Specifications

Chapter4
Operation
America’sFavoriteStovesSince1980 Page23
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Maximizing Your Stoves Efficiency
Heattransfercanbeenhancedbyslowingtherateofincomingcombustionair,allowingmoretimeforheatto
betransferredintoyourhome.Slowingtherateofincomingairalsoslowstherateofexhaustgoingupthe
chimneyandcarryingheatawaywithit.Toachievethis,always
thoroughlypreheatyourstovebeforeclosing
thedamper.
Thefollowingaresometipsforgettingthemostoutofyourstove:
1. Alwaysthoroughlypreheatyourstovebeforeslowingtheburnrate(closingthedamper).
2. Alwaysoperateyourstoveasmuchaspossibleinthelowtomediumburn
rates.
3. Temperaturemeasurementstakenfromthehottestpointonthestove,onthetoporface,canbeused
torepeatburnrates.
4. Donotcontinuallyoperateyourstovewiththedamperwideopen.Thiscandamageyourstoveand
chimney.Itisawasteofwood,andis
veryinefficientcausingexcessiveheatlossthroughthechimney.
5. Periodicallygooutsideandcheckyourchimney.Morethanaverysmallamountofsmokeindicates
wastedheat,creosotebuildupandpollution.
6. Donotsetthedampersolowastocompletelyextinguishtheflamesinthefirebox.
Checkforatleast
someflames20minutesaftersettingthedamper.Adjustifneeded.
Achieving Long, Clean Burns
Itisimportanttorealizethatstovetechnologyanddesignhavechangedovertheyears,aswellasproper
operation.Inolderstovesthemindsetwastogetthestoveashotaspossiblebeforesettingthedamperonlow
forlongburns.Thisno longerappliestoyournew
Breckwellstove.Itisstillimportanttohavethestovehot
enoughtoburnefficiently,butthiswillnowtakelesspre‐heatingthanolderstoves.Aftersomeinitial
experimentation,youwillbeabletodeterminetheoptimumoperatingtemperaturesforvariousburnrates.
Breckwellwoodstovesareemissiontested
toEPAstandardswiththedamperfullyclosedforlowburnrates

Whetherornotyoushouldburnyourstovewiththedampercompletelyclosedwilldependonthefollowing
factors:
∙Moisturecontentandtypeofwood.
∙Howyouloadyourwood.
∙Yourchimneysystem.
∙Thetemperatureofthe
stove.

Afterthoroughlypre‐heatingthestove,usingastove/chimneythermometer,monitorthetemperatureonthe
topofthestove.Use325degreesasastartingpoint.Whenthetopreachesthetargettemperature,closethe
damperallthewayin.Iftheflamesgocompletelyout,openthedamper
allthewayandthenslowlyclos euntil
thereisasmallamountofflame.Remembertocheckthestoveintwentyminutesafteradjustingthedamperas
ittakesthislongforthestovetostabilize.Thereshouldstillbesomesmallflamesonorabovethewood.

Try
varyingthetargettemperatureinincrementsof25degrees.Ifthestoveisburningthewoodtooquickly,use
alowertemperature.Iftherearenoflamesinthefireboxafterafewminutes,useahighertemperature.You
mayneedtoburnthestovewiththedamperfullyopen
forafewminutesbeforesettingforalowburn.Never
smolderafireduringalongburn.Checkyourchimneyforlargeamountsofsmokeasthisindicatespoor
combustion.

Experimentwithdifferentloadingmethods.Freshwoodshouldbeloadedtowards therearofthefirebox,while
bringinghalf‐burned
woodtowardsthefront.Ifthenewwooddoesnotignitewithinafewminutes,try
crisscrossingthewoodtoallowformoreairflowaroundthewood.

CAUTION:NEVERMODIFYTHEDAMPERASSEMBLYTOINCREASEORDECREASEAIRFLOW.