Jotul F118 baffle question?

[texican65]

Greetings! I'm tossing the old schrader Woodstove out and searching for a replacement. I am considering a Jotul F118 CB Black Bear, the revamped version of the old standby 118 of long ago. After searching thru many reviews I see that there were issues with the secondary air system baffle warping or cracking, and not because of over firing or excessive heat. Faulty retaining pins for the baffle and just poor design seemed to be at fault, however, these reviews are all several years old and I'm curious if Jotul redesigned or modified these stoves in recent years to remedy this problem with the baffle? It's a sharp looking stove, I'd sure like to hear from anybody familiar with these newer 118's. Thanks very much, and stay warm.

Dow

 

[sunfish]

We bought a FS118 Jotul in 2008 and have been heating our house since with it. No problems what so ever, we love it! The baffle in ours is just fine, no warping or cracking. Actually in 35 years of heating with wood and 5-6 different stoves, the Jotul is by far the best stove we've used.

 

[texican65]

Thanks Don! I tried looking up the FS 118 but couldn't find anything on it, is it the same as the F118 CB black bear, or did you buy an older used Jotul stove in 2008?
Dow

 

[sunfish]

Thanks Don! I tried looking up the FS 118 but couldn't find anything on it, is it the same as the F118 CB black bear, or did you buy an older used Jotul stove in 2008?
Dow

My mistake, it's a F118CB black bear. We bought it new in 08, might have been 09. It's the new model with the secondary burn tubes under the baffle. Like I said, it's been great.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Useful or not?

I run one, a very old F118 with the short inner, non-UL side panels. This spring I was looking at stoves to replace and the new F118 Black Bear was on the list. In talking to the salesman at one of the largest Jotul dealers on the East Coast he addressed this very issue. 90% of the fractures and failures are customer error / stupidity. They try to shove too much wood or too large a piece in the firebox and beat the daylights out of the secondary burn tubes. This is considered customer abuse and is a non warranty issue, as it should be. It is not a problem that is exclusive to this model, or brand.

The F118 employs Jotul's cigar burn. Before loading the stove the coals that build up in the rear of the stove must be raked forward. If not the refill pieces do not lay flat, but rather form a ramp to the back. Since you're loading an approximate 2 foot long piece it will go though the door but hit the secondary burn shelf / tubes after 1/2 to 2/3 of the piece is in the stove due to the ramp effect. Instead of removing and and loading a smaller piece or just saying the firebox is full, people just keep pushing and wedging the piece in until the secondary burn shelf is damaged or breaks.

Loading a long firebox stove through a relatively small door just takes a little patience and common sense. I love putting up 2 foot wood. It goes faster with fewer pieces to handle and if it fits on the splitter I know it will fit in the stove. This is a YMMV preference, but it's food for thought.

I have been selling firewood for 30 plus years and in that time I have never heard any customer have anything but praise for their Jotul stove, regardless of the model.

Take Care

 

[sunfish]

Good info Swamp Yankee. The baffle also angles down slightly towards the back, so I can see folks hitting it if trying to stuff too much or too large of pieces in it.

I looked close at the baffle and burn tubes this morning before loading it up and no issues at all. Wife says we bought it summer of 08, so this is the 7th winter of use.

I will say this, it is too much stove for a 1200 sq foot house! But it is nice in January!

 

[texican65]

Hey fellas, the input you both provided was VERY helpful. Sounds like I'd just have to be careful loading the stove and to make sure I rake the coals forward and not jam or over stuff the firebox to keep from hitting the baffle.
When installed, the stove will be in the lower level living space of a tri-level home, the chimney pipe is pretty long extending from the lower level thru the middle and upper level to the roof, sometimes it's a little hard to get the old schrader going and its a smokey stove. Not sure if it's because of the chimney being so long? How is the black bear as far as being smokey, when starting up or adding wood? Is it more to do with the stove or the chimney pipe?

Thanks much,
Dow

 

[sunfish]

Dow, our 118 never smokes when starting fires or loading wood and is the easiest to start a fire of any stove we've had. The flue does play a large roll here though, but have had a couple of stoves in the past that would smoke up the house a bit. Our flue is around 14' high and half of it is double wall.

 

[sunfish]

Sounds like I'd just have to be careful loading the stove and to make sure I rake the coals forward and not jam or over stuff the firebox to keep from hitting the baffle.

Ya know, it's not a delicate stove, that one needs to worry about. It'd take some determination and low brain power to mess up one of these up.

I've never jammed or forced wood into any stove we've had.

 

[texican65]

Ha! That's was funny, thanks Don. Does the stove come with heat shields, if not do you think it wise to add them? And the double wall piping, is it really all its kicked up to be? I only ask these questions because I've always run old gear, and I've never seen any of this newer equipment.
A store in a few towns over has a reconditioned 118 black bear the guy says will give me a good deal on, I'm a little leary on that one, but who knows, maybe somebody just didn't like it?

 

[sunfish]

Comes with a heat shield on the bottom and pretty sure one is available for the back. We don't have any extra shields on ours.

I run single wall black stove pipe up to the ceiling, then double through the attic and out the roof. The part of the flue that isn't in the heated part of the house needs to be insulated, double or triple wall pipe. A cold flue will not draw well and will also create more creosote.

I would jump on a used 118 black bear if in good shape and a good price! Just give it a good looking over and get some kind of warranty from the dealer.