Jotul 600

[powdervo]

Hi there!
I am kinda new to having a wood stove. I bought mine used last season and has been great up to now.
Suddenly it started loosing draft and would let smoke out, the burn was weak , not clean and my chimney was constantly smoking. The house smells of smoke ...
I finally cleaned it out and took a look , not knowing what I am looking at.
Looks like there is a cracked plate at the back of the stove. I am attaching some pictures.
Is there any remedy for that or I am screwed?
Thank you in advance!
.

 

[begreen]

What you are looking at is the back burn plate that covers the secondary air manifold. I don't think that is the issue.
When was the flue system last cleaned? Was the cap cleaned as well?

 

[begreen]

Just to be sure, is this an F600 with secondary tubes or an F12 with a catalyst?

 

[powdervo]

Just to be sure, is this an F600 with secondary tubes or an F12 with a catalyst?

Hi Begreen,
Thanks for fast response! This is with the tubes. on top. No catalyst.

 

[powdervo]

What you are looking at is the back burn plate that covers the secondary air manifold. I don't think that is the issue.
When was the flue system last cleaned? Was the cap cleaned as well?

I haven't done that. I am actually not sure how to do it. Do I just clean the flues that are on top? I don't know where the "cap" is and how to clean it. So I guess I haven't cleaned it.

 

[begreen]

Hi Begreen,
Thanks for fast response! This is with the tubes. on top. No catalyst.

OK, moving the thread to the main forum. This is a modern EPA stove.

I haven't done that. I am actually not sure how to do it. Do I just clean the flues that are on top? I don't know where the "cap" is and how to clean it. So I guess I haven't cleaned it.

It's possible that the chimney cap screen is clogged. How much wood have you burned in the stove? Do you know how well seasoned the wood is? Do the ends sizzle a bit when they get hot?

 

[powdervo]

OK, moving the thread to the main forum. This is a modern EPA stove.

It's possible that the chimney cap screen is clogged. How much wood have you burned in the stove? Do you know how well seasoned the wood is? Do the ends sizzle a bit when they get hot?

Sorry for posting in the wrong forum!
It's been burning every day. Probably close to a cord at this point. I have kiln dried wood. It's been burning good. I can take a look at the cap. At this time it will be hard to clean as it is all snow on the ground and access it hard.
So that hole on the back os not a problem ?

 

[begreen]

Some kiln-dried wood is not dry all the way through.

So that hole on the back os not a problem ?

I don't think that would cause the symptoms you are describing. You could pack a bit of stove and furnace cement into the gap to see if it improves anything.

 

[powdervo]

Some kiln-dried wood is not dry all the way through.

You might have a point here. The guy that supplied the kiln dried wood was so backed up. I believe he might have cut it short on the drying although it is really quick to start fire with it. That lead me to believe it is super dry.
In my previous year of usage I had bunch of firewood that I cut but was laying around for 2-3 years . I guess the problem could be more complex and not a single blame can be pointed to.
So I looked at the spark arrestor on the cap and seem black but I can't say it is all clogged. The cap's top is also pretty dark and seems like there is creosote.

 

[Lumberjack]

i will second begreen, that chip/crack is a non issue, those are replaceable plates

great stove btw, just rebuilt mine!

 

[begreen]

You might have a point here. The guy that supplied the kiln dried wood was so backed up. I believe he might have cut it short on the drying although it is really quick to start fire with it. That lead me to believe it is super dry.
In my previous year of usage I had bunch of firewood that I cut but was laying around for 2-3 years . I guess the problem could be more complex and not a single blame can be pointed to.
So I looked at the spark arrestor on the cap and seem black but I can't say it is all clogged. The cap's top is also pretty dark and seems like there is creosote.

Sounds like a good time to clean the chimney and cap screen.

 

[powdervo]

Thanks everyone for responding!
I'll get on the clean up as soon as the temps get off 0F for longer here in VT

 

[webby3650]

In my previous year of usage I had bunch of firewood that I cut but was laying around for 2-3 years

So you’ve burned more than 1 year without cleaning?
Look into a sooteater cleaning system, you may be able to clean if from inside depending on your setup.

 

[powdervo]

So you’ve burned more than 1 year without cleaning?
Look into a sooteater cleaning system, you may be able to clean if from inside depending on your setup.

Yeah I skipped the cleaning part and I learned it was a bad idea!
I got to clean the chimney today all the way to the cap, spark arrestor. My chimney is duravent and has the tee clean out cap outside.
Bought this summer this magic sooteater thing but never bothered to use it .
Today I did! I probably got about a quart or two of soot. I then went inside and removed the top burn plates and the blanket. Oh my that was loaded with ash! I used the sooteater from inside and got bunch more.
The blanket is torn so I am waiting for a new one to arrive thursday.

Thanks everyone for your help!

When I was cleaning i noticed that in the corners there are signs of cement. I feel that the stove puffs out smoke at its cold stages and once it warms up and expands it's al good. Do I need to reseal everything maybe pretty soon ?

 

[begreen]

Progress. The blanket is dirty but it doesn't look unusable if you want to burn before Thurs.

 

[Woody Stover]

Yeah I skipped the cleaning part and I learned it was a bad idea!

It is in any case, and with an exterior chimney, it will gunk up faster than most.

 

[powdervo]

Progress. The blanket is dirty but it doesn't look unusable if you want to burn before Thurs.

It was torn in the middle, I'll wait to replace it.

Would anyone point me to how to remove the baffles ? I tried twisting and wiggling them out but no go. There seem to be couple of bolts holding on each side. Do I remove those? Didn't want to get into something I can't reverse....

Thanks again!