needed. Don't fill above the level shown in the diagram. Once a
bed of cinders has built up, just adding a single log each hour or
so is usually all that is needed.
CONTROL How fast the fire burns depends on how much air
reaches the fuel. The stove has two air controls, one below the
window ('primary' ) and one above ('airwash control' ). Move
the slides right for 'high' or left for 'low'. They can get very hot, so
move them only with the tool or glove supplied.
hen using wood, always make sure that the primary control is
completely closed. and adjust the burning rate using the airwash
control. Hard fuels like anthracite work best with the airwash
closed and the primary open.
EMPTYING SHES only when the fire is cold. Use the tool or a
glove to open the door. Stir the fire with a poker before lifting out
the ashbin. Remember to let ash cool before disposing in plastic
sacks or dustbins. There is no need to empty every last speck, but
ash from mineral fuels should never be allowed to build up so that
it comes into contact with the underside of the grate.
EXTENDED BURNING Meg stoves are intended for quick heat-up
intermittent use. hile well capable of lasting for many hours, they
are not designed for overnight burning. Allow the fire to burn down
to a low, hot firebed, and fully fill with hard fuel such as anthracite
(c30mm size is best). Set the air controls to 'low'.
KEEPING THE WINDOW CLE N Simply operating the stove for a
few minutes at high output will often burn-off any deposits left by
tarry or wet fuels. Severe stains can be removed when cold with a
domestic bleach cleaner. The window is not glass but a
transparent ceramic, it may develop tiny hairline cracks, these are
harmless, and a characteristic of the toughest heat-resistant
material known. Reduce the risk of staining by using only very dry
fuel and keeping the airwash control at least a little open.
OPENING THE DOOR This stove is designed to be operated only
with the door closed. The door handle can get very hot so use the
tool or glove provided. Open the door very slowly to minimise fume
emission and prevent hot fuel falling out.
SUMMER SHUT DOWN: Before a long period of non-use, empty
fuel and ash, remove the throat plate and leave all the air controls
open to allow ventilation to reduce condensation.
FUELS
There is no 'perfect' fuel, so we strongly recommend that you try a
selection of fuels (or mixtures) to find which suits you best. Do
avoid dusty materials like sawdust, they can burn far to violently.
SMOKE CONTROL: In certain areas special rules apply to reduce
smoke nuisance. Check with your local authority.
WOOD only emits as much carbon to the atmosphere as the tree
took in when growing, so wood is considered the 'carbon neutral'
fuel. hen wood is cut down its cells are full of water. Burning
such wet or 'green' wood wastes heat in making steam and
produces flammable, acidic tars which will cling to, and rapidly
damage, your stove and chimney. Split logs will typically take two
years to become reasonably dry, round logs much longer. Cracks
in the ends, a hollow sound when tapped and bark falling away are
all signs that a log may be ready for use. The fine, white residue
produced when wood burns is not ash, but the remains of cell
walls which can burn if kept hot enough, so don't de-ash a fire until
absolutely necessary when using wood.
Meg appliances are authorised for use in smoke control areas of
the UK when burning wood.
For best performance, and always for low smoke emission:
●Minimise smoke emission from wood by:
●Split logs lengthways for drying
●Use logs no bigger than about 100mm x 250mm
●Ensure logs are absolutely dry (less than 15% moisture)
●Fill the stove criss-cross, so air can circulate between logs.
●Fill 'little and often'
●Always have the airwash control (2) at least a little open.
●hen first lighting, or reviving a fire from embers, use only
very small, thin, dry, sticks.
●Never operate with the door open.
●Don't overfill the firebox – see the diagram above.
JOINERY W STE Dry wood offcuts will burn well, but don't expect
softwood waste to burn as cleanly or for as long as hardwood logs.
PE T (Not Smokeless in UK. Smokeless in the RoI.) Sod turf must
be thoroughly dry.
LIGNITE (Not smokeless) is a natural mineral, between peat and
coal. It lights easily and burns well, but produces much ash
HOUSECO L or BITUMINOUS CO L (Not smokeless) makes
lots of tarry smoke and large volumes of flammable gas which
make it difficult to control and risk explosions. Despite its low cost,
it rarely represents value for money. Never use housecoal.
NTHR CITE (Smokeless) is a natural hard, shiny form of coal.
Slow to light, it can burn for very long periods with great heat.
Despite its high price-per-bag it generally works out to be one of
the cheapest of all fuels. Use the 'small nuts' size.
COKE (Smokeless) is coal from which the smoke has been
removed. Sometimes difficult to light, it burns very cleanly.
BRIQUETTES Are compressed blocks of fuel, generally able to
burn for long periods and remarkable for their consistency.
'Homefire' and 'Phurnacite' are smokeless types while other
brands are made from lignite, peat or housecoal.
PETROLEUM COKE (Smokeless in the UK, forbidden in
smokeless zones in the RoI) sold as 'Petcoke', 'Longbeach' and
under various proprietary names, is made from oil. Easy to light
and to control, its exceptional heat and lack of protective ash mean
that it MUST NOT be used unless mixed with another fuel. Grate
and liner life will be drastically reduced when using petroleum coke
HOUSEHOLD W STES Some plastics give off toxic fumes when
burned and remember that batteries and aerosols explode! The
stove is not an incinerator, so only ever use the recommended
fuels and NEVER use liquid fuels in any form.
PROBLEMS?
Problems like those listed here are usually due to some difficulty
with the installation, chimney or fuels, so please check back
through this leaflet carefully. If necessary seek specialist advice.
SMOKE FROM THE CHIMNEY It is quite normal for a little smoke
to be emitted from the chimney when the fire is cold, so, start the
fire using only a very little fuel. hen using wood, always make
sure that the primary control is completely closed. and adjust
the burning rate using the airwash control. Use only VERY dry
wood or smokeless fuels.
POOR HE T OUTPUT: A stove can heat a typical room of about
12m³ volume for each k of output, so a 5k model can heat up
to (12 x 5) 63m³, a room of about 5m square. The actual size
depends on the insulation and air-change ratio of the room. To
attempt to heat a larger room will result in excessive fuel
consumption and damaging overheating.
L CK OF CONTROLL BILITY ood and some other fuels may
burn excessively until the gases in them have been used up. You
can reduce this effect by making sure that the fire is set to 'low' for
a while before refuelling and checking that the door seals fully.
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