Operation - Vermont Castings Intrepid 1640 Owners Installation And Operating Manual

Intrepid 1640 Woodburning Stove
How the Intrepid Works
Combustion control is achieved in the Intrepid through
two separate air delivery systems.
The Primary Air Control Lever, located at the left rear
corner of the stove, controls the amount of incoming pri-
mary air for starting, maintaining, and reviving the fire.
More air entering the stove makes the fire burn hotter
and faster, while less air prolongs the burn at a lower
heat level.
For the greatest air supply and maximum heat output
(but the shortest burn time), place the lever all the way
to the LEFT at the HIGH position. For a fire that will
last longer with less heat, move the lever to the RIGHT
toward the LOW position. You can set the lever any-
where in between the upper and lower extremes to
moderate the fire intensity. (Fig. 27)
Another separate supply of oxygen is delivered to the
upper area of the firebox to support combustion of
f i r e - p a r t s . c o m
gases released from the main fuel bed. This Second-
ary Air enters the stove through two, unrestricted inlets
and is heated while passing through separate channels
before being delivered through three stainless steel
multi-ported tubes located at the top of the firebox.
Burn Only High-Quality Wood
The Intrepid is designed to burn natural wood only;
do not burn any other fuels.
Do not use chemicals or fluids to start the fire.
Do not burn garbage or flammable fluids such
as gasoline, naptha, or engine oil. Also, never
use gasoline-type lantern fuel, kerosene, char-
coal lighter fluid, or similar liquids to start or
"freshen up" a fire. Keep all such liquids well
away from the Intrepid while it is in use.
Caution: The Intrepid will be hot while in op-
eration. Keep children, clothing and furniture
away. Contact may cause skin burns.
Do not overfire this heater. Overfiring may
cause a house fire, or can result in permanent
damage to the stove. If any part of the stove
glows, you are overfiring.
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Operation

You will enjoy the best results when burning wood that
has been adequately air-dried. Avoid burning "green"
wood that has not been properly seasoned. The wood
should be no longer than 16" (410 mm) in length,
however, you will find that shorter wood lengths ease
refueling and promote the most efficient combustion.
The best hardwood fuels include oak, maple, beech,
ash, and hickory that has been split, stacked, and air-
dried outside under cover for at least one year.
For areas that do not have a supply of hardwood, com-
monly burned softwoods include tamarack, yellow pine,
white pine, Eastern red cedar, fir, and redwood. These
too should be properly dried.
Keep wood a safe distance from the heater and keep
it out of the areas around the heater used for refueling
and ash removal.
Use the Air Control Setting that Works
No single air control setting will be appropriate for
every situation. Settings will differ depending on the
quality of the fuel, the amount of heat desired, and how
long you wish the fire to burn.
The control setting also depends on your particular
installation's "draft," or the force that moves air from
the stove up through the chimney. Draft is affected
by such things as the length, type, and location of the
chimney, local geography, nearby obstructions, and
other factors.
Too much draft may cause excessive temperatures in
the Intrepid, and could even damage it. On the other
hand, too little draft can cause backpuffing into the
room and/or the "plugging" of the chimney.
How do you know if your draft is excessively high or
low? Symptoms of too much draft include an uncon-
trollable burn or a glowing-red stove part. A sign of in-
adequate draft is smoke leaking into the room through
the stove or chimney connector joints, low heat, and
dirty glass.
In newer homes that are well-insulated and weather-
tight, poor draft may result from insufficient air in the
house. In such cases, a slightly opened window near
the stove on the windward side of the house will pro-
vide the fresh air needed.
Best for You
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