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Operation
Read the following section carefully before building a
fire in your Jøtul C
450
Fireplace Insert.
Combustion Efficiency
The Jøtul C 450 has an EPA tested High Heating Value
(HHV) efficiency rate of 72.57. There are aspects of
efficiency that you should be aware of in order to get the
most from your stove.
Operation habits and fuel moisture can have a
significant effect on efficiency. Poorly seasoned wood
having a higher than optimum moisture content, can
reduce the amount of energy transferred tothe living
area as a result of the energy expended to evaporate
the excess fuel moisture in order for the wood to burn.
Operational aspects, such as not building a robust
kindling fire to readily ignite the larger fuel pieces, can
result in an inefficient smoldering fire. Additionally,
most modern wood heaters’ optimum performance and
efficiency are at the medium to medium -low burn rates.
The location of the stove can have a significant
effect on heating efficiency, primarily in regards to
distribution of the heat. For example, a wood heater
centrally located in the residence in an open living area
will likely provide better circulation of heat than will a
stove located in a room adjacent to the larger living area.
Minimize Carbon Monoxide Emissions
Testing the C 450 to CSA B414.1-10 measured carbon
monoxide emissions at 107.09 g/hr. Most means of com-
bustion produce some level of CO, including wood fires.
Proper operation techniques, as outlined in this manual,
will help ensure minimum emission output. Maintain-
ing a well-established fire and avoiding operation that
produces a smouldering, smoky fire, will greatly reduce
CO levels.
It is highly recommended that a CO monitor (detector)
be installed in the same room as the stove. The monitor,
however, should be located as far away as possible from
the stove to avoid alert soundings when adding fuel to
the fire.
Wood Fuel and Performance
The C 450 is designed to burn natural wood only. Higher
efficiencies and lower emissions generally result when
burning air-dried, seasoned hardwoods, as opposed to
softwoods, green or freshly cut hardwoods. Wood that has
been air-dried for a period of 6 to 14 months will provide the
cleanest, most efficient heat. Wood seasoned more than 2
years will burn too quickly to take advantage of the stove’s
low end efficiency strength.
A seasoned log will have check marks on the ends and
be lighter than an unseasoned log which will show little
or no check marks.
We recommend using a moisture meter to determine
the moisture content of your wood. For purposes of
home heating, your fuel should have a moisture content
between 12 - 20%. Wood with higher moisture content
will burn, however, very inefficiently. Most of its heat
value will be lost to driving water out of the wood.
Worse, that moisture will condense as creosote in the
relatively cool chimney flue, increasing the potential
for a chimney fire. Use of unseasoned wood defeats the
purpose of any modern wood-burning stove.
DO NOT BURN:
• Coal;
• Garbage;
• Synthetic fuel or logs;
• Material containg rubber, including tires;
• Material containing plastics;
• Waste petroleum products, asphalt products, paints,
paint thinners or solvents;
• Materials containing asbestos;
• Construction or demolitioin debris;
• Railroad ties or pressure-treated wood;
• Manure or animal remains;
• Salt water driftwood or other previously salt-water;
saturated materials;
• Unseasoned wood; or
• Paper products, cardboard, plywood, or particle board.
(The prohibition against burning these materials does
not prohibit the use of fire starters made from paper,
cardboard, saw dust, wax or similar substances for the
purpose of starting a fire.)
The burning of any of these materials can result
in the release of toxic fumes, or render the heater
ineffective and cause smoke. Never use gasoline,
gasoline-type lantern fuel, kerosene, charcoal lighter
fluid, or similar liquids to start or “freshen-up” the fire.
Always keep such liquids away from the heater at all
times.
C 450 Kennebec Functionality
When used with dry wood and a well-drafting chimney
system, modern non-catalytic wood stoves burn fuel
efficiently by the precise control and delivery of primary
and secondary air to the fire. See fig. 18.
Primary Air
is drawn into an inlet at the rear of the
firebox and directed through a regulator shutter under
the front door before entering the lower fire chamber.
Additional primary air is directed to the top of the front
door to act as an air wash which may prevent extreme
soot build-up on the glass panel. The amount of primary
air available to the fire determines the intensity of heat
output and rate of fuel combustion; the greater the
amount of air, the greater the heat output, the faster the
wood burns. The primary air setting also determines the
