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21
Vermont Castings Defiant
In general, the fire must be sufficiently well-
established to ensure that catalytic activity is initiated.
When first starting a fire, a medium- to high- firing rate
must be maintained until the stove, catalyst, and fuel
are all stabilized at the proper operating temperatures,
and the chimney is warmed.
Even though it is possible for the fire to get quite
hot within a few minutes after a fire is started, the
combustor may stop working or the fire may go out if
the fire dies down immediately as a result of the
damper being closed. Once the combustor starts
working, heat generated by burning the smoke will
keep it working.
To determine whether the combustor is operating,
observe the amount of smoke leaving the chimney
when the damper is activated and when it is not. This
procedure is described on page 28.
Avoid using a full load of very dry wood in the
firebox. This may result in continuous very high
temperatures in the secondary combustion area and
damage the combustor. Wood which has been split,
and stored under cover for more than 18 months may
be considered very dry. If you must burn extra-dry
wood, mix it with greener wood for a longer fire and
less stress on the combustor. Also, do not use a full
load of dry slab wood or scrap wood. For long burns,
use a mix of dry and moderately dry wood.
Conditioning Your Stove
Cast iron is extremely strong, but it can be broken
with a sharp blow from a hammer or from the thermal
shock of rapid and extreme temperature change.
The cast plates expand and contract with changes
in temperature. When you first begin using your
Defiant, minimize thermal stress by letting the plates
adjust gradually during three or four initial break-in fires
following Steps 1-3 below.
Starting and Maintaining a Wood Fire
Burn only solid wood in the Defiant, and burn it
directly on the grate. Do not elevate the fuel. Do not
burn coal or other fuels.
The damper must be open when starting a fire or
when refueling.
DO NOT USE CHEMICALS OR FLUIDS TO
START THE FIRE. DO NOT BURN GARBAGE OR
FLAMMABLE FLUIDS SUCH AS GASOLINE, NAPH-
THA, OR ENGINE OIL.
1. Open the stove damper, and open the primary air
control fully.
2. Place several sheets of crumpled newspaper in
the stove. Do NOT use glossy advertisements or
colored paper, as they can poison the catalyst. Place
on the paper six or eight pieces of dry kindling split to a
finger-width size, and on the kindling lay two or three
larger sticks of split dry wood approximately 1-2" (25-50
mm) in diameter. (Fig. 27)
Also, never use gasoline-type lantern fuel, kero-
sene, charcoal lighter fluid, or similar liquids to start or
“freshen up” a fire. Keep all such liquids well away
from the Defiant while it is in use.
ST263
Fig. 27 Start the fire with newspaper and dry kindling.
3. Light the newspaper and close the door. Gradu-
ally build up the fire by adding a few 3-5" (80-120 mm)
diameter splits. If this is one of the first few “break-
in” fires, let the fire burn brightly, and then let it die
out.
During the break-in fires, do not let the stove get
hotter than 500°F. (260°C) as measured on an optional
stove-top thermometer. Adjust the air control lever as
necessary to control the fire.
Some odor from the stove’s hot metal, the paint,
and the cement is normal for the first few fires.
NOTE: Some chimneys must be “primed,” or
warmed up, before they will draw sufficiently to start a
fire. To correct this situation, roll up a couple pieces of
newspaper, place them on top of the kindling and
toward the back of the stove, light them, and close the
doors. This will encourage the smoke to rise rapidly,
making it easier to establish a good draft.
Once the draft is established, open the front door
and light the rest of the fuel from the bottom. Do not
light the main bed of fuel until the chimney begins
drawing, and repeat the procedure as often as neces-
sary if the initial attempt is unsuccessful.
4. If your Defiant has been broken-in previously
using Steps 1-3, continue to build the fire gradually.
Add larger wood with a diameter of 3-4" (75-100 mm).
Continue adding split logs of this size to the briskly-
burning fire until there is a glowing ember bed at least
3" (75 mm) deep. (Fig. 28) A good ember bed is neces-
sary for proper functioning of the catalytic system and
may take an hour or more to establish.