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Wood fires are usually installed in the main living area, which is the section
of the home that is usually kept the warmest, being the area in the home
most frequently occupied. However, before deciding on the best location for
your Metro wood fire you may wish to consider:
• Water heating. If you are intending to have a wetback it is important
that the wood fire is as close as practically possible to the water storage
cylinder
• Split level homes are best heated when the wood fire is installed on the
lower level, as the heated air will rise to the higher levels
• Building construction is another consideration. Specified clearances
from walls, curtains etc must be maintained and you need to ensure no
structural beams or internal gutters etc are directly above your preferred
site. If you have a two storey dwelling you need to consider the second
storey to ensure you don’t have the flue directly outside a second storey
window.
Generally, you can install your Metro in your home anywhere that suits you;
Pioneer offer various fan systems to transfer heat to other sections of the
home that are not heated sufficiently. It is necessary if using a fan system
that the Metro you have purchased has sufficient output to heat the total
area you wish to heat. Your Metro retailer or installer will be able to advise if
you are uncertain.
Water heating is another key feature of your Metro wood fire; nearly all Metro
models can be fitted with a wetback, which are designed to give maximum
output with minimal effect on the operation of the fire. Only the Pioneer cast
jacket wetback system should be fitted to your Metro; alternative wetbacks
will void the Metro’s emission approvals and may seriously affect the
performance of the appliance and void its warranty.
Other considerations are:
• Distance from your Metro to the storage cylinder will affect the amount
of hot water produced
• Your climate & the manner in which you will ‘fire’ your Metro will
determine the amount of hot water produced.
Note: Wetbacks are not suitable for use in locations where the water supply
has lime content. Lime build up inside the coil will eventually block the coil
causing the wetback to fail.
Cost Savings
Wetbacks can enable substantial power savings, dependent on the climate
in the area in which you live. If you live in a cold climate you are likely to use
your Metro for many months of the year, in which case a Pioneer wetback
will reduce or even eliminate your water heating costs over those months. If
however you live in a warmer climate and use your Metro for only a few hours
a day over the colder months, electricity savings will be considerably less.
Water Pressure
A common misconception is that you must have a low-pressure system
to have a wetback; this is not true. You must have a ‘vented’ system and
high-pressure cylinders are usually not vented. However you can install an
‘indirect’ cylinder which contains a secondary coil inside the storage cylinder,
enabling you to have a wetback while retaining a high-pressure system.
Wetback
Suitable for models:
2kW Wetback
• ECO Tiny Rad
• ECO Tiny Ped
Side Wetback
• Tiny Rad Woody
• Wee Rad & Wee Rad Base
• Wee Rad Woody
• Wee Ped
• Classic Rad
3kW Wetback
• Xtreme Rad & Xtreme Rad Base
• Xtreme Rad Woody
• Xtreme Ped
• Mega Rad
• All LTD rural models
4kW Wetback
• All LTD rural models
The R1 and R2 models cannot be fitted with a wetback.
Where to install a Metro wood fire in your home
Optional wetbacks