Conditioning Your Stove - Vermont Castings 2115 Owner's Manual

B. 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
FlexBurn , minimize thermal stress by letting the plates
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adjust gradually during three or four initial break-in fires
following Steps 1-3 below.
Wood Burning Operation
Burn only solid wood in the Intrepid FlexBurn
and burn it directly on the grate. Do not elevate the fuel.
Do not burn coal or other fuels. In the United States, it is
against the law to operate this wood heater in a manner
inconsistent with operating instructions in this manual.
The bypass damper must be open when starting a fire
or when refueling.
Do not use chemicals or fluids to start the fire. Do not
burn garbage. Never use flammable fluids such as
gasoline, gasoline type lantern fuel, kerosene, charcoal
lighter fluid, naptha, engine oil 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.
1. Open the stove bypass damper, and open the primary air
control fully.
2. Place several sheets of crumpled newspaper in the
stove. Place six or eight pieces of dry kindling split to a
finger-width size on the paper. On the kindling, lay two or
three larger sticks of split dry wood approximately 1-2"
(25-51 mm) in diameter. (Figure 2.4)
Figure 2.4 - Start the fire with newspaper and dry kindling.
3. Light the newspaper and close the door. Gradually build
up the fire by adding a few 3-5" (80-120 mm) diameter
pieces of split firewood. If this is one of the first few
"break-in" fires, let the fire burn brightly, and then
let it die out. During the break-in fires, do not let the
stove get hotter than 500°F. (260°C) as measured on
an optional stove-top thermometer. Adjust the air control
lever as necessary to control the fire. Some odor from
the stove's hot metal and the paint is normal for the first
few fires.
3-90-30007345c
Wood Stove,
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Vermont Castings • Intrepid FlexBurn
NOTE: Some chimneys must be "primed," or warmed up,
before they will draw sufficiently to start a fire. To correct this
situation, 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 will encourage the smoke to
rise rapidly, making it easier to establish a good 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 drawing, and repeat the procedure
as often as necessary if the initial attempt is unsuccessful.
NOTE: Effectiveness of a "top-down" method to start a fire.
Smoke emissions when starting a fire can be difficult to
control because the stove is not yet heated to its optimum
temperature. One method of reducing emissions during a
cold start-up is the use of a "top-down" kindling procedure.
In this, place larger pieces of kindling on the bottom of the
kindling pile followed by smaller and smaller pieces as the
pile is added to. Very finely split pieces should be on the
top. Light the kindling pile with a match at the top and allow
the kindling to burn downward into the larger pieces. This
reduces smoke by slowly increasing the fire size without
creating an air-starved condition.
4. If your Intrepid FlexBurn
previously using Steps 1-3, continue to build the fire
gradually. Add larger wood with a diameter of 3-4" (75-
100 mm). Continue adding split logs of this size to the
briskly-burning fire until there is a glowing ember bed
2-3" (51-75 mm) deep. A good ember bed is necessary
for proper functioning of the combustion system.
5. Close the damper when a sufficient ember bed is
established and the griddle temperature reaches 450°F
(230°C). This will force the smoke into the secondary
combustion chamber where the smoke and gases will
ignite if the stove is sufficiently hot. Even though it is
possible for the fire to get quite hot within a few minutes
after a fire is started, secondary combustion may stop or
the fire may go out if the fire dies down immediately as a
result of the damper being closed too early.
6. Adjust the air control for your desired heat output.
NOTE: Stove installations vary widely, and the operating
guidance given here is only a starting point. This manual will
explain in detail how the features of your installation may
help or hinder good draft, and how you may need to vary
your firing technique if your installation doesn't encourage
a good draft.
High-Efficiency Wood Burning with the Catalytic Combustor
Your Intrepid FlexBurn
available as an accessory. When operating the stove with
the catalytic combustor, use the same operation instructions
as outlined in the previous section.
Owner's Manual_R2 • 2018 - ___ • 07/18
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has been broken-in
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has an optional catalytic combustor
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