace revealed that a few "adjustments" were required to the fireplace steel and masonry. Out came the cutting torch and angle grinder with diamond blade. The stove fit on the 2nd try. We installed the stove in in the fireplace disassembled and then reassembled it in place. The stove pipe was clamped in place and sealed with stove cement. Rock wool was used to seal the flue penetration. I was not able to use the flue block-off plates shown in my photos. (see photos)
Outcome: It all just barely fits and our first break-in burn went well. The stove seems to work well and is very airtight. The air control really controls the flame quantity well. I've found that I can remove the top cook plate by removing one bolt accessible from inside the stove and then remove the stove top by removing 3 more bolts. I can then remove the stove top for easy access to the rear outlet area. Hopefully I'll never need to move the stove for flue cleaning. With what I know about the stove from disassembly I feel better about future service required. (see photos)
What's not shown in the photos is a new firewood airlock that I built to the right of the fireplace. I have yet to construct the inner door/bookcase that goes there. More on that later.
Thanks to all that offered advice. 2nd break-in fire is tonight at 300 degrees.
Photo list:
1442 - how it looked after removing the existing direct vent propane stove. Inlet and outlet pipes shown.
1492 - original flue showing heat exchanger tubes and the hole I cut for the new liner pipe.
1537 - looking up inside the fireplace, block-off plate and stainless insulated liner shown
1494 - casting flash left on stove sides where they meet the top gasket
1503 - gap in cement in between stove plates
1524 - the OAK, block-off plate, modified fireplace
1550 - The 1st break-in fire
Stove choice: We have had good luck with our Firelight and nearby dealer options were limited. I wanted to buy local if possible. VC, Buck, and Hearthstone were my other options. I chose the Oslo because of its heat output rating, physical size, and reviews here. I thought I could make it work in my existing stone fireplace. I did, but it was tough. I didn't chose VC because of recent reports with quality. Hearthstones looked nice but I didn't like the ash handling capabilities. We wanted the look of cast iron not steel so we didn't consider Buck. We did consider a stove with a steel firebox and cast iron exterior but none are sold locally. I wish PE was sold locally. I'd have liked to have had that option.
Chimney lining: I installed a rigid 6" Heatfab 304 stainless liner with insulation in our 25' tall, 12"x12" tile-lined stone chimney. I worked from the roof and had to install in 3 sections; 2 from the top joined as it was lowered in, and 1 from the bottom using a "slip connector" pipe. The last section at the bottom is an adjustable elbow that enters the stove from the top. There is not enough room for a tee at the back of the stove. Ease of flue cleaning was an issue for me so I considered other options since I had no tee (more later on that). I bought lining supplies from Hart's Hearth. They were were knowledgeable, fast, and great to deal with. I highly recommend them. (see photos)
Fireplace modifications: since the existing fireplace was a prefab built into masonry (no combustibles nearby) I modified the Heatform to allow the flue to exit the top of the stove. This involved a cutting torch, lots of cussing, and a bit of masonry work. I also had to modify the fireplace's masonry arch a bit to allow the stove to fit. I installed a 4" outside air supply in what was the ash clean out at the rear of the fireplace. I filled with masonry what was the fresh air supply at the front of the fireplace. I also built and installed a blockoff plate and an OAK adapter for the 3" air inlet at the bottom of the stove. (see photos)
Stove tear-down: because we have no tee at the back of the stove I wanted to be able to access fallen creosote from inside the stove when flue cleaning. I also needed to move the stove up some stairs to our 1st floor. At 440 lb that was going to be tough. I disassembled the stove to inspect and lighten it figuring I needed to be able to remove the top of the stove for flue cleaning anyway. The stove looked pretty well made but I was disappointed by a few things like the washers not installed properly and excessive casting flash left around the the seal between the top an sides. I also noted some gaps and sloppy application of cement. I ground off the casting flash and removed excess cement. I expected better from Jotul especially seeing as they are highly regarded on this forum. (see photos)
Installation: despite careful measuring our first install of the stove in the fireplace revealed that a few "adjustments" were required to the fireplace steel and masonry. Out came the cutting torch and angle grinder with diamond blade. The stove fit on the 2nd try. We installed the stove in in the fireplace disassembled and then reassembled it in place. The stove pipe was clamped in place and sealed with stove cement. Rock wool was used to seal the flue penetration. I was not able to use the flue block-off plates shown in my photos. (see photos)
Outcome: It all just barely fits and our first break-in burn went well. The stove seems to work well and is very airtight. The air control really controls the flame quantity well. I've found that I can remove the top cook plate by removing one bolt accessible from inside the stove and then remove the stove top by removing 3 more bolts. I can then remove the stove top for easy access to the rear outlet area. Hopefully I'll never need to move the stove for flue cleaning. With what I know about the stove from disassembly I feel better about future service required. (see photos)
What's not shown in the photos is a new firewood airlock that I built to the right of the fireplace. I have yet to construct the inner door/bookcase that goes there. More on that later.
Thanks to all that offered advice. 2nd break-in fire is tonight at 300 degrees.
Photo list:
1442 - how it looked after removing the existing direct vent propane stove. Inlet and outlet pipes shown.
1492 - original flue showing heat exchanger tubes and the hole I cut for the new liner pipe.
1537 - looking up inside the fireplace, block-off plate and stainless insulated liner shown
1494 - casting flash left on stove sides where they meet the top gasket
1503 - gap in cement in between stove plates
1524 - the OAK, block-off plate, modified fireplace
1550 - The 1st break-in fire
