Multi Fuel Stove - getting the best out of it.

hardwick

Hi John, Thanks for your response... yes, it is definitely a multi fuel... it's a little wenlock (not the classic which is just a wood burner). After much frustration I've finally managed to get it going over the last few days. Found a good coal merchant who sold me some Homefire smokeless fuel saying that most people find it lights easily and guess what... it does, even for me! Hooray! at last... although I'm never totally confident it's going to work and am always a bit "on edge" watching it in the early stages! Since it's been working am now not sure how to dispose of the ashes!

citroennut

Hi Hardwick. We have the little wenlock classic and it is a multi fuel stove too. Waiting with baited breath to have it installed!

welda

I have a Villager M/F stove, only burned wood to date, I will be experimenting with some type of coal over festive period for overnight burn, just to see how it goes, fortunately no probs with villager when firing up, except on one occasion, and this was down to damp wood once kindling was well alight.

Bearing in mind I have no knowledge of using wenlock stove, as one poster mentioned, seems a good idea to get the thing going with wood, then add coal. Out of curiousity, did you line the chimney?

W.

dooby

hardwick wrote: »

Hi John, Thanks for your response... yes, it is definitely a multi fuel... it's a little wenlock (not the classic which is just a wood burner). After much frustration I've finally managed to get it going over the last few days. Found a good coal merchant who sold me some Homefire smokeless fuel saying that most people find it lights easily and guess what... it does, even for me! Hooray! at last... although I'm never totally confident it's going to work and am always a bit "on edge" watching it in the early stages! Since it's been working am now not sure how to dispose of the ashes!

I'm glad you've got it going. I'm using some fuel at the moment that is a right nightmare to light. 3 hours it took the other day :eek:

About the ashes. I'm using an old knackered roasting tin that I keep outside away from the house, it's kind of down the alleyway. I tip my ash into that and then later on when I know 100% they are cold - like the next day - I tip them in the wheelie bin. It's good for getting rid of any smells.

I did think of buying an ash bucket thing but I thought they were quite pricey for what they were. This old roasting tin works well for me as it's big and deep.

abigbill

Anthracite is notorious for being hard to light. You need kindling to get soem wood going, then add anthracite. Me, I use a plumbers gas poker on a calor bottle, but that is overkill!

beanrua

mardatha wrote: »

We have a big Charnwood that runs best on smokeless egss at £15 a bag. We fill it once a day and keep it at 1 . If its cold in here we turn it upto 3 for a while then down again. It helps to empty the ashcan twice a day so it doesnt get too heavy. This house has big rooms with high ceilings although no upstairs, and all but the 2 north-facing back rooms with huge windows, are very cosy.

Thanks so much Mardatha - i have a big charnwood and have been experimenting with various fuels for a year -I read your post and got some smokeless eggs - happy days the fire lasts for an incredibly long time and the heat to the rads is amazing as is the hot water. thanks again

:rotfl::T:A:j

beanrua

anyone got any ideas on how to get the stove going quickly in the mornings. i have a charnwood and am using smokeless eggs - great for heat and hot water. The fire is still going in the morning but even with the draught open, it takes quite a while to get it going properly again - should i put on some kindling or something in the morning and then the smokeless eggs. Getting there!!

A._Badger

beanrua wrote: »

anyone got any ideas on how to get the stove going quickly in the mornings. i have a charnwood and am using smokeless eggs - great for heat and hot water. The fire is still going in the morning but even with the draught open, it takes quite a while to get it going properly again - should i put on some kindling or something in the morning and then the smokeless eggs. Getting there!!

One of the advantages of burning wood is how quickly you can get a fire going again with it, but coal-based solid fuels can be more problematical, as you've found.

It sounds as if you have tried the obvious thing, by improving the air supply, so what I'd suggest is adding small pieces of wood on top of the smouldering coals. As the wood catches, that will draw increased amounts of oxygen through the fire bars which should kick the smokeless back towards life.

One other thought. Not all smokeless fuels are created equal. It's worth experimenting till you find which one works best for your stove and installation.

Hope that helps.

beanrua

Thanks for that A Badger - and you are so right - i put some sticks on and it got going again - and then fed it some fuel - and hey presto. Have tried standard anthracite this past week but the small bits left after burning got stuck in the riddling bars, so it sort of died down. Trying ecobrite now - just got a delivery to-day - so here's hoping. i have tried wood logs in the past - good Ash - well-seasoned but they just don't last as long as the smokeless fuel or give out the same heat and i live in a cold open plan house. Thinking about trying a mixture of wood and smokeless as i've read elsewhere that this can work well and it would be more environmentally friendly. Getting cosier and warmer by the day!!

beanrua

when the fire is going well should I put like a full scuttle of fuel on or just a shovel full at a time?