User manual

conditions that produce an extra-strong draft in the chimney. Never
fill the stove completely with wood. It is better to heat a stove up
slowly. This will prevent damage to welds and annealing of the iron.
Overfilling the firebox also substantially reduces the useful life of
the vermiculite panels, as cracks are more easily caused. The log
size should be about 2” (5cm) less than the width of the firebox.
Start slowly with a “normal ” fire from the bottom, and slowly build
it up to a maximum of three logs.
Technical information on wood burning
1 kilo of dry wood is made up of 20% water, with the remaining 80%
divided into 60% gas and 20% charcoal. The 60% gas only contains
around half the energy content of the wood, while the 20% charcoal
contains the other half. To achieve optimum combustion, the
temperature must reach 1100-1500°F (600-800°C).
Reload with a few pieces of wood at a time. If too much wood is
placed on a layer of embers, the air supplied will not be sufficient
to attain the required temperature, and the gases will disappear out
through the chimney unburned. It is vital to supply air to the fire
immediately after adding fuel, so there are flames in the firebox,
and the gases burn. Remember that three logs will burn just as
quickly as one. The quantity of firewood determines the heat emission
- the more heat you require, the more wood you should add at each
refueling.
Types of fuel and heating values
Combustion involves conversion of the fuel from solid form into
gases, water vapor and charcoal. The heating value is an expression
of the content of combustible gases - stated in kcal/kg. All wood has
roughly the same heating value per kilogram. The lighter the wood,
the more that must be used to achieve the same heating value as with
a heavier species of wood.
Type of wood Dry wood - Lbs./ft3 (Kg/m3) Compare to Beech
Beech and oak 36.2 (580) 100%
Ash 35.6 (570) 98%
Maple 33.7 (540) 93%
Birch 31.8 (510) 88%
Mountain pine 30.0 (480) 83%
Fir 24.3 (390) 67%
Poplar 23.7 (380) 65%
As mentioned, air-dried wood contains around 20% water, corresponding
to a heating value of approx. 4 kWh/kg equivalent to approx. 3440
kcal/kg (1kW = 860 kcal).
Warning! NEVER burn treated/painted wood, laminated
plastic, plywood, chipboard, refuse, milk cartons,
printed matter or similar. Use of such materials will
invalidate your warranty, as this may emit toxic,
corrosive and hazardous fumes when burned. They may also
cause a build-up of the toxic gas dioxin, which is
damaging to the stove and the environment.
Version: 10/09 Page 8