Vermont Casting Starting and Maintaining a Fire, Intrepid 1640 Woodburning Stove

A more effective option for delivering ample combustion air to the stove is to duct air directly from outdoors to the stove. In fact, in some areas, provisions for outside combustion air are required in all new construction. The optional Intrepid Outside Air Adaptor is available from your dealer.

When you first begin using the stove, pay attention to the effects of different air control settings. You will quickly find that a specific setting will give you a fixed amount of heat. It may take some time to determine the amount of heat and the length of burn you should expect from various settings.

Do not for any reason attempt to increase the firing of your heater by altering the air control adjustment range outlined in these directions.

Before you start using the stove, please read the Appendix on Draft Management starting on Page 24 to learn how the characteristics of your installation will affect the stove's performance. You and the stove are parts of a system, and other parts of the system have a strong effect on operation; you may need to vary your firing technique to get the performance you want.

Starting and Maintaining a Fire

Conditioning Your Stove

Cast iron is extremely strong, but it can be broken with a sharp blow from a hammer or from the thermal shock of rapid and extreme temperature change. The cast plates expand and contract with changes in temperature. When you first begin using your Intrepid, minimize thermal stress by allowing the plates to adjust gradually during three or four initial break-in fires following Steps 1- 3.

Burn solid wood fuel only, and burn it directly on the grate. Do not elevate the fuel. Do not burn coal or other fuels.

WARNING: operate this stove only with the door fully closed.

The Primary Air Inlet must be open when starting a fire or when refueling.

1.Open the primary air control fully by placing the Control Lever all the way to the LEFT (HIGH).

2.Place several sheets of crumpled newspaper in the stove. Avoid using glossy or colored paper, as these burn poorly. At the front of the firebox, place on the paper six or eight pieces of dry kindling split to a finger-width size, and on the kindling lay two or three larger sticks of split dry wood approximately 1- 2" (25-50 mm) in diameter. (Fig. 28)

Intrepid 1640 Woodburning Stove

Control Lever

HIGH LOW

High Heat / Shorter Burn Time

Control

Lever

HIGH LOW

Low Heat / Longer Burn Time

ST572

Fig. 31 Primary Air Inlet Settings.

3.Light the newspaper and close the door. Gradually build up the fire by adding a few 3-5" (80-120 mm) diameter splits. (Fig. 29) If this is one of the first few "break-in" fires, let the fire burn brightly, and then let it die out.

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