Jotul identification help, is this an upgrade?

[centralscrutinizer]

Hello all, I've come across an ad for a Jotul insert close by. The problem is the person selling is a contractor and pulled the stove off a remodeling job he was doing and does not have any info about the unit. Can anyone help ID the unit?

My wife loves the look of this much better than our current stove. I currently run an Avalon 796 that is rated for about 65,000 btu. My house is 1,700 sf, and it does a good job, but does not burn all night, my thermostat kicked on pretty consistently around 3 am last year. I was not burning the best wood, some ash and birch that wasn't the completely seasoned. Anyway, the seller claims the Jotul is like new. I am wondering if this would be a better fit for my house. Can anyone give me a model number from looking at the attached picture? The ID plate on the back isn't legible, and he says there is a center vent that is on the smaller side, around 3". Sorry I don't have more to go on, but I want to know what I'm going to look at before I show up. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[begreen]

Welcome. The 796 has a small 1.3cu ft firebox so it's understandable that you are not getting overnight burns. Jotul inserts are not huge either. I'm not positive, but the Jotul pictured looks like it may be a C450. Jotul inserts are not large either. If you want overnight burns you'll want to go up to at least a 2 cu ft firebox. However, first check that the fireplace opening is large enough and deep enough to accommodate a larger insert. Can you provide full fireplace dimensions front and back and top and bottom depth?

 

[centralscrutinizer]

Thank you for the reply, the c450 does look like the correct model! I will get some dimensions from the seller to verify, and make sure I can fit it before pulling the trigger.

If it is the 450 it looks like it can take a 20" log vs a 17" in the avalon. I see the 1.3 cu ft spec on the avalon, Jotul does not have this on their manual, but it looks like someone here did the math and says it works out to 2.1 cu ft! (see attached) The weight is listed as 445 lbs vs 305 lbs. Seems like it should put out a lot more heat on paper. Would you agree? Confused by the BTU rating of 50,000 for the Jotul and 64,200 for the Avalon...

 

[Squirrely]

I have no information to offer other than the opinion that's some absolutely beautiful classic cast iron!

Greg

 

[begreen]

We get differing reports on measured capacity vs usable capacity for Jotul inserts. Their fireboxes are shallow which means E/W loading. That allows longer log length but less wood because it is hard to pack the firebox without having logs roll into the glass. Useable capacity seems more like 1.7 cu ft. For that reason, if the fireplace has the depth my preference is for a more square firebox that allows N/S loading of at least 16" splits at full 2.0 - 2.5 cu ft capacity.

That said if the fireplace is shallow then an E/W loader may be the best compromise. Only the trim pieces of the C450 and C550 are cast iron. The insert is a steel stove at heart.

 

[bholler]

I have no information to offer other than the opinion that's some absolutely beautiful classic cast iron!

Greg

Yes jotul has fantastic castings and really nice finishes to. But I beleive their inserts are plate steel like just about everyone elses. They just have a cast face. Not that one is better than the other just clarifying.

 

[stovelark]

For all- it is indeed a Jotul C450 double door Kennebec, made from about 2000 until 2012, when it went single door with the same latching mechanism on the left. The latch had the detachable handle still, and around 2 years ago, it got a redone handle that is now attached and looks like the F55 and F45 door handles (which are very nice). The Kennebec comes in at about 2 cuft, in fact its only slightly smaller than the Rockland 550's firebox. Its 18-20 inch wood size is nice and has about a 6-8 hour burn time. It also has an adjustable sleeve that allows the depth to vary into the fireplace from about 13-17 inches. The current model has a squared off face and is clear, no jotul arches in it. The internal firebox and baffle has not changed throughout the years, just the face. Unlike 350 and 550 sisters, it has a generous ashlip, where its blower resides underneath in a lattice box. Here in CT, she should heat up to about 1200-1500 sqft nicely. Parts are readily available..... Oh yeah, that hole in the back middle on bottom is the air inlet for the stove...