MCZ Antares '03 - Manual (Page 38)

Use of the stove
3.19 Watching the flame
In order to achieve good running for the stove, you need to know how to "read" the flame. The
characteristics to which the user needs to pay attention are essentially:
•
The shape
•
The colour
•
The character
The shape
In proper combustion
, the flame should have a tapering form, with a "lively" character. It should be
as wide as the grate from which it radiates, with the point tending to the vertical, or flattened towards
the back surface in Alutec70 of the combustion chamber. You should get the sensation that the flame
is "drawn" upwards, so that it does not spill forwards towards the glass of the door –Fig.…
Conversely
, a flame which swells outwards at the base beyond the dimensions of the grate, whith a
"thin"character, with a point that appears "aimless", which beats against the glass, could be a
symptom of bad setting as regards loading of the fuel and/or extraction of the fumes, or could indicate
that the flue is obstructed or that there are down-draughts which impede the proper evacuation of the
smoke.
In this case there will ALWAYS be running problems. Call on the services of specialised personnel or
the expertise of MCZ technical staff.
The colour
The colour is in some ways linked to the shape of the flame. a colour which varies from orange to
yellow, with dark tips to the flame, is liable to be a swollen flame (as described above), lacking in
oxygen or at least indicative of faulty combustion. As the colour changes towards light yellow - white,
the shape of the flame alters, becoming thinner and showing the presence of higher levels of oxygen.
The character is connected with the shape of the flame.
Proper combustion
Shape: tapering, vertical, compact
Character: lively
Colour: yellow - light yellow - white
Poor combustion
Shape: swollen, overflowing, not compact
Character: tenuous, feeble
Colour: orange - yellow
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