Jotul F500v3 sudden drop in Cat temp

[skycamper]

Okay, been liking my new Jotul F500v3 and it seemed very easy to get the cat temps to 800F to 1000F in 20 min. Now after two weeks with the same wood, moisture content between 8% and 14%. It struggles to get to 500F in 40 min or about. Is this basically just an overactive cat thats now breaking in?

. Im having to load the box higher and leave the air open much longer. Draft is excellent. Stack includes two 45 angles and 23 ft of pipe double wall inside and triple wall outside. Ive not overfired this thing at all, is this normal? Burning mostly cherry mixed with some cedar, fir, pine.

Thank you!

 

[Todd]

Has the weather warmed up? Relatively warmer temps can mess with draft.

 

[Tithis]

This is our second heating season with our F500v3 and our cat still sits around 800f-1000 f with the air lever all the way to left. Really seems weird that yours would suddenly drop like that.

 

[skycamper]

Actually its gotten colder! Im also noticing that wood is not lasting as long . Maybe my draft is increasing? But that would cause higher temps which im not seeing. Just strange. I think the cat being new might be the answer. The wood is very dry 10% to 15% moisture.

 

[skycamper]

This is our second heating season with our F500v3 and our cat still sits around 800f-1000 f with the air lever all the way to left. Really seems weird that yours would suddenly drop like that.

Maybe im not loading it enough? 3-5 small to meduim splits of cherry and fir.