Break-in Fires

Dutchwest Non-Catalytic Convection Heater

Use the Air Control Settings

that Work Best for You

No single control setting will ﬁt every situation. Each installation will differ depending on the quality of the fuel, the amount of heat desired, and how long you wish the ﬁre to burn.

Control settings also depend on your particular instal- lation’s “draft,” or the force that moves air from the stove up through the chimney. Draft is affected by such things as the height, type, and location of the chimney, local geography, nearby obstructions, and other factors.

Too much draft may cause excessive temperatures in the stove. On the other hand, too little draft can cause backpufﬁng into the room and/or insufﬁcient heat.

How do you know if your draft is excessively high or low? Symptoms of too much draft include an uncon- trollable burn or a part of the stove or chimney con- nector glowing-red. Inadequate draft may is indicated by smoke leaking into the room through the stove or chimney connector joints.

When ﬁrst using the stove, keep a record of the results you achieve from different control settings. You will ﬁnd that speciﬁc settings will give you a ﬁxed amount of heat. It may take a week or two to determine the amount of heat and the length of burn you should ex- pect from various control settings.

Notice that changes in the weather have a strong effect on chimney draft. Higher outdoor temperatures and lower air pressure both weaken draft; lower tempera- tures and higher air pressure encourage a stronger draft. An exception to this is in installations with outdoor chimneys; since these lose heat to the outdoors, it takes longer to warm them up initially, and it takes more heat to keep them warm, especially when temperatures are very low outdoors.

Most installations do not require a large amount of combustion air, especially if adequate draft is available. Do not attempt to increase the ﬁring rate of your heater by altering the air control adjustment range outlined in these directions.

In some newer homes that are well insulated and weather-tight, poor draft may result from insufﬁcient air in the house. In such instances, an open window near the stove on the windward side of the house (side against which the wind is blowing) will provide the fresh air needed. Another solution is to equip the stove with an Outside Air Kit, available from your local dealer.

Use the air control settings indicated in Figure 27 as a starting point to help determine the best settings for your installation.

High

Medium

Low

Closed

ST817

Fig. 27 Position the primary air control lever for different burn rates.

DO NOT OPERATE THE STOVE WITH THE ASH DOOR OPEN. OPERATION WITH THE ASH DOOR OPEN CAN CAUSE AN OVERFIRING CONDITION TO OCCUR. OVERFIRING THE STOVE IS DANGER- OUS AND CAN RESULT IN PROPERTY DAMAGE, INJURY, OR LOSS OF LIFE.

How to Build and Maintain a Wood Fire

Loading Wood

You can load wood into your Dutchwest Convection Heater through either the front or side doors. Front loading is useful for kindling a new ﬁre and adding an occasional log; however, we recommend side-loading as most convenient when adding several logs at a time. Always be certain that the stove damper is open before opening either door.

WARNING: OPERATE YOUR DUTCHWEST CON- VECTION HEATER ONLY WITH THE DOORS FULLY CLOSED EXCEPT WHEN REFUELING.

THIS STOVE IS HOT WHILE IN OPERATION! KEEP CHILDREN, CLOTHING, AND FURNITURE AWAY. CONTACT MAY CAUSE SKIN BURNS.

If your stove is new or has new cast iron replacement parts, “season” the new cast iron with a few break-in ﬁres. Follow Steps 1-3 below. Then let the ﬁre burn out. Do not close the damper. Maintain a small but not smoky ﬁre by adjusting the air control. After the break- in ﬁres, continue with Step 4.

The stove’s paint and cement will emit a slight odor as these materials cure during the ﬁrst few ﬁres. You may wish to provide extra ventilation near the stove by partially opening a door or window until the odor disap- pears

30002291