© EUROHEAT DISTRIBUTORS (H.B.S) LTD. Jan. 2011
Instructions Part Number IN1145 Ed A
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Gas and oil are consistent fuels and stoves can be designed to obtain the maximum heat from them with the
user having to do no more than choose a heat setting. Solid fuels are almost infinitely variable and however well
a stove has been designed, its performance will ultimately depend on the way the user operates it. Whilst we
have endeavoured to make the stove as simple to operate as possible, understanding just a little about the fuels
and the way your stove was designed to burn them will be rewarded by you being able to achieve the best from
your stove with the least effort.
As a fuel, wood is visually exciting, environmentally friendly, and a renewable source of energy but it is one of
the most complex fuels to burn. Wood contains two sorts of components which burn. The fixed carbons which
burn as the glowing embers, and the compounds that vaporize when heated to burn as volatile gasses, giving
the endlessly changing flame patterns. The fixed carbon, which is charcoal, is a virtually trouble free fuel and
needs little assistance to burn cleanly, but it would be difficult to describe it as visually entertaining.
When set to its wood burning position, your stove heats the incoming air. The air is supplied as slowly as possible
so as not to blow out any established flames. By placing a log or two towards the front of the fire whenever the
flames from previous logs die down, a bed of charcoal will build up. This will be virtually pure carbon and capable
of burning for incredibly long periods without causing any tar deposits.
Always put logs on to the fire before flames from previous logs have extinguished, this will ensure that when the
new logs begin releasing gasses it will ignite. Unburned gasses will cause smoke and tar deposits and wastes
potential heat. Putting on too much wood at one time will both restrict the air supply and cool the combustion
chamber making it more difficult for the gasses to burn cleanly.
Never put on fresh wood whilst operating the stove with a minuscule air supply as a technique for operating
for long periods without attention, it will cause both chilling and air restriction. Properly controlling the rate at
which wood burns is not simply a matter of restricting the air supply, nor running the stove with a very small
fire, it is maintaining the temperature and ignition flames in the stove whilst balancing the release of gasses to
match the chosen air supply.
No two woods have the same burning characteristics but all wood contains water. It is difficult to quantify the
amount of water any log might hold whilst its exterior feels dry but it would not be unreasonable to estimate a
mug full from a good sized, poorly seasoned log. Imagine pouring that onto your fire every time you introduce
a new log and you will realize its obvious effect of cooling the fire. What is not so obvious is that the moisture
mixing with the vaporized gasses is cooling them, possibly below their ignition temperature. So the water within
a wet log cooled the stove, it has prevented much of the potential heat from the log being realized and the
unburned combustible products will be deposited as tars within the stove and flue.
Coal suitable for stoves has only a very small proportion of components that vaporise and a far higher fixed carbon
content and when the stove is set to its coal burning position air is supplied through the grate to the underside of
the fire bed to supply the carbon directly. There will be sufficient spare air travelling through the fire bed to reach
the limited gasses being released and this air will have been heated as it passed the burning coals.
Because coals suitable for stoves have so little vaporizing content they are virtually trouble free fuels to use, but
if you are using one of the manufactured smokeless coals take care to ensure the ash pan is checked regularly
because some of them have a very high ash content; this is especially important if you change “brands” because
the ash contents can vary dramatically.
Always riddle the grate before putting on loadings of coal to give the initial release of gasses sufficient air with
which to burn; failure to do so may allow the stove and flue to fill with gasses ready to ignite.
A stove is very much safer than an open fire, but if you have children or infirm people in the house please ensure
it is suitably guarded, and consideration should also be given to accidental contact with the stove if you are
entertaining with a busy house full of guests.
Wood and Multifuel Stoves
