So how long is this new stove going to smell when I burn it hot?

[Chris_Up_North]

On my roughly 6th burn on a brand new Jotul Castine F400. BeGreen gave me some awesome advice on how to run it and I pushed it up to 600F this evening in a home that had been empty for several days (even drained the pipes). When this stove gets up to temperature, is starts to get that burnt paint smell.

I did the first rec'd burns at 200F, 300F and 400F for an hour each, then I burned the stove six times since then. Only two of those times did I take the stove over 500F, but it was for an extended period. I've checked thoroughly to make sure that there is no actual smoke coming out anywhere (had the stove shop install it, BTW), so I know it is the smell of the black paint.

So how long does that last? I'll probably be burning most nights onwards from this point since I doubt we'll have a low temperature higher than freezing and we're looking at a forecasted 5F for this Saturday. I'm a little nervous overall since this is a new stove and I know it takes a while to get a hang of it.

The Castine heats really differently than the old, leaky VC. The VC would get real hot, real fast and then there was close to zero probability of an overnight burn. This stove seems to take longer to warm up but makes a more "persistent" heat. The first time I banked it for an overnight burn, I left it for 10 hours and when I checked it again in the morning (slept in a bit - yay!) there were *still* enough coals for me to rake them out, throw some splits on and off it went! Couldn't believe it out of a little 1.7 CF firebox. Granted, I didn't need oodles of heat that night, but it felt good to still have coals much later. (The stories on here about the BlazeKings makes me think one can load it up, then go on a long overseas vacation and still return to a warm home)

Thanks for listening!

 

[webbie]

I think the key to getting rid of the smell is to bring the temp up a bit higher so it burns off what there is to burn off. That may be 750 or 800 degrees on the top surface. After an hour or two at those temps, it should be mostly burnt off although you may get a small amount of smell when it hits new highs (in temp).

 

[Nick Mystic]

I installed a new Jotul F600 with the majolica brown porcelain enamel finish last February and I was surprised at how much it smelled with my initial fires. I thought the porcelain finish would put off very little odor, but like webbie just said it continued to smell each time it hit a new high temperature. I don't think I've yet gotten it up to 800 F, but after a dozen or so fires with the hottest in the 600 F range it finally stopped smelling.

 

[Sprinter]

I did the first rec'd burns at 200F, 300F and 400F for an hour each, then I burned the stove six times since then. Only two of those times did I take the stove over 500F, but it was for an extended period.

Not quite hot enough. Take it on up to 600 or 650 for a few burns. The smell will get better, but you may still smell a little of it for a while. I could occasionally smell mine for a few months at hotter temps, but I think that was partly because I have double wall stove pipe and the outer shell never really got hot enough. Don't be afraid to get it on up there. The first few at 600 will be the worst ones for the smell, but it may continue a little for a bit longer.

How are you measuring the temps? We want to make sure you're doing it right.

 

[Jdog]

I just got my englander burnt it outside for a day when i got it all hooked up and started fires im now on day 4 and still getting smell from it not bad but you can smell it and they are right every time you reach a new high it gets worse hoping by tonight its all gone

 

[Chris_Up_North]

How are you measuring the temps? We want to make sure you're doing it right.

Good point! I've got one of those typical magnetic thermometers. It's attached on the right side of the top of the griddle, right about where it says to put it in the manual. My non-contact thermometer seems to concur with its readings within 25 degrees or so.

All these temp recommendations are for that location (???)
Thanks!

 

[Nick Mystic]

I think it's important to go with the manufacturer's recommendation on where to position a magnetic thermometer. On my Jotul F600 the manual shows a diagram depicting the thermometer being placed on one of the corners of the stove top. I experimented after the stove heated up and selected the corner of the stove that was giving off the highest readings. There was up to a 50 degree variation in corners. When I hit the corners of the stove with my IR thermometer I get similar readings on both thermometers. However, when I hit the center of the top or the rear center of the top it will read as much as 200 F hotter in those locations. If someone skipped reading the manual and decided to place their magnetic thermometer in the center of the top on my stove they would end up burning the stove way too cold or else be constantly in fear that they were over firing the stove since Jotul calls for a 585 F high end for this stove I believe I read.

 

[BCC_Burner]

It will likely smell faintly for the first 30 fires or so.