Is my Jotul 118 top plate on backwards?

[underwhere]

I just bought a house where the chimney was cleaned professionally as part of the closing terms.

I have been burning wood in there for 2 months or so when I came upon a diagram for a newer 118.
I looked and saw that the top plate (i don't know what it's called) seems to be in a different position.,

Is mine facing the wrong way? What are the effects of this?

(broken image removed)

 

[ridemgis]

Sure looks like it! Like you I'm no expert, but generally the baffle opening is to the front. Smoke and heat are forced to travel a longer path to reach the flue exit at the back. This one looks like all your heat is going straight up the chimney. Do wait for an expert opinion though before mucking around with it!

 

[underwhere]

Oops.

I never bothered to verify that plate before firing it up a few months ago.

With that plate on backwards:
Side temps were high. Top temps were very low. Flue temps (external) was high.

I let the fire die down low, removed the top and swapped the top plate so that the hole is in front.
Now there's much equalized temperature readings all over.

 

[ridemgis]

Sweet! That's a great stove.

 

[begreen]

Wow, that is the first time I have seen that happen. You would think that they would have engineered the plate so that would be near impossible to do. Good that you caught this. You are going to see a world of difference now in how the stove heats.