OM-PI1010A E V1.10
May 21, 2015
Page 22
PI1010A
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS cont.
LIGHTING THE FIRE
NOTE: As you heat up the stove for the fi rst time, the paint will go through a curing process and will give off
an odor. To minimize the inconvenience, burn the stove at a low temperature setting for several hours. It is
advisable to open a door or window until the odor dissipates. You may also notice a change in color as the paint
cures, this is normal and will appear uniform aft er subsequent fi rings.
1. DO NOT USE A GRATE. BUILD THE FIRE DIRECTLY ON THE BRICK IN THE BOTTOM OF THE
STOVE.
2. Set the thermostat to
HIGH
(maximum) position and turn the fan
OFF
.
3. Open both the loading door and the bypass door (bypass handle pulled up).
4. Place 10 balls of non-glossy paper towards the front of the bottom of the fi rebox, or use a Blaze King fi re starter
puck, then stack 20 pieces of kindling on top of the paper in a crisscross fashion (leaving air gaps in between
sticks).
5. Light the fi re and allow it to get a good start while leaving the loading door cracked open (approximately 3 to 5
minutes).
DO NOT LEAVE THE STOVE UNATTENDED.
6. Once the kindling is fully on fi re, place two or three medium size logs onto the fi re. Keeping the loading
door unlatched, allow the logs to catch fi re (approximately 5 minutes).
DO NOT LEAVE THE STOVE
UNATTENDED.
7. Once the logs are burning, latch the loading door shut
BUT
keep the bypass door open. Leaving the loading door
open aft er the fi re is well started may cause premature failure of the catalytic combustor.
8. When nearly all of the wood in the fi rebox is fully burning, fi nish loading the stove. Lay the wood as far back in
the stove as possible. Latch the loading door shut and observe the catalytic thermometer. Once the needle is in the
ACTIVE ZONE
, close the bypass door (push the bypass handle down). Turning the thermostat down to soon
may cause the fi re to go out.
9. Let the fi re burn, with the thermostat in a
HIGH
setting, for 20-30 minutes, or until the fi re is well established. At
that point, turn the thermostat down to the desired setting. It is good burning practice to burn the stove on
HIGH
for 20 to 30 minutes aft er every refuelling, this will help to condition the wood load for optimum combustion.
Th
e temperature in the stove and the gases entering the combustor must be raised to at least 500°(indicated by
the thermometer needle in the active zone) for catalytic activity to be initiated. During the start-up of a cold
stove, a high fi re must be maintained for at least 20-30 minutes. Th
is ensures that the stove, catalyst, and fuel are
all stabilized at proper operating temperatures. Even though it is possible for fl ue gas temperatures to reach 600°
within 5 minutes of a fi re being started. If the fi re is allowed to die down immediately (thermostat set to a
LOW
setting too soon), it may go out or the combustor may stop working, indicated by the thermometer needle being
in the inactive zone. Once the combustor starts working, heat generated in it, by burning the exhaust smoke, will
keep it working.
10. Th
e fan can be turned on when the stove is hot or aft er the initial warm up period of 20-30 minutes.
Probably the least understood requirement in maintaining a good fi re is that of establishing a good base of coals
or embers. A good bed of hot coals or embers will maintain a more even temperature as well as getting the new
load of wood started easily. Put as much fuel into the stove as it will hold. Don’t be afraid to fi ll it completely.
With the Blaze King automatic thermostat, the wood will only burn at the rate set on the thermostat. Once the
full load is established, the stove should be left to complete the full burn cycle. Th
is is evident by either a coal
bed (ember bed) remaining or the catalyst’s thermometer hovers just inside the active zone. Th
is procedure will
maximize the effi
ciency of the combustor as well as limit chimney emissions and smoke spillage.
