*pic included* Log-burner: how does the inlet work?

[CharnwoodFire]

I've recently had a Charnwood log-burner installed, but I can't workout where the air inlet is? The fire doesn't draw very well and I'm trying to work out why...

There's a little leaver at the base of the stove which, if you pull it out, is supposed to open an air vent; but it doesn't seem to make any difference. I was wondering if the inlet is blocked, but I don't know where the air comes into the fire box - there's no grate and the ash pan is flat bottomed. Any suggestions?

The stove is a Charnwood Aire 5

https://www.charnwood.com/all-stoves/room-heating-stoves/aire/aire/

Scroll down the page and you can download the instructions. It's all there 🙂

Posted too soon - it could well be blocked if it's not making much difference, has it only just started playing up?

Are you leaving the air vent open for long? It needs to be open for quite a while for the logs to get going.

You need to put your paper, firefighter and kindling in with the vent fully open and the door ajar. When it gets going add logs - small ones to start with and close the door but leave the air vent fully open. When these are going nicely you can add larger logs... wait till they're going well then reduce the air vent if necessary.

We have pretty much this exact model.

I suggest you maybe get a thermometer for the flue, it really helps.

What we do is start a small kindling fire... With the door slightly open, put the kindle arranged in a square with another square stacked on top. Then put your fire starter on top and light it and gentle drape another piece of kindling on top. As it takes off, add a little more kindling and then a larger log.

If you have a long flue, closing the door will just extinguish the fire as the heat isn't enough to circulate the air. This is why a thermometer is handy!

Once the larger logs take off, close the door, but pull the metal bar out to keep the air flowing. Once it gets really hot, push the bar back in and this will restrict the airflow. So the fire lasts longer.

I’d leave the vent open for around 15-20 mins and only close it gradually. Newspaper and kindling to get it going

I also leave the door ajar while the vent is open, just very slightly. I can also hear the vent on mine move when I push the lever in. If you think it’s not right get the installer back. This is mine with the lever pulled out

Thanks everyone! Some good ideas here, which I'll try out.

@Denimdenimdenim - it's become worse so it might be blocked. Any idea how to check/unblock? (Thanks for linking the manual... But, tbh, if it was a paper copy, I think it would be more use as a fire lighter...)

@Petrine and @C1N1C : the fire is smothered as soon as I close the door, no matter what stage the fire is at. Surely I'm not meant to burn with the door open for hours at a time?

@CormorantStrikesBack it's interesting you can hear the vent move - is it very noticeable? (I can't hear anything on mine!). Also - that picture of a well laid fire is very satisfying!

The fire has to be SUPER hot. We're talking a good half hour, with a couple large logs going, otherwise it will smother. We had this issue, which is why we got the thermometer. Ours is the Valiant 63 mm one from Amazon. Basically you can't close the door until the needle is a decent way into the red.

The other thing to look at is airflow up the chimney. If the chimney is too long (tall house), the smoke falls back down and smothers it. We had a guy come round to install a rotating fan at the top, and that helped.

It's worth using the fire (while the law says we can), as it saves so much on heating!

We’ve had our log burner a couple of years now and I recommend these fans. We put them on top of the burner and it blows the hot air into the room.

https://amzn.eu/d/hKTtjWC

The fans are great but the fire has to be going quite well and the stove hot for them to work. It moves the hot air round the room but won't affect the draw of the fire.

@CharnwoodFire yes, when my vent is opened or closed it's quite a noticeable noise. Might be different in different fires I guess.

https://www.mumsforlungs.org/our-campaigns/wood-burning FYI

We have a different model of Charnwood - the air vents are along the back of the stove, if you build the fire incorrectly you block them.
You can see them here

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The air vent should be underneath the stove and the air comes up through the back of the fire and out the thin gap at the top of the glass ( airwash) to keep the glass clean and it also comes out through the small vents in the back fire bricks. When burning wood you only need air above the fire and not from below like you do when using solid fuel.

we have a charnwood arc 5 and it is a great stove the glass stays clean and once up to temperature it uses a surprisingly small amount of wood to keep the heat constant.

From the looks of your glass ( dirty ) the stove is not being run hot enough or like you say there is not enough air to get the wood burning properly?

As someone said above stoves need to be run hot….. i try and get it up to 200c Straight away and keep it there or over.

There could be a problem/fault with the air control ? Or it could be your just not getting it hot enough ? I also find smaller logs/ pieces burn better/hotter than just putting a big log on and it smouldering away. It does take a bit more cutting/ chopping but it produces a better fire.

We have a charnwood, yes you pull out the stop, all the way, light the fire, get it going until your thermometer (which you must get) gets to the optimum range, then you can push it back in.

Thanks for sharing this @TeaAndToddlers2023

recently fitted ecodesign stoves that meet the DEFRA exemption limits are not the issue.

Big business points the finger at the little man yet again to distract from the bigger problems they themselves cause.

https://www.charnwood.com/news/the-truth-about-wood-burning-stoves-the-real-facts/

once one krank jumps on the bangwagon they all come running. 🏃🏼🏃🏼‍♂️🏃🏼‍♀️

op . I have a different method to lighting than some do.
i get as much fuel as i can in ( ours has a small firebox) when i light it to get as much heat as possible into the stove on the initial lighting. That way you are not opening the stove as often to keep putting more wood in. I think some new users are a bit hesitant of getting it raging like a blast furnace 🔥🔥🔥. But in my experience i find it works best for me. Give it a try next time you light it. I use the door ajar method to get it really going at first.

There are some big pieces on the bottom to get some coals going .

For my Charnwood I create a v shape with wood stick the firefighter in the apex and then put kindling over the firefighter. My Morse multifuel is easier to light but doesn't burn as well - you really do need to figure out how to place the sticks and every stove is a little different once you crack it you'll be fine.

I just chuck stuff in with a firelighter, I dont really have a method, but I do fill it up a lot at first