J�tul F 50 TL Rangeley - Anyone burning?

[Todd]

I like the look of the stove but not very impressed with the stats. Most manufactures exaggerate those burn times and sq ft heating numbers. Maybe Jotul is being more honest and realistic?

 

[BrotherBart]

I can't help it. Every since this stove was announced all I can think about is that Monessen started making steel stoves in Vermont after they bought VC and VC's foundry has been making some castings for Jotul for a long time now. Am I looking at a VC made stove designed by Jotul?

Makes not a wit of difference but inquiring minds want to know.

VC started pouring cast Jotul this spring. All the R&D for both companies is separate. They just pour into Jotul's molds.

The foundry in Bethel was turning out some Jotul parts three years ago. Which is a good thing. That foundry puts out some of the best cast iron in the world. Heck they made the door for my Englander. Dimple in it and all. And I haven't heard of any new large welding shops opening up in Gorham.

Not knocking the stove or the fabrication. Glad they are doing it. I would like to burn in one and see what it can do.

 

[bboulier]

I can't figure out why one would want a "top-loading" stove. Front-loading/Side-loading, Yes. But a top loading stove just seems dangerous. Perhaps that's why gloves are a standard add-on.

 

[branchburner]

I can't figure out why one would want a "top-loading" stove. Front-loading/Side-loading, Yes. But a top loading stove just seems dangerous. Perhaps that's why gloves are a standard add-on.

In a way it's safer: since you expect it to be dangerous, you take more precautions. Front and side can give a false sense of security. I've singed myself, and gotten a face full of smoke, on plenty of front and side loading experiences.

 

[IH3444]

The dealer is Bunting, in Chambersburg. Can you give me the name of the dealer you saw this stove burning at. I may drive over there. Did they quote you any pricing?

 

[jotulguy]

The dealer is Bunting, in Chambersburg. Can you give me the name of the dealer you saw this stove burning at. I may drive over there. Did they quote you any pricing?

North Forge Home Heating. They have 1 on display and 1 burning. I believe MSRP is $2,049 with steel sides and $2,249 with the cast sides.

 

[jrcurto]

Hey guys, I promise to get some pictures up of the Rangeley. To start, even the inspector was impressed with the stove looks and operation, It even diverted attention away from me and my installation story! To start, I fully intended to buy the F 500 or 600 prior to buying the Rangely. The steel/ cast combo seemed like a heat thumper and thats what I needed for my downstairs. Topload option with a cookplate?...sold.

I built a nice heavy duty corner hearth raised 8" and finished with slate. All venting products were Simpson Duravent either ordered online or picked up at Tractor Supply (great deals here). Stovepipe is DVL double wall and chimney is DuraPlus triple wall stainless. Stovepipe runs up 24" then an 18" forty-five and up to the ceiling box. I bought a 24" ceiling box which passes through the 18" attic space in the house corner fully enclosing the chimney to the roofline. So the chimney is both ceiling and roof supported and attic sheilded...working in the attice was tough. Cut and folded the support box at the roof and then finished flashing and chimney while running a propane blower on the rooftop in freezing weather (good times). Chimney pipe extends 4 ft up from the point within ten feet and I have some draft to regulate. Custom designed my chimney roof brackets and installed them on Christmas Eve.

After the break-in fires this unit just keeps on getting better. For 1000 sq/ft space that normally is 60-65, now idles at 75 degrees! Radiant heat blasts away while the convection rolls across the ceiling into other spaces. The stove does like its belly fed, although I have been running it fully open with smaller loads and it hovers around 500 with cruising at 350. Loading from the front is fun and lets you play with the coals but when its time to drop in a few loads of nice 12-18" long cordwood splits , topload is the way to go. The wood must go in east west carefully so it doesn't smack the glass but the andirons and carefull placement lets you pack her tight. Those long gloves they give you are necessary for topload but are equally as good for frontloading, using for the openfireplace (soon to be insert), and for removing the venison sauerbraten roast from the kitchen oven Overnight burn is no problem with air all the way down. If I start using bigger splits and harder wood, 8-10 hr burn is a certatinty. Not to mention frying french toast and homefries in cast iron on top of that big cookplate. Ok, enough for now, I'll catch up later and post some pics.
Jim

 

[begreen]

Thanks for the update Jim, sounds like a keeper! Try closing the air down at least half-way, or to when the flames get lazy instead of having the air control wide open. This will encourage secondary burning, even with smaller loads of fuel. If I am correct you will see flue temps drop (less heat up the flue) and stove top temps increase by at least 100F + longer burn times.

 

[IH3444]

I've been searching for the firebox size. Does anyone know? I've also been comparing it to the Harman Oakleaf in size. It has a 1.7cuft firebox.

Thanks for the update Jim.

 

[branchburner]

I've also been comparing it to the Harman Oakleaf in size. It has a 1.7cuft firebox.

Bigger... but maybe not bigger than the Oakwood (2.2 cu ft)? It's rated to heat 2000 sf.

Very annoying that Jotul continues to keep firebox sizes a secret... I think cu ft is the single most useful # when looking at stoves (not that the # is always truly correct, unfortunately).

 

[IH3444]

I ran across this review video when researching the Oakwood stove by Harman. I still like the all welded construction of the Rangeley. Wonder what thickness steel the Rangeley is? Sides? Top? 1/4"? 5/16"? After calling and speaking with several dealers about this stove I've found that I know more about it than they do, and one have never heard about it, and they are Jotul dealers.Amazing! Jotul...get the word out, with brochures!

I wish this stove was welded steel construction, with a clear view front window. The man doing the review is a good down to earth feller, and makes some very good points, as well as does a good job of possibly swaying me towards a cast iron Harman stove. I will have to see these also in person.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7h5rMexbjk

Thanks Branchburner for the firebox info.

My reasoning for all welded construction is presented by this reviewer.

https://www.hearth.com/ratesingles/rate2941.html

 

[bboulier]

Thanks for posting the review. Very nice introduction to burning wood.

 

[branchburner]

My reasoning for all welded construction is presented by this reviewer.

https://www.hearth.com/ratesingles/rate2941.html

Don't dismiss cast iron based on that review. Although the reviewer did not think the stove was overfired, it likely was to some degree. Stove top temps will not tell the full story - the AB temps get very high with that type of stove, depending on draft, wood, and the user. The problem was more likely the AB combustion package and gasketing around it, not the major seams. But the Jotul should be a more user-friendly experience in any case.

 

[jrcurto]

Here are some Rangeley pics as promised. Small load, primary closed halfway, 350 deg stovetop, secondaries just kicking in. Just added another two splits before posting this...getting warm in here. Need a cold Molson.

 

[IH3444]

Thanks for posting the pictures Jim. That setup looks very well designed. May I ask if you got the cast iron sides? I'm debating weather to get the cast iron sides, and wonder if they are necessary. Also I think about installing a possible side shield, and think the cast side would not be visible then. Are the cast sides removeable if one decides they want to remove them. I really enjoy the purple flame. Hope I can get mine to do that!

 

[Todd]

Great looking install. Keep us updated, I think your the first person here with the new Jotul. Have you filled her up yet and seen how long she can go?

 

[jrcurto]

I have the cast iron side plates. When I first heard the dealer would be able to get the stove in mid- December I asked for the steel sides and planned to use the savings on the blower. Jotul was only making cast ones initially and would not have steel sides available until late January. So I think they want to get the better looking stoves out on the market first and then send some steel sides out. With that being the obvious benefit of cast, it looks much nicer and completes the lines of the stove. I am glad I have them, the stove looks all cast at first glance. I found a bolt under the plate if you had to think about removing them but also think you would have to get past the firebrick from inside to actually loosen them. I filled the stove at midnight and closed the primary 3/4 and had a ripping wood coal bed at 8:00, so I think 8-10 hrs is a given. I burned some higher moisture content wood and that immediately dirtied the glass, hence the purple haze effect in the photos. I am burning white ash primarily and will be counting the year(s) to when my oak will be ready. I tried some bio bricks too and wow, those babies burn baby burn and last. To all here who posted about using wood ashes on a damp cloth to clean the glass, thank you, no need for anything else!

 

[firefighterjake]

Great pics . . . love the purple flames . . . can't say as though I've ever seen purple flames in my Oslo.

 

[IH3444]

YEA, I love the pictures. Hope Jim post more. Does anyone know about the constrution of this stove? Plate steel thickness? Jotul has no way of contacting them, or a FAQ page. You would think that with a newly introduced stove they would be tooting their horn about it, and dishing out good tidbits of info of it's quality construction. I've seen the Lopi Endeavor up close. It's built like a M1A2 tank. Extremely well constructed, and heavy, heavy duty unit. Jim, could you get us a few pictures of the sides, and possibly the corners, showing the front, and side view. The front door handle looks stout, and very well positioned. Do any Jotul dealers ever read these pages? Answer questions?

 

[begreen]

The sove looks great in place and burning. Great to hear that it is working well. Are you mostly top loading? If you get a break in the weather, could you measure up the firebox and post the dimensions?

Love the digital camera color balanced flames. Looks like it's sensitive to infrared.

 

[branchburner]

The video mentions loading 20" splits E-W and 18" splits N-S, and the stove weighing over 500 lbs. - I'd think the firebox must be at least in the 2.5 cu ft range.

 

[jrcurto]

Firebox measures 20" W x 20" D x 15" H. That tape measure got HOT. These pics are of the sides and rear, sorry about the peanut oil splatter on the cooktop...thats the price you pay for frying Spicy Panko Blackfish.

 

[Todd]

Thanks for the pictures. That's a might fine looking stove. By my calculations that fire box is 3.2 cu ft! That's a biggin, must be about the same size as the Firelight? Should be able to heat well over that stated 1600 sq ft.

 

[IH3444]

Va-Va-Va-Voom! That Rangeley is absolutely beautiful! Thanks for the pictures Jim. My calculations come up with a 3.472 cubic foot fire box. By firebox standards that looks to be a large one. 20x20 = 400, x15 = 6000 cubic inches. 6000 divided by 1728 (12 x 12 = 144 x 12 = 1728) equals 3.472 cuft. Almost a 3.5 box by my math.

Am I missing something as to how fire boxes are calculated? Do we then go to a 95 percent overall. Stating a 5 percent reduction for other components inside the stove?

Thanks very much Jim for the pictures, and postings!

IH3444

p.s. I know, three decimal points.....it's a curse. hehehe

Found this thread on firebox measuring, Jotul 400 woodstove discussion.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/50986/

So 3.2cuft is more accurate in accordance with Jotul standards.

Still a Vopper firebox. Yippie! The Harman states a 2.3 cuft box. Wonder how they measure theirs.

 

[gibson]

Well done. That's a nice looking stove and hearth.