American Energy Systems Ovation - Manual (Page 11)

Version 7.1 11
lighter. Hold the door slightly ajar until a good flame is established (2 or 3 minutes). Close the
door to the stove once the newspaper is well ignited. As soon as the kindling fire is established,
you can add cordwood. It is recommended that cordwood be placed inside the firebox from front to
back (that is the fuel should have its longest dimension perpendicular to the door) and not
crisscrossed or placed crossways in the firebox.
The Ovation Stove should be operated with the air control fully open until such time that the owner
believes the fire is well established. In the event the air control is closed before the Ovation reaches
efficient operating temperature the heating performance of the stove will be diminished.
Experimentation will be required in order to familiarize you with establishing optimum burning and
therefore maximum heating efficiency. Remember, the Ovation has over 100 pounds of firebrick
that must be thoroughly heated in order for the stove to operate efficiently. Do not use grates,
andirons, or other devices to elevate the firewood. Once the stove heats up, the operator can adjust
the primary air control to the desired setting.
COMBUSTION CONTROL
Although not recommended, the Ovation system can be operated with a flue damper installed. This
flue damper must then be used in conjunction with the Ovation combustion air control in order to
control the burn rate of the appliance. As is standard practice with hi-tech high efficiency stoves,
the Ovation combustion air control controls all air entering the firebox. This combustion air control
allows the owner more precise control of the fire by accurately controlling the air available for
combustion. The combustion air control is located below the ash lip at the center of the stove, as
shown in FIGURE 1. This control is fully open when pulled out or away from the stove. The
combustion air control is completely closed when the control lever is pushed all the way into the
stove. To ensure no air leakage or air infiltration into your home when the Ovation Stove is not in
use; the combustion air control lever should be kept in its closed position.
FIGURE 1: COMBUSTION AIR DAMPER CONTROL
This will minimize air leakage through the chimney. The combustion air control should be fully
opened before opening the door to eliminate the possibility of a back draft into the room where your
stove is located. Open the door slowly to avoid back drafting or back puffing. In addition, by fully
opening the combustion air control, the stove will immediately start an accelerated burn; therefore,
gloves (leather wood-burning gloves are recommended) should be worn when adding fuel or for
any use when the door is open to the appliance. Wearing gloves will assist in avoiding burns due to
the intense heat of the stove.