Gifted Stove - working pics

[brianbeech]

So my neighbor gave me a woodstove, I believe it is a Jotul 118 (old model). I wanted to post some pics and see what kind of shape everyone thought it was in. I'm having it hooked up to an unused flue; see there are *some good things about an old house. How many new houses would have an unused flue I could plug into. Chimney sweep company is cutting a new hole and putting in a new flue tile (if that's what it's called) and setting up the stove.

Please, let me know what you think and if there is anything I need to know with this particular stove. I'm no stove veteran, but have run a few buck stoves and a lot of fire places.

Oh, this is being set up in my unfinished basement, approx 1300 sq. ft. basement and 1636 sq. ft. upstairs living area.

Thanks for any info/suggestions/comments!

FB photo album: Facebook album with the photos

Just realized that you had to be logged into facebook to see them. So here are some of them:
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[brianbeech]

sorry about not having the public album, you should be able to see them now

 

[jotulguy]

The stove looks to be in great shape...here comes the but. But the baffle and burn plates look to be too short. They may have replaced them with old 602 burn plates and baffle. If you notice the side burn plates only hang on 2 of the 3 pegs on the stove. I would ask about that. you will be able to get new burn plates and a baffle from woodmans. google it. If i remember correctly they are in New Hampshire.

 

[begreen]

Could this be a non-UL version? I think the plates look correct if that's the case.

The stove seems to be in wonderful condition, barely used. What a fantastic gift! Get your neighbors some very nice wine!

 

[Valhalla]

Welcome new member brianbeech,

A wonderful gift indeed. However. it may be a just bit small, BTU wise to heat your home. You will be loading the firebox quite often. It is, regardless of the size, a great start, as you can always upgrade it in the future. Besides, your home will be much warmer than without it.

Get all the advice you need, install it to code and enjoy your fine Jotul.

Good luck and burn wisely.

P.S. Yes, please visit Hearth.com often.

 

[brianbeech]

GREAT! So glad to hear it appears to be in good condition. After doing some Googling, I believed mine to be in better shape than most, but since I'm wood stove illiterate, I figured I would post the pics.

Valhalla, this won't be the primary heat for the home but rather an addition to keep me from spending my life savings on fuel oil (fool's oil). If this stove will keep my fuel oil burner from running all the time, I'll be set!

Do I load the stove all the way up with wood for a long over-night burn, and how close to the side baffles?

Also, do I need a thermostat on the stove to be sure I don't over-fire it?

Thanks all!

 

[Valhalla]

GREAT! So glad to hear it appears to be in good condition. After doing some Googling, I believed mine to be in better shape than most, but since I'm wood stove illiterate, I figured I would post the pics.

Valhalla, this won't be the primary heat for the home but rather an addition to keep me from spending my life savings on fuel oil (fool's oil). If this stove will keep my fuel oil burner from running all the time, I'll be set!

Do I load the stove all the way up with wood for a long over-night burn, and how close to the side baffles?

Also, do I need a thermostat on the stove to be sure I don't over-fire it?

Thanks all!

Brianbeech,

Yes, it can be a great supplementary heat source! However we wood burners universally hate the oil cartel and adding to global warming by using a fossil fuel and adding CO2. The length of your burn cycle depends entirely on: 1. your stove design, 2. your air control setting, 3. the wood fuel species and 4. how well seasoned your fuel is. The latter is just as important as the first.

You must mean a stove top thermometer. Yes, of course, an accurate and verified magnetic thermometer is your "tachometer" of your stove. Search for the many, many threads here about them.

 

[firefighterjake]

GREAT! So glad to hear it appears to be in good condition. After doing some Googling, I believed mine to be in better shape than most, but since I'm wood stove illiterate, I figured I would post the pics.

Valhalla, this won't be the primary heat for the home but rather an addition to keep me from spending my life savings on fuel oil (fool's oil). If this stove will keep my fuel oil burner from running all the time, I'll be set!

Do I load the stove all the way up with wood for a long over-night burn, and how close to the side baffles?

Also, do I need a thermostat on the stove to be sure I don't over-fire it?

Thanks all!

Hehheh . . . I started out the same way . . . thinking I would just burn a bit of wood on the weekends and week nights to supplement the oil and save a bit on the fuel . . . that lasted about a week until I realized just how much money I was saving, how much more I enjoyed the wood fire heat and the view of the fire and I saw how easy it was to heat 24/7.

My own take . . . the more wood you burn, the more money you will have . . . at least until you decide to spend it on new woodstove tools, a new ax, splitter, chainsaw, gloves, trailer . . .

Thermometer . . . not necessary to run the stove . . . but a good thing to have . . . you don't need a fuel gauge or speedometer on your car technically to be able to drive it from point a to point b . . . but having them in place gives you some valuable feedback so you can drive the car safer and efficiently . . . thermometers are the same way . . . a good thing to have.

Overnight load . . . I load mine up . . . leaving an inch or so gap between the burn tubes and the wood . . . key is to know when to cut back the air . . . heck, the key is to make sure you simply cut back on the air and don't leave it wide open . . . an unsafe practice . . . and a quick way to burn up a lot of wood fast.

 

[brianbeech]

Valhalla - I would LOVE to stop using any fuel oil. Last month I filled my tank up and it ran about $675. Much to my chagrin, I'm almost out again I don't need any coaxing to want to stop burning the oil.

Thanks to both of you for the info! I imagine I'll be much like you FireFighterJake in that I'll LOVE the heat and end up trying to get something that will be the main heat source for my house. I've got a fireplace upstairs that I don't use too much - seems to make the extremities of the house cold. But, my dad happens to have an insert that I'm going to check and see if it will fit. If that's the case, I could possibly have a stove upstairs and one downstairs; wouldn't that be great?!

Stovetop thermometer; sounds great! I'd like to do just as you mentioned and have the info to be as efficient as possible. I've heard great things about this stove and my neighbor swears it will heat the entire basement without a problem and that I'll notice a big difference upstairs. I'd love to not hear the furnace fire up - it seems like just a dream though!

 

[Redburn]

If you are new to burning a thermometer is a must , would you cook your holiday roast with out one or a clock or knowing the stove temp I wouldn't ... I use the thermometer and a clock to tell about how long of burn times I get , It works for me anyway and helps me not to over fire the stove ..... Mom likes it to she says she can tell when to turn down the air. Sometimes I feel like I'm cooking wood with all the attention the stove needs.......

 

[brianbeech]

Just ordered the thermometer, stove to be installed this Friday at 2pm EST, and wood should be burning by 4:30 pm EST! Getting excited to see a drop in fuel oil cost, of course, I'll be increasing my time outside stacking and chopping wood and there is SOME cost to that.

Cast iron humidifier to go on top?!

 

[begreen]

Check the stove for light leaks before burning it it. Shine a bright light into the corners and have someone on the outside of the stove look for light coming through cracks. It none, that's great. Also check the seal of the front door gasket. Replace if it's not sealing tightly.

Then it's time for break in. The first fire should just be kindling and take the stove up to about 250F. Then let it go out and cool the stove down for an hour or two. Next fire can have kindling + a couple thing splits. Take it up to about 400 on the stove top. Then let it cool down again. Next fire up to about 500F burning a few small splits. Then you are ready for full time burning Try to keep the stovetop up to 600-700 with a full load of wood.

 

[firefighterjake]

Just ordered the thermometer, stove to be installed this Friday at 2pm EST, and wood should be burning by 4:30 pm EST! Getting excited to see a drop in fuel oil cost, of course, I'll be increasing my time outside stacking and chopping wood and there is SOME cost to that.

Cast iron humidifier to go on top?!

Entirely up to you . . . I have one . . . I can't remember the exact size, but I have to fill it every 1-2 days so it is definitely putting some moisture into the air . . . maybe not a great amount, but enough so that I can walk across the carpet in my Spiderman Dr. Dentons and not shock Mrs. Firefighterjake when I give her a hug.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

So my neighbor gave me a woodstove, I believe it is a Jotul 118 (old model). I wanted to post some pics and see what kind of shape everyone thought it was in. I'm having it hooked up to an unused flue; see there are *some good things about an old house. How many new houses would have an unused flue I could plug into. Chimney sweep company is cutting a new hole and putting in a new flue tile (if that's what it's called) and setting up the stove.

Please, let me know what you think and if there is anything I need to know with this particular stove. I'm no stove veteran, but have run a few buck stoves and a lot of fire places.

Oh, this is being set up in my unfinished basement, approx 1300 sq. ft. basement and 1636 sq. ft. upstairs living area.

Thanks for any info/suggestions/comments!

Congratulations Brian and I'm sure you will love the stove. That is, if.....

Lots of comment on the stove and burning and all but I've seen nothing about the fuel other than the expensive fuel in the tank. Wood is not like oil or gas in that you can just get on the phone and order some. Oh, you can, but you won't get very good fuel. That is the part I worry about because poor fuel will ruin your experience with burning wood. Realize that wood needs time and good air circulation, as in wind.

Sadly, wood sellers will tell you it is seasoned wood.....but there is a 99% chance that it is not. Do yourself a favor and get 2-3 years ahead on your wood supply as soon as you possibly can and then you will have a good experience.

 

[Install fire 1]

Congrats!

I have always loved the look of this stove.

If i had a cottage, it would be in there no questions asked!

 

[brianbeech]

Entirely up to you . . . I have one . . . I can't remember the exact size, but I have to fill it every 1-2 days so it is definitely putting some moisture into the air . . . maybe not a great amount, but enough so that I can walk across the carpet in my Spiderman Dr. Dentons and not shock Mrs. Firefighterjake when I give her a hug.

I can't STAND static electricity, I think you've made up my mind for me with your word picture. :D

 

[brianbeech]

Congratulations Brian and I'm sure you will love the stove. That is, if.....

Lots of comment on the stove and burning and all but I've seen nothing about the fuel other than the expensive fuel in the tank. Wood is not like oil or gas in that you can just get on the phone and order some. Oh, you can, but you won't get very good fuel. That is the part I worry about because poor fuel will ruin your experience with burning wood. Realize that wood needs time and good air circulation, as in wind.

Sadly, wood sellers will tell you it is seasoned wood.....but there is a 99% chance that it is not. Do yourself a favor and get 2-3 years ahead on your wood supply as soon as you possibly can and then you will have a good experience.

Thanks for the info! I would assume that the wood sellers would be honest, but I suppose in that sense I am naive. Luckily, I have at least "some" wood that has been stacked for two years. Cut it for my fireplace and quit using it because it seemed to suck all the heat out of the rest of the house. I live around woods and we had a really good wind storm and an ice storm - both brought down many trees and I've got plenty if I'm willing to do the work. I can't wait! I suppose I DO need to educate myself on what types of wood I SHOULD NOT burn in the stove. I've always heard to stay away from pine; old wives tale?!

 

[Stump_Branch]

I love this set up of stove. perfect for a shop/man cave. buddies dad has a 'Franklin' brand just like this combo coal burner. throws off some nice heat. plus you have no choice but to load north south.

If/When I find one, im buying it. even if I dont have a place for it..

 

[DanCorcoran]

Here's a link to the installation and operator's manual for the new 118. It should help you figure out how to operate the old model.

(broken link removed to http://www.northweststoves.ca/pdf/jotul-wood/m-f118-black-bear.pdf)

And here's a link to a thread about the old 118.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/8911/

 

[Shari]

Just ordered the thermometer, stove to be installed this Friday at 2pm EST, and wood should be burning by 4:30 pm EST! Getting excited to see a drop in fuel oil cost, of course, I'll be increasing my time outside stacking and chopping wood and there is SOME cost to that.

Cast iron humidifier to go on top?!

Entirely up to you . . . I have one . . . I can't remember the exact size, but I have to fill it every 1-2 days so it is definitely putting some moisture into the air . . . maybe not a great amount, but enough so that I can walk across the carpet in my Spiderman Dr. Dentons and not shock Mrs. Firefighterjake when I give her a hug.

Thanks for that mental image FF! I just spit Pepsi all over my keyboard.......

 

[jtp10181]

If there is not a rating plate on there with clearances it needs to be installed 36" away from combustibles in all directions! Just FYI.

 

[firefighterjake]

Just ordered the thermometer, stove to be installed this Friday at 2pm EST, and wood should be burning by 4:30 pm EST! Getting excited to see a drop in fuel oil cost, of course, I'll be increasing my time outside stacking and chopping wood and there is SOME cost to that.

Cast iron humidifier to go on top?!

Entirely up to you . . . I have one . . . I can't remember the exact size, but I have to fill it every 1-2 days so it is definitely putting some moisture into the air . . . maybe not a great amount, but enough so that I can walk across the carpet in my Spiderman Dr. Dentons and not shock Mrs. Firefighterjake when I give her a hug.

Thanks for that mental image FF! I just spit Pepsi all over my keyboard.......

That's nothing . . . you should see me do my choreographed song and dance routine to the Spiderman theme song.

 

[begreen]

If there is not a rating plate on there with clearances it needs to be installed 36" away from combustibles in all directions! Just FYI.

I suspect it is pre-UL judging by the burn plates, but for sure look for a tag on the back listing clearances. If this on a cement floor, with unfinished cement walls, you'll be ok, but show respect if there are nearby combustibles.

With a basement install you may not see that much benefit from the stove, especially if the walls are uninsulated. Clearances can be reduced with proper wall shields. Still, about 25-35% of the heat output is going to get sucked into those walls. If the wood is not so good, the stove output may disappoint, but it's not the stove.

Also, I am a little leary of it being out of sight and mind. This stove is in cherry condition. It would be a shame to see it overfire or get a water spill on it due to it being left unattended. The stove will heat up quickly and should be dampered down when it gets burning good. I would also add a flue damper unless the draft is poor.

 

[brianbeech]

If there is not a rating plate on there with clearances it needs to be installed 36" away from combustibles in all directions! Just FYI.

I suspect it is pre-UL judging by the burn plates, but for sure look for a tag on the back listing clearances. If this on a cement floor, with unfinished cement walls, you'll be ok, but show respect if there are nearby combustibles.

With a basement install you may not see that much benefit from the stove, especially if the walls are uninsulated. Clearances can be reduced with proper wall shields. Still, about 25-35% of the heat output is going to get sucked into those walls. If the wood is not so good, the stove output may disappoint, but it's not the stove.

Also, I am a little leary of it being out of sight and mind. This stove is in cherry condition. It would be a shame to see it overfire or get a water spill on it due to it being left unattended. The stove will heat up quickly and should be dampered down when it gets burning good. I would also add a flue damper unless the draft is poor.

It is in an unfinished basement with only exterior cinder block walls that are not insulated and two small walls around the stairs going upstairs. As planned, I may have to add some proper wall shields to one side of the stair wall. Suggestions?

I think I'll be pretty cautious about having a stove burning in the basement. I filled my fuel oil tank on Dec 2nd and I just had to refill it this morning - ~$684 bucks each time! So I plan on keeping a very good eye on this stove and try to get as much good heat out of it as possible. I sure hope it doesn't disappoint! If so, we may move our hang out time down to the basement and turn the fuel oil burner off!! I'm not above sleeping in an unfinished basement, but I doubt my wife would go for it. Noted about the flue damper - is this something I can add after it is installed? (to see how the draft is).

Edit: our basement is a walk out with the vehicles parked on the lower level, so I use the basement quite often.

 

[begreen]

If it were me I'd move the stove upstairs where you will get the full benefit of the heat and its good looks. But if you have to use it in the basement I would insulate the walls asap. It isn't that hard to do and the benefits are great, even for your oil consumption. Go to the main information section for info on wall shielding. It is pretty easy to do. You can use almost any noncombustible material, so depending on what is on hand, you may want to get creative.