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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Jotul F 100 Wood Stove - not that hot!
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bobbotron
Member
# Posted: 3 Dec 2012 10:02
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So we finally got our wood stove installed this weekend. A Jotul F 100 Nordic QT. Our place is small, 16x22 1.5 story. After going through the break in procedure we got it going for real. Perhaps I'm used to larger wood burning stoves, but even with a great burn going on inside (with some lovely dry red oak), you could barely warm up a few feet from it. Now, our cottage isn't insulated yet, so it's not shocking that it couldn't raise the temperature much, but I'd have to say this stove has been quite uninspiring for the first real test. I can see how the clearances for the side and back are rated so small.

And here I was worried about overheating the cabin!

Dillio187
Member
# Posted: 3 Dec 2012 11:43
Reply 


I bet you see a huge difference once you insulate the place. I had a similar experience in my cabin with the A/C this summer.

Steve961
Member
# Posted: 3 Dec 2012 11:55
Reply 


Another thing to consider is what type of stove pipe you are using. I have a Jotul 602 that is rated for 800 square feet, and was having trouble keeping my 450 square foot R13 insulated cabin warm on 0 deg. F days. I was also using double walled stove pipe from the stove to the chimney. After some research on the subject, I replaced the double walled pipe with single wall, and the difference was like night and day. I was losing a lot of heat up the chimney that's now radiated into my cabin through the single wall stovepipe.

TomChum
Member
# Posted: 3 Dec 2012 11:57
Reply 


The real-life scenario of small cabin stoves, is heating the cabin 'from zero'. Or in some cases, without modern insulation codes. Part-time use cabins need a bigger stove "Square Foot" rating" as compared to a house that has been at 68degfor the past month, then has a stove lit for ambiance on friday evening.

bobbotron
Member
# Posted: 3 Dec 2012 14:12
Reply 


That's interesting to hear about the single vs double stove pipe! We're using DSP, figured it was the right thing to do...

I'll update this thread as the insulation gets replaced - we talked about trading up the stove, but I think we'll give this one more of a chance before that happens. We are both just amazed at how little heat it put out, even sitting right beside it. Most wood stoves I've been around have kicked out a lot more heat.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 3 Dec 2012 16:40 - Edited by: MtnDon
Reply 


Wall / ceiling insulation makes a big difference.

Modern day EPA rated stoves take longer to warm up to where heat will be radiating into the room.

Our VC Aspen takes two hours to raise our 16x30 (no loft) cabin from 20 F to 65 F. Once warmed up it does very well. IMO, a much larger stove than what the sq ft calls for is a bad idea, as then once the cabin is warm the stove is burned in an inefficient manner that results in it being damped down to where creosote production goes up. We got around that by installing a propane wall heater as well; 18K direct vent. Together we get to 73-75 in under two hours. Plus the wall heater is great for days when all you need is a slight boost.

GomerPile
Member
# Posted: 3 Dec 2012 17:39
Reply 


You might also look into an Eco fan. One of those self powered fans that works from the heat of the stove.

My cabin is only 70sf and there were loads of cold spots. With the fan the cold spots are gone and I'm getting the place much warmer with lower flue temps.

YMMV with a larger cabin.

Montanan
Member
# Posted: 3 Dec 2012 19:06
Reply 


I think the single wall pipe and insulation will definitely help. I also agree about the fan. We have both a blower on our stove and a ceiling fan at the peak of the cabin (we have power) and it helps warm the place pretty quickly (for a log structure.) Once we achieve a comfortable temperature we turn off the blower...and often have to open the loft windows to keep it from being TOO hot upstairs.

larry
Member
# Posted: 3 Dec 2012 20:07
Reply 


i have a simalar problem. if you look at the stove that insulated pipe is no longer there. that helped alot but as you can see the walls are not insulated . althought the stove is rated twice what i should have needed, without insulation we cant keep it warm (over 63f) in there. as it stands we dont use the cabin from jan 1 thru mar31. hope that helps.
family_056.jpg
family_056.jpg


larry
Member
# Posted: 3 Dec 2012 20:37
Reply 


you could also try loading the stove front to back insted of left to right. that works well for great heat output.

Martian
Member
# Posted: 5 Dec 2012 07:55
Reply 


Try letting the first load of wood burn with the door closed but not latched. You get a lot more air which helps the wood burn hotter. The stove and pipe will get hot quicker. The hot chimney will draw in more air when you latch the door. You need to build up a good bed of coals. I've found that a good bed of coals is essential for maximum heat output.

Tom

GomerPile
Member
# Posted: 5 Dec 2012 11:04
Reply 


Try pallet wood to get things going. Get a $50 chop saw with carbide tipped blade to cut them up.

In fact, if you are pile burning or chipping branches that are 3/4 inch or more in diameter you are throwing away firewood that is great for getting a hot fire started quickly. Use the chop saw to cut "branch wood".

Sustainusfarm
Member
# Posted: 5 Dec 2012 20:09
Reply 


I have a stove that is smaller than the Jotel you have...we have about 850 sq ft of space...once we get that stove up and running for 6 hrs we are just about heat blasted out of there! We are insulated R-13....I tried the stove before insulation and the heat from it barely made a dent in the temp! I can heat the cabin from 5 degrees F to 65F in about 3 hours...once the furniture, walls and appliances are heated up (by the next morning) it is pretty easy to keep it to hot. I also have single wall stove pipe that goes up to the ceiling...
Cabin_9712_002.jpg
Cabin_9712_002.jpg


jammo
Member
# Posted: 5 Dec 2012 21:56 - Edited by: jammo
Reply 


Larry -

Is your cabin from panel concepts? I've been looking at their cabins and am considering ordering one. Your pic looks like it might be one of theirs. If so, how do you like it? What state are you in that its hard to heat?

bobbotron
Member
# Posted: 6 Dec 2012 09:32
Reply 


Thanks Sustainfarm! We got the wiring done the other day, I'll report back here when we insulate the first floor.

brokeneck
Member
# Posted: 8 Dec 2012 22:06 - Edited by: brokeneck
Reply 


Our camping cabin is 10X20 uninsulated / wood plywood and plexiglas shutters and canvas covered screen doors . It sits on a 400 sf concrete pad so half of the pad is always exposed to the cold. We have a Vermont Catings Aspen. 3 things that I swear by are single wall pipe -- the pipe helps heat the room -- Eco fan moves the air just enough to get rid of cold spots caused by drafts and pulls warm air back down -- lastly a real rock wall behind it helps to radiate heat.
ceiling1.JPG
ceiling1.JPG


groingo
Member
# Posted: 11 Dec 2012 17:08 - Edited by: groingo
Reply 


The first thing I noticed is how much glass there is, which is good for looking through but does not retain heat for more even radiant effect the way solid iron does.
What I would do is take some temperature readings front, sides and top then take them again five minutes later, you will easily find the cool spot which will give you a direction.

Ultimately, I'd wait till you get insulated before I be too concerned, sounds like you may have a lot more loss than you think in the building itself.

Bia
# Posted: 13 Dec 2012 15:45
Reply 


Quoting: Sustainusfarm
I have a stove that is smaller than the Jotel you have...we have about 850 sq ft of space...once we get that stove up and running for 6 hrs we are just about heat blasted out of there! We are insulated R-13....I tried the stove before insulation and the heat from it barely made a dent in the temp! I can heat the cabin from 5 degrees F to 65F in about 3 hours...once the furniture, walls and appliances are heated up (by the next morning) it is pretty easy to keep it to hot. I also have single wall stove pipe that goes up to the ceiling...


What kind of stove do you have?
Thanks!

Sustainusfarm
Member
# Posted: 13 Dec 2012 19:43
Reply 


Bia...it is just one I picked up at the local home improvement store
( Menards)....not sure if it has a name and I got it 15 yrs ago! Sorry...next week when I am up there I will check the label for you to see what brand it is!

bobbotron
Member
# Posted: 14 Dec 2012 10:06
Reply 


So the first floor walls are just about all insulated. It's definitely made a difference. I think when we insulate the roof it'll be really quite decent. We might try single wall stove pipe some day, but for now we have too many other things to do. We also have a lot of double pane windows in the place, maybe I'll make some insulated window shutters some day for keeping the heat in on cold days.

Nate R
Member
# Posted: 6 Oct 2018 17:36
Reply 


Quoting: bobbotron
o the first floor walls are just about all insulated. It's definitely made a difference. I think when we insulate the roof it'll be really quite decent. We might try single wall stove pipe some day, but for now we have too many other things to do.

bobbotron
How's that F100 doing nowadays? Are you fully insulated? Happy with it? Just ordered one for my future cabin build.

rockies
Member
# Posted: 6 Oct 2018 17:52
Reply 


One thing to consider is that as you insulate and "tighten the cabin up" you reduce the amount of air coming in through cracks so sometimes it gets harder for a fire to get enough air for combustion.

Opening a window kind of defeats the purpose of heating interior air so perhaps you should consider adding an external air supply pipe into the firebox. Lots of wood stove manufacturers offer these now for their stoves.

jampg
Member
# Posted: 6 Oct 2019 06:23
Reply 


Nate R
Are you now using your Jotul 100? How do you like it?

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 6 Oct 2019 12:57
Reply 


I have a smaller woodstove that warms my place up well, its fully insulated and sheated. But it take a while to heat up objects inside the cabin including walls. I call it thermal mass. Once its absorbed heat and at room temp, then it gets warm and the heat is more stable. Even after the stove goes out, room stays warm for many hours. The thermal mass returning absorbed heat. My stove is home brewed, its all 1/4" plate steel and its water tight (not just air tight) and for it and the firebrick to warm up even takes a bit.
during build
during build
Original Fjord stove, replaced...
Original Fjord stove, replaced...
Home built installed
Home built installed


DaveBell
Moderator
# Posted: 6 Oct 2019 18:14
Reply 


This reminds me of a thread in here where a lady had a wood stove and said she could not get her cabin above 40F in winter. She posted a pic showing no insulation in the walls or roof.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 8 Oct 2019 11:20
Reply 


If thres no damper in the stove you need one on the stove pipe. It keeps heat down in the stove and not just letting it out the chimney.

Nate R
Member
# Posted: 8 Oct 2019 13:20 - Edited by: Nate R
Reply 


Quoting: jampg
Nate R
Are you now using your Jotul 100? How do you like it?


Not using it yet, my build got delayed.

I would advise looking SOON, as some woodstoves will be unable to be SOLD after May of 2020 with another round of EPA emissions regs falling into place. As far as I know, the F100 won't meet the new regs.

jampg
Member
# Posted: 13 Nov 2019 12:49
Reply 


I just got my Jotul 100 installed in my 600 sq ft insulated cabin. I have a short 13 foot but wide masonry chimney so I went with an insulated liner. I found I need to heat up the stove with my ceramic heater to get the draft going but not a big deal. The stove heats up the entire place quickly. If fact I need to learn how to keep a smaller fire going. 80 degrees is very achievable. So far very happy with it.
jotul 100
jotul 100


Nate R
Member
# Posted: 13 Nov 2019 13:23
Reply 


jampg
Thanks for letting us know how yours is doing!

What kind of outside temps are you in? 30s?

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 13 Nov 2019 21:10
Reply 


Most times tou can throw a lit piece of news paper into the chimney and it will get the draft going, that is if that part is open on your stove.

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