Jøtul F 400 Castine Upgrade Question

[FireRod]

I've been thinking about upgrading my Jøtul F 3B to the Jøtul F 400 Castine. The problem I'm trying to solve is in the very coldest time of winter my stove seems to fall short of being able to output enough heat to keep my house as warm as I would like. Also the burn time is shorter which allows the stove to cool down way too much during the nigh. With the Jøtul F 400 Castine I would get the extra burn time I'm looking for. Will I be burning a lot more wood and will I be burning at a temperature efficient for the stove but too hot for my house?

My house is 900 sq. ft. single story with a full basement, constructed in 1945 w/cinder block and a cement coat. There is no insulation on the interior walls. I have replaced all the windows which has really made a big difference, and the doors are well sealed.

 

[begreen]

We went from the F3CB to the F400 when I relocated the stove. Burn times will definitely improve and yes, fuel consumption will go up in colder weather as more fuel is burned to produce more heat. The Castine takes a longer log which you will probably want to start cutting for to utilize the full capacity of the firebox. Burning softwood we got about 3-4 hr burn times with the F3CB. This went up to 4-8 hrs. with the Castine depending on how cold it was outside. Burning good, seasoned hardwood you should be able to get regular overnight burns.

Like the F3CB the F400 is a willing heater. When heat demand is lower in milder weather I recommend burning partial loads of lower btu wood like pine, poplar, etc.. When temps get below freezing you will be able to load it up full and get good burns. With uninsulated cement block a healthy percentage of your heat is going outdoors. I don't think the F400 will be too much stove. It's a very nice step up from the F3B.

If the primary problem is mild weather burning and if the budget will handle it I would also suggest considering either the Pacific Energy Alderlea T5 or the Blaze King Ashford 30. Both stoves have more capacity and longer burn times. The cast iron on these stoves is a jacket which softens the heat output and acts as a heat sink to continue to release heat as the stove cools down. The Blaze King is a catalytic which allows it to burn at a steady low burn for 20+ hrs. much like an electric space heater. This allows the stove to be loaded full without overheating the home during shoulder season burning.

 

[branchburner]

My two cents: if I was in a fairly cold climate and upgrading from a 1 cu ft stove, I would shoot for 2+ cu ft (=F500) rather than 1.5 cu ft (F400), even in a smaller house (unless it was very tight and well-insulated). Yes, probably much more stove than needed, but...
1) Come winter, I'd rather be too hot (and wearing t-shirts and shorts) than even a bit chilly
2) As a 24/7 burner heating 100% with wood, longer logs and longer burn times make me happy

If you don't like room temps to push into the 80s, probably better to stay on the smaller side.

I do agree, a cat stove is the way to go for long efficient burns with reduced heat output. There is also the potential ability with a bigger stove to reduce firebox size and gain efficiency in shoulder season, by adding firebrick. (This would be an "unapproved" modification and is not recommended, but some including myself have experimented out of curiosity, with good results.)

Or you can just burn smaller fires in the larger stove, even though you will lose some efficiency. But one thing's for sure: you can never build bigger fires in a smaller firebox.

 

[FireRod]

80° is just where I like it. The F400 Castine has a 1.8 cu. ft. firebox which makes the upgrade makes sense. The Cat is not in my budget right now.

 

[begreen]

I would have suggested the Woodstock Keystone but huge price increases in the past few years have put this stove in another price class.

 

[bunfoolio]

Go with thef400. I have the f500 and have used the f3b. Jotul stoves are great