Question about burning in my new F500 v3

[Anicole]

I purchased and installed a new Jotul F500 last week. I'm still getting used to it and I'm not sure I'm burning in it properly. The manual says "once the stove has reached a temperature range of 500 and 600, adjust the primary air control lever as necessary to generate the heat output and burn time desired. You can also use a stove top thermometer to monitor the surface temperature of the stove. The optimum surface temperature range for the most efficient burn is between 400 and 600."

The issue I am having is when to catalyst probe thermometer is at 1,000-1,200, the stove top is around 300-350. The only time I've gotten the stove above 400 the catalyist probe thermometer has been at 1400 so I immediately closed the air intake. Am I doing this wrong? Is this indictive of a draft problem?

Any help is appreciated! Thanks.

 

[EbS-P]

A new catalytic converter will be overactive the first few weeks/months.

Light a top down fire with lots of kindling to promote clean combustion in the firebox this will help get the top up to temp faster while reducing the amount of smoke the cat will burn.

It will settle down. 1400 degrees on a new cat is probably ok. Other with more experience will chime in.

 

[begreen]

1500 on the cat is pushing it, but 1400 on the new cat is still safe and likely until it breaks in. 1600º is too hot.

 

[Anicole]

A new catalytic converter will be overactive the first few weeks/months.

Light a top down fire with lots of kindling to promote clean combustion in the firebox this will help get the top up to temp faster while reducing the amount of smoke the cat will burn.

It will settle down. 1400 degrees on a new cat is probably ok. Other with more experience will chime in.

Thank you for the info! The manual for this thing sucks and is very unclear when switching between stove surface temps and cat temps.

 

[Anicole]

1500 on the cat is pushing it, but 1400 on the new cat is still safe and likely until it breaks in. 1600º is too hot.

Ok, thank you! The thing is I'm not unhappy with the heat it's putting out (still 70-80 degrees in the room it's in) but just want to make sure I'm using it right.