Heating; Efficiency; Visible Smoke; Reloading - U.S. Stove Defender II Owner's Manual

CAUTION: Never alter the damper slide or the adjustment range to increase firing for any reason. Doing so could result in
heater damage and will void your warranty.

HEATING

Controlled combustion is the most efficient technique for wood heating because it enables you to select the type
of combustion you want for each given situation. The wood will burn slowly if the wood stove air intake control is
adjusted to reduce the oxygen supply in the combustion chamber to a minimum. On the other hand, wood will
burn quickly if the air control is adjusted to admit a larger quantity of oxygen in the combustion chamber. Refer
to the primary air settings table for damper operation setting. Real operating conditions may give very different
results than those obtained during testing according to the species of wood used, its moisture content, the size
and density of the pieces, the length of the chimney, altitude and outside temperature.
• NEVER OVERFIRE YOUR STOVE. IF ANY PART OF THE STOVE STARTS TO GLOW RED, OVER FIRING IS HAPPENING.
READJUST THE AIR INTAKE CONTROL AT A LOWER SETTING.
• THE INSTALLATION OF A LOG CRADLE OR GRATES IS NOT RECOMMENDED IN YOUR WOOD STOVE. BUILD FIRE
DIRECTLY ON FIREBRICK.
• NEVER PUT WOOD ABOVE THE FIREBRICK LINING OF THE FIREBOX.
• ATTEMPTS TO ACHIEVE HEAT OUTPUT RATES THAT EXCEED HEATER DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS CAN RESULT IN
PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE HEATER.

EFFICIENCY

Efficiencies can be based on either the lower heating value (LHV) or the higher heating value (HHV) of the fuel.
The lower heating value is when water leaves the combustion process as a vapor, in the case of woodstoves the
moisture in the wood being burned leaves the stove as a vapor. The higher heating value is when water leaves
the combustion process completely condensed. In the case of woodstoves this would assume the exhaust gases
are room temperature when leaving the system, and therefore calculations using this heating value consider
the heat going up the chimney as lost energy. Therefore, efficiency calculated using the lower heating value of
wood will be higher than efficiency calculated using the higher heating value. In the United States all woodstove
efficiencies should be calculated using the higher heating value.
The best way to achieve optimum efficiencies is to learn the burn characteristic of you appliance and burn well-
seasoned wood. Higher burn rates are not always the best heating burn rates; after a good fire is established a
lower burn rate may be a better option for efficient heating. A lower burn rate slows the flow of usable heat out
of the home through the chimney, and it also consumes less wood.

VISIBLE SMOKE

The amount of visible smoke being produced can be an effective method of determining how efficiently the
combustion process is taking place at the given settings. Visible smoke consist of unburned fuel and moisture
leaving your stove. Learn to adjust the air settings of your specific unit to produce the smallest amount of visible
smoke. Wood that has not been seasoned properly and has a high wood moisture content will produce excess
visible smoke and burn poorly.

RELOADING

Once you have obtained a good bed of embers, you should reload the unit. In order to do so, open the air
controls to maximum a few seconds prior to opening the stove's door. Then proceed by opening the door very
slowly; open it one or two inches for 5 to 10 seconds, before opening it completely to increase the draft and thus
eliminate the smoke which is stagnant in a state of slow combustion in the stove. Then bring the red embers to
the front of the stove and reload the unit.
For optimal operation of your wood stove, we recommend you to operate it with a wood load approximately
equivalent to the height of fire bricks.
It is important to note that wood combustion consumes ambient oxygen in the room .In the case of negative
pressure, it is a good idea to allow fresh air in the room, either by opening a window slightly or by installing a fresh
air intake system on an outside wall.
Creosote - Formation and Need for Removal - When wood is burned slowly, it produces tar and other organic
vapors, which combine with expelled moisture to form creosote. The creosote vapors condense in the relatively
cool chimney flue of a slow-burning fire. As a result, creosote residue accumulates on the flue lining. When ignited
this creosote makes an extremely hot fire. The chimney connector and chimney should be inspected at least
once every two months during the heating season to determine if a creosote build-up has occurred. If creosote
has accumulated (3mm or more), it should be removed to reduce the risk of a chimney fire.
WARNINGS
Do not stack wood higher than the firebrick.
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