Just installed new Jotul Oslo 500 along with new stainless steel chimney and the thing is running away with me. Have been able to only have short flash fires instead of long controlled burns--filled the stove about 2/3 full other night when temp reached 400 shut up front air flow and damper in stovepipe about 1 hour later stove temp had increased to 625 instead of going down. Became concerned --there was no way to control the burn and the fire was out in 3 hours. No way is this thing going to hold fire 9 hours. Anybody have any experience with this stove?? Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.
Need help with new Jotul Oslo 500
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The rise in the stovetop temp is expected. Once you close down that primary air, the secondary combustion will kick off, and that will cause the temp to rise. I'm not sure what your manual says for the cast iron stove, but my Endeavor cruises at 650F easily when the secondary combustion is doing its thing. I get about 5-6 hours of what I call "meaningful" heat with a full load. About 8 hours later I have a nice coal bed using hard woods.
Nothing wrong with 600F, but fire out in 3 hours don't sound right. What kind of wood?
There have been a few other recent threads on the question of Oslo burn times - do a search and you may find some info.
There have been a few other recent threads on the question of Oslo burn times - do a search and you may find some info.
The temp is not that high, but it still sounds like maybe an air leak. Time for the dollar bill test on all gaskets.
grommal said:
I 2nd the leak idea. My new Oslo will get up to temp at about 600 and if I adjust the air lever left the temp decreases. Moving the air lever produces an immediate effect on the quantity of flames. I suggest that if your air lever doesn't produce those kinds of effects that you have a leaking gasket, or worse, a cracked joint or plate.
There are numerous gaskets:
Oval plate
Top plate
Front door
Side door
Ash pan door
Ash pan compartment
Good luck.
My guess would be the type of wood or possibly some extra air is getting in there. My Oslo was around 500 last night when I filled her for bed at 10pm and closed the damper. Got down there a little before 6am and there was still a bed of hot coals to start her back up. Im using Poplar wood right now and then Oak before bed.
I would not run that stove again until you have figured out what the problem is. Or at least don't burn it with a full load. Our Oslo is new and I've only ran a few fires through it, but it has never had a huge temperature spike after shutting the air down. I think you have a leak somewhere. Is your ash door completely closed and sealed? Something is going on and that is not normal or safe imho. Have someone come look at it if you have to, maybe give the dealer a call?
Check the ashpan gasket/door. You should not need the pipe damper with that stove. Check your air flow control gizmo - maybe it is not attached properly and is not really closing down the air at all.
PS - As far as I know, 625 is not too hot to run that stove so no need to panic at that temp.
PS - As far as I know, 625 is not too hot to run that stove so no need to panic at that temp.
Well, since this is a new stove I kind of doubt that gaskets are an issue . . . although it is a possibility if they were not installed correctly at the factory or somehow got dislodged. I would check the obvious places -- around the firebox doors and ash door and oval plate . . . but before that I think I would check to be sure the ash pan door is latched all the way . . . ditto for the front door and side door . . . and if the front door isn't fitting tightly (mine loosened up a bit last year) use an Allen wrench to make the fit snug . . . I also assume you put the washer on the front door hinge to line everything up, right?
A few questions?
What temperature is the flue reading? This may help clue us in to what may be happening with your stove. I find a flue thermometer to be a very useful tool in running the Oslo . . . it lets me know when to start cutting back on the oxygen, when to shut the door that I had open ajar to get the fire going and lets me know when I'm getting dangerously close to getting the chimney too hot.
Is there a reason for the damper? Most newer stoves do not really need a damper. In the cases where folks do need a damper, usually they're long flues . . . mine must be 20-25 feet and it has never needed a damper. The air control on the stove is all I need to control the fire.
What do the flames look like in the firebox? Lots of fire? Few flames, but a Northern Lights-like burst of flame in the top 1/3 of the firebox? Jets of blue-orange flames streaming out of the top like a propane torch? Lazy flames but nothing else? Again, this may help us figure out if there is a reason for the fire behavior.
What type of wood are you using . . . species and size? While having a firebox 2/3 full should provide longer fires . . . a firebox 2/3 full of softwood kindling or 2 x 4s for example would tend to produce hot, but shorter lasting fires vs. a firebox 2/3 full of seasoned oak, hickory, ash, or a firebox 2/3 full of hardwood in large to medium sized rounds and splits, etc.
Just for fun, try this as an experiment (after making sure the gaskets are in place and the doors latch and secure tightly).
Get the fire going for a bit with some medium-sized hardwood splits . . . once the flue temp is around 400 or 450 start cutting back on the air control (but leave the damper wide open) . . . just start cutting back the air a 1/4 of the way at a time . . . every 10-15 minutes cut it back another 1/4. Hopefully you'll start off with lots of flames in the firebox, but as you cut back the air you should start to see the secondary action (Northern Lights, propane fire in the upper 1/3 of the firebox) . . . and then the firebox temp should increase and the flue temp should stay around the same or may even drop a bit.
A few questions?
What temperature is the flue reading? This may help clue us in to what may be happening with your stove. I find a flue thermometer to be a very useful tool in running the Oslo . . . it lets me know when to start cutting back on the oxygen, when to shut the door that I had open ajar to get the fire going and lets me know when I'm getting dangerously close to getting the chimney too hot.
Is there a reason for the damper? Most newer stoves do not really need a damper. In the cases where folks do need a damper, usually they're long flues . . . mine must be 20-25 feet and it has never needed a damper. The air control on the stove is all I need to control the fire.
What do the flames look like in the firebox? Lots of fire? Few flames, but a Northern Lights-like burst of flame in the top 1/3 of the firebox? Jets of blue-orange flames streaming out of the top like a propane torch? Lazy flames but nothing else? Again, this may help us figure out if there is a reason for the fire behavior.
What type of wood are you using . . . species and size? While having a firebox 2/3 full should provide longer fires . . . a firebox 2/3 full of softwood kindling or 2 x 4s for example would tend to produce hot, but shorter lasting fires vs. a firebox 2/3 full of seasoned oak, hickory, ash, or a firebox 2/3 full of hardwood in large to medium sized rounds and splits, etc.
Just for fun, try this as an experiment (after making sure the gaskets are in place and the doors latch and secure tightly).
Get the fire going for a bit with some medium-sized hardwood splits . . . once the flue temp is around 400 or 450 start cutting back on the air control (but leave the damper wide open) . . . just start cutting back the air a 1/4 of the way at a time . . . every 10-15 minutes cut it back another 1/4. Hopefully you'll start off with lots of flames in the firebox, but as you cut back the air you should start to see the secondary action (Northern Lights, propane fire in the upper 1/3 of the firebox) . . . and then the firebox temp should increase and the flue temp should stay around the same or may even drop a bit.
Thanks to all who answered my cry for help -- I'm learning how to work this thing. I'm coming off 19 years with a Vermont Casting - Catalytic Stove and the Jotul is a new beast to me. Learned don't need the flu damper-it gets in the way of stove burning but am wondering about the air intake lever - sometimes when I move it there seems to be some resistance and other times it seems to float -- ???? Thanks again for all your help.. The manual for the Jotul is very lacking on information..
Buffygirl
New Jotul Oslo 500
Buffygirl
New Jotul Oslo 500
I'm also making the transition from a VC cat to an Oslo. It is a very different stove to run. Easier, I think, once you get used to it. The air intake lever on mine slides very easily across most of its range, but kind of springs back a bit when you try to go fully open or fully closed. I think that's normal, as the showroom Oslos and Castines I played with felt the same.buffygirl said:
One big thing to get used to is that it's ok to close the air intake as far as it will go. With my old VC, that would put the fire out. With my Oslo, that's a good setting if you're trying for a long burn.
So far I love the Oslo, except for one, often mentioned, design flaw. That is the way the ashes drop down into that pocket behind the bottom of the front door, and just wait for you to open it to dump on the ash lip. Good thing the stove has a large ash lip!
buffygirl said:
Its very easy to gain access to the air lever mechanism. There are two bolts securing a cover located just inside the front door. Pull those out, remove the cover and you can see if the slide is moving properly. I and others have had some issues with the slide binding because of rough casting surfaces. On my Firelight I removed and smoothed the slide face with sandpaper laid on a flat surface. I've had no need to do this to our Oslo.
Good luck.
buffygirl said:
Buffy,
I too came from a VC cat stove before my Oslo, I've been burning with it since 2004.
I have about 20 feet of straight selkirk double wall up to a vaulted ceiling and class A Ultra temp from there. I experience temp spikes from time to time after shutting down the front damper ( I have a very good draft and well seasoned wood )
I get really good burn times and I am very happy with this EPA beast.
In most cases it never goes beyond 650 and only happens with 1 or more of the following:
Really, really cold nights
Firebox is 2/3's or more filled
When it's packed with well seasoned Hickory or White Oak BUT Black Birch really puts on a show, a really good show ....sometimes she'll hit 675 + when the bark starts to ignite
Lots of bark face up near burn tubes (another temp spiker)
A full load of wimpy sized splits
Loading to soon on a mountain of hot coals
Using chunk wood or splits 16" to 10" or shorter with lots of air space in the firebox north to south. ( I experience short burn times here )
Windy nights
Finagling splits with the door open too long (when the sweat pours off you forehead or your face is cracking from the heat)
The Oslo always settles down to a nice cruising speed between 450-575 (depending on the load and front damper control setting)
Hope this helps!
WoodButcher
buffygirl said:
Some Oslos and Firelights had a binding issue . . . although with a newer Oslo it's more likely that the metal on metal is just causing it to stick a bit . . . it's a very easy fix . . . something I read about here last year, but put off doing until this Fall . . . and then I wondered why I hadn't done it earlier since this fix makes things so much easier and is wicked simple to do.
Open up the front door (when the stove is completely cool) . . . take out the two bolts (metric) holding the "dog house" cover in place (this is right above the air control lever, but inside the firebox . . . once you remove the dog house cover you should be able to get a clear view of your air lever and see how it works . . . now take some graphite powder (sold in every hardware store) and sprinkle it liberally wherever the metal comes in contact with metal . . . move the air control back and forth . . . if you notice an immediate change in how easily the lever slides, congrats -- you've just made a very easy fix . . . and learned this a long, long time before I ever did!
grommal said:
I would say just how far you can close the air depends on how seasoned your wood is . . . last year I had decent wood, but it was rare for me to be able to close off the air all the way and keep the fire's secondaries going . . . this year, with even better seasoned wood, I can easily close it all the way and have some beautiful secondary action. I would suspect that just how much you can close the air depends to some degree on the quality of the wood.
Absolutely agree. The point I was trying to make is that the Oslo runs happily at a much lower apparent setting of the air intake. This is at least partially a result of the different calibrations for the Oslo vs the VC Defiant Encore cat. Now it's just one example stove each, but I'd say that Oslo "fully closed" is about the same as VC "50% open", simply judging those by where the air lever is in its available range of travel. On my VC, closing the primary air all the way would snuff out kiln dried pallet wood. When I first started running the Oslo, I was surprised by how much it seemed to want the air shut down, and it took a little getting used to.firefighterjake said:
The same can be said for the other end of the air intake levers' travel, but in reverse. Fully open on the old VC was a sure recipe to a pegged stovetop thermometer in short order if the wood was not really moist. The Oslo gives a very lively fire at full open, and will certainly overfire the stove if left that way for too long, but it's not a super runaway. The strange thing about that is with the seemingly calmer Oslo at full open, I can start a fire easily without leaving any door adjar once the newspaper catches, while with the old VC I had to leave a door open until a split or two were pretty involved.
Strange difference in personality, with the almost-autopilot Oslo being much easier to use than the manic/depressive VC which required constant fiddling. You'd think it would be the other way around, given that the VC had a bimetal-thermostatic primary air lever.
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