9
Sulid Fuel in more detail
Solid fuel prefers to be boosted with under-fed air, and you will nd that it responds well
if the rebed is clear of ash, and the grate is open. After the initial phase, partially closing
the grate will mean that a good proportion of the combustion air will be delivered at a high
temperature to the upper slot (above the door glass) by the air management system. This
will help to keep the glass clear of deposits that may result from cold fuelling.
Cracking open the door, as described above, is the best way to start a re. Leaving the han-
dle in the vertical position will remind you that the door needs to be shut soon.
Riddling grate positions
The riddling grate is opened by pulling out the lever at the lower-right corner of the righthand door.
Use the pin at the end of the operating tool supplied with your Panther. Close the grate by pushing
the lever rmly in. As a general rule, open the riddling grate as little as possible for the fuel that you
are burning. Solid fuel does like some air from underneath, but the Panther is at its best in terms
of combustion eciency with the grate nearly closed. The grate must be fully shut (with the lever
pushed in) before the doors can be opened. This is a deliberate measure to make life easier at those
times when the ue may not be pulling well, and where there may be a risk of smoke being emitted
into the room when the doors are opened. The re is stilled down by closing the grate and cutting
o the under-fed air supply; this should lessen the chances of smoke emission.
Settings - solid fuel
A “normal” setting for a solid fuel re may be six to eight half turns of the air valves (anti-
clockwise form the closed position). On slower or cold ues, twice as many turns may be
needed. On warmer, fast ues, fewer turns may be needed.
The “minimum” setting for a prolonged burn will be found after a little experimentation. Two or
three half turns may prove successful. If the re dies unburned, try a little more air. If the burns
through completely, try a little less air. Never close the air valves fully unless you wish to kill the re.
The door locking handle
The handle will be warm to the touch when left in position for a period of time. If the stove
is red heavily, it will become hot (although not dangerously so). We would generally recom-
mend that the handle is removed from the front of the stove once it has been used, especially
if children are close by.
Prolonged burning - solid fuel
A prolonged burn in excess of 10 hours should be normal if sucient fuel is loaded, the instal-
lation is adequate and the air valves are set correctly. A revivable re after more than 14 hours
is not uncommon. Attempting to light a large re from scratch, at a minimum setting (aiming
for a prolonged burn immediately) is dicult and dirty. The re should be well established and
the stove warmed through before a large load is added.
Ash removal - solid fuel
The re is controlled not only by opening and closing the air valves, but also by means of adjusting
the ashbed depth. A good riddle and an open grate position will always encourage the re when you
need more heat, whereas allowing the ashbed to build up and partially closing the grate will help to
achieve a long burn. Remove the ash only when a boost is needed. The ash may be removed with a
rapid in-out movement of the grate lever at the lower-right corner of the right hand door. Use the
pin in one end of the operating tool. Stubborn pieces of ash may be removed with the poker.
The ashpan itself should not be allowed to become overfull when burning solid fuel. This
can have a detrimental eect on the cast iron parts above. Lift out the ashpan by locking the
angled end of the operating tool under the pan handle.
N.B. Do not put ash and cinders into a plastic or combustible container until they have cooled
down. Be aware that some cinders will stay hot for days after removal from the stove.
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