Andirons Help Protect the Glass

WARNING: FIREPLACE STOVES EQUIPPED WITH DOORS SHOULD BE OPERATED ONLY WITH DOORS FULLY OPEN OR DOORS FULLY CLOSED. IF DOORS ARE LEFT PARTLY OPEN, GAS AND FLAME MAY BE DRAWN OUT OF THE FIREPLACE STOVE OPENING, CREATING RISKS FROM BOTH FIRE AND SMOKE.

The Defiant may be used as a fireplace with the front doors open or removed, BUT only when it is equipped with 8" (200mm) stove pipe and only when the optional spark screen is placed correctly in the opening to protect against the possibility of sparks and embers leaving your stove.

Use only the Defiant spark screen, Item #1907, with your Defiant.

Defiant spark screens are available from your Vermont Castings Majestic Products Company Dealer.

Infra-Red Reflective Glass Panels

for Clear Fire Viewing

The outer surfaces of the ceramic glass panels have an infrared-reflective coating which keeps the inner surfaces warm. This design, along with a pre-heated 'airwash,' makes clear fire viewing possible at most firing levels.

Your stove has andirons to keep logs away from the glass panels. The andirons are essential to maintain clear fireviewing, and should be left permanently in place. Since the andirons may slightly hinder refueling through the front doors, most stove owners will prefer the convenience of top loading through the griddle. Do not place fuel between the andirons and the doors.

Burn Only High-Quality Wood

The Defiant is designed to burn natural wood only; do not burn fuels other than that for which it was designed.

You’ll enjoy the best results when burning wood that has been adequately air-dried. The wood should be 20-22" (500-550 mm) in length. Avoid burning “green” wood that has not been properly seasoned. Do not burn construction materials; they often contain chemicals and metals that can damage the catalytic combustor or pollute the air. Do not burn ocean driftwood; when it burns, the salt it absorbs will attack the cast iron.

The best hardwood fuels include oak, maple, beech, ash, and hickory that has been split, stacked, and air-dried outside under cover for at least one year.

Vermont Castings Defiant

If hardwood is not available, you can burn soft- woods like include tamarack, yellow pine, white pine, Eastern red cedar, fir, and redwood. These should also be properly dried.

Store wood under cover to keep it dry. The longer it is stored, the better heating and fire-viewing perfor- mance you will enjoy. Even for short-term storage, however, keep wood a safe distance from the heater and keep it out of the areas around the heater used for refueling and ash removal.

A Surface Thermometer is a Valuable

Guide to Operation

An optional surface thermometer tells you when to adjust the air control, and when to refuel. (Fig. 26)

ST523

Fig. 26 Take temperature readings with a thermometer located in the middle of the griddle.

For example, when the thermometer registers at least 450° F. (230 C) after start-up you know that the stove is hot enough to begin catalytic combustion and that it may be time to close the damper. Note that the stove will warm up much sooner than the chimney, though; a warm chimney is the key to easy, effective stove operation. Please review the draft management information on pages 24 to see how the size, type, and location of your chimney will affect your stove opera- tion. When thermometer readings drop below 350°F. (175˚C) it’s time to adjust the air control for a higher burn rate or to reload the stove. A temperature reading over 750° F. (385˚C) is a sign to cut back on the air supply to slow the burn rate.

Use the following temperature ranges as a guide:

•Readings in the 350-500°F. (175-260˚C) range indicate low to medium heat output.

•500-600°F. (260-315˚C) readings indicate medium heat output.

•Readings of 600-750°F. (315-385˚C) indicate high heat output. Operating your Defiant continuously at griddle temperatures of 750° F. (385˚C) or higher may damage the cast iron or enamel finish.