Jotul C450 replacement blower installed. Not overly impressed, but...

[black_sab]

I installed a replacement fasco blower two nights ago. It's a single speed unit where the stock rpm equals the "High" setting on the original blower. I can now sit 3-4' back and actually feel *some* warm (not hot) air. The air coming out the top slot is warm, but it's not uncomfortable if you sit a foot away and let it hit your face... How hot should this air be? I can't feel anything 10' away sitting on the couch directly in the line of sight with the insert.

I'm using the large canawick blocks, ~6 lbs a piece. I'm bypassing the snapstat but wait for at least 30 minutes until there is a raging fire and the top of the insert is too hot to touch before switching the fan on. I slide the damper to about half open once things really get cooking. Will wire up the snapstat tonight.

I ran through 4 canawick blocks and some Hot Blocks last night. My thermostat doesn't seem to budge from 65 degrees (to the left of the of the doorway to the 10x10 room in the pic). It's a total of at most ~1200 sq ft on the first floor.

Now reading threads about block plates, installing roxul insulation around the insert , etc got me thinking they may have skimped on that when installing the insert. However, I'm not sure if the layout of the house and proximity of the insert (red in the diagram) to entryways leading upstairs is causing all the heat to get sucked right upstairs. I may try and tape up some of the rosin paper i have on hand over the two open entryways that lead to the front stairway to see what kind of difference that makes with the blower on and off.

This is a late 1800s house. There is at least some fiberglass insulation in the walls. Most exterior walls are now drywall. Newer low e double pane replacement windows throughout entire house. No window coverings yet on any 1st floor windows. Very large picture window 4'x8' about 10' from insert. All obvious drafts/door drafts were completely sealed a week or two ago.

So in summary... possibilities:
1) I don't know how to build a good fire yet
2) Heat going right upstairs
3) Insert not properly insulated and heat absorbed by chimney bricks
4) ??

...As just a point of comparison in the attached apartment next door (much newer construction) a newly installed old Harman p35 pellet insert is warming a 700 ft first floor to 77 degrees in no time without any issue what so ever. It's uncomfortably warm, and it's not burning through many pellets at all...

attached 1st floor layout

 

[mellow]

You absolutely need to install a block off plate, that looks like an interior chimney so insulating the fireplace might not help as much, but for sure do the block off.

How hot are you getting the insert? I would measure mine with in IR gun on the top above the door, I had mine as far out on the hearth as it would go. Mine threw out heat so something is amiss here.

 

[black_sab]

You absolutely need to install a block off plate, that looks like an interior chimney so insulating the fireplace might not help as much, but for sure do the block off.

How hot are you getting the insert? I would measure mine with in IR gun on the top above the door, I had mine as far out on the hearth as it would go. Mine threw out heat so something is amiss here.

Yep, It's an interior chimney. Faces a living room... backside is a small sort of circular hallway.

My IR gun is at my old house... will pick it up tomorrow. Can you recommend a *small* thermometer that will fit on top of the insert? I can't seem to find a stove thermometers that will fit in the tiny space on top since there is almost zero stick out.

I'm arbitrarily limiting the insert to a single big canawick block to start out. Then when that brick gets to about 40-50% in size I toss in another and repeat. maybe i need to start with two.

I guess I need to disassemble the surround to see if they've put in a block off.

 

[mellow]

If you have the clearances for it I would move the insert out more onto the hearth, the 450 has a moveable shell so you can have it nearly flush mount or have it sitting out on the hearth, the more it is out of the firebox the better, plus that will give you a spot to put a thermometer.

You will need to pull the surround up and out, sometimes it can be tricky, but yes you need to remove that to check to see if a block off plate was installed, I am pretty sure one was not installed and you are losing a lot of heat up the chimney.

 

[mellow]

This is a picture of mine, it was all the way out which is not much compared to some other inserts but it gives you better access to the top.

 

[mellow]

Another shot showing where I had my thermometer.

 

[black_sab]

Thanks a lot for the pics. I might be able to slip a thermometer in there.

 

[black_sab]

Another shot showing where I had my thermometer.

View attachment 172000

Mellow, Just wondering if you ever did you ever do a compare/contrast of the Jotul versus the Appalachian?
Seems like the build quality/fit of parts is better on the Jotul.

Wondering if the heat output is night and day compared with the Jotul.

 

[mellow]

There is a difference, the Jotul did put out more heat at high burn, but chewed through wood and had shorter burn times due to a smaller firebox and it was a tube burner. The wife loved the looks of the Jotul and ease of use (only 1 primary air switch to mess with). The Jotul did have better build quality.

The Appalachian is not as refined as the Jotul, it has its quirks, but I (wife not as much) have figured out how to live with / fix them. I have meaningful heat for 2.5 times longer with the Appalachain than with the Jotul. I love the fact I can load the stove before work at 8 am and come home at 5 pm to a stove that is still putting out heat with an active cat and still has an hour give or take of burn time left depending on outside temps. Same with night time, load the stove up and go to bed at 10 pm and still have an active cat in the morning when I do a reload at 8 am, plenty of big chunks of hot coals left to do a reload on.

 

[black_sab]

There is a difference, the Jotul did put out more heat at high burn, but chewed through wood and had shorter burn times due to a smaller firebox and it was a tube burner. The wife loved the looks of the Jotul and ease of use (only 1 primary air switch to mess with). The Jotul did have better build quality.

The Appalachian is not as refined as the Jotul, it has its quirks, but I (wife not as much) have figured out how to live with / fix them. I have meaningful heat for 2.5 times longer with the Appalachain than with the Jotul. I love the fact I can load the stove before work at 8 am and come home at 5 pm to a stove that is still putting out heat with an active cat and still has an hour give or take of burn time left depending on outside temps. Same with night time, load the stove up and go to bed at 10 pm and still have an active cat in the morning when I do a reload at 8 am, plenty of big chunks of hot coals left to do a reload on.

wow 2.5 as long. I'll have to live with what I have for now. If oil gets a lot more expensive I'll start looking at larger options... assuming i have the dimensions to fit in a larger insert.

Grabbed a thermometer at HD today. Got the fire cranking... been going for about an hour (wife had it smoldering for maybe a /12 hour before i got home). Tossed in 3 canawick blocks to see how hot I could get it. This is with damper all the way open... 333degrees in the pic... up to around 350 now.

Canawick says 5-7 hours per brick... maybe if you almost starve them for air.

 

[black_sab]

Got a really good bed of coals going and tossed in 2 more canawick blocks... Temps are now 485 to 500 with the damper all the way to the left. Turned to fan on hoping to pull some of that heat away

 

[Scrounger]

Fill it up with some good dry wood and get that baby tick tick ticking. 600 to 650 on that thermometer is good. Block off plate is a must, been there done that.

 

[bodeen]

I know its an older post but was wondering what Fasco part number the O.P. used to replace his Jotul C450 blower motor....

 

[black_sab]

yeah it's the Fasco A125. It's not variable speed, but seemed to be fine with a harbor freight speed controller.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BUJUIM/?tag=hearthamazon-20