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“temper” your cast iron stove. We recommend this ‘running-in’ procedure after
long shutdowns to preserve the life of stove. During the curing of the paint you
may notice an unpleasant smell. It is not toxic, but for your comfort we would
suggest that during this period you leave doors and windows open.
First, load the fire with starting fuel i.e. paper, dry kindling timber (about the
thickness of your thumb) and/or firelighters in the mode chosen, either wood or
coal products.
It is normal to see smoke come from the open stove door at this
stage.
Light the fire at base leaving all air controls open. Allow the fuel to reach a
steady glow and build up the fire gradually. Once you have a good fire
established across the fire bed, further fuel can be added as required.
When your fire is well established you can start to restrict the primary air intake.
If you are burning only wood, the primary air control can be fully closed. If you
are burning solid fuel you will require some primary air. Your stove is burning
with maximum efficiency when a bright fire is achieved using minimum air inlet
and the Penman Stove Thermometer (purchased separately) registers within the
“Best Burn” range.
Wood Burning
Wood burns best on a bed of ash and it is therefore only necessary to remove
surplus ash from the grate occasionally. Burn only kiln dried or well-seasoned
wood, which should have been cut, split and stacked under cover for at least 36
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 reduce heat output. Tar deposits, if allowed to build up, are a
major cause of chimney fires. This tar also is the main cause of blackened stove
windows. A Penman wood moisture meter is a handy device to have.
Once established and for the best results from your stove, load about 1.3kg of
good quality dry wood per hour with the primary air control fully closed and the
secondary air control 37mm open (86% fully open). Logs can be up to 300mm
(12”) long. Do not overload.
Of course, best burning depends on the quality of wood, draft and stove
settings, so please do experiment to find your own best settings and the best
position on your Stove Thermometer.
