Napoleon Fireplaces EPI 1101 Achieving Proper Draft, Fire Extinguishers / Smoke Detectors

ASH FENDER

FIGURE 25

12

You can now add larger pieces of wood and operate the stove normally. Once the stove/insert is entirely hot, it will burn very efficiently with little smoke from the chim- ney. There will be a bed of orange coals in the firebox and secondary flames flickering just below the top fire- brick. You can safely fill the firebox with wood to the top of the door and will get best burns if you keep the stove pipe temperatures between 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius) and 450 degrees Fahrenheit (270 de- grees Celsius). A surface thermometer will help regu- late this.

Without a stove thermometer, you are working blindly and have no idea of how the stove is oper- ating! A stove thermometer offers a guide to per- formance.

Can't get the fire going? Use more kindling and paper. Assuming the chimney and vent are sized correctly and there is sufficient combustion air, the lack of sufficiently dry quantities of small kindling is the problem. Thumb size is a good gauge for small kindling diameter.

Can't get heat out of the unit? One of two things may have happened. The stove/insert door may have been closed prematurely and the unit itself has not reached optimum temperature. Reopen the door and/or draft control to re-establish a brisk fire. The other problem may have been wet wood. The typical symptom is siz- zling wood and moisture being driven from the wood.

ACHIEVING PROPER DRAFT

Draft is the force which moves air from the firebox up through the chimney. The amount of draft in your chimney depends on the length and diameter of chimney, local geography, nearby obstructions and other factors. Adjusting the

draft control regulates the temperature. The draft can be adjusted from a low burn rate with the handle in fully, to a fast burn rate with the handle fully out.

Inadequate draft may cause back-puffing into the room through the stove/insert and chimney connector points and may cause plugging of the chimney. Too much draft may cause an excessive temperature in the stove, glowing red stove parts or chimney connectors or an uncontrollable burn which can lead to a chimney fire or permanent damage to the unit.

Do not operate your stove/insert for longer than 30 min- utes with the draft control on "HIGH" (fully open).

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS / SMOKE DETECTORS

All homes with a solid fuel burning fireplace should have at least one fire extinguisher in a central loca- tion known to all, and at least one smoke detector in the room containing the fireplace. If it sounds an alarm, correct the cause but do not deactivate or relocate the smoke detector.

FUEL LOADING AND BURN CYCLE

When loading the stove, ensure that the two upper courses of firebrick are not lifted up and off their ledge.

For maximum efficiency, when the stove is thoroughly hot, load it fully to the top of the door opening and burn at a medium low setting. Maximum heat for minium fuel (op- timum burn) occurs when the stove top temperature be- neath the trivet is between 500°F (260°C) and 600°F (315°C). The bricks will be nearly all white and the glass mostly clear. The whiteness of the bricks and the clean- ness of the glass are good indicators of your operating efficiency. Not enough heat is produced when only one or two pieces of wood are burned or the wood may not burn completely. A minimum of three pieces are needed to encase a bed of coals that sustains the fire.

Loosely stacked wood burns quicker than a tightly packed load. Wood burns in cycles rather than giving a steady output of heat. It is best to plan these cycles around your household routine so that only enough coals are left to start the next load. In the evening, load your stove, at least, a half-hour before bed to ensure a good fire, hot enough to close the draft control for an overnight burn. Burn only dry seasoned wood.

It produces more heat and less soot or creosote. Do not burn ocean beach wood. Its salt content can produce a metal eating acid. When refueling open the door slowly to prevent smoke spillage. Use a pair of long gloves (barbe- cue gloves) when feeding the fire. Because these stoves burn at the front, they are clean and efficient, but they are also very hot and gloves are useful. Keep a small steel shovel nearby to use as a poker and to remove ashes. Do not store the wood within 3 feet (1m) of the stove.

FLASH FIRE

A flash fire is a small fire burned quickly when you don't need much heat. After your kindling has "caught", load at least 3 pieces of wood, stacked loosely. Burn with the draft control fully open or closed only slightly.

EXTENDED FIRE

Load your larger pieces of wood compactly, packed close enough to prevent the flames from penetrating it completely. After approximately 30 minutes, depending on the size of the load, close the draft control completely making sure that the fire is not extinguished.

*NOTE: 1100C ash pan is not equipped with a cover or rear folding handle.

TO OPEN:

PULL AND

ROTATE

ASH WELL	TO CLOSE:
COVER
	ROTATE

FIGURE 26
	REAR
W415-0360 / 11.05.02	FOLDING
	HANDLE

PULL HANDLE