Vermont Casting 2478 manual Lighting the Fire, Reloading and Reviving the Fire

Lighting the Fire

Step 1. Open the stove damper. Open the primary air control fully.

Step 2. Lay some crumpled newspapers in the stove. Place six or eight finger-width size pieces of dry kin- dling on the paper. On the kindling, lay two or three larger sticks of split dry wood approximately 1-2” (25-50 mm) thick.

DO NOT USE CHEMICALS OR FLUIDS TO START THE FIRE. DO NOT BURN GARBAGE OR FLAM- MABLE FLUIDS SUCH AS GASOLINE, NAPTHA, OR ENGINE OIL.

Also, never use gasoline-type lantern fuel, kerosene, charcoal lighter fluid, or similar liquids to start or “freshen up” a fire in this heater. Keep all such liquids well away from the heater while it is in use.

Step 3. Light the newspaper and close the door. The fire soon will be well-established and you may gradually build it up by adding a few sticks at a time of a progres- sively larger size. For your initial three or four break-in fires, let the fire burn brightly for a short time, then let it die out.

NOTE: An especially large, outdoor, or cold chimney may need to be “primed,” or warmed up, before it will draw sufficiently to start a fire. If this is the case, roll up a couple pieces of newspaper, place them on top of the kindling and toward the back of the stove, light them, and close the doors. This should heat the chimney enough to initiate a draft.

Once the draft is established, open the front door and light the rest of the fuel from the bottom. Do not light the main bed of fuel until the chimney begins draw- ing. Repeat the procedure as often as necessary if the initial attempt is unsuccessful.

Step 4. Once the fire is burning steadily, continue adding fuel until a thick bed has been established on the grate. The bed should be about 2” (50mm) deep and should cover the throat opening into the secondary combustion chamber that is located in the lower center fireback.

Step 5. Once the ember bed is formed, prepare the stove for high-efficiency operation. Load it with fuel, first with smaller splits of wood and then larger ones.

Close the damper and set the air control lever to the “HIGH” position. Operate the stove for 15-20 minutes at this maximum air setting to guarantee the new load of fuel has fully ignited. Once the fuel is burning steadily, you may adjust the air supply to provide the desired heat output. Refer back to the air control settings chart on Page 20.

Dutchwest Non-Catalytic Convection Heater

You’ll soon find that this stove is HOT WHILE IN OPER-

ATION! KEEP CHILDREN, CLOTHING, AND FURNI- TURE AWAY. CONTACT MAY CAUSE SKIN BURNS.

DO NOT OVERFIRE THIS HEATER. Overfiring may cause a house fire, or can result in permanent damage to the stove. If a part of the stove or the chimney con- nector glows, you are overfiring.

Reloading and Reviving the Fire

Reload your stove while it is still hot and there are plenty of embers to re-kindle the fire quickly. Include some smaller pieces of wood in the new load of fuel to help the stove regain high temperatures quickly.

Follow this procedure when you reload the stove:

•Open the damper and move the primary air lever to the “HIGH” position.

•Open the front door and check the ash level on the grates and in the ash pan. Clear excess ash from the grates, particularly at the rear area. Level the ember bed. Empty the ash pan if necessary.

•Replace the ash pan and close the front door.

•Load wood, smaller pieces first, and close the load- ing door.

•Allow the stove to regain its “thermal momentum” before closing the damper. This may take 15-20 minutes.

•Close the damper and set the air control lever for the desired heat output.

NOTE: If the charcoal bed is relatively thick and your fuel is well-seasoned, it is possible to add fresh fuel (smaller pieces first), close the door and damper, and reset the air control within five minutes.

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