Looking for F-55 burners

[mtbrewr]

The stove is marketed to achieve 10 hr burn times.

I'd like to know from some owners what kind of burn times they are getting.

How do they define burn time, and what kind of wood are they using.

Thanks,
mtbrewr

 

[MasterMech]

I'm not an F-55 burner but close enough.

With mediocre wood, I can get 8-10 hours of heat and a matchless restart no problem. Actual flame time may only be 4-6 hours however.

This year I started out burning 3yo cherry and moved into some year and a half old Pin Oak that was 20-24% moisture content. Burn times weren't much better with the oak but I was leaving to primary air open more to compensate for the increased moisture.

 

[stovelark]

Hi Mt- Burn times- subjective at best. With most stoves, ran low to medium, 1.3-2.0 cuft fireboxes 5-8 hrs with good dry seasoned wood, left with coals for reloading and reburning. 2.0-3.0 fireboxes 6-10 hours, depending on your air setting, your draft, the weather out, but mostly wood quality. With today's stoves, if you give a full load of seasoned wood, very few (especially Jotuls) will disappoint. A stovetop therm is good guage to use too- Jotuls ideal temps 400-600 stovetop degrees. If you're hitting that mark, all should be good. My Oslo years ago filled the bill nicely, but now I sell Enviro too, so moved back with a steel frame stove (easy to operate, gets hot quicker than cast) but nothing compares to the looks of cast iron stoves. Hope this helps.

 

[Hawkeye]

I'm an F-50 burner like MasterMech - agree with what he said.

I've only had mine a year and have burned mostly elm, ash, oak, and some poorly seasoned hickory. Always had the best luck if I filled it up, got it good and hot in the 400-600 range like stovelark said and then cut the air down to 1/4 open (handle 1/4 way over from all the way cut down) and let it go. If you try to run it slow like a cat (my old stove was a cat) it worked ok, but not as well as if I could get it good and hot and then let it cruise down from there. Doing that I had times up to 12 hrs where I could get it restarted from existing coals.

And one other thing that I found helped - I used to run larger splits in my cat stove. I first did this with the F-50, but then found I had better luck with more smaller splits rather than fewer large splits, as it filled the voids in the stove better. I can't remember who but someone on here brought up filling the lower layer of splits N-S and then the top layer E-W. This works really well considering it allows the air to flow into the splits better.

Just my 1.5 cents.

 

[mtbrewr]

Thanks for all the good information. I did have one other question as well. The brochure say this is a convection/radiant heater.
I can understand the radiant part with the cast iron sides etc. but how does it move air like a convection stove?. I've not seen one in person
my local dealer does not stock them.

 

[MasterMech]

The cast sides are spaced away from the steel structure of the stove. The gap creates a convection flow between the cast slab and steel wall of the stove. You can actually feel the airflow rising out of the stove. 99% of the radiant output of this stove comes from that massive window out front, not the cast sides.

Too bad your dealer doesn't stock a Rangeley or a F55. I'm a big fan of the "looks like cast but strong as steel" design these stoves have. Beautiful but without all the maintenance that comes with a traditional cast iron stove.

 

[stovelark]

Totally agree with the guys above- hybrid stoves offer the best of both, altho my favorite stove I've owned has been my Oslo. In Blue Black of course, ha.

 

[raybonz]

I'm an F-50 burner like MasterMech - agree with what he said.

I've only had mine a year and have burned mostly elm, ash, oak, and some poorly seasoned hickory. Always had the best luck if I filled it up, got it good and hot in the 400-600 range like stovelark said and then cut the air down to 1/4 open (handle 1/4 way over from all the way cut down) and let it go. If you try to run it slow like a cat (my old stove was a cat) it worked ok, but not as well as if I could get it good and hot and then let it cruise down from there. Doing that I had times up to 12 hrs where I could get it restarted from existing coals.

And one other thing that I found helped - I used to run larger splits in my cat stove. I first did this with the F-50, but then found I had better luck with more smaller splits rather than fewer large splits, as it filled the voids in the stove better. I can't remember who but someone on here brought up filling the lower layer of splits N-S and then the top layer E-W. This works really well considering it allows the air to flow into the splits better.

Just my 1.5 cents.

Is the F50 and/or a NS loading stove? I load the bottom layer EW and the rest NS with the T5 as it is actually a NS designed stove (15.5" EW, 18" NS).. This is a 2.0 cu. ft. stove and gets 10-12 hr. burns easily.. I suspect the baffle design allows these long burn times.. I like the convective heat on this stove as the cast iron never gets above 250 degrees and stays warm for hours.. I would like to see the F55 in person some day and consider it a winner at a good price point. I did look at the T50 but I wasn't sold on the top load feature as it looked rather small compared to the size of the firebox but can see how it would be easier to load the stove that way..

Ray

 

[Pallet Pete]

Is the F50 and/or a NS loading stove? I load the bottom layer EW and the rest NS with the T5 as it is actually a NS designed stove (15.5" EW, 18" NS).. This is a 2.0 cu. ft. stove and gets 10-12 hr. burns easily.. I suspect the baffle design allows these long burn times.. I like the convective heat on this stove as the cast iron never gets above 250 degrees and stays warm for hours.. I would like to see the F55 in person some day and consider it a winner at a good price point. I did look at the T50 but I wasn't sold on the top load feature as it looked rather small compared to the size of the firebox but can see how it would be easier to load the stove that way..

Ray

Yup we load N/S most of the time and easily reload after 13 hours without a match. We looked at the F55 recently it is not the same but very close to the f50. Our f50 has tubes where the f55 has a baffle box almost like your stove Ray. It is really a nice stove ! personally I would not want to give up the top load door though its very convenient and I get to grill with it .

Pete

 

[raybonz]

Yup we load N/S most of the time and easily reload after 13 hours without a match. We looked at the F55 recently it is not the same but very close to the f50. Our f50 has tubes where the f55 has a baffle box almost like your stove Ray. It is really a nice stove ! personally I would not want to give up the top load door though its very convenient and I get to grill with it .

Pete

I'd like to see a video of you grilling on your stove.. Sounds pretty cool! Does the smoke go up the chimney and does that create problems?

Ray

 

[Pallet Pete]

I'd like to see a video of you grilling on your stove.. Sounds pretty cool! Does the smoke go up the chimney and does that create problems?

Ray

No problems at all and yes the smoke goes right up the chimney and out. We have no issues with smoke coming into the house even when we are loading from up top.

Pete

 

[MasterMech]

Is the F50 and/or a NS loading stove?

The firebox is pretty square and can be loaded either way. However, my F50 has expressed a preference for being loaded N-S.

 

[raybonz]

The firebox is pretty square and can be loaded either way. However, my F50 has expressed a preference for being loaded N-S.

Wow my wording stunk on that post lol.. NS is much better when front loading when considering log roll out potential.. What is the width (EW) on the F50 & F55?

Ray

 

[Pallet Pete]

Wow my wording stunk on that post lol.. NS is much better when front loading when considering log roll out potential.. What is the width (EW) on the F50 & F55?

Ray

You know I don't think I have ever measured true EW width Ray ! I know for a fact that I have put 20" in sideways but as MM said she really loves NS. The top load is good when there's a big coal bed or you don't want to let all the heat out and just want to add a few splits.

Pete

 

[MasterMech]

What is the width (EW) on the F50 & F55?

Brick to brick is just under 21"

 

[raybonz]

Brick to brick is just under 21"

Wow that's a big stove! The F55 would have been a contender back when I bought the T5. Either way I do like the T5 and still like the idea of a steel firebox and cast iron skin.. Other stove makers seem to be adopting this system as well..

Ray

 

[MasterMech]

Wow that's a big stove! The F55 would have been a contender back when I bought the T5. Either way I do like the T5 and still like the idea of a steel firebox and cast iron skin.. Other stove makers seem to be adopting this system as well..

Ray

The T5 was the runner up when we were considering stove purchases. In the end, Jotul's reputation for quality and the dealer swayed our decision. (Jotul dealer was a lot more "condfidence inspiring.")

 

[Pallet Pete]

We looked at a ton of stoves and almost bought a T6 I drove Begreen nuts with questions My wife wanted to shoot me because all of the different stoves I kept deciding on :D. In the end she said choose from the f-600 or f-50 or else to which I said yes dear ! The issue with the T6 was really just price in the end it was $500 more than the Jotul. We ended up saving even more than that because we purchased a display model. In the end we would have been happy either way I am sure. Both very good stoves !

Pete