Jotul Firelight 12 with Pedal is overheating and whooshing.

[chickensoup]

I have a 24 year old Jotul 12 with a pedal. It is a 1993. Wonderful stove and I have it serviced each year. My service man died and a new dealer agreed to service it and a nice young man, younger than the stove, came out and replaced some gaskets and inspected the stove. Have been running the stove for a month now and on the last two burns the stove although shut down in the back and in the front, now whooshes and starts to heat up. It is like the back damper is not fully closed or something with the cat. It doesn't SEEEM to be the front damper because the front isn't bright and the noise is the back. I have been able to slam things around and eventually get the whole thing shut down enough for a creosote-y slow burn but I dare not add more air.

The ash pan door is tightly closed. Havent changed the cat in about 4 to 6 years. New back wall about 3 years ago. I have another waiting, I get them cast every few years. always have one handy.

Any ideas. This is the world's best Stove and I love it. Having a difficult time finding an old jotul guy for service.

Great forum btw.

 

[Ashful]

Old Jotul guy, here. I had three F12’s. Running out the door momentarily, but will post back shortly.

In the meantime, the mods could move this to the hearth room for more responses, this is not a pre-EPA stove.

 

[chickensoup]

Old Jotul guy, here. I had three F12’s. Running out the door momentarily, but will post back shortly.

In the meantime, the mods could move this to the hearth room for more responses, this is not a pre-EPA stove.

How do I get the mods to move the thread?

 

[chickensoup]

thank you

 

[Ashful]

I’d let the stove go cold, and then start with the basics:

1. Check condition of damper and frame, any cracks or warping?
2. Check damper gasket. There should be a 1/4” braided rope gasket around the entire damper frame (you can feel it, but not see it, without removing the damper frame). Is it intact?
3. Is the damper operating correctly? This must be tested with the top load door closed.
4. Did you lose a gasket on one of the front doors or the ash pan door? The front doors have gasket around entire inside edge, plus one 3/16” or 1/4” (can’t remember now) braided rope gasket on seam between the two doors.

 

[chickensoup]

I’d let the stove go cold, and then start with the basics:

1. Check condition of damper and frame, any cracks or warping?
2. Check damper gasket. There should be a 1/4” braided rope gasket around the entire damper frame (you can feel it, but not see it, without removing the damper frame). Is it intact?
3. Is the damper operating correctly? This must be tested with the top load door closed.
4. Did you lose a gasket on one of the front doors or the ash pan door? The front doors have gasket around entire inside edge, plus one 3/16” or 1/4” (can’t remember now) braided rope gasket on seam between the two doors.

Hi Old Jotul Guy

Damper is ok with gasket in place.

Door gaskets are ok so is the top load door gasket, which I place on the door which has made it upteen easy to use.

Ash pan gaskets are tight and in place.

very narrow thin gasket between the doors, almost didn't see it.

Damper seems to be operating correctly.

Seems like one pushes the damper and it closes and then there is a little way more to push.

Right now it is closing all the way with just the first push, there is no little way more.

no cracks on walls or sides, no cracks on the back piece. all seems tight and in place. I wonder about that extra push. I have had to do that for a while, but not all the time. It is something about the pedal engagement I think.

 

[chickensoup]

Hi Old Jotul Guy

Damper is ok with gasket in place.

Door gaskets are ok so is the top load door gasket, which I place on the door which has made it upteen easy to use.

Ash pan gaskets are tight and in place.

very narrow thin gasket between the doors, almost didn't see it.

Damper seems to be operating correctly.

Seems like one pushes the damper and it closes and then there is a little way more to push.

Right now it is closing all the way with just the first push, there is no little way more.

no cracks on walls or sides, no cracks on the back piece. all seems tight and in place. I wonder about that extra push. I have had to do that for a while, but not all the time. It is something about the pedal engagement I think.

Thank you for your response to me.

 

[defiant3]

Couple other things: Tap the glass panes gently with your finger. Do they rattle? Gasket is gone if they do, time to replace. Another thing (there's always another thing) in that particular stove, the top casting is gasketed, NOT cemented to the stove body. 2 bolts hold it down, access from inside the firebox. Only way to be sure is to pull the top and check or simply replace that gasket. I think 3/8" will do it, right Ashful?

SO love those old 12's, wish I could find one in half decent shape.

 

[chickensoup]

Couple other things: Tap the glass panes gently with your finger. Do they rattle? Gasket is gone if they do, time to replace. Another thing (there's always another thing) in that particular stove, the top casting is gasketed, NOT cemented to the stove body. 2 bolts hold it down, access from inside the firebox. Only way to be sure is to pull the top and check or simply replace that gasket. I think 3/8" will do it, right Ashful?

SO love those old 12's, wish I could find one in half decent shape.

You are the second or third person to tell me that in the past week.
I cannot undo the top. However it seems to be a mechanical problem where the back damper does not fully engage and is a bit loose.
I worked it and eventually it engaged correctly. However I think the mechanics of it have some play and probably need to be tightened, however that may occur. I have run two smaller burns without the whoosh after playing with the damper. I do think it needs attention.
Any Ideas? Is there some sort of screw to tighten?

 

[Ashful]

Ironically, the best way to get at that bypass damper is to remove the top. Seriously, open the front doors, stick your head in there, and look up. Large bolt on either side of the top. Remove bolts, as well as that little retainer strap under the top load door, and the top just lifts off.

 

[semipro]

I had one of these stoves. I cracked it in a place not readily visible by using the ash door to get the fire going. It was difficult to control after that. The heat of a fire seemed to enlarge the crack creating a sort of runaway burn.
A simple way to check for leaks is to plug the flue pipe and then light a page or two of newspaper inside the stove then look for the escaping smoke. You'll need to be able to air the room out.
The crack on mine was low down near the ash pan so testing this way many not reveal that leak. I was able to see it once I removed the ash pan and looked around with a flashlight.