New Jotul Oslo 500- Efficient running questions...

[Backdraft]

Hi, I bought a Jotul Oslo which replaced my 15 year old Vermont Castings Dutchwest catalytic (large) stove which I used for 3 seasons. I could pack the Dutchwest full, close the damper and it would run all night leaving a nice coal bed in the morning.
1)Can I do that with the Oslo?(the manual says to use 3 to 4 pieces at a time :'--<
2)It seems to run pretty hot and gets even hotter when I turn the air control to the lowest setting. All flames are up top and look pretty scary and furious. The top thermometers are at 525. Can I fill it up? I have not put in much more than 4 to 5 smallish split pieces of ash or elm.
3)Does it run more efficiently when its really hot and the air lever is all the way left or is it better to have it open 1/4 to 1/2 way?
I worry about overfiring the stove. The Dutchwest was impossible to overfire when running the cataylic converter with the damper closed.
Thanks a ton in advance, this is a fantastic site which I plan on visiting often, I already am running hotter and I believe it is putting out way more heat than the Dutchwest ever did and thats with less wood.....
Bill

 

[begreen]

Greetings Bill, welcome and congratulations. That is a fine stove. Did you get a chance to read this thread for tips?
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/27879/

Once you have a good coal bed established, try larger splits for longer, slower burns. 525 stove top temps are normal. Fill her up with big splits and enjoy.

 

[downeast]

Bill, no harm to repeat some of the Oslo and other non-cat Jotul operating tips here. It is a learning curve with any new stove.

1. Check for air leaks. Do the dollar bill ( not worth the $$$ anyhow ) test in all of the gasketed openings. The bill should not slide out of a closed opening. Re-gasketing is a fussy, messy, simple job.
2. The ash pan ass'y under the stove has 4 bolts that may come loose in transporting. Tighten them if needed.
3. Be sure that the 3 opening latches shut completely . Nice, clean engineered design with no adjustments.
4. Finally, be sure that the primary, and only air control lever, operates from full to closed. We call it the "mommie" control. %-P It will not allow air to shut off completely, or in the fully open position, not allow an overfire with too much air. Use caution pushing the lever too far and hard to the left "off"; it can stick in that position if it jumps the track inside the air box. Easy fix however.

 

[Backdraft]

Thanks for the replies, Downeast, you implied that the stove will not overfire with the air lever all the way to the right. Is that correct? Seems like there would be too much air going in and it could.
Does the stove burn more efficiently with the air vent closed and in secondary combustion(all flames up top) or with it open 1/4 to 1/2 and having flames down low?
Thanks again
Bill

 

[Backdraft]

BeGreen, just read the link you sent, I think I am set however, one more question....
After burning most of the day keeping the stove pretty hot I get a pretty thick bed of coals. I would assume that the best thing to do is turn the air on all the way for a couple hours to burn it down before filling it up for the night? I tried this and the stove cools quite a bit during this phase(way below 500). What do you people do?
Bill

 

[Backdraft]

One more..... when you fill up your stove and turn her down but are still running at 500+, how long will it run hot? I am assumming good quality split dried ash, elm, locust and the likes. I also know it will depend some on draft ect. but just a quess will help.
Bill

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Backdraft,
Most of the time my stove is running with the draft control 75% or more closed (depending on the temps outside and size of the load.)
The type of wood and the size of the splits will set the table on how much of an overnight burn you'll get. I usually pack it (large splits) within 3" of the burntubes for overnight runs. It will easily overfire if the draft control is left open all the way. Once the wood is charred and she's hot, I'll knock the damper down and then she'll purr.

WoodButcher

 

[begreen]

BeGreen, just read the link you sent, I think I am set however, one more question....
After burning most of the day keeping the stove pretty hot I get a pretty thick bed of coals. I would assume that the best thing to do is turn the air on all the way for a couple hours to burn it down before filling it up for the night? I tried this and the stove cools quite a bit during this phase(way below 500). What do you people do?
Bill

Yes, when the stove got full of hot coals, I opened up the air a bit and burn them down for about an hour. The stove temp does drop by 100 degrees during this part of the cycle. Wood burning is not one level temperature. It's more like a peak (say 600-650) followed by a level period (about 550) than a slow downslope to maybe 400 at which point the cycle starts again.

 

[Backdraft]

Woodbutcher, when you said damper are you talking about the ait control lever or did you put in a stack damper?
Bill

 

[jqgs214]

A good way to burn down coals is to rake them to the front, add a small split on top of them and open the air control all the way. I know it sounds counter-intuitive to add wood to lower the coal bed but trust me it works!

 

[jbrown56]

Bill,

You're on the right path with all the things you're doing. My stove seems to run strong from 400F to500F. With a bed of coals and a stovetop temp of 250F, I will load the stove wiith two large splits on the bottom and top it off with whatever will fit in. I then let the wood char with temp getting to 500F. I start dampering down until it is almost competely closed, but not all the way. If I close all the way, I get a dirty burn. The stove will then settle in at 450F with good secondary burn. Sometime the secondary burn will last up to three hours. This load of wood will last 8-9 hrs. with a coal bed left to start all over again. More heat with less wood. Good luck.

Jim

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Woodbutcher, when you said damper are you talking about the ait control lever or did you put in a stack damper?
Bill

The silver draft control on the front of the stove......

WB

 

[Backdraft]

Great advice from all, I am up rock&rolling;today, boy I love this stove..... now that I know what it can do
it blows the doors off the VC Dutchwest Large that it replaced. Before chatting with all of you I thought there was a problem with it but also
kept thinking "It's a Yotul, how can it not work?". Now I can let her rip and really heat things up w/o worrying
about burning the house down.
Stay safe
Thanks to all
Bill

 

[downeast]

Great advice from all, I am up rock&rolling;today, boy I love this stove..... now that I know what it can do it blows the doors off the VC Dutchwest Large that it replaced. Before chatting with all of you I thought there was a problem with it but also kept thinking "It's a Yotul, how can it not work?". Now I can let her rip and really heat things up w/o worrying about burning the house down.Stay safe Thanks to all Bill

Bill, one more thing. You must read the warranty carefully. Check the paragraph that clearly states:

1. " If the name "JOTUL" is misspelled, the warranty will be null and void. The stove will be re-possessed to be returned to Maine."

2. " The warranty is null and void and stove repossessed , if you mispronounce the name "JOTUL" with a hard "J", and not correctly as follows : "YOTOOL" "

 

[ansehnlich1]

Uh, Jotul Oslo, uh huh!

Came home after dark, 67 degrees f. in living room, cold stove....built fire, all boxelder, let that burn down, added two large boxelder splits, and the thermometer went to 82 degrees f. in living room....32 degrees outside....

SWEET!

Just packed it for tonight, big split of cherry in back, chunks of oak and ash all around, air down to less than a quarter open...

g'nite

 

[Backdraft]

:cheese:
:')