Jotul 450 insert update

[NE WOOD BURNER]

Ok so the insert has been burning steady for two weeks.
it heats the room its in if the blower runs.
so it performs as it should in my opinion.
I tried the fan on floor trick last night and low and behold the entire house is a constant 64 degrees including the up stairs bedrooms.
So I would think we maybe where @ 28 degrees this morning outside.
I am burning 2 year old maple and 1 year ash. If I put on a load directly from outside pile with just top cover I can see a noticeable stall in the stove for heat output. about 1 hour to get back to my peak performance.
For giggles yesterday I grabbed some 2 year old Oak and loaded stove with just 2 pieces on a 4 inch bed of hot coals. It took nearly 3 hours for the stove to get back to peak performance.

This insert is really intended for me to utilize my fireplace and to satisfy my need to constantly play with fire. So I am happy with the install and performance.
The addition of the box fan allows more heat to other rooms and the oil does not kick on in the early AM as it did in the past. thermostat is set @ 60 degrees.
So my seat of the pants experiment tells me that the temperature of the wood and the moisture content of the wood directly effects the BTU output of the stove.
And the hearth recommendation of a box fan on the floor blowing toward the stove does indeed move the heat!

 

[begreen]

Good news. As you get more familiar with the stove your technique will also improve. If you can start gathering some locust, oak, hickory now and stack it to dry for a couple years you will even get more heat output.

Did it get a block-off plate installed? That will help it heat better.

 

[NE WOOD BURNER]

Yes it has a block off plate and roxul all around fire box and above plate. the heat performance of stove is fine for the room. I'm just pushing it to see what it can do. I bet if my fireplace was not on exterior wall it would really work better. I have a 3 flue exterior chimney that is being replaced in the Spring. I think I may do away with the insert all together and build a hearth for a fireview free stander. On the other end of house is where the new PH is going. I am anxious to see how that performs. If it heats whole house I may just leave the jotul as is for Ambiance. I really am partial to the Wood Stock brand as they are only 38 miles north of me. If the PH turns out to be as controllable as I have read about, that may also be a good fit for the room. This is the "Ice box of NH" with a stiff northerly wind all winter. Long burn times and controllable heat output is my ultimate goal.