FDC FDC4, Installation And Operating Instructions Manual

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11 FDC Freestanding
Issue 5 05/15
Outer body: The outer body simply needs to be dusted from time to time. DO NOT use
any kind of furniture polish or cleaning agent other then your stove suppliers
recommended paint.
Inner firebox: Brush the inside of the firebox clean from time to time to check the
integrity of the plates and liners etc. It is not normally necessary to re-paint inside the
firebox due to the high temperatures that mean that the paint does not have much effect
before being burnt off. Steel and cast ceramic liners are resilient firebox materials and
will give reliable service without major cleaning or work on the firebox. The liner boards
may require replacement occasionally
during the stove’s life depending upon fuels and
the type of usage experienced. Firebox liners are not covered by warranty, as they are a
wearing consumable part.
Baffle: It is essential to check the top of the baffle for build up of soot and ash regularly
when in use and after a long period of no use. From time to time remove the baffle if
necessary to ensure that the flue way entrance is clear. A slot is provided in the front
edge of the baffle for lifting down with the multi tool for quick and easy checks without
getting dirty hands.
6.4 Fuels
The appliance is fitted with a versatile multifuel grate and the appliance has been tested
and approved burning dry, well-seasoned logs or Ancit or equivalent smokeless fuel.
These are the recommended fuels. For other fuels please contact the manufacturer for
advice. Petroleum coke must never be burnt on this appliance
– it is likely to damage
the grate and other parts.
6.5 Important Notes for Wood Burning
With a full load of wood, the stove will need to be refuelled approximately every 1-1.5
hours. Wood can be stacked higher in the stove than solid mineral fuel but care must be
taken that logs do not touch the baffle or the glass panel.
Do not stack logs above the
level of the tertiary air inlets at the back of the stove.
Wood burns most efficiently with the primary air controls closed and the secondary (air
wash) controls a small amount open. Carefully adjusting the fuel load and secondary air
controls will then control the burn rate of the stove. Always make sure that flames are
visible and maintained above the wood after re-fuelling for cleanest burning.
After re-
fuelling open the air wash full for 3 to 5 minutes or until the logs are fully
blackened to achieve full flames above the fuel.
Wood burns well on a bed of ash and it is therefore only necessary to remove surplus
ash from the stove occasionally.
Burn only dry, well-seasoned wood, which should have been cut, split and stacked -
under protection from rain - for at least 12-24 months with free air movement around the
sides of the stack to enable it to dry out. Burning wet or unseasoned wood will create tar
deposits in the stove and chimney and will not produce a satisfactory heat output.
Wood
that is not properly dry (‘dry’ is considered to be less than 20% internal moisture
content) uses up energy from the burn process to evaporate the water inside the
wood thus creating very poor conditions for combustion
. By far the most common
cause of burning problems with wood stoves is due to excessively damp wood. Wood
can appear perfectly dry on the outside but still contain 40-50% water on the inside. A
moisture meter can be purchased from some stove and equipment suppliers or online if
you wish to check your wood source is correct.
6.5.1 Refuelling on to a low fire bed
If there is insufficient burning material in the firebed to light a new fuel charge, excessive
smoke emission can occur. Refuelling must be carried out onto a sufficient quantity of
glowing embers and ash so that the new fuel charge will ignite in a reasonable period. If