Questions on my Hunter Herald 8 Multifuel Stove

TBeckett100

Hi there,

1) it is a multi fuel stove, it seems to be missing the multi fuel grate bit. is there anything stopping me putting some coals in with the wood?

2) the system supposedly has an airwash, but it keeps clouding up and the glass goes brown. the logs were supposed to be seasoned, any ideas?

TBeckett100

also, smoke comes out of the airwash vent when the flue damper is set to closed. I assume you close the damper to reduce heat escape up the chimney

owned_by_2_Siamese

Hello!
Well anyone who says that woodstoves are easy is not being totally honest! They take quite a bit of getting used to! I've only done two years but here goes on your questions:
1 - if you dont have the mutifuel insert DONT put coal in - it wount burn. Check with the retailer (or the stove makers website) teh mutifuel bit should have bars or similar that insert and the coal sits on this (remember coal needs air from below - wood burns best if the air comes in through the top.
2 a little staining on teh glass always happens (even with airwash) but make sure that you have done teh following:
- light the stove with plenty of kindling - dont put logs on untill its just glowing red hot embers (bottom vent and airwash vent open)
- the airwash only works when the chimney is draing well - this will only happen when you have the chimney hot - so when you put the first logs on keep the air vent a the base open a little till the wood is really burning hard
- clos ethe bottom airvent but leave the airwash vent fully open - you should see plenty of flames - dont be tmpted to close the airwash vent down slighly untill the fire has been burning a good while.
- if you wyour wood is seasoned it will be dark on the ends and cracked a little - should be at least a year old. Keep it dry always, and bring it into the house a couple of days before you use it (needs to be completely dry)
- avoid oputting too much wood on at once - leave gaps and remember little and often
- if you cant see flames (and there is till wood that should burn) o[pen the bottom air vent slightly till its really blazing.

In general I found my instruction book useless! It's just trial and error. Remember that if your glass is really browning over you are almost certainly putting creosote up the chimney when you burn wood - and what goes up will come down - as a brown goo - thats very unpleasant!

Hope some of this is useful!

Oh - and if its been used before make sure the chimney is clear - it must be swept every 6 months if you burn wood....

mirabelle

TBeckett100 wrote: »

Hi there,

1) it is a multi fuel stove, it seems to be missing the multi fuel grate bit. is there anything stopping me putting some coals in with the wood?

2) the system supposedly has an airwash, but it keeps clouding up and the glass goes brown. the logs were supposed to be seasoned, any ideas?

Hunter Herald 8 Multi fuel stove has two settings, one for burning wood and one for solid fuel. At the side you will see a riddling bar. If you turn this towards the back, the setting is for burning wood. If you push it forward it is on the setting for burning solid fuel. The riddling bar at the side alters the position of the fuel grate to enable you to burn different fuels.

If you want to burn coal in with the wood, experiment with a halfway position of the grate.

This model does have airwash, but I have found it sometimes needs the glass cleaning. It all depends on the wood, as long as you are not burning it wet, and it is well seasoned, I should not worry too much about occasional browning of the glass.

Hope this helps.

CountryGirl_2

Have just had a Hunter Herald 8 installed - love it, but i thought it would give off more heat than it does. It is in a very cold room with three outside walls. I have only been really hot once (stripping off clothes level) & that was when we had had it on all night, banked it up & then had it on all the following day.

SEE

CountryGirl wrote: »

Have just had a Hunter Herald 8 installed - love it, but i thought it would give off more heat than it does. It is in a very cold room with three outside walls. I have only been really hot once (stripping off clothes level) & that was when we had had it on all night, banked it up & then had it on all the following day.

How big is your room, and what is the heat output of the stove? Mine is the equivilent of 38 electric bars on full belt and it heats my water and 4 radiators. I have an Agatar 912 but sadly the company went out of business.

John_3:16

That is one massive wood burner are you sure its 38 bars? does that mean it has a 38kw out put?

ventureuk

Forget coal prices I'd be digging my own mine to run that.

TBeckett100

although i have not put in a multifuel kit yet, the stove is running a lot better on coal and wood mix. i have foubd the delivered seasoned wood was toodamp and burning a stove full every 30 mins.

SEE

John_3:16 wrote: »

That is one massive wood burner are you sure its 38 bars? does that mean it has a 38kw out put?

Yes, I think so. I'd have to look out my handbook, but it gets so hot it can make you feel sick if you're not careful. Its two and half feet wide, 18" deep, and weighs 1 tonne in weight exactly. The whole thing is cast iron with no pressed steel at all in its make-up. When filling to the brim with coal it takes 2 tall hods, and if you open the doors on full burn it roars like a jet engine and the metal parts can glow white hot:o I'll try take a photo of it

SEE

TBeckett100 wrote: »

although i have not put in a multifuel kit yet, the stove is running a lot better on coal and wood mix. i have foubd the delivered seasoned wood was toodamp and burning a stove full every 30 mins.

I found the secret to good burning was a good through draught. I live on a hill:D