Troubleshooting - Pioneer Metro Installation & Owner's Operation Manual

Troubleshooting your Metro wood fire
If your Metro is installed correctly, your fuel is dry and you operate your
fire correctly, you will find it to be a pleasure to use. Metro's many years of
experience within the wood heating industry has shown that dissatisfaction
is mainly due to:
• unseasoned fuel
• faulty installation
• operational error
• or a combination of the above 3 points.
Correct operation
Modern day wood fires need to be operated hard and fast, more so than
low and lazy to ensure the firebox and flue pipe runs hot and efficiently. If
the fire and flue pipe is up to temperature it will perform extremely well, the
smoke will draw up the flue pipe with ease, and the fire will produce good
amounts of heat.
If the fire is operated on low a lot of the time, the door glass will run black,
the flue pipe will tend to block up more frequently and the fire will end
up smoking into the room when reloading. It's better to have a small fire
running hard and fast, rather than a big fire running low and lazy.
The following may be of assistance if you are experiencing any problems
with the operation of your Metro Fire.
Smoke enters the room when the Metro's door is ajar
(possible reasons and solutions)
Check flue pipe joins
If the flue pipe joins are not sealed correctly, the flue pipe will not draw as well
as it should. The flue pipe join connecting into the flue spigot on top of the
Metro is most critical, if this is not sealed correctly, smoke will enter the room
when the door is ajar. To check this join is sealed correctly, run a match or
lighter flame around the join. If the flame is sucked into the spigot then it is
not sealed correctly. This check needs to be done when the fire is not going.
Ensure you check the rear of the flue pipe/spigot join, as due to the seam in
the flue pipe, this is the most common area for not being sealed correctly.
Ensure the fuel you are using is correctly seasoned
If you are burning unseasoned fuel (wet), the fire will cause nothing but
problems. The Metro won't deliver much heat, it will be lazy, smoke will
enter the room when the door is ajar, and the door glass will run black.
Unseasoned fuel is the main contributor to excessive creosote deposits
which can be corrosive to your appliance and flue system.
Flue pipe length is too short
Add more flue pipe as the longer the flue system, the better the draw of
the flue pipe. Please note, if you did not purchase the Metro ECO Flue
System, you will not have the ECO Cowl which increases draw. We highly
recommend the Metro ECO Cowl is fitted as this will increase the draw. If
you already have an ECO Cowl and smoke is still entering the room, please
add another 600mm length of flue pipe.
Downdraft/Turbulence blockage
If you have checked all of the previous factors and the fire is still smoking
into the room, it's possible there may be a down draft issue. Down draft is
environmental and can be caused by many variables, and it is purely trial
and error to ascertain the cause.
Air turbulence and/or negative air pressure influences around the flue
termination can be caused by too close or overhanging trees or natural/
artificial ridges etc. Address these where possible or look to extend the flue
above the roofline.
Other options may be:
• 'H' Cowl, designed purely for downdraft issues, but if you have an ECO
Cowl fitted as standard, you will also need to add another 600mm of
flue pipe to compensate as the H Cowl is shorter in length
• Directional Cowl, designed for high wind areas.
Air control setting
Ensure the air control setting is on high before opening the door to reload,
as this increases the draw up the flue pipe. Open the door slowly.
If your Metro did not smoke, but its starting too and is getting worse:
The flue pipe is in need of a clean. It is recommended that the flue pipe be
cleaned every season, however if you are burning the fire on low a lot, or are
using unseasoned fuel, flue pipe cleans will be required more frequently.
Other issues you may experience
I can smell smoke in the room after a low burn cycle
The smell is creosote that will be seeping through the flue pipe join or
out of the flue spigot onto an external surface, thus creating the smell
in your room. The cause will be either unseasoned fuel, fuel mass too
large, incorrect operation on low burn cycles or a combination. Creosote
is very corrosive and excessive buildups will result in the flue pipe and
potentially the flue spigot and upper burn chamber failing. The formation
of excessive creosote is not an appliance issue, it is a fuel and operational
issue. Failure of flue pipe or firebox due to creosote build up is not covered
under warranty as excessive creosote build up is only possible from either
unseasoned fuel or incorrect operation.
The Metro won't turn down as much as it did
The door itself may need readjusting, the hinge and latch is slotted and
allows for movement. Loosening the hinge and moving it back a few mm will
make the door seal tighter and stop air leaking into the fire. The door and
glass seals may be in need of replacing, which is generally required every
3-4 years.
Familiarise yourself with the instructions on page 11 before proceeding with
this maintenance.
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