Operating help with Jotul F400

I did a fresh install with a new Jotul F400 my issue is that this stove seems like it wants to run away. With a full load of wood and the draft all the way closed the stove runs a stove top temp of 700 degrees the single wall pipe is at about 230 and the sides of the stove are at 430. Is this normal for this stove? I can burn lower temps with less wood but then I am not sure how I would get it to burn over night. If anyone has any input I'm all ears with this one

 

I dont have a jotul or the answers you're looking for but I'm curious to hear the responses here......

How is your draft? Is it very strong? What kind of burn times are you getting now?

 

Burn time looks to be about 4 hours at the moment there are still coals in it. I know every new stove has a learning curve

 

Do you have a very strong draft?

 

I am guessing it is instal instructions say a minimum of 14 feet for chimney height my set up is about 20 feet the outside air temp is 30 degrees inside is 70

 

No back puffing when I open the door

 

Is the door gasket OK? You must have an air leak somewhere ...

 

Looked up the stove, that is a nice looking stove, congratulations! Since it is a cast iron stove, there is the real possibility that the seams are leaking.

 

It is a brand new stove I would hope it doesn't have any seams leaking. Is there a way to check this?

 

do you have a damper in the pipe? The pipe temp is way lower than I can get with stove top temps that high, that would indicate to me that the stove I'd running very good.

 

No there is no damper in the pipe. I guess my biggest concern is that I don’t want to over fire the stove.

 

Agreed, the temps look interesting.

Someone will pipe up with ideas, I am sure. I have never owned a cast iron stove. But I would do the dollar bill test on the door, we have seen new stoves fail that here in the club.

 

These numbers are consistent with our cat stoves, so they do not sound alarming to me.
Sounds high for a non-cat stove top temp. A damper in the flue would help to bring the temps into check if your draft is high. It would make your wood last longer, and hold more heat in the stove.

 

I have about 23 feet on an insulated liner in an interior chimney. I had to install a flue damper. My secondaries were short lived and adding the damper made an absolute difference. Our Castine does not run over 550 on a fully closed primary air. Cold and windy days the in line damper is closed. Secondaries last a while longer and I feel like I have better control.

It took a few weeks to get the stove dialed in and figure when to close down the primary air in increments. With a fully closed primary air, it cruises along.

One other thing is to check and see if the baffle is in place above the secondary assembly. It sits vertically standing up on the top of the assembly to slow down the exhaust path. I stuck my phone up there for a reference pic.



The other is verify that the primary air slide gate is in place. It is located under the doghouse at the front of the firebox.
I'm not sure if either the baffle or the air gate can dislodge from shipping, but I'd take a look.

The primary air lever should have some resistance and sound like metal on metal grinding.

Ask away on any questions. Well Seasoned had a similar issue with his Castine a few years back and we went back and forth comparing stoves. Maybe also verify that the ash pan door is secure.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions I will be installing a damper tomorrow and giving the stove a real good look over to see if anything is out of sorts.
I guess I have been spoiled with the Fireview I have upstairs.

 

One last question, what is the best location for the damper?

 

Here is what I am working with

 

I'd put it about 2' above the 45

 

I am updating this post with the results of adding a damper to the stove pipe for the Jotul F400. I must say it was very successful. Stove top temps with a full load are around 550 now and the fire looks much more controlled while it is burning

 

Pipe temperatures didn’t really change with addition of the damper either. Before the damper pipe temps were around 230 and they only increased by 20ish or so degrees.