Getting to know my rayburn

[Tom Richmond]

Have installed a rayburn MF (also known as 216 or SFW) on my new boat. It is an old unit I bought on eBay. I have a 55l calorifier and three rads hooked up to it. I got it ready to fire up yesterday for the first time, just in time for the cold weather! After clearing the b&$^@?d airlock the heating system has been working really well (it is pumped), and I have been toasty and warm as I worked on installing electrics. 

I wanted to get some advice on a few things which aren't working so well with it though...

1) The riddling rod seems to be partially stuck. I have had the grate out, and replaced several of the bars, and it all works fine on the bench, but the riddling mechanism which rocks the cam bar to drive the bars backwards and forwards doesn't seem to move as much as it should. Does anyone have any tips on how to remove it to service it?

2) I tried to close the stove down (chimney damper closed, chimney draught open and spinwheel almost closed) with a decent hot fire and a few chunky logs, but it wanted to keep burning. The logs had a steady (if slow) flame no matter what I did. It looks to me like too much air is getting in, perhaps through the seal on the doors? How can I check this and potentially fix it? 

[rasputin]

spinwheel fully closed, mine is only open for lighting.

 

Not easy to keep in overnight with wood, if I can be bothered I get a good fire going then shovel some ash from below and put this on top.

 I also leave a fair amount of ash on the grate if burning wood.

Edited November 1, 2017 by rasputin