Lighting your fire

[rubblequeen]

Roger sorry to nip in here but agreed with your comment about newbies finding things like lighting the stove very informative. Been trying to print off the answers as so much to take in overall. Tried to find the answer to my following question elsewhere on the forum but can't and too stupid to work it out. So can anyone tell me how to print off the useful info but not the whole thread. ie like the trad way of building a fire.

 

Thanks and won't butt in again

[MrCJ]

Roger sorry to nip in here but agreed with your comment about newbies finding things like lighting the stove very informative. Been trying to print off the answers as so much to take in overall. Tried to find the answer to my following question elsewhere on the forum but can't and too stupid to work it out. So can anyone tell me how to print off the useful info but not the whole thread. ie like the trad way of building a fire.

 

Thanks and won't butt in again

 

answer if you highlight what you want to print (by going to the beginning place curse hold down shift keep shift down move curse to end press mouse button will highlight) then press ctrl+p will bring up your print screen then cleck on where it say selection then click print will print what you have highlighted, and not the whole thing.

hope this helps

[rubblequeen]

answer if you highlight what you want to print (by going to the beginning place curse hold down shift keep shift down move curse to end press mouse button will highlight) then press ctrl+p will bring up your print screen then cleck on where it say selection then click print will print what you have highlighted, and not the whole thing.

hope this helps

 

Thank you so much, I wish I was clever - just tried it now can't wait to show off to the G Kids

Tony

[weeble]

Thats a bit worrying, as my neighbour did the same thing last year, but unfortunately the boat caught fire due to faults in the installation. We saved it - just!

Roger

 

Yes, pretty uncomfortable all round.

What I really couldn't understand was why the dog still felt it necessary to sleep with his nose less than two inches from the stove

Edited November 13, 2009 by weeble

[GUMPY]

clean out the grate leaving any "coals" but no ash

open bottom of stove

Light one fire lighter in grate

chuck on some sticks ( chopped palet wood)

Let it catch for a bit

drown with phurnicite

wait for it all to be red and burning well

load more phurtnicite and shut down.

My stove spends 95% of its time shut down

Phurnicite rocks havent bothered with anything else for 16 years,

tried lots but nothing comes close.

[Blossom]

Instead of firelighters we use a piece of rag soaked in diesel

I go with Warior Woman on this one but better known as "a Willur Wren firelighter"

[sociable_hermit]

1. Poke ash through grate with poker. Make sure the gaps between the firebars aren't clogged up.

2. Empty ashpan. Replace tray but leave bottom door open.

3. Fill gaps between coals with scrunched up paper.

4. Put a layer of small kindling and strips of cardboard (if available) over the top.

5. Layer of 4" squares of chopped up pallet wood over that.

6. Layer of fresh coal over that.

7. Light the paper and shut the main door.

8. When the Ecofan starts spinning, almost close the ashpan door so that it is just cracked (the whole door, not just the slider)

9. When the water in the back boiler starts singing, shut the ashpan door.

 

The slider is left set to give a 1/16" gap on each slot. This is the correct amount of air to keep the fire in overnight without overheating the occupants in the early hours. This was found by trial and error.

 

Whenever I put fresh coal on I always open the ashpan door for a minute or so until the fresh coal has caught.

 

I do keep firelighters and oil-soaked rags but only normally use them when the stove has been out of action for a while. A stone cold stove always seems really awkward to light.

 

Coal is a 3-way mixture of Taybrite, Supertherm and some small stuff our Coalman sells in bright yellow bags with no branding!

[NB Alnwick]

I'm beginning to feel the odd one out here. I normally put a fire lighter on the grate, build a wigwam of kindling around the fire lighter then put a layer of coal on top, leaving good ventilation between the briquettes. Light the fire with top and bottom vents fully open, then once the coals "catch" put another layer of coal on top, give it half an hour then reduce the top/ventilation according to how much heat is required.

 

So what's the theory behind placing the coal beneath the kindling?

 

BTW, fif there are people out there who think that boats must be cold, on the last trip out I forgot to close the stove vent one night before going to bed and woke at 3 am in a temperature of 34 degrees! hotter than many saunas I've been in

 

Coal and other solid fuels need more heat and oxygen to burn efficiently than does dry kindling.

 

If the burning kindling is underneath the coal, it is likely to burn most of the oxygen before it gets to the coal. The result being that the coal gets hot but is slow to ignite properly. During this phase the coal emits gases and heavy smoke that cannot burn for lack of oxygen - this smoke pollutes the atmosphere, deposits soot inside the chimney and deposits tar on the boat's nice paintwork.

 

If the burning takes place above the coal, the coal has first call on the oxygen drawn through the grate and as a result it will burn cleanly and any gas or smoke emitted gets burned off in the flames from the kindling. The longer term benefits of this method are that there will be significantly less smoke, less soot in the chimney and no tar deposits on the boat's paintwork.

 

I am not saying that this method is easy - but it does work. You can always tell when people are lighting their fires the 'wrong' way by the columns of thick, dark sulphurous smoke rising from their chimneys. An efficient fire should not emit smoke - there should be little more than a light haze at the chimney top.

Edited November 14, 2009 by NB Alnwick

[weeble]

Coal and other solid fuels need more heat and oxygen to burn efficiently than does dry kindling.

 

If the burning kindling is underneath the coal, it is likely to burn most of the oxygen before it gets to the coal. The result being that the coal gets hot but is slow to ignite properly. During this phase the coal emits gases and heavy smoke that cannot burn for lack of oxygen - this smoke pollutes the atmosphere, deposits soot inside the chimney and deposits tar on the boat's nice paintwork.

 

If the burning takes place above the coal, the coal has first call on the oxygen drawn through the grate and as a result it will burn cleanly and any gas or smoke emitted gets burned off in the flames from the kindling. The longer term benefits of this method are that there will be significantly less smoke, less soot in the chimney and no tar deposits on the boat's paintwork.

 

I am not saying that this method is easy - but it does work. You can always tell when people are lighting their fires the 'wrong' way by the columns of thick, dark sulphurous smoke rising from their chimneys. An efficient fire should not emit smoke - there should be little more than a light haze at the chimney top.

 

Thanks for the explanation. Although I generally don't have a problem getting the fire to light using my method I'll certainly give your's a try to see the difference in smoke output.

Another question: what about the remnants of coals that have not fully burned when the fire has gone out. Some of this almost appears coke-like. Do you re-lay the fire directly on top of this or put fresh coals on the bottom layer?

[NB Alnwick]

Thanks for the explanation. Although I generally don't have a problem getting the fire to light using my method I'll certainly give your's a try to see the difference in smoke output.

Another question: what about the remnants of coals that have not fully burned when the fire has gone out. Some of this almost appears coke-like. Do you re-lay the fire directly on top of this or put fresh coals on the bottom layer?

 

We remove everything, to make sure we have a clean grate, then add fresh coals - the part burned remnants of the previous fire may be added back when the new fire is nicely alight and burning brightly.

 

As previously stated, the method that I advocate is not necessarily easier or quicker. You may need to use more kindling but the advantage is that it is more efficient and therefore cleaner in terms of the smoke or exhaust from the chimney.

[Water Woman]

Yes, pretty uncomfortable all round.

What I really couldn't understand was why the dog still felt it necessary to sleep with his nose less than two inches from the stove

 

 

A bit kind of sideways off topic here but... I keep my squirrel in all winter now unless I go away for a few days. But, last night I did what I normally do and closed it all down pretty well to keep it ticking over but woke at 2 with a really hot boat and a very brightly glowing fire. Now, it was very windy, gales in fact... and I have lost the hat off my chimney, would these two things draw the fire to such an extent that it would get this hot? Other than that I cannot imagine what was different last night.

[n.b.Goldie]

A bit kind of sideways off topic here but... I keep my squirrel in all winter now unless I go away for a few days. But, last night I did what I normally do and closed it all down pretty well to keep it ticking over but woke at 2 with a really hot boat and a very brightly glowing fire. Now, it was very windy, gales in fact... and I have lost the hat off my chimney, would these two things draw the fire to such an extent that it would get this hot? Other than that I cannot imagine what was different last night.

I have found that wind does influence the draw of the fire, on a windy day the air controls need to be closed a little more than on a calm day.

 

Similarly, atmospheric pressure seems to be an influencing factor too. During periods of low pressure the fire draws better than when pressure is high.

 

I have no idea of the science, the above is just my experience.

 

Ditchdabbler

[weeble]

A bit kind of sideways off topic here but... I keep my squirrel in all winter now unless I go away for a few days. But, last night I did what I normally do and closed it all down pretty well to keep it ticking over but woke at 2 with a really hot boat and a very brightly glowing fire. Now, it was very windy, gales in fact... and I have lost the hat off my chimney, would these two things draw the fire to such an extent that it would get this hot? Other than that I cannot imagine what was different last night.

Yes, I imagine it would have that effect. I also notice a similar thing when the fire (that you thought was out) comes back to life after an hour or so's cruising -- once again due to the added draught across the top of the chimney.

So how hot did it get in your boat last night?

[Mac of Cygnet]

I have found that wind does influence the draw of the fire, on a windy day the air controls need to be closed a little more than on a calm day.

 

Similarly, atmospheric pressure seems to be an influencing factor too. During periods of low pressure the fire draws better than when pressure is high.

 

I have no idea of the science, the above is just my experience.

 

Ditchdabbler

 

I believe this is called the 'Venturi Effect', where air movement across the top of a pipe will lower the pressure in the pipe, and draw up gas or liquid through it. Carburettors work on this principle. I may say I bravely have not Googled this, but am relying on science lessons of 50 years ago.

 

Other things being equal, I can't see how air pressure could affect a flue's drawing power, except that dropping pressure is often associated with high winds.

 

Mac

[Water Woman]

Yes, I imagine it would have that effect. I also notice a similar thing when the fire (that you thought was out) comes back to life after an hour or so's cruising -- once again due to the added draught across the top of the chimney.

So how hot did it get in your boat last night?

 

I started off twenty five foot away in bed in pj's and with a duvet. I ended up outside at the back of the boat minus the pj's to cool off at 2, duvet long been thrown off. To save the blushes of the local wildlife I sheltered in the doorway! My eco fan is currently not working so goodness knows how hot I would have got if that had been going at full pelt too. I have parcelled it up to send to someone I have found on the internet who will repair it, it just will not go round. I have not actually got round to posting it yet, but will do it on Monday if I remember. I hope they are ok, but I will know if it does not come back!

[Guest wanted]

Once tried lighting with a blowlamp, don't try anyone it takes ages

 

Been using the blowlamp latley as I ran out of firelighters, seemed to work ok but did take awile and probably not so cost effective, anybody made their own fire lighters?

[nb Innisfree]

When we replaced our 15" single skin chimney with a 30" double skinned we noticed a considerable increase in draw, don't know if that was due to extra length or insulating effects of double skin, both probably.

[Chertsey]

Been using the blowlamp latley as I ran out of firelighters, seemed to work ok but did take awile and probably not so cost effective, anybody made their own fire lighters?

Yes, diesel soaked rag.

[dave moore]

Hi all

A handful of firewood in the Epping firebox followed by a squirt of dirty white spirit. Toss match, replace stove lid and leave to establish for a min or so. With the wood well alight, add coal/smokeless and allow reasonable airflow to get things going. Once the coals have caught I shut down the air intake to a "wee crack" and the cacin's warm and cosy quickly. Add nuts as required!

Dave

[DHutch]

I please to be able to report that yesterday while home catching up on coarsework i lit a fire in the grate using the upside down technique.

 

I have photos of the event which i will post up when back in loughborough but for now i have the following to report.

- It worked. Slightly counter intuitive or not, the coal at the end, was lit.

- It was no more work than lighting the normal way, particularly as the grate was unusually, already clean.

- Good heat was given out early on, with the wood burning for longer than i would perhaps have expected.

- There was a bit of a low point between the wood burning down and the coal really getting on to produce heat.

- I used paper and white spirit inplace of oily rag. And perhaps used too much paper which kept some of the heat of the wood from the coals.

- Being above the coal rather than under it, and the fire being an open grate not a stove, the wood was able to spit out causing it to land on the carpet which is not usually a problem. This was slightly bad timing, as the carpet in question is only about 6month old and only about 50% wool.

- I did not add additional wood, which would have probably helped the dip in heat output, as i was short of wood and because of the above risk to the parents carpet.

 

So in summary it worked, gave good heat early and less smoke, but isnt best suited to open fires as it might be for stoves.

 

 

Daniel

[Chertsey]

Hi all

A handful of firewood in the Epping firebox followed by a squirt of dirty white spirit. Toss match, replace stove lid and leave to establish for a min or so. With the wood well alight, add coal/smokeless and allow reasonable airflow to get things going. Once the coals have caught I shut down the air intake to a "wee crack" and the cacin's warm and cosy quickly. Add nuts as required!

Dave

Dependent of course on a constant supply of dirty white spirit....

[rrt2]

Dependent of course on a constant supply of dirty white spirit....

Diesel works as well

[Robbo]

I tend to just shove a firelighter in an empty stove, light it, then put some kindling on top, then shovel some coal on top.

[NB Alnwick]

I tend to just shove a firelighter in an empty stove, light it, then put some kindling on top, then shovel some coal on top.

 

That way, the fire-lighter and kindling consume most of the oxygen before it gets to the coal and as the coal is heated it produces gas or smoke which, without sufficient oxygen will not burn properly. The result is unnecessary pollution of the atmosphere and most probably tar stains on your paintwork.

[Robbo]

That way, the fire-lighter and kindling consume most of the oxygen before it gets to the coal and as the coal is heated it produces gas or smoke which, without sufficient oxygen will not burn properly. The result is unnecessary pollution of the atmosphere and most probably tar stains on your paintwork.

 

Don't have tar issues, and I find this the easiest way to light it, as the flue is quite warm when I put the coal in it seems to aid the heating of the coal.