Oslo baffle issue......

[Shari]

Well, we had the installer come back to make a slight correction on their install last fall and while he was here I asked him if there was a way to easier access the stove flue to vacuum out what falls down the chimney when we clean it. We don't have a T connection, we have two 45's through the damper area instead.

So - he stuck his hand up between the secondary air tubes, gave a push and lifted up the vermiculite baffle to show me how the baffle can lift up to allow vacuuming out of the flue.

Today, I cleaned the chimney for the first time this season (only got 3/4 cup, not too bad) and realized the baffle had been cemented in place and when he 'gave it a push' he cracked the baffle entirely from left to right. There is about 3/8" of vermiculite stuck to the back of the stove - and it is beginning to further crack and fall loose into the stove. Ugh!

What should I do?

1. Replace the entire baffle? I don't know if my stove shop carries this in stock and we 'were' heating 24/7....

or

2. Cement the baffle back in place and fill the cracked out areas with cement? If cement, is Rutland Furnace Cement (rated up to 2700 degrees) the correct product to use?

Suggestions welcome!

ated

 

[logger]

Why should you have to do anything if the installer broke it? Id call the shop before anything. If they deny it or are unwilling to help, then you have to make the decision. Knowing how anal I am, Id probably replace it, but thats your call. Good luck

 

[Lucy]

We have the same stove and I'm interested in what happened in the end, did you cement it or replace it or? Always good to have knowledge for any future problem that we may encounter. Hope whatever the solution was it was easy and inexpensive.

 

[begreen]

Pretty surprised he didn't show you how to remove the top plate. It is designed that way to facilitate cleaning. I'd ask the stove shop to replace it.

 

[potter]

How so you remove the top plate? Never tried that.

 

[Shari]

Well, I didn't get any replies last night so I did a lot of searching on hearth.com and found where someone else used the furnace cement so that's what I did. I wanted to get my stove up and running for last night so I was kind of in a bind of 'what to do right now'. Anyway, it's back in, it's cemented, we are burning, it's holding - so every thing is fine for now. Yeah, I will bring this up with the stove shop but I bet they won't do anything for me. I don't get that warm and fuzzy feeling from them.

Shari

 

[begreen]

Shari, I would pass this info from the manual on to them. What's good for the goose is good for the gander:

• Be aware that the vermiculite plate may be damaged by rough
handling.
• Then place the insulating blanket on top of the baffle
plate.

 

[Shari]

Shari, I would pass this info from the manual on to them. What's good for the goose is good for the gander:

• Be aware that the vermiculite plate may be damaged by rough
handling.
• Then place the insulating blanket on top of the baffle
plate.

Yeah, I will but I already went through another issue with them and they are not happy with me nor I with them.

That other problem was that I had them add another 2' to my chimney/liner to get above the flue for our oil furnace due to my concern that I might get a back draft down the furnace flue. They added 2' of single wall and re-set the cap. I still don't know if this uninsulated 2' is legal or not. I asked them if they couldn't put 2' insulated up there and the reply was "never done it in 15 yrs." They only added the 2' after my three personal visits to their store - and I didn't talk very quiet while i was there.

 

[Valhalla]

Shari,

Congrats on your first complete cleaning! Well done.

I would bite the bullet and put in a new baffle the next time you clean it. As you are now an expert at it!
If the selling dealer denies any responsibility to the damage, then he loses you as a return customer and a future sales referral.

Enjoy your Jotul Oslo!

 

[nelraq]

How so you remove the top plate? Never tried that.


------------------------------------
There are two bolts that hold the top plate in place for shipping. They should have been taken out when your Oslo was installed.
If not, it's easy to do - there is one on each side of the plate - easily accessed when the front door is open.

The top plate is gasketed. All you do - once the bolts are removed - is stick a screwdriver or something into the groove between the plate and the top of the stove - lift the plate up a little then remove it. This gives you access to the insulation blanket and the back of the stove. I lift the pipe out of the flue as well. Now you have loads of room to get in there and clean up residue.

I've never take the baffle out of the stove and don't really see the need to ever take it out - except maybe for repairs many (hopefully) years down the road.

Attn. other Oslo owners: Do any of you remove the baffle system for routine cleaning??

Hope this helps!

 

[firefighterjake]

Random thoughts . . .

I would have done what you did Shari . . . just patch it up with furnace cement for now . . . but I would also order a new one for my own peace of mind . . . and I think I might not be so subtle when you order it to let the dealer know why you have to order it . . . and to let him know that very few Oslo users have issues with this baffle breaking . . . unless it is bashed by wood or some moron breaks it by pushing on it.

Oh yeah . . . in the future I don't think I would rely on this dealer . . . especially if they offer sweep services.

Top plate . . . as Nelraq mentioned . . . you can remove the top oval plate fairly easily -- one nut in the back and one in front . . . you should have enough space to get a short socket and wrench between the baffle and top of the stove to loosen the nuts if they were not removed. For the record, I left my nuts alone . . . I like having two nuts to keep everything snug. Removing them is pretty easy though . . . unless you have really fat hands. You can also loosen nuts to remove the entire stove top . . . but I find for my annual cleaning just removing the top oval plate gives me plenty of access.

So much for the saying . . . the customer is always right . . . three times before the dealer came out, huh? Unbelievable.

Nelraq . . . nope . . . never have and never will remove the baffle for my annual cleaning . . . much easier to go through the top hole from the oval plate.

 

[cptoneleg]

It is real easy to clean here. My baffle is loose, or broken, at the stove, there is no gap so I left mine.

L O L

 

[Shari]

Jake,

What's your take on the 2' chimney extension I outlined above? I'm really getting tired of trying to deal with the stove shop......

 

[Shari]

It is real easy to clean here. My baffle is loose, or broken, at the stove, there is no gap so I left mine.

L O L

I'm not seeing the blanket insulation in there........ Is it there and is just a tan color? Mine is white.

 

[Shari]

BTW - as a side note: I'm seeing longer secondary burns with my baffle now cemented in place.

PS My hubby calls secondary burns "second degree burns" - sheesh!

 

[cptoneleg]

It is real easy to clean here. My baffle is loose, or broken, at the stove, there is no gap so I left mine.

L O L

I'm not seeing the blanket insulation in there........ Is it there and is just a tan color? Mine is white.

O K, I have the baffle, I have no insulating blanket, never have, Several posts here have mentioned this, I need to check into this.

 

[Todd]

I no nothing about your baffle, but I did the same as you with the single wall extention on my chimney and so far so good, no creosote or cap clogging as of yet. I don't burn that stove 24/7 but pretty much have a fire every evening when it's below 20 out.

 

[Valhalla]

Hello all,

Shari was certainly wronged by her Jotul dealer. It goes to show how a dealer can make or break the customers satisfaction with the product. All manufacturers know it too well!

About the flue cleaning up and though the stove, by using a SootEater, it is necessary to do it all from below. The angle is far too severe to work through the griddle opening (the oval). Two "top notch" Jotul dealers in my neck of the woods taught me the same, that is to work from below by removing the air tubes and board/blanket. From my experience, it works great!

Also, since I do not have (or want) a 40 foot ladder at home, to clean my chimney from above, as it almost 30 foot off the ground. I do it all on a sunny day, every fall and midwinter from below. It works great.

We love our Jotul Oslo!

 

[firefighterjake]

Jake,

What's your take on the 2' chimney extension I outlined above? I'm really getting tired of trying to deal with the stove shop......

I would have done the same thing . . . at least try extending it a few more feet . . . and I would have wanted the whole thing insulated top to bottom . . . but that's just me.

 

[firefighterjake]

It is real easy to clean here. My baffle is loose, or broken, at the stove, there is no gap so I left mine.

L O L

I'm not seeing the blanket insulation in there........ Is it there and is just a tan color? Mine is white.

O K, I have the baffle, I have no insulating blanket, never have, Several posts here have mentioned this, I need to check into this.

Hmmmm . . . I would most definitely get an insulating blanket . . . I think running the stove without one would not be a good idea in the long term.

 

[cptoneleg]

Valhalla,

You have also mentioned this blanket, I am going out today to a dealer and look at the new ones, see what the deal is with this blanket, and what it doe's.

I wondered how people cleaned those tall chimneys. I have easy access from the roof, would be far too much trouble to do it any other way.

Make sure I am correct, there is a baffle, and a blacket on top of baffle???

 

[firefighterjake]

Valhalla,

You have also mentioned this blanket, I am going out today to a dealer and look at the new ones, see what the deal is with this blanket, and what it doe's.

I wondered how people cleaned those tall chimneys. I have easy access from the roof, would be far too much trouble to do it any other way.

Make sure I am correct, there is a baffle, and a blacket on top of baffle???

My understanding is that the blanket helps raise the temp of the smoke to promote easier secondary burning . . . may also offer some protection to the top metal . . . but I suspect it's mostly to aid in the secondary burning process.

And yes . . . burn tubes, baffle positioned over the burn tubes and blanket on top of the baffle. . . all good things start with the letter B.

 

[Valhalla]

Valhalla,

You have also mentioned this blanket, I am going out today to a dealer and look at the new ones, see what the deal is with this blanket, and what it doe's.

I wondered how people cleaned those tall chimneys. I have easy access from the roof, would be far too much trouble to do it any other way.

Make sure I am correct, there is a baffle, and a blacket on top of baffle???

Yes, a blanket is directly above the thermal board. It helps distribute the heat to the entire stove perimeter before going up and out the chimney. In short, to equalize the entire stove temperature and prevent overheating the stovetop and griddle. A real smart and simple design!

 

[cptoneleg]

Thanks i'm off to the dealer now.

 

[nelraq]

Shari,

To answer your question re. the colour of the insulation blanket. They are white when new. The tan colour comes from a thin layer of ash which is deposited on the cover while the stove is burning. If your blanket is still white, you must be burning very clean indeed

I don't think there's much point in trying to clean the blanket. Definitely don't try to vacuum it - you'll probably suck the whole blanket into the vacuum (lol)