New to woodstoves! Couple questions...

[FiyahBurnah]

I just took delivery of a Jotul F3 CB and will be using it tomorrow night for the first time! I'm using it to warm up a finished basement and hopefully add a little warmth to the rest of the house on cold winter nights. House is maybe 2000 sq ft. total.

Have heard a bit about making sure to do a small first 'first' before a big burn...Whats the reason for that and whats the best way to do a small 'break in' fire? (how big, how long to burn etc)?

Also, it sits on a brick hearth with non combustible wall behind it. I've seen some post that they put a hearth extension (rug or rigid) in front of the actual masonry hearth...Is that to protect the floor when you open the stove or for heat protection?

Thanks for the help!

 

[FiyahBurnah]

Here's a pic (before it was installed)

 

[claydogg84]

Did your stove come with a manual? The small break in fires are mainly for curing the paint. My Oslo required 3 break in fires.

 

[FiyahBurnah]

Did your stove come with a manual? The small break in fires are mainly for curing the paint. My Oslo required 3 break in fires.

Probably did but the stove is at my ski place and I haven't seen it yet.

Looking for suggestions as I wasn't sure how much the manual says about it plus sometimes 'real world' experience is better.

Also, I just got the basic cast iron (no enamel paint which I'm sure I'll regret) so not sure if the paint needs to cure as much?

 

[claydogg84]

You're going to experience more paint curing smell than you would have with the enamel. First fire should be nothing more than newspaper and some kindling to get it up to 200-250. Second fire you can add a little more kindling and maybe a small piece of wood and get the stove to 300-350. Third fire add a couple pieces of wood and get the stove to around 450 for about an hour or so. Let the stove come back down go room temperature after each fire. I have the Oslo, but I imagine the break in procedure should be the same. Enjoy!

 

[begreen]

The F3CB manual has specific instructions about breaking in the stove. It is well written and can be downloaded here:
(broken link removed to http://jotul.com/us/products/stoves/jotul-f-3-cb#technical-area)

 

[FiyahBurnah]

Awesome. Thanks guys. Kinda bummed as I really wanted to get it going Christmas Eve and I don't think I'll have time. I get up there tomorrow night so I suppose I could do a small fire tomorrow night and then one really early Xmas eve, one mid day and then one at night...not sure if it will have time to cool between each if I do that.

How bad is the smell? Like, wife and kids complaining bad or just a little unpleasant...its in the basement...

 

[begreen]

You can do more than one break in fire in a day. I did 3 in our F3CB by starting in the morning. Just let it cool down in between for a few hours. The painted version of the stove is going to smell as it goes above 400F. Have a nearby window open with a fan blowing out to exhaust the fumes. Once the stove has gone over 500F for a couple hours the smell will die down. The enameled version hardly smells at all.

 

[FiyahBurnah]

You can do more than one break in fire in a day. I did 3 in our F3CB by starting in the morning. Just let it cool down in between for a few hours.

Great! Is yours enamel?

 

[begreen]

Yes, ours was. Not much smell at all with the enameled version. Just a bit of hot paint smell the first time it gets over 500F.

 

[claydogg84]

I've got the blue/black enamel and experienced very little smell.

 

[Osagebndr]

What kind of wood are you burning? How long has it been CSS .

 

[richmhv]

I have a black paint Oslo and even after the break in fires, the stove smelled for a long time when it got over 400. At times you could see a visible smoke rising from it. Definitely open a window for the break-in fires. Of course the best would be to install over the summer and do the break ins in early fall so you can have more ventilation without freezing. The smell isn't that awful but some people may be sensitive to it.

 

[FiyahBurnah]

What kind of wood are you burning? How long has it been CSS .

Hard woods. Birch, oak etc. What's css?

 

[claydogg84]

Hard woods. Birch, oak etc. What's css?

Cut, split, stacked. He's asking because EPA stoves are reliant on dry wood. They become finicky and virtually unreliable as a heater with wet stuff.

 

[Osagebndr]

Cut split and stacked. Get a moisture meter from menards or lowes. If your oak has not been setting for atleast 2yrs CSS it may still be too wet and cause some problems. Birch I'm not sure of as we don't have any in our stacks

 

[FiyahBurnah]

Ah ok. It's been CSS since May/June. Certainly not 2 years. We'll see how it goes. It's only for occasional use and a secondary heat source so hopefully it works out ok.

 

[begreen]

If you can bring the wood indoors, or at least some of it, the wood will dry out quicker. Maybe fill some rubbermaid tubs with splits and bring them indoors to dry?

 

[FiyahBurnah]

If you can bring the wood indoors, or at least some of it, the wood will dry out quicker. Maybe fill some rubbermaid tubs with splits and bring them indoors to dry?

Good idea. Could bring them into the utility room. Hasn't been cold enough to kill bugs etc so that's a little disconcerting

 

[begreen]

You too eh? This is the warmest December I can recall. We are hardly burning.

 

[FiyahBurnah]

Yeah. Sucks. Rain and 50's for Christmas. Was a buzzkill!

 

[cheechblu]

Yeah. Sucks. Rain and 50's for Christmas. Was a buzzkill!

Count your blessings. Nice weather to break in a new stove.
Congrats on the new Jotul.

 

[Osagebndr]

Same here. We're burning anyway.touch the thermostat and my house you'll have to answer to momma

 

[FiyahBurnah]

hey guys, based on the picture what are your thoughts on something in front of the hearth? Will a rug do? I'm not sure exactly why I need it but the installers suggested it...Thoughts?

 

[Wood Duck]

One reason for starting with small fires is to get an idea how your stove and flue work. You wouldn't want to start with a full load and have the stove get too hot on your first fire. It takes a few fires before you'll know how to load and what air settings work best.

I'd consider a rigid floor protection in front of the bricks to protect the floor from embers that will fall out once in a while.