Harman Stove Company MARK II manual Operation, Operating Instructions, Starting a Fire, Loading

Operation

5.Operating Instructions

5.1STARTING A FIRE

Place seven or eight sheets of crumpled newspaper onto the top of the grates. Next, lay in some small kin- dling wood (approximately 3/4” or less) on top of the newspaper. Layer the kindling in a criss-cross fashion to allow for maximum air flow. Open the draft control to it’s full open position. Light the paper nearest the center of the door opening and close and latch the load door. After two to three minutes, open the load door an inch or two for a few seconds, then open it completely. This method is good practice to allow smoke to clear away from the load door. Add a few small pieces of firewood when the kindling is burning well. Close the door again and be sure the draft con- trol remains open. The ash door itself may be opened for a short period to accelerate the process.

DO NOT LEAVE THE STOVE UNATTENDED WITH THE DOOR OPEN.

When a substantial bed of hot wood coals are built up, start adding small amounts of coal on top of the burning wood embers. (Pea or Nut sized coal will give the best results when starting a fire.) Keep the draft control open through the whole ignition process. As the coal begins to free-burn, continue adding small amounts until there is a solid bed of burning coal. Do not add too much at one time as you could smother the fire. Allow sufficient time between these small batches so that the coal can ignite thoroughly before more is added. Once a substantial bed is established, fill the firebox to the top of the bricks. A deep bed of coal will always burn better than a shallow bed. Adjust the draft control to the desired heat output. You’ll learn over time that the coal fire does not instantly change with a turn of the draft control. Make your adjustments in small increments and wait for the fire to stabilize. The normal range of control settings will be from closed, for extended burn times, to one full turn open.

NOTE: If the ash door was opened during the light- ing process, it must be closed to prevent over-firing. Over-firing can cause dangerously high temperatures.

5.2 LOADING

Coal should never be added unless there is a reason- ably hot fire. The coal bed should be bright and vigor- ous. If the fire is burning hot and there is a deep bed of hot coals, full loads of coal can be added at any time. However, if there is not a deep bed of coals, it is best to add in small batches as during lighting.

5.3INCREASING HEAT FROM A LOW FIRE Every effort should be made to not let a coal fire burn so long that it begins to die. This causes the reloading process to be much longer, and there is a good possi- bility of losing the fire all together. Do not shake or stir a low fire. Open the draft control or the ash door to get the maximum air flow. Allow the fire to get reasonably hot. If there is not enough un-burned coal to renew the fire, add a small amount. Continue adding coal

in small amounts until a full bed is established. Now, shake the grates. (see next section “shaking ashes”)

DO NOT LEAVE THE STOVE UNATTENDED WITH THE DOOR OPEN.

5.4 SHAKING ASHES

Shaking should be done only when there is a hot fire. The frequency of shaking will depend on the rate of burning. Shaking should be done at least once per day but best results will come from shaking twice a day.

When shaking, do just that. Do not rock the handle in long strokes, just shake it briskly until you see red hot ashes fall into the ash pan. Rocking the grates may allow pieces of coal to jam them in an open position.

5.5 ASHES AND THEIR REMOVAL Ashes should never be allowed to accumulate in the ash pan. Excess ash build up can restrict air flow to the fire and can also cause damage to the grates.

Ashes should be placed in a metal container with a tight fitting lid, pending final disposal. The closed container of ashes should be placed on a non-com- bustible floor or on the ground, well away from any combustible materials. If the ashes are disposed of by burial in soil or otherwise locally dispersed, they should be retained in the sealed container until all cinders have thoroughly cooled.

CAUTION! ASHES SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO ACCUMULATE ABOVE THE TOP OF THE ASH PAN. ASHES IN CONTACT WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE GRATES ACT AS AN INSULATOR INTEN- SIFYING THE HEAT ON THE GRATES, AND WILL CAUSE THE GRATES TO WARP. GRATE DAMAGE FROM ASH BUILD UP IS EASILY RECOGNIZED. PLEASE REFER TO YOUR WARRANTY TO SEE HARMAN STOVES LIMIT OF LIABILITY IN CASES OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT.

Coal produces considerably more ash than wood. For equal heat output, coal will produce 7 to 10 times the ash of a wood fire.

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