Jotul F500 v3 - Fourth Winter Update

[nunyabinis]

Well, the F500 v3 made it through it's fourth winter with flying colors. The original catalyst shows no signs of premature wear or collapse. I attribute that to covering the unregulated air intake holes in the Ash House with magnets shortly after I installed the stove thereby not running the stove in a continuous state of "over fire".

Our chimney sweeper who's been sweeping our chimney for decades recently cleaned the system from stem to stern and gave everything a clean bill of health. He said to continue whatever we're doing because everything look fantastic.

I wasn't sure how I was going to like this stove since I loved my old Vermont Castings stove so much but I'm really liking this Jotul. It couldn't be easier to operate and as long as you cover those unregulated air holes and clean the fly ass off the catalyst occasionally she runs like a champ.

 

[EbS-P]

Well, the F500 v3 made it through it's fourth winter with flying colors. The original catalyst shows no signs of premature wear or collapse. I attribute that to covering the unregulated air intake holes in the Ash House with magnets shortly after I installed the stove thereby not running the stove in a continuous state of "over fire".

Our chimney sweeper who's been sweeping our chimney for decades recently cleaned the system from stem to stern and gave everything a clean bill of health. He said to continue whatever we're doing because everything look fantastic.

I wasn't sure how I was going to like this stove since I loved my old Vermont Castings stove so much but I'm really liking this Jotul. It couldn't be easier to operate and as long as you cover those unregulated air holes and clean the fly ass off the catalyst occasionally she runs like a champ.

How tall is the chimney and how many bends?

 

[Todd]

That’s great news! What kind of burn times are you seeing with the stove?

 

[Mainely4aReview]

If I don't do something similar (covering up those tiny holes with magnets) what sort of negative impact are you suggesting may occur?
Just harder to wake up to active embers in the morning, or something more like runaway damaging combustor, etc.?
(We just got a F500 V3 Oslo and are still trying to get used to it. Biggest annoyance was the original manual that came with it had inconsistent clearance numbers, but the more recent version of the manual online is consistent and makes sense!)

 

[nunyabinis]

If I don't do something similar (covering up those tiny holes with magnets) what sort of negative impact are you suggesting may occur?
Just harder to wake up to active embers in the morning, or something more like runaway damaging combustor, etc.?
(We just got a F500 V3 Oslo and are still trying to get used to it. Biggest annoyance was the original manual that came with it had inconsistent clearance numbers, but the more recent version of the manual online is consistent and makes sense!)

Read the thread at the link posted below. Let me know if you have any additional questions.

New Jotul F500 V3 owner

 

[Lee Fontaine]

This is my second winter with my F500 V3 Oslo, but I'm not a woodstove noobie. My F500 replaced an 8 year old Jotul F118 CB Black Bear, that replaced an old Better 'n Bens stove that came with my 100+ year old house. Of the three, the Black Bear was my favorite, but like many other F118 CBs, the baffle gave out, and from what I was told, you need to crack the top off the stove off to replace the baffle. Definitely out of my wheelhouse.

I was reluctant to buy a stove with a catalytic combustor, but the F500 V3 checked all the other boxes. I found cold starts to be a little finicky at first, but so was the Black Bear until I learned what it needed. I think the catalytic combustor, and the need to remove the top of the stove for cleaning, are going to be the F500's Achilles heels.

The top of the stove is held on by two small studs in front and two tiny threaded pins in the rear. Fearing the day when they decide to remain frozen in place and break, when the stove was first installed, I coated all the threads with the same high termperature never-sieze grease I used to use on car disk brake calipers to keep them sliding freely.

So far so good. Last spring at the end of heating season, my chimney guy showed up for his annual visit. Everything came apart just fine. He removed the catalytic combustor to clean it, but as he tried to replace it, the expansion gaskets fell apart. Lesson learned, have replacements on hand before spring cleaning.

The latest lesson I learned (the hard way) is to periodically check the combustor for any fly ash accumulating on its surface. Fly ash blocks air flow, hence the stove's ability to breathe. This makes for anemic fires and a smokey house. I used a shop vac and a small soft brush, and finally a small hand-held air blower, to remove what had accumulated over the previous 2½-months. Voila, nice hot fires, combustor temperature back into the 500⁰ to 800⁰ range, and almost no smoke escapes when raking coals and reloading.

My last concern regarding the F500 combustor is how long it will last. Jotul warrants the combustor against manufacturer's defects for 10-years. But that doesn't address wear and tear due to use. Average life span on most combustors used in EPA approved stoves is 10,000 to 12,000 hours of burn time. (Thank you ChatGPT.) For my purposes (5-months of nearly steady burning) that's around 3-years. By my calculation, the combustor, gaskets, and supporting parts will run a do-it-yourselfer just north of a thousand dollars. Not chump change but still cheaper than electric heat in Rhode Island. Time will tell if the F500 combustor will beat the averages.

 

[Todd]

This is my second winter with my F500 V3 Oslo, but I'm not a woodstove noobie. My F500 replaced an 8 year old Jotul F118 CB Black Bear, that replaced an old Better 'n Bens stove that came with my 100+ year old house. Of the three, the Black Bear was my favorite, but like many other F118 CBs, the baffle gave out, and from what I was told, you need to crack the top off the stove off to replace the baffle. Definitely out of my wheelhouse.

I was reluctant to buy a stove with a catalytic combustor, but the F500 V3 checked all the other boxes. I found cold starts to be a little finicky at first, but so was the Black Bear until I learned what it needed. I think the catalytic combustor, and the need to remove the top of the stove for cleaning, are going to be the F500's Achilles heels.

The top of the stove is held on by two small studs in front and two tiny threaded pins in the rear. Fearing the day when they decide to remain frozen in place and break, when the stove was first installed, I coated all the threads with the same high termperature never-sieze grease I used to use on car disk brake calipers to keep them sliding freely.

So far so good. Last spring at the end of heating season, my chimney guy showed up for his annual visit. Everything came apart just fine. He removed the catalytic combustor to clean it, but as he tried to replace it, the expansion gaskets fell apart. Lesson learned, have replacements on hand before spring cleaning.

The latest lesson I learned (the hard way) is to periodically check the combustor for any fly ash accumulating on its surface. Fly ash blocks air flow, hence the stove's ability to breathe. This makes for anemic fires and a smokey house. I used a shop vac and a small soft brush, and finally a small hand-held air blower, to remove what had accumulated over the previous 2½-months. Voila, nice hot fires, combustor temperature back into the 500⁰ to 800⁰ range, and almost no smoke escapes when raking coals and reloading.

My last concern regarding the F500 combustor is how long it will last. Jotul warrants the combustor against manufacturer's defects for 10-years. But that doesn't address wear and tear due to use. Average life span on most combustors used in EPA approved stoves is 10,000 to 12,000 hours of burn time. (Thank you ChatGPT.) For my purposes (5-months of nearly steady burning) that's around 3-years. By my calculation, the combustor, gaskets, and supporting parts will run a do-it-yourselfer just north of a thousand dollars. Not chump change but still cheaper than electric heat in Rhode Island. Time will tell if the F500 combustor will beat the averages.

What about the center top oval plate, isn’t that removable for cat access?

I’m not sure the life span of these new Jotul Fusion cats? I think they are a little different than the standard cats. Larger cells and more flow than standard cats. Could be why they have such a long warranty?

 

[Lee Fontaine]

The Oval center plate is

What about the center top oval plate, isn’t that removable for cat access?

I’m not sure the life span of these new Jotul Fusion cats? I think they are a little different than the standard cats. Larger cells and more flow than standard cats. Could be why they have such a long warranty?

The oval center plate is attached by two bolts on the UNDERSIDE of the top plate. :-( But even if it was easily removable, it wouldn't give adequate access to fully service or replace the combustor. Fortunately, simply clearing fly ash can be done through the front door opening.

Regarding the combustor's 10-year warranty, it only covers manufacturer's defects.
I have an all electric house - including heat. Given the very high electric utility rates in Rhode Island, I light my wood stove towards the end of October and shut it down early in April. It burns pretty steadily for the entire time and heats the entire 1,500-square foot living area of my house. Needless to say, I'm putting a lot of mileage on that combustor. It'll be interesting to find out five or six years down the road, when I've got 25- or 30-thousand hours on the combustor and it's no longer "combusting," if Jotul will cover it as defective.