6. Sensible wood burning
When dry wood is burned in a wood-burning stove the following process occurs (over a period of
approx. 1 hour):
After lighting the log starts to dry and heats up.
After drying the temperature of the wood rises to approx. 300 - 400° F (150 - 200°C) and
is converted into volatile gases and charcoal.
As the wood is gasified a certain portion of the gases produced burn and are converted
into carbon dioxide and water. During this phase the temperature rises to around 1100 -
1500° F (600 - 800° C) and a plentiful supply of air is required. If the air supply is
accidentally reduced, the flames will be smothered, but this will not stop the conversion
of the wood into gas. The unburned gas will then flow out into the chimney, causing a
nuisance outdoors and build up of creosote.
Next the charcoal will burn, which requires very little air supply. Finally, new wood must
be laid on the glowing charcoal cinders.
Warning - It is extremely important to ensure that you do not overheat your stove,
as this can cause irreparable damage. This kind of damage is not covered by the
warranty. Extremely high combustion temperatures can occur when using
inappropriate fuel, such as kiln-dried wood, coal, pressure-treated wood, scrap wood.
DO NOT USE CHEMICALS OR FLUIDS TO START THE FIRE.
DO NOT BURN GARBAGE OR FLAMMABLE FLUIDS SUCH AS GASOLINE,
NAPHTHA, OR ENGINE OIL.
NEVER USE GASOLINE-TYPE LANTERN FUEL, KEROSENE, CHARCOAL, LIGHTER
FLUID, OR SIMILAR LIQUIDS TO START OR `FRESHEN UP' A FIRE.
KEEP ALL SUCH LIQUIDS WELL AWAY FROM THE HEATER WHILE IT IS IN USE.
HOT WHILE IN OPERATION. KEEP CHILDREN, CLOTHING AND FURNITURE AWAY.
CONTACT MAY CAUSE SKIN BURNS.
DO NOT STORE SOLID FUEL WITHIN SPACE HEATER INSTALLATION CLEARANCES OR
WITHIN THE SPACE REQUIRED FOR CHARGING AND ASH REMOVAL.
WARNING - Do not use substitute materials for glass replacement.
Incorrect wood burning
Too much air supplied to the combustion process causes an uncontrollable fire that will heat the
entire stove very rapidly to an extremely high temperature. This can happen if you fire with
conditions that produce an extra-strong draft in the chimney. Never fill the stove completely with
wood. It is better to heat a stove up slowly. This will prevent cracked tiles/soapstone, damage to
welds and annealing of the iron. Overfilling the firebox also substantially reduces the useful life
of the vermiculite panels, as cracks are more easily caused. The log size should be about 2" (5
cm) less than the width of the firebox. Start slowly with a "normal" fire from the bottom, and
slowly build it up to a maximum of three logs.
7. Technical information on wood burning
1 kilo of dry wood is made up of 20% water, with the remaining 80% divided into 60% gas and
20% charcoal. The 60% gas only contains around half the energy content of the wood, while the
20% charcoal contains the other half. To achieve optimum combustion, the temperature must
reach 1100 - 1500° F (600 - 800° C). Reload with a few pieces of wood at a time. If too much
wood is placed on a layer of embers, the air supplied will not be sufficient to attain the required
temperature, and the gases will disappear out through the chimney unburned. It is vital to supply
air to the fire immediately after adding fuel, so there are flames in the firebox, and the gases
burn. (Refer to the Refueling section 9 for further guidance).
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