Starting A Bituminous Coal Fire:
Bituminous coal
is much easier to start
because it is more volatile. Take several sheets of newspaper,
crumble into balls and place on top of grates. Next, lay fine kindling on top of the paper. The kindling
must be dry and no lar
ger than 3/4” in diameter. Layer the kindling in a crisscross fashion to allow good
air flow. Open the draft control fully, this can be found on the back of the free standing units and the
ash door slide. Then light the paper just inside the door. Now, close the loading door and allow the
kindling to catch fire. After a few minutes, open the loading door an inch or two for a few seconds
before opening completely. This method will allow smoke to clear away from the door opening before
the loading door is completely opened. Add a good amount of small, compact pieces of hardwood
when the kindling fire is burning hot. Once this fire is established you can start to add coal. Size of
Bituminous coal, sometimes referred to as lump coal, can vary greatly. It can range from so large it will
almost not fit in the door to extremely small. All sizes will burn however bituminous coal has a low
fusion temperature and the smaller sizes can fuse together. This can start to restrict air flow and the
ability of the coal to burn. When this happens the block of burning coal must be broken up with a poker
to restore proper operation. Add the coal in a couple of stages however it is not necessary to build it up
in thin layers like anthracite coal. Do not ever build the coal bed higher than the firebricks as this can
cause severe damage to your stove. When the coal bed is completely ignited, the Dial Heat Regulator
should be set to desired heat output.
Adjusting Your Dial Heat Regulator:
The Dial Heat Regulator is the primary control for the combustion air for your fire. By controlling the
combustion air to the fire you control the speed of the coal combustion process thus controlling the
heat produced by the stove. What this control does is maintain the firebox at a given temperature by
adding more or less air. There will be an initial trial and error period as you determine what stove
temperature gives you the amount of heat you need in your house. Once this setting is determined you
should not have to change the setting unless there is a major change outside. A good example of this
is when we go from fall into the dead of winter and the house requires more heat. You may then need
to turn the control up. Likewise as the temperature starts to moderate towards spring you may have to
turn it down. It is not however something you will be turning every day or much at all.
Here is the procedure to determine what your setting should be. First open the control and get your
fire going as previously stated in these instructions. Once the fire is going, set the Dial Heat Regulator
somewhere around mid-scale (Number 6-8). Leave it there for around 6-8 hours. If there is too much
heat or not enough heat adjust the control up or down one number. You then need to wait half a day or
more again. It will take the stove several hours to stabilize at the new temperature. It will then take the
house half a day or more to stabilize at the new temperature. If there is still too much or too little heat
make another small adjustment and wait the same amount of time again.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO
MAKE SMALL ADJUSTMENTS AND PLENTY OF TIME IN BETWEEN ADJUSTMENTS OR YOU
WILL ALWAYS BE CHASING THE PROPER
SETTING AND NOT FIND IT.
Once you do find your
setting you will not have to make many changes over the season as stated before. We do not advise
turning the Dial Heat Regulator back more than one number at night and usually it is more satisfactory
to allow the heater to operate with the setting in the same position day and night. It takes very little
more fuel to maintain the temperature than to bring it back to normal in the morning if the house is
allowed to get cold.
WARNING: IF STOVE OR FLUE CONNECTOR PARTS GLOW RED YOU ARE OVER-
FIRING YOU’RE STOVE. DO NOT OVER-FIRE. OVER-FIRING CAN CAUSE A HOUSE
FIRE AND CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR STOVE. IF THE STOVE IS OVER-FIRING
CLOSE AIR INTAKES AND DAMPERS TO SLOW DOWN THE BURN.