Operation - Spartherm Varia M60h Installation And Operating Instructions Manual

6. OPERATION

WARNING
ALWAYS OPERATE THIS APPLIANCE WITH THE DOOR
CLOSED AND LATCHED EXCEPT DURING START UP
AND RE-FUELING. ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES TO PREVENT
INJURY. DO NOT LEAVE THE FIRE UNATTENDED WHEN
THE DOOR IS UNLATCHED AS UNSTABLE WOOD COULD
FALL OUT OF THE FIRE CHAMBER CREATING A FIRE
HAZARD TO YOUR HOME.
NEVER EVER, NOT EVEN FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, LEAVE
CHILDREN UNATTENDED WHEN THERE IS A FIRE BURN-
ING IN THE APPLIANCE.
NEVER USE GASOLINE, GASOLINE-TYPE LANTERN
FUEL, KEROSENE, CHARCOAL LIGHTER FLUID, OR SIM-
ILAR LIQUIDS TO START OR 'FRESHEN UP' A FIRE IN
THIS APPLIANCE. KEEP ALL SUCH LIQUIDS WELL AWAY
FROM THE APPLIANCE WHILE IT IS IN USE.
OBJECTS PLACED IN FRONT OF THE APPLIANCE
SHOULD BE KEPT A MINIMUM OF 48" FROM THE FRONT
FACE.
ANY MODIFICATION OF THE APPLIANCE THAT HAS
NOT BEEN APPROVED IN WRITING BY THE TESTING
AUTHORITY IS CONSIDERED BREACHING CSA B365
(CANADA) AND ANSI NFPA 211 (USA).
OPEN AIR CONTROL IF ADJUSTABLE AND DAMPER IF
FITTED BEFORE OPENING FIRING DOOR.
HOT WHILE IN OPERATION. KEEP CHILDREN, CLOTHING
AND FURNITURE AWAY. CONTACT MAY CAUSE SKIN
BURNS. WEAR SUITABLE GLOVES TO OPERATE YOUR
APPLIANCE.
NEVER OPERATE THE STOVE WITH THE GRATE COVER
REMOVED.
DO NOT POKE OR STIR THE LOGS WHILE THEY ARE
BURNING. USE ONLY FIRELOGS THAT HAVE BEEN
EVALUATED FOR THE APPLICATION IN FIREPLACE
AND REFER TO FIRELOG WARNINGS AND CAUTION
MARKINGS ON PACKAGING PRIOR TO USE."
WARNING
AVOID BURN RISK. REMOVE OPERATIONAL TOOL
AFTER USE!!!
WARNING
T H E U S E O F T H E P R OT E C T I V E G L O V E I S
MANDITORY!!!
Your Spartherm product is designed with the most advanced
technology. The appliance is extremely airtight. It has an
exclusive direct outside air supply (optional kit), a safety
feature designed to prevent spillage, and to keep your house
free of carbon monoxide, in case of a down drafting chimney
or an internal negative pressure.
The first fire(s) in your appliance will be difficult to get
going and keep going with little amount of heat being
generated. This is a result of the moisture being driven out
of the fire brick. Allow 30 hours of hot fires (temperatures
in excess of 500°F / 260°C - 600°F / 316°C) before your
appliance will perform normally. During the break-in period
(the first 2 or 3 fires) create only small, hot fires using
kindling; this will allow the firebrick to cure. Do not be
alarmed if small hairline cracks develop in the firebrick.
This is a normal occurrence and does not pose a safety
hazard. The paint may also smell for the first few fires as it
cures and It is recommended to open a door or window to
alleviate the smell.
To start, a brisk fire is required. Place loosely crumpled
paper on the floor of the appliance and cover with dry kin-
dling. Light the paper and leave the door slightly ajar (one
inch) until all kindling is burning. To maintain a brisk fire, a
hot coal bed must be established and maintained.
Slowly add larger wood (2x4 size pieces). Lay the pieces
lengthwise from side to side in the hot coal bed with a
shallow trench between, so that the primary air can flow
directly into this trench and ignite the fuel above. When
the fire seems to be at its peak, medium sized logs may
be added. Once these logs have caught fire, carefully close
the door. (Closing the door too quickly after refuelling will
reduce the firebox temperature and result in an unsatisfac-
tory burn.) Remember it is more efficient to burn medium
sized wood, briskly, and refuel frequently than to load the
appliance with large logs that result in a smouldering, inef-
ficient fire and dirty glass. As soon as the door is closed,
you will observe a change in the flame pattern. The flames
will get smaller and lazier because less oxygen is getting
into the combustion chamber. The flames, however, are
more efficient. The flames will remain lazy but become
larger again as soon as the firebricks have been heated
thoroughly and the chimney becomes heated and provides
a good draft. At this point, the roaring fire that you see
when the door is opened is wastefully drawing heated
room air up the chimney -- certainly not desirable. Always
operate with the door fully closed once the medium sized
logs have caught fire.
You can now add larger pieces of wood and operate the
appliance normally. Once the appliance is entirely hot, it
will burn very efficiently with little smoke from the chimney.
There will be a bed of orange coals in the firebox and sec-
ondary flames flickering just below the top firebrick. You
can safely fill the firebox with wood up to the air inlet on
the backside of the firebox or, if not present, up to 50%
of the fireboxes backside height and will get best burns if
you keep the appliance pipe temperatures between 250°F
(120°C ) and 450°F (270°C ). A surface thermometer
placed on the front top will help regulate this.
Without an appliance thermometer, you are working
blindly and have no idea of how the appliance is
operating! An appliance thermometer offers a guide
to performance.
50
Can't get the fire going?
Use more kindling and paper. Assuming the chimney
and vent are sized correctly and there is sufficient
combustion air, the lack of sufficiently dry quantities
of small kindling is the problem. Thumb size is a good
gauge for small kindling diameter.
Can't get heat out of the appliance?
One of two things may have happened. The appliance
door may have been closed prematurely and the appli-
ance itself has not reached optimum temperature.
Reopen the door and/or draft control to re-establish a
brisk fire. The other problem may have been wet wood.
The typical symptom is sizzling wood and moisture
being driven from the wood.