Hearth and Home Technologies PMH, MBK Opacity, Burn Rates, Wood Selection And Storage

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Yosemite Wood Stove

OPACITY

This is the measure of how cleanly your stove is burning. Opacity is measured in percent; 100% opacity is when an object is totally obscured by the smoke column from a chimney, and 0% opacity means that no smoke column can be seen. As you become familiar with your stove, you should periodically check the opacity. This will allow you to know how to burn your stove as nearly smoke-free as possible (goal of 0% opacity).

BURN RATES

NOTE: To establish your settings, always begin with the air control in the closed position (STOP) and then pull open for your desired settings.

•STARTING FIRE: Open (push in) both controls fully. After a wood load has been burning for 5 to 15 minutes (longer for very large pieces) close the Start-Up Air Control by pulling it out.

•HIGH: Leave the Primary Air Control fully open. It is important to do this when reloading the stove. Failure to do this could result in excessive emissions (opacity).

After a wood load has been burning for 5 to 15 minutes on High to achieve the following burn rates set the controls as listed below:

•MEDIUM HIGH: Close the Primary Air Control to 1/4” to 1” open, Start-Up Air is closed.

•MEDIUM: Close the Primary Control to 1/8” - 1/4” open. Start-Up Air is closed.

•LOW: Gradually close down the Primary Control, making sure to maintain flames in the stove. (Star-Up Air is closed.) It is very important to maintain flames in your stove during the first few hours of a low burn to avoid excessive air pollution.

WOOD SELECTION AND STORAGE

CAUTION: DO NOT STORE WOOD CLOSER THAN THE REQUIRED CLEARANCE TO COMBUSTIBLES OF THE STOVE

WITHIN THE SPACE REQUIRED FOR FUELING AND ASH REMOVAL

Burn only dry seasoned wood! This will not only minimize creosote formation, but also provide the most efficient heat output. Even dry wood contains at least 15% moisture by weight and should be burned hot enough to keep the chimney hot for as long as it takes to maintain particulate (smoke) burning. It is a waste of energy to burn unseasoned wood of any variety.

Dead wood lying on the forest floor should be considered wet, and requires full seasoning time. Standing dead wood can be considered to be about 2/3 seasoned. To tell if wood is dry enough to burn, check the ends of the logs. If there are cracks radiating in all directions from the center, it is dry. If your wood sizzles in the fire, even though the surface is dry, it may not be fully cured. Splitting wood before it is stored reduces drying time. Wood should be stacked so that both ends of each piece are exposed to air, since more drying occurs through the cut ends than the sides. This is true even with wood that has been split. Store wood under cover, such as in a shed, or covered with a tarp, plastic, tar paper, sheets of scrap plywood, etc., as uncovered wood can absorb water from rain or snow, delaying the seasoning process.

BLOWER OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

See blower installation on page 20

1.Initial (cold) start-up: Leave blower off until your stove is hot and a good coalbed is established. The blower may be turned on approximately 30 minutes after a good coalbed is established.

2.High burn setting: The blower may be left on throughout the burn at your desired setting.

3.Medium burn setting: The blower should be left off until a good burn is established, then turned on at your desired setting.

4.Low burn setting: The blower tends to cool off the stove. Leave blower off until burn is well established. Then turn on at your desired rate.

5.The highest blower speed is obtained by turning the speed control on and then adjusting counterclockwise towards "OFF" as far as possible without turning the blower off. For a low blower speed, turn the control knob clockwise as far as possible.

Page 22 7004-187F September 1, 2008