Jotul f3 Overnight Loading Question

[Eric Lodge]

I have a new Jotul f3...and I really like it so far (it replaced a 20 year old Vermont Castings)...My question is how do I load the stove at night to have enough coals in the morning to get going on the next days first burns. When I put only one log on it would never make it overnight. Any suggestions for loading ??? Thanks alot

 

[begreen]

Welcome Eric. The F3CB has about a 1.1 cu ft firebox. It only holds 2-3 logs so that is a real challenge. Almost impossible with softwood. The best we would get was 3-4 hrs with doug fir. Some folks do report getting 6 hrs with good hardwood like white oak though. Pack the stove as tight as you can with a mix of large splits and smaller ones filling in the gaps.

What model VC stove did this replace?

 

[corey21]

Welcome.

In that small firebox i think it might be real hard to get an overnight burn with just one load. You will more then likely be waking up during the night to reload or let it go out.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah I was never able to get coals to last in the F3. Just won't hold enough wood. A deep enough ash bed to hold coals severely cuts down on load capacity.

 

[Eric Lodge]

Welcome Eric. The F3CB has about a 1.1 cu ft firebox. It only holds 2-3 logs so that is a real challenge. Almost impossible with softwood. The best we would get was 3-4 hrs with doug fir. Some folks do report getting 6 hrs with good hardwood like white oak though. Pack the stove as tight as you can with a mix of large splits and smaller ones filling in the gaps.

What model VC stove did this replace?

Thanks for your response...I replaced a Vermont Castings Resolute with the Jotul in our den...In our main living area I am replacing a Vermont Castings Encore with a larger Jotul. Seems like most folks are not able to get coals last THROUGH the whole night...so on frigid nights I can pop down and throw a couple of pieces in...The REAL good news is, this Jotul starts so easily that it really isn't such a
big deal to get a new fire going...

 

[Eric Lodge]

Welcome.

In that small firebox i think it might be real hard to get an overnight burn with just one load. You will more then likely be waking up during the night to reload or let it go out.

Yep...I think I'll be making a trip down to keep it going...Thanks for your thoughts !!

 

[Treacherous]

You might get some coals in the morning with a HFPL.

 

[Lynch]

no no it can be done im sure, i only have a F100 nordic.I can have a good bed of coals if i do it right, you have to have a good coal bed to start. and just be for you go to bed load the big stuff in the back of the stove. and the smaller stuff in the front. i would always have something to get it going with small splits or a couple kindling splits.
just do big in back and small in front.
if i can do it you shoudnt have that a problem with it.

 

[Billybonfire]

Hi Eric,
I have a small stove of similar size to the F3, it is possible to overnight a small stove.
What I do is about an hour or two before going to bed, fill the stove with some good hardwood, burn it hot and fast to build up a big coal bed, when little or no flame, shut down the air then go to bed.
In the morning open up the air to liven up the coals and put a bit of kindling on til it catches then a couple of small splits and away you go again.
I have been able to keep the stove in for up to 9 hours this way.
I saw a good video of this method, overnight burn bit is at 6 mins 30 sec. -


regards

Billy.

 

[Proud Sub Vet]

I have a Jotul F3 (also in matt black) and it is a great little stove - truly classic looking! The one thing I did not enjoy was the somewhat limited burn times... but then again I did buy a 'small-ish' stove. Sure, in the mornings there were enough little coals to get her going again with minimal fuss, but when the weather gets really cold, having the stove cool down to ~200-225 degrees = a cold house (well at least down stairs where it is located) which would also mean my electrically heated heating house would already be using the dreaded electric heat!

One unanticipated draw back was that the wife HATED using the stove - she was sooo afraid to overheat the stove. (Manual says keep it at 400 - 600 degrees for optimal performance and she let it climb up to 700 and was totally freaked out)

Anyway, it is a great little stove which unfortulately after 2 seasons has become a hearth ornament so in 3 - 4 weeks she gets traded in for a Harman Accentra 52i (the F3, not the wife lol) which should hopefully find itself more fully used by just pouring in the bags of pellets! (which me luck)

 

[webby3650]

One unanticipated draw back was that the wife HATED using the stove - she was sooo afraid to overheat the stove. (Manual says keep it at 400 - 600 degrees for optimal performance and she let it climb up to 700 and was totally freaked out) Anyway, it is a great little stove which unfortulately after 2 seasons has become a hearth ornament so in 3 - 4 weeks she gets traded in for a Harman Accentra 52i

Well, with the pellet stove there sure won't be any issues with over heating that's for sure!

 

[BrotherBart]

Well, with the pellet stove there sure won't be any issues with over heating that's for sure!

Yeah that overheat sensor control in them is neat, isn't it.

 

[Proud Sub Vet]

@ Webby and Brother Bart... Yes I'm totally looking forward to buying something the wife will use (probably only the pouring in the pellets part of the equation). I grew up as a kid with a wood stove back in the mid-70s/early 80s and really enjoyed the whole wood burning process - having a fire going is good for the soul IMHO.

I'm looking forward to getting the new Harman 52i... and it seems to be fairly 'submarine' sailor-proof.... and yes, even for the fire-hating wife!

 

[BrotherBart]

@ Webby and Brother Bart... Yes I'm totally looking forward to buying something the wife will use (probably only the pouring in the pellets part of the equation). I grew up as a kid with a wood stove back in the mid-70s/early 80s and really enjoyed the whole wood burning process - having a fire going is good for the soul IMHO.

I'm looking forward to getting the new Harman 52i... and it seems to be fairly 'submarine' sailor-proof.... and yes, even for the fire-hating wife!

You will get your Dolphins on it pretty quick and so will she. Hopefully Mike Holton from England's Stove Works will pass by and tell the story of switching his wife from wood to pellet stove.

@stoveguy2esw

 

[Proud Sub Vet]

You will get your Dolphins on it pretty quick and so will she. Hopefully Mike Holton from England's Stove Works will pass by and tell the story of switching his wife from wood to pellet stove.

@stoveguy2esw

Oh trust me, the wife has already earned her Dolphins (she has been tollerating me getting my pilot's license and flying a plane for a hobby for the last 15 years!) Perhaps my not-as-tough-as-she-looks Brooklyn born and raised wife is submarine sailor proof!

I'll post how much she loves pellet pouring in the weeks to come

 

[begreen]

My wife did not do well at daily humping a 40lb. bag of pellets from the garage to the stove and filling it. I ended up doing this mostly.

 

[tcassavaugh]

I've had the jotul for three seasons now. I absolutely love it. I use it a lot during the shoulder season, by itself and team it up with the summit that is in the basement when it gets cold out. the way I've been able to keep the box hot and enough coals to restart in the morning is burn a good load during the evening and about 30 minutes before going to bed I put on another load of hardwood....pack her tight and let her get going for 15-20 minutes. I then shut the draft control and I also close down to about 75% (handle between 45 and 90 degrees) a separate damper I have installed in the pipe. that lets it smolder during the night. sometimes, I have to crack the draft just a bit depending on how its burning.

 

[begreen]

Burning softwood I think I achieved an overnight burn maybe once or twice in two years of owning the F3CB. It is a major challenge with such a small firebox. Average burntime for us was more like 4 hrs. if we were trying to produce meaningful heat.

 

[Proud Sub Vet]

My wife did not do well at daily humping a 40lb. bag of pellets from the garage to the stove and filling it. I ended up doing this mostly.

I don't expect mine will love (or perform!) that daily function either... I'll have to have the bags already standing by next to the stove lest I come home to an equally empty Harman as I did the F3! (She works days.. I work evenings)

I was happy to read that her excursion to 700 degrees in the F3 for about 30 mins didn't do any damage! I relayed to her the info posted earlier on here about the 800-900 degree stuff which made her totally relieved, but not relieved enough for her to say, "no baby - don't spend $5,000+ for the new stove, delivery, installation and 4 tons of pellets....