Hi-flame Alpha ii al907-se User manual

Model Alpha II AL907-SE

Free-standing Multi Fuel Non-Boiler Stove

Instruction Manual

www.alphastoves.com

You will need to refer to the serial number of your stove

shown above should you ever need to make a claim under

the Alpha Warranty. You will also ﬁnd the serial number,

beginning with AL, on the CE plate at the rear of the stove as

well as on the lid of the outer packaging.

Write the date the stove was delivered to you below as this is

likely to differ from the purchase date.

- -

Published July 2012

Please note This appliance must, at all times, be operated in

accordance with the instructions to minimise the amount of

smoke produced.

Ref: AL907-SE / UK-NI-ROI / V1-ND.01-07-12

ALPHA

Collection

The

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 1 8/7/12 18:16:58

CONTENTS

Page

Back Cover

Standard Features

Dimensions

Technical Data

Introduction

Packing List

Installation Regulations

Important Safety Advice

Assembling the Stove

Smoke Control Areas

Recommended Fuels

Prohibited Fuels

Understanding Fuel Types

Important: First Fires

Burning Wood Logs

Burning Mineral Fuels

Some Simple Tips

Removing Ash

Installation Check-list

Installation General Guidelines

Commissioning

Trouble-shooting

Routine Checks

Standing Down

Routine Maintenance

Annual Service

Service Record

The Alpha Warranty

Spares Service

ALPHA

Collection

The

Model Alpha II

AL907-SE

Free-standing

Multi Fuel Non-Boiler

Stove

PLEASE NOTE

This instruction manual is also used for

a number of other stove models in the

Hi-Flame product range and therefore

some of the stove photographs and

diagrams used, which are used for

guidance purposes only, may differ

slightly from your new Alpha stove.

However, the principles illustrated here

remain the same.

Hi-Flame Fireplace (UK) Limited

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 2-3 8/7/12 18:16:58

IMPORTANT

In the interests of safety please

read these instructions carefully

before installing or operating

your new stove. Even if you have

installed or operated stoves before,

manufacturers’ requirements can

vary and can also change with

updates to building regulations.

If installed in a UK Smoke Control

Area this stove must be operated

in accordance with the instructions

to minimise the amount of smoke

produced.

STANDARD FEATURES

1 Primary Air Control Air which enters

under the grate for burning multi fuels,

(other than wood). Also used at the

beginning of wood ﬁres

2 Pre-heated Secondary Air

Control Air enters at the base of the

stove is pre-heated to ensure the ﬁre-

chamber is not cooled down by new

colder air. This ensures a higher ﬁre-

chamber temperature and therefore a

cleaner, more efﬁcient burn. Controls

the air supply when burning wood

3 Pre-heated Tertiary Air

System Pre-heated

air enters the stove

through jets in the

special cast iron heat

sink at the rear of

the ﬁrechamber. This

ensures a much

longer,cleaner burn

from the Alpha II

even in the latter

stages of ﬁre cycle

4 Airwash System

Part of the secondary

air control system

which diverts pre-

heated air down

along the front of

the glass to burn off

unwanted dry sooty

particulates and

help keep it clean

5 Top or Rear

Flue Option Simple

to switch depending

on the type of

installation

DIMENSIONS

535 405

733

490

115

510

343

245

575

490

440

135

Ø170

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TECHNICAL DATA

GENERAL SPECIFICATION

Model Name Alpha II

Model Number AL907-SE

Overall Height 740 mm

Overall Width 535 mm

Overall Depth 440 mm

Net Weight 119 kg

DATA FROM CE TEST EN13240

Wood Logs:

Nominal Heat Output 8.0 kW

Refuelling Interval 46 minutes

Efﬁciency (net) 78.0%

Mean CO Emission (at 13%) 0.10

Mean Flue Gas Temperature 310ºC

Flue Gas Mass Flow 6.2 gs

Smokeless Fuel (Anthracite):

Nominal Heat Output 8.0 kW

Refuelling Interval 36 minutes

Efﬁciency (net) 76.0%

Mean CO Emission (at 13%) 0.08

Mean Flue Gas Temperature 324ºC

Flue Gas Mass Flow 7.6 gs

Tests at nominal output, burning both

wood logs and mineral fuel, were

carried out at 12 Pa.

MINIMUM DISTANCES TO

COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS

Rear 300 mm

Sides 400 mm

FUEL REQUIREMENTS

Wood Logs:

Moisture content <20%

Maximum Log Length 350 mm

Maximum Fuel Load 1.75 kg

Multi Fuel:

Hetas Approved

Manufactured Smokeless Fuels

See www.hetas.co.uk

Maximum Fuel Load 1.75 kg

FLUE

Flue conﬁguration top or rear

Flue pipe diameter 150 mm

Height to centre of rear ﬂue 575 mm

INTRODUCTION

Thank-you for purchasing the

Alpha II stove. We are conﬁdent

that with its state-of-the-art

combustion technology it will warm

your home even on the coldest

winter days and provide you with

many years of pleasure.

Before you install or operate your

stove however, please read this

booklet which contains important

safety advice as well as instructions

which will help you make the most

of your new stove.

All users of this stove should be

aware of the contents of this

handbook. If other people are going

to operate the stove then please

keep this booklet handy so that it

can always be quickly referred to.

Never let anyone use the stove who

is unfamiliar with its correct

operation.

WATCH OUT

CARBON MONOXIDE KILLS

PACKING LIST

As soon as you receive your new stove

please check that you have a full set of

components as set out in the list below.

In the unlikely event of a shortage,

please report this immediately to the

dealer you bought the stove from.

Never attempt to operate the stove

with missing or damaged components.

Product Information

1 Instruction Booklet

1 Warranty Card

Stove Components

1 Stove Lid

1 Handle Cover

1 Handle Cover Securing Bolt

1 Log Retaining Bar

Equipment

1 Ashpan

1 Operating Tool

Tool Bag

1 Safety Mitten

2 Spare Glass Retaining Clips

2 Spare Glass Retaining Clip Screws

1 Spare Rope Seal (for door)

1 Allen key (for door hinges)

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 6-7 8/7/12 18:17:03

• To ensure your safety make sure that

your stove’s installation complies with

all local building regulations’ ventilation

requirements. Low energy houses have

their own particular requirements and

these should be strictly adhered to.

• Do not use ﬂammable liquids to ignite

the ﬁre. In the conﬁned space of the

ﬁrechamber there is a real potential to

cause a life-threatening ﬂash ﬂame or

explosion.

• Never over-ﬁre the stove. If any

external parts of your stove glow red

during operation then immediate action

should be taken to reduce the supply

of air to the ﬁrechamber through the

Primary and Secondary air controls

which should quickly limit the intensity

of the ﬁre.

• This stove is CE approved and tested

to EU EN13240 standards in Holland

by SGS Nederland BV. Alterations to

its construction could be potentially

dangerous and will also render your

product warranty void.

• Do not use aerosol products in the

vicinity of the stove when it is in use.

• Check and clean the stove’s ﬂue way

and the top of bafﬂe plate regularly

to help avoid potential blockages (see

page 34).

• Clean your chimney regularly (see

page 34).

For more information on stove

safety please visit

www.stovesafetyﬁrst.com

8 9

IMPORTANT SAFETY ADVICE

• Ensure that an approved carbon

monoxide detector (BS EN50291:2001)

is ﬁtted in the same room as the stove.

It should be powered by a battery

designed for the working life of the

alarm. Please note that since October

2010 this is now a requirement under

UK Building Regulations.

• External surfaces including the ﬁre-

chamber door and operating handles,

windows, ﬂue pipes and stove

bodywork will become extremely hot.

Always use the tool provided and avoid

touching these parts of the stove

without proper protection, such as heat

resistant gloves or other protective aids.

• Potentially combustible material or

objects such as soft furnishings should

never be left on or near any of the

stove’s hot surfaces. Ensure that wood

supplies and log baskets are kept at a

safe distance from the stove.

• Never leave children unattended in

the room where your stove is being

operated. Ensure that children are

aware of the potential danger and

make sure that they keep clear of the

stove when it is in operation. Where

children, the elderly or the inﬁrm are

present always use an approved safety

ﬁreguard (BS6539) to prevent

accidental contact with the stove.

• This stove should not be ﬁtted in a

room with an extractor fan (eg kitchen)

as this will adversely affect the air

quality in the room and could be

dangerous for the room’s occupants. It

will also starve the stove of combustion

air and reduce the stove’s efﬁciency.

INSTALLATION

REGULATIONS

You must ensure that your stove is

installed by a recognised competent

person who is appropriately qualiﬁed

in the installation of stoves and that

the installation complies with all local,

national and European building

regulations.

In the UK we strongly recommend using

a Hetas registered installer (www.hetas.

co.uk) and in Ireland a registered

installer from INFO – the Irish

Nationwide Fireplace Organisation

(www.ﬁreplace.ie). Your authorised

Alpha dealer will also be able to help

and advise you.

For further information on local

Building Regulations please consult:

England & Wales

Building Regulations Document J

(revised October 2010) – Combustion

Appliances and Fuel Storage Systems

www.planningportal.gov.uk

Scotland

Building Standards (2001) Domestic

www.sbsa.gov.uk

Northern Ireland

The Building Regulations (Northern

Ireland) 2000 / Amendment 2006 /

Amendment No 2 2006

www.buildingcontrol-ni.com

Isle of Man

Building Regulations (2007) –

Isle of Man www.gov.im

Republic of Ireland

Approved Document J – Heat Producing

Appliances www.environ.ie

Other Information Points

The Solid Fuel Association website is

a very good source of practical

information www.solidfuel.co.uk.

For additional useful information and

links to the government websites

above, including informative

downloads, visit The Solid Fuel

Technology Institute website

www.soliftec.com.

The British Flue and Chimney

Manufacturers Association website,

accessed through www.feta.co.uk/

bfcma, produces an authoritative and

informative download Yellow Guide to

solid fuel ﬂues and chimneys.

Buildings Insurance

It is a requirement by some building

insurance companies to inform them of

the installation of a new ﬁxed heating

appliance and a relevant certiﬁcate of

compliance produced.

Health & Safety

During the installation of this stove and

any related building works you must

comply with any current Health

& Safety at Work regulations.

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Always use the correct sized Phillips

crosshead screwdriver and be careful

not to damage the bolt heads as these

will be re-used. Remove this plate,

making sure that the ﬁre-resistant

gasket does not get damaged as this

plate and gasket will be re-used to

close off the open top ﬂue outlet. Next,

remove the loose ﬁtted stove lid to

access the top ﬂue outlet and close this

off with the rear plate you have

just removed, ensuring that the ﬁre-

resistant gasket on the base of the plate

makes a good seal. Attach the ﬂue

collar (contained in the ash pan) to the

rear outlet on the ﬁrechamber using the

bolts supplied, again ensuring a good

seal is made.

You must ensure that rope gaskets are

positioned correctly to make a good

all-round seal between the collar and

plate. Lubricate the new bolt holes with

machine oil to avoid damaging the

screw threads.

• Handle Assembly Thread the split

washer along the handle bolt. Feed the

bolt and washer through the handle

grip. Use a Phillips crosshead

screwdriver to attach the assembled

grip to the door handle clamp

mechanism on the door, being careful

not to over-tighten.

Your stove is now ready for installation.

• Moving Always lift the stove to ﬁnally

position it. Alternatively place the stove

on heavy duty plastic sheeting or thick

ﬂoor covering to slide the stove into

position, being careful not to damage

any ﬁnished ﬂoor surfaces with trapped

grit or building debris.

10 11

For a top ﬂue outlet remove the loose

ﬁtted stove lid and unfasten the

blanking plate ﬁxing screws underneath

the lid to reveal the ﬂue pipe opening

(see below left). As you will see the ﬂue

aperture is already open on the top of

the ﬁrechamber bodywork. When

using the top ﬂue option the lid

blanking plate is no longer needed.

Attach the ﬂue collar (contained in the

ash pan) to the top outlet on the ﬁre-

chamber using the bolts supplied.

Ensure that a good seal is made

between the ﬁrechamber surface and

the collar – use ﬁre cement if necessary.

Re-attach the loose ﬁtted lid to the

stove bodywork. The ﬂue pipe can then

be ﬁtted through the lid into the collar.

Again, neatly apply a seal of ﬁre cement

and / or ﬁre rope to ensure there is no

possibility of a gas or smoke leak.

For a rear ﬁtted ﬂue, remove the

pre-cut shape (see below) on the rear

heat shield which will provide access to

the rear ﬂue outlet sealing plate.

The Alpha II pre-cut rear heat shield. When using

the rear ﬂue outlet option the cut out can be

easily removed by using a junior hacksaw blade to

cut through the 3 small retaining links.

ASSEMBLING THE STOVE

Your new Alpha stove is extremely

heavy. Always handle with care and

make sure that you have additional

strong help when you move it.

The door and door handle, should

not be used to grip the stove as they

could be damaged from supporting the

stove’s weight. Items, such as the lid

and fuel retaining bar, can be removed

to help reduce the weight. Under no

circumstances should the door be

removed as this will invalidate your

Alpha Warranty.

• Unpack Remove your new stove from

its recyclable packaging. Retain this

until the stove is installed and is fully

operational. Unfasten retaining wires

and remove any components, including

those inside the ash pan, from inside

the stove

• Inspect Please inspect the stove to

check that it has not been damaged in

transit – never attempt to install a stove

which has been damaged. If damage is

suspected then report this immediately

to your stove dealer

• Check List Study the component

packing list on page 7 and make sure

that you have all of the components

listed before proceeding. Some compo-

nents are contained within the ash pan

• Bafﬂe Plate Check the position of

the bafﬂe plate (sometimes known as

the throat plate) inside the ‘roof’ of the

stove to ensure that it has not moved

during transit. This is a heavy metal

plate which directs ﬂames and helps

retain heat inside the stove. The base of

this plate should sit securely on a small

ledge at the back of the ﬁrechamber,

towards the top. The rest of the plate

sits on top of the side ﬁrebricks to

maintain it at the correct angle and in

line with the top of these side ﬁrebricks.

It is best to fully familiarise yourself

with the bafﬂe plate’s correct location

by practising removing it and re-ﬁtting

it prior to the stove’s installation as you

will need to regularly check the top of

this plate and the access to the ﬂue way

to avoid potential soot build up and

blockages. Once you know how to do

this it is a very easy operation.

See page 34

• Flue Options The AL907-SE stove

can be conﬁgured for a 150mm (6”)

top or rear ﬂue outlet. Under no

circumstances should the ﬂue pipe

diameter be reduced from 150mm (6”)

as this could be extremely dangerous.

Remember a top ﬂue outlet will always

be the most efﬁcient choice if it can be

undertaken safely.

Your Alpha stove feature a removable lid with

an optional top ﬁtting ﬂue aperture closed with

a decorative plate. If using the rear ﬂue option

remember to seal off the open top ﬂue outlet!

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 10-11 8/7/12 18:17:05

– the time between reﬁlls. All of this is

providing it is fully seasoned wood.

Never use wet or unseasoned (green)

wood as this will cause nuisance smoke

and a very disappointing ﬁre.

It could quickly result in the build up of

soot and creosote which, because of

the higher temperatures of stove ﬂue

gases, could easily cause a ﬂue or

chimney ﬁre. In addition, burning wet

wood creates other environmental

problems, a less efﬁcient fuel economy

and can eventually clog your ﬂue

system and cowl. It will also reduce the

effectiveness of the stove’s Airwash

system thus causing staining and

blackening of the glass.

Wet or unseasoned would produces the

following poor performance:

• Hard to light ﬁres

• Fires that are difﬁcult to keep going

or to keep burning well

• Smoky ﬁres with fewer ﬂames which

are also of a dull orange colour

• Increased dense grey / blue smoke

from the chimney

• Shorter burn times

• Low heat output

• Dirty glass and ﬁrebricks

• Excessive and rapid creosote build-up

in the ﬂue system and chimney

• Unpleasant smoky smells both inside

and sometimes outside the house

Manufactured or ﬁnished wood

products, such as plywood and

chipboard, must also be strictly avoided

because of the high chemical adhesive

12 13

RECOMMENDED FUELS

The Alpha II AL907-SE stove allows the

burning of wood in non-Smoke Control

Areas and approved smokeless multi

fuels only, in Smoke Control Areas. It

must, at all times, be operated in

accordance with the instructions to

minimise the amount of smoke

produced.

The following fuels are approved by

Alpha Stoves for use in the AL907-SE:

• Wood Logs Only ever use dried, fully

seasoned chopped wood logs with a

moisture content of less than 20%.

Wood which is well seasoned makes

a distinctive ‘clack’ rather than a dull

‘thud’ when knocked together. It will

also feel much lighter than an

unseasoned log. Other indicators

include bark peeling away and cracking

and splitting around the outside.

Ideally wood should be seasoned

outdoors for between 18 to 24 months

– the harder the wood then the longer

the seasoning. It should be stacked off

the ground with plenty of space

between the logs to allow air

movement and with the top covered

to keep rain and snow out. Seasoned

wood will give you approximately 50%

more heat output than the equivalent

unseasoned log.

Most types of hardwood, for instance

Ash (generally regarded as the best),

Birch, Beech, Oak and Elm can be used.

However, avoid woods with a high

resin content. As a rule of thumb, the

heavier the wood, then the greater the

heat output and the longer burn time

YOUR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS

IF YOU LIVE IN A UK

SMOKE CONTROL AREA

The Clean Air Act 1993

and Smoke Control Areas

Under the Clean Air Act local

authorities may declare the whole or

part of the district of the authority to be

a Smoke Control Area.

It is an offence to emit smoke from a

chimney of a building, from a furnace

or from any ﬁxed boiler if located in

a designated Smoke Control Area.

It is also an offence to acquire an

‘unauthorised fuel’ for use within a

Smoke Control Area unless it is used in

an ‘exempt’ appliance (‘exempted’ from

the controls which generally apply in

the Smoke Control Area).

The Secretary of State for Environment,

Food and Rural Affairs has powers

under the Act to authorise smokeless

fuels or exempt appliances for use

in Smoke Control Areas in England.

In Scotland and Wales this power

rests with Ministers in the devolved

administrations for those countries.

Separate legislation, the Clean Air

(Northern Ireland) Order 1981, applies

in Northern Ireland. Therefore it is

a requirement that fuels burnt or

obtained for use in smoke control areas

have been ‘authorised’ in Regulations

and that appliances used to burn

solid fuel in those areas (other than

‘authorised’ fuels) have been exempted

by an Order made and signed by the

Secretary of State or Minister in the

devolved administrations.

Further information on the

requirements of the Clean Air Act can

be found at the following website:

www.smokecontrol.defra.gov.uk.

Your local authority is responsible for

implementing the Clean Air Act 1993

including designation and supervision

of Smoke Control Areas and you can

contact them for details of Clean Air

Act requirements.

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UNDERSTANDING HOW

DIFFERENT FUELS BURN

Wood and solid fuels (multi fuels) burn

in different ways and you will need to

understand these differences if you

want to get the best out of operating

your stove.

Basically solid fuels need a ﬂow of

combustion air through the bottom

grate whereas wood does not require

this as its combustion air can be taken

from above the grate. Wood always

burns best on a bed of its own embers

and shouldn’t need to be riddled. On

the other hand, solid fuel requires

riddling to maintain an adequate air

ﬂow from underneath the grate.

Your new stove can burn very well,

or very poorly, depending on how you

light the ﬁre, how you refuel the ﬁre,

and, of course, the type and quality of

the fuel that you are burning. A ﬂue

temperature gauge and log moisture

meter are cost-effective investments

and are highly recommended if you

want to maximise the efﬁciency of your

stove and fuel.

Wear protective gloves when loading a

burning stove and place logs and other

fuels precisely where you want them by

using heat-resistant tongs. Always open

the stove door gently to avoid

unnecessary air turbulence which could

cause ash or small lighted embers to

be drawn from the ﬁre chamber and

beyond the protective hearth. Never

operate the stove without the ﬁre fence

(or log guard) in position.

The stove is not designed to be

operated with the door open.

IMPORTANT: FIRST FIRES

Use smaller and shorter ‘gentle’ ﬁres

the ﬁrst ﬁve or six times that you ﬁre up

the stove, making these progressively

bigger, as this will avoid any potential

thermal shock and allow the steel and

cast iron components to ‘acclimatise’

with each other. Allow the stove to fully

cool down between these ﬁres.

When ﬁrst using the stove it is normal

to experience paint fumes or see light

smoke rising from some of the stove’s

painted surfaces. During this stage

ensure that the room has additional

ventilation by opening doors and

windows to minimise any adverse

effects.

The hotter you burn the stove the more

intense these fumes will be, which is

one of the reasons that we advise that

you use smaller ﬁres to start with. Every

time the stove reaches a new higher

temperature it may still be possible to

smell these fumes or see some gentle

smoke until the paint work is fully

cured.

If smoke and fumes persist do not use

the stove and immediately consult your

installer, as this may indicate that there

could be a possible problem with the

ﬂue system or installation.

content used in their production which

will also leave harmful residue inside the

stove and ﬂue system.

For more information about wood fuel

visit the DEFRA funded National Energy

Foundation website Logpile at

www.nef.org.uk/logpile.

• Peat or Turf Do not use in a Smoke

Control Area. Peat is an excellent

cost-effective fuel alternative and

provides a similar caloriﬁc heat output

to wood but has a higher ash content

so that you will be required to empty

the ash pan more often. It’s also clean

and easy to handle with low

atmospheric emissions.

• Multi Fuels (Other than wood or

peat). Only burn Approved Smokeless

Fuels in a Smoke Control Area. Use solid

fuels which are recommended and

approved for use in stoves.

If you cannot burn wood then we

always recommend burning a smokeless

alternative as this is better for the stove

and ﬂue system as well as the

environment. There are many different

brands of high quality smokeless coal

nuggets available in the UK and your

local fuel merchant, preferably a

member of the Approved Coal

Merchants Scheme, will be able to

advise you on those suitable for multi

fuel stoves. You can also ﬁnd out more

about the various fuel types by visiting

www.hetas.co.uk and

www.solidfuel.co.uk.

PROHIBITED FUELS

Never use your stove like an incinerator.

Burning prohibited ‘fuels’ is an offence

in a Smoke Control Area and could

create nuisance smoke which is also an

offence in non-Smoke Control Areas.

Burning the following ‘illegal’ materials

could also damage your stove and ﬂue

system, as well as render the product

warranties on the stove and ﬂue system

components void.

• Petroleum Coke Never burn

petroleum coke as this burns at a very

high temperature and its continued use

will almost certainly cause irreparable

damage to components such as the

grate, bafﬂe plate and ﬁre bars.

• Bituminous House Coal is not

recommended because it produces

excessive soot deposits, which is not

good for the environment, and also

considerably increases the need for

cleaning the stove and ﬂue system.

• Household Rubbish Printed matter

(excluding very small amounts of

newspaper for starting the ﬁre),

plastic, rubber, lacquered or

impregnated wood, plywood,

chipboard and household rubbish, such

as milk cartons, should also be avoided.

During combustion some of these

materials may develop substances

which could be hazardous to your

health and be harmful to the

environment.

• Flammable Liquids Never use

methylated spirits, petrol or other highly

inﬂammable liquids for lighting the ﬁre

as these could cause an explosion in the

conﬁned spaces of the ﬁrechamber.

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 14-15 8/7/12 18:17:05

2 The First Refuel Phase

For best results:

After 10 minutes

Primary Air – close completely

Secondary Air – fully open

Door – closed

Once the embers are starting to glow

and the ﬂames start to calm down the

ﬁrst refuelling can take place. For this

stage use slightly larger pieces of wood

than the lighting wood – but smaller

than the main refuelling wood in the

next phase. The reason for this is that

the embers from the kindling wood are

small and will not hold a high

temperature for too long.

If unnecessarily large pieces of wood

are placed on the embers at this stage

and do not ignite well there is a risk

that the ﬁrebox will cool down and the

wood start to smoke. When the ﬁrst

refuelling wood is burning well (say,

after about 10 minutes from the start)

the Primary air can be completely shut.

3 The Main Firing Phase

For best results:

After 17 or 18 minutes –

Secondary Air – adjust to suit

Primary Air – remains closed

Door – remains closed

Once the embers of the ﬁrst refuel

phase are glowing then these can be

evenly spread with a poker or

companion tool and the main

refuelling wood can be quickly set.

Wood burns best if the ﬂames have

other wood to ‘play off’. For example a

single dense piece of wood or log will

not burn as well as 2 or 3 smaller logs

of equivalent mass. The more contact

Use the tool provided to adjust the Secondary air

control A – moving it to the left hand side will

reduce the air supply and ‘slow’ the ﬁre down. B

is Primary air – move clockwise to close

not be needed at all.

The size of the logs used at each stage

is also important. If the kindling wood is

too large this will not light well and will

be slow to get started. Two handfuls of

smaller pieces of kindling (equivalent

to the weight of typical log) layered in

a criss-cross or ‘wig-wam’ and a small

ﬁrelighter will get the ﬁre well

established and up to operating

temperature quickly.

If you feel you have a weak chimney

draught, then keeping the stove door

slightly ajar for the ﬁrst 10 – 15

minutes will assist, after which it should

be closed. This will also help prevent the

build-up of condensation on the door

glass until the glass warms up,

especially if you have not used the stove

for a few days.

During the lighting phase the Primary

and Secondary air settings on the stove

should be fully open.

BURNING WOOD LOGS

As previously stated wood burns best

on a bed of its own embers which also

forms a barrier that reﬂects heat and

protects the ﬁre grate from being

damaged. You can therefore leave a

bed of ash in place to create a layer of

approximately 25mm (1”), only

occasionally removing the surplus ash.

The end grain of the wood produces

more of the remaining moisture and

gases so whenever possible point the

log ends away from the glass to help

keep the glass clean.

Fuel Load The logs should be

approximately 325 – 350mm (13” –

14”) long and a typical fuel load should

weigh 1.5 – 1.75kg (3.3lb – 3.8lb).

To get the best out of your stove,

ideally you will need three different

thicknesses of wood log as you build

the ﬁre through each lighting phase:

1 Kindling This is generally ﬁnely

chopped wood, approximately 5 to

10mm thick (1/4” to 1/2”) from your

supply of logs. Alternatively use dried

twigs or small branches which have also

been fully seasoned

2 Lighting Logs These are slightly

bigger diameter logs, approximately

25 to 50mm (1” to 2”)

3 Refuelling Logs These should be

approximately 75 to 100mm thick (3”

to 4”). Bigger logs should be split down

to this size

Lighting a Wood Fire

The main difference between smoke

and ﬂame is temperature, so when

lighting a ﬁre you need to get the

temperature in the ﬁrechamber as high

as possible as quickly as possible. This

is also critical in creating a good ‘draw’

within the ﬂue system, especially when

it is particularly cold outside.

When ﬂue gas temperatures are below

120°C, creosote tars form within the

gases and the ﬁre will be smoky and

burn with a dull orange ﬂame. Burning

the stove like this for a sustained period

will create unnecessary smoke and not

be good for the chimney or ﬂue system.

1 The Lighting Phase

For best results:

Primary Air – fully open

Secondary Air – fully open

Door – slightly ajar (optional)

Avoid trying to light the ﬁre with

excessive amounts of paper as this

has a very high ash content which can

‘smother’ the ash bed. If you have good

dry kindling or sticks then paper should

The recommended maximum fuel load: Photo

shows a typical loosely stacked fuel load of

approximately 1.75kg of fully seasoned wood logs

approx 350mm (14”) long by 75 – 100mm thick

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 16-17 8/7/12 18:17:07

to avoid overloading the ﬁre chamber.

Operating in a Smoke Control Area

To meet your legal obligations when

operating this stove in a UK Smoke

Control Area it must be operated

correctly to minimise the amount of

smoke it produces.

• Burn only dry fully seasoned wood

with a moisture content of less than

20% (or approved smokeless solid fuels).

• Or burn Approved Smokeless Fuels

• This instruction book should be left

with the end-user.

18 19

Never overﬁll the ﬁrechamber and also

avoid over-sized pieces of wood which

will ‘slow’ the ﬁre down at the start but

then could lead to over-ﬁring.

Before refuelling open the Primary and

Secondary air supply so that there is a

good strong ﬁre so that the embers are

glowing red which will help the new

fuel to start burning quickly. This will

also ensure that there is no build-up of

harmful gas which could be released

into the room when the ﬁrechamber

door is opened.

Rake the embers and spread them out

to make an even bed. You may need

to add some kindling to re-establish

the ﬁre. Add the new wood as before

ensuring that the logs are not tightly

packed.

Newly refuelled wood always requires

some additional air so make sure the

Secondary air is back in the fully open

position after refuelling. Do not adjust

the Secondary air until the ﬁre is

burning well and you can see bright

yellow vigorous ﬂames.

Once the ﬁre is established, usually after

about 5 minutes, close the Primary air

and adjust the ﬂame pattern again to

your requirements with the Secondary

air (Airwash) control.

4 Adding Smokeless Nuggets

If you prefer, you can also add some

smokeless mineral fuel at this stage to

prolong the life of the ﬁre for overnight

burning or to give additional heat when

it is particularly cold. You may also need

to re-open the Primary air to encourage

the non-wood fuel to burn effectively

depending on the load. Be very careful

the wood has with each other piece,

the hotter the embers will be. 3 or 4

logs tightly packed to each other will

burn longer but at a lower temperature

than loosely criss-crossed logs.

Approximately 1.0 to 1.5kg of wood

logs can be added at this stage. Be

careful not to add too many logs as

they may ‘smother’ the ﬁre. Try to avoid

setting the ends of the logs pointing

towards the glass as this can cause

staining which the Airwash may ﬁnd

difﬁcult to remove.

Only reduce the Secondary air control

when the wood has ‘carbonised’ and

the ﬁre is burning at a high

temperature. This is when the ash on

the burning wood looks light grey and

virtually covers all of the wood. A ﬂue

temperature gauge will be invaluable.

You will be able to tell when the stove

is at this stage by studying the colour of

the burning surfaces – the ‘lighter’ they

Maximum height of wood fuel load

Maximum fuel load: This should never be higher

than the lowest part of the logo circle in the

tertiary air plate at the back of the ﬁrechamber

as shown.

are the better the wood is burning.

If the log surface is predominately

black and / or the ﬂames are a dull

orange then there is still some time to

go before the ﬁre is operating at full

temperature.

Never leave the stove unattended after

refuelling until the ﬂames are well

established on the new logs. Always

load onto a bed of hot embers.

Once the ﬁre is established the ﬂame

pattern can then be adjusted to your

requirements with the Secondary air

(Airwash) control.

Getting the balance right between a

gently burning stove and one that is

burning too slow, creating smoke and

causing the Airwash to fail and

consequently the glass to stain is very

much a matter of trial and error. If you

are burning well-seasoned wood then

a quick ‘blast’ of the stove operating at

‘full throttle’, with Secondary and

Primary air fully open, should quickly

burn off any deposits left from any

slower burning phase.

4 Refuelling

For best results: Just before you refuel –

Primary Air – fully open

Secondary Air – fully open

After loading and when new fuel is

burning well –

Primary Air – close completely

Secondary Air– adjust to suit

Regular, smaller loads are better

because they keep the ﬁrechamber at a

higher temperature, without over-ﬁring

it. The higher operating temperature

helps prevent nuisance smoke and

sooty deposits.

The recommended maximum fuel load: Photo

shows a typical loosely stacked fuel load

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 18-19 8/7/12 18:17:08

SOME SIMPLE TIPS

1 When refuelling use small regular

loads as this will produce a more

efﬁcient and cleaner burning

performance.

2 If you have inadvertently let the ﬁre

burn down so that there are just a few

burning embers then avoid reloading

with large ‘cold’ logs as the ﬁre will be

very slow to re-establish itself, possibly

even going out as the new load reduces

the existing ﬁre’s access to a sufﬁcient

supply of combustion air.

3 Avoid burning large amounts of wood

with the Secondary air supply turned

down as this will reduce the

effectiveness of the Airwash system

producing dirty glass, as well as

excessive smoke and a potential build-

up of creosote tars.

4 Burn on a high output for

approximately 30 minutes each day

to ‘burn off’ any potential soot and

creosote build-up – but be careful not

to over-ﬁre the stove. This is particularly

important if you regularly burn low for

long periods such as overnight burning.

5 Bright vibrant ﬂames and a clean

ﬁrechamber indicate that your stove is

operating well. Lacklustre dirty orange

ﬂames indicates a poor performing

stove which will produce excessive

smoke and little heat – see the Troubles-

shooting section on page 31.

6 Never overload the stove – it will be

smoky and inefﬁcient as well as very

slow to establish a good burn and could

possibly eventually over-ﬁre.

20 21

quickly established without ‘damping’

the ﬁre.

Re-adjust the air settings once all the

fuel is burning normally.

Remove the multi fuel ash by emptying

the ash pan regularly – at least once a

day. Do not let the ash build up

under the grate as this will create a

strong hot spot which could eventually

warp or burn-out your grate.

BURNING MINERAL FUELS

Do not use in a Smoke Control Area

unless it is an Approved Smokeless Fuel

(see www.smokecontrol.defra.gov.uk).

Mineral fuels require much more air

from below the ﬁre for combustion

than wood. This means (depending on

your chimney / ﬂue draught) that

Primary air is generally needed

throughout all of the burning phases.

The Primary air should be fully open at

the start of the lighting phase.

Burning mineral fuels also requires the

grate to be riddled to clear ash so an

adequate supply of Primary air can ﬂow

through it to the fuel load. How much

you need to riddle is very much a

matter of trial and error depending on

the fuel type and burn rate. Always use

a heat resistant tool such as a poker

from a companion set to riddle and

do this as quickly as possible to help

maintain the temperature inside the

ﬁrechamber. At the beginning of the

lighting stage the grate should always

be completely clear.

Light your ﬁre in the traditional way

with a small wood kindling ﬁre and

small amounts of your choice of mineral

fuel placed lightly on top making sure

to leave plenty of air space. Once the

mineral fuel is burning well add more

fuel until a there is a good bed of burn-

ing fuel. Avoid stacking too much fuel

against the back and sides of the stove

as this could potentially overheat the

metal components and cause

permanent damage. Ideally, when fully

burning the ﬁre should look like a

shallow dome.

When burning good quality mineral

fuels the Airwash system (Secondary air)

should not be needed to keep the glass

clean, therefore this can be reduced.

The Primary air control should then be

used to adjust the ﬂame pattern. You

may ﬁnd that a combination of subtle

adjustments to both Primary and

Secondary air controls could best suit

your individual requirements.

When refuelling it is better to use

smaller fuel loads more often which

will provide you with a cleaner, more

efﬁcient burn. Just before refuelling,

riddle the embers to help clear the

ash build-up and re-establish the air

passage underneath the mineral fuel.

Spread the embers evenly with a poker.

Again, open the Primary air to maximise

the heat in the remaining fuel so that

when the new fuel is added it can get

The recommended maximum multi fuel load:

Photo shows a typical fuel load of approximately

1.75kg of approved smokeless nuggets

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 20-21 8/7/12 18:17:09

22 23

limit the Primary air ﬂow and cause

excessive heat build-up which could

eventually warp or burn out the grate.

Locate the operating tool in the slot at

the front of the ash pan to make a

handle and lift the pan from the stove.

For safety reasons ash should be

removed when the stove is cold. If this

is not always possible then extra care

should be taken and decorative and

combustible surfaces, such as laminate

ﬂoors or carpets, should be protected

against potential accidental spillage.

Remember, even if the stove appears to

be cold the ash could still be hot with

the possibility of hidden live embers.

Protective gloves should always be worn

and the refuse ash placed in a non-

combustible container. As you remove

the ash from your home ensure that it is

covered to protect it from any draught

or wind which could blow the ash out

of your container. All of this becomes

second nature once you have used your

stove for a few days.

REMOVING ASH

Wood will produce a lot less ash than

multi fuels and it would not be

unrealistic to expect to empty the ash

pan every two or three days, depending

on the fuel loads and operating times.

Remember, you do not need to riddle

wood ash during ﬁring, but possibly

only at the start when some Primary air

is needed to aid the initial combustion.

Wood ash can be composted and

recycled in the garden.

However, if you intend to burn multi

fuels then you should expect to empty

the ash pan at least once a day, again

depending on the number of hours you

burn the stove.

Using a poker, riddle any ash or embers

to help clear the grate. Riddling allows

the ash to fall into the collection pan

below the ﬁre bed. The ash pan should

never be allowed to over-ﬁll as this will

STOVE

HEARTH

DOOR

COMBUSTIBLE FLOORING

Minimum Air Space: Sides 150mm (6”)

Minimum Air Space: Back 100mm (4”)

or at least 50mm (2”) beyond door swing

Minimum hearth from stove front: 225mm (9”)

Fireplace walls minimum: 75 mm (3”) thick

Minimum Height from lid to lintel: 300mm (12”)

Ideal aperture height: 1200mm (48”)

Minimum to combustibles: 500mm (20”)

Minimum hearth depth: 28mm (approx 1”)

The forked end of the multi-purpose tool is

inserted underneath the ash pan handle grip

as shown above to create the ash pan handle.

Always protect ﬂoor coverings from potential

ﬂy-ash

INSTALLATION

CHECK-LIST

This information is intended to outline

the general principles of installing your

stove. However, as each installation will

vary and must comply with local,

national and European building

regulations, which could be different

from country to country, it is

unfortunately not possible for these

guidelines to be comprehensive.

• Legal Requirements Please note

that, not only is it a legal requirement

to ensure that your stove installation

complies with all applicable building

regulations, it is also a requirement of

your Warranty that the stove is installed

by a competent person such as a Hetas

or INFO registered installer who will be

fully aware of any building and safety

regulations which apply to stove

installations in your location.

Stove Location Checklist

• The existing constructional hearth

(the main part of the hearth) is suitably

constructed and is of a thickness that

conforms to all applicable building

regulations.

• The back hearth (the part of the

hearth that the stove generally sits upon

and which is usually within the

ﬁreplace recess or opening) is also

suitably constructed and conforms to all

applicable building regulations.

• The superimposed hearth (the thinner,

usually decorative surface, which sits on

the constructional part of the hearth) is

suitably constructed and conforms to all

applicable building regulations.

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 22-23 8/7/12 18:17:11

for the stove which are outlined in this

handbook. The hearth should extend

by a minimum of 225mm (9”) from

the front of the stove (which includes

the edge of the ash lip). As a general

rule it is best to extend the hearth to at

least 75mm (3”) beyond the furthest

out-swing of the stove door to avoid

any potential live ash held on the door

falling on to combustible ﬂooring or

ﬂoor coverings. If the top of the hearth

and any combustible ﬂoor coverings are

level with each other then a retaining

fender should be ﬁtted to warn

occupants of the hearth area.

Alternatively, a 28mm (1.1”) change in

level provided by a decorative non-

combustible material such as stone,

marble, granite, ceramic tiles etc could

be used.

Please note that some materials, such

as marble, may not be suitable when

used as a single sheet and will need to

be pieced together to allow for

expansion from the heat of the stove.

Your stove dealer or installer should be

able to advise you about this.

The ‘Fireplace’ The stove can be sited

within a brick or stone ﬁreplace recess

or used free-standing. The ﬁreplace side

and rear walls should be at least 75mm

thick and made of non-combustible

brick or stone. In a ﬁreplace setting you

should allow a minimum distance of

100mm (4”) from the back of the stove

and 150mm (6”) at either side with at

least 300mm (12”) from the top of the

stove. Ideally, the overall height of the

ﬁreplace aperture should be at least

1200mm (4’) high.

Providing adequate air space around

24 25

regulations, whichever is the greater. A

combustible material is anything which

can burn once it gets hot enough and

includes skirting boards, wooden ﬁre

surrounds, wooden mantles, wallpaper,

fabrics and ﬂoor coverings. Remember

these materials could be concealed

behind other materials which on the

surface may appear to be non-

combustible, for example, stud

partitioned walls.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Please refer speciﬁcally to current

building regulations which apply to your

country or region (see page 8). Adopt

whichever provides the highest / safest

margin.

The Hearth The hearth should be

made of solid non-combustible

material, set on a ﬁrm and level base

and should be at least 125mm (5”)

thick. This can include the thickness of

any non-combustible ﬂoor under the

hearth or non-combustible decorative

surface. It must be capable of

supporting the weight of the stove

(when loaded) along with any attached

ﬂue pipes which bear down on the

stove. This hearth must conform to

local building regulations which may

vary from country to country.

In England and Wales there is a

minimum requirement for the hearth

to project 500mm (20”) in front of any

brick or stone recess and 150mm (6”)

at each side of the recess. For a

free-standing stove the minimum

hearth size should be 840mm by

840mm (2’10” by 2’10” approx) and

should provide the minimum clearances

• The ﬁreplace recess or opening is

suitably constructed and conforms to

all applicable building regulations and

can accommodate the stove along with

the safe minimum operating distances

required (see page 6 and 23).

• Any adjacent walls, next to which a

free-standing stove is installed, are of

a suitable thickness and are of non-

combustible material and conform to

all applicable building regulations.

• The air supply is sufﬁcient for full

combustion of the stove’s fuel and

the health and safety of the room’s

occupants. Any extractor fans inside

the room should be removed or

permanently disabled. Note that in the

UK stoves above 5kW output require a

non-closable dedicated air supply within

the room which must conform to

applicable building regulations. The

AL907-SE has been ofﬁcially rated at

8.0kW output when burning wood or

smokeless fuels.

• The chimney is of sufﬁcient height,

is suitably constructed and is in good

condition and conforms to all applicable

building regulations regarding stove

installation. The minimum ﬂue height

required for the Alpha II is 4.5 metres

from the hearth to the top of the

chimney terminal.

• The chimney has been swept and

tested prior to installation.

• The proximity of all combustible

materials to the intended stove

installation conforms to the minimum

requirements outlined within this

handbook (page 6) as well as local,

national and European building

the stove will allow the stove to

radiate heat and circulate warm air

around the room. It will also prevent

structural damage to the walls and

potentially damaging over-heating of

the stove. If it is not possible to

maintain these spaces they could be

reduced to 100mm (4”) at the sides but

only if this can be compensated with

twice the equivalent air space at the

top of the stove and the non-

combustible wall parts are at least

200mm (8”) thick.

Walls adjacent to free-standing stoves

should be made of non-combustible

material and be a minimum of 200mm

(8”) thick.

Flue Draught The minimum ﬂue

draught requirement for the

AL907-SE is 6.2g/s (wood) and 7.6g/s

(smokeless fuels).

The Chimney, Flue and Flexible

Liners Other appliances should not

share or be connected to the same ﬂue

system or chimney.

If you are using an existing chimney

and it has been checked for condition

and suitability (see below), in the

interests of safety you must ensure that

it is swept before the stove is installed,

even if it has never been used or you

intend to use a ﬂexible liner. To ﬁnd a

local registered sweep visit The National

Association of Chimney Sweeps at

www.chimneyworks.co.uk or the

Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps at

www.guildofmasterchimneysweeps.

co.uk.

The recommended minimum height

for the chimney / ﬂue system from the

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 24-25 8/7/12 18:17:11

lime mortar, eventually causing

unsightly stains on decorative coverings.

• Stoves work best with the correct

draught. Pre-1965 chimneys which have

been built for open ﬁres have larger

(and irregular shaped) voids than those

best suited for a modern stove and

thus could reduce the effectiveness of

the ﬂue draught by making the ﬂue

too cold and difﬁcult to warm. This is a

particular problem if the chimney breast

is on an outside wall and / or is subject

to a strong prevailing wind.

• The interior surfaces of older ﬂues

could be eroded and also have rough

surfaces which could cause resistance

to the ﬂow of gases and consequently

result in poor up-draught.

• Unfortunately many houses built

since 1965 with clay or concrete

chimney liners suffer from these being

poorly installed, either through being

ﬁtted the wrong way up or not

receiving an appropriate application

of mortar to make a complete seal on

each joint. Even though not particularly

old, this could still potentially cause

leaking smoke and fumes or

condensation stains

Your approved installer will be able to

advise you on the suitability of your

chimney after undertaking a thorough

inspection and smoke test. Any solid

fuel ﬂexible liner which is speciﬁed

should be double skinned stainless

steel, either 904L or 316Ti grade and be

CE marked and / or Hetas Approved.

The British Flue and Chimney

Manufacturers Association website,

accessed through www.feta.co.uk/

26 27

hatches in the system.

Since stoves create ﬂue gases at a much

greater temperature than those

produced by an open ﬁre or gas

appliance it does not necessarily follow

that your chimney will function

adequately (or safely) when your new

stove is installed. The best way to

ensure that you have a fully functioning

ﬂue system is to ﬁt an approved ﬂexible

multi fuel ﬂue liner.

Current building Regulations in England

and Wales do not yet automatically

require an existing chimney to be lined

when a new stove is ﬁtted. However,

Alpha strongly recommend ﬁtting a

liner for the following reasons:

• A ﬂue liner is a major ‘quantiﬁable’

component in a total and fully

functioning ﬂue system. As such it will

provide a consistent ﬂue draught from

the stove through to the chimney

terminal and when back-ﬁlled with

vermiculite will deliver much needed

insulation to keep ﬂue gases as hot as

possible which will help minimise the

amount os smoke produced. It will

also improve the stove’s operation with

greater control over the fuel burn rate

and improved environmental and fuel

efﬁciency.

• Your existing chimney could leak

smoke, fumes and potentially

dangerous ‘invisible’ carbon monoxide

into other parts of the building.

• Condensation or creosote ‘tar’, often

associated with burning wood, could

eventually seep through the walls,

particularly if they are made of old or

porous brick and / or are jointed with

top of the hearth base to the top of the

chimney terminal is 4.5m (15’). If this is

not possible then a ‘spinner’ type cowl,

to compensate for the potential limited

draught, should always be speciﬁed and

specialist advice sought on the correct

type.

The Alpha II features optional top or

rear 150mm (6”) diameter ﬂue outlets.

Under no circumstances should the

stove’s 150mm diameter ﬂue be

reduced in any part of the ﬂue system

as this could cause a build-up of

dangerous carbon monoxide gas.

A free-standing stove will generally

require the ﬂue to exit the room either

through the ceiling, roof or wall.

Therefore such installations require

a specialist knowledge of building

regulations and approved ﬂue

components which, unfortunately, is

beyond the scope of these guidelines.

In this instance always consult an

approved installer who has experience

of this type of installation.

When your new Alpha stove is installed

it should be possible to sweep the

chimney through the stove by

simply removing the bafﬂe plate.

However, the installer must also provide

an alternative means, such as a soot

door with adequate air-tight seal, in the

chimney wall to be able to clean the

whole of the chimney / ﬂue system. In

any event we would recommend that,

where possible, the connecting ﬂue

pipe features at least one easily

accessible inspection hatch near the top

of the stove and that any bends which

have been used also have inspection

hatches, irrespective of any other

bfcma, produces an authoritative and

informative download Yellow Guide to

solid fuel ﬂues and chimneys.

Chimney Terminal The existing

chimney pot or terminal must be

suitable for stove installation and should

not restrict the smoke and fumes from

the stove. It must provide at least the

same outlet area as the ﬂue pipe. It may

be that your existing chimney terminal

has been replaced with a ventilating

terminal if the ﬁreplace has been closed

off at some point and this will need

replacing.

Your installer will be able to advise you

on the correct speciﬁcation of any new

cowl or terminal. Cowls have the

additional advantage of limiting rain

entering the ﬂue system which could

cause the inside of the stove to rust

when it is not being used, particularly

during the long periods outside the

heating season.

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 26-27 8/7/12 18:17:11

therefore that your ﬂue system,

chimney closure (registration) plate

and chimney has as many cleaning

access points as practicable to enable

comprehensive removal of soot,

creosote and other debris from every

point in the system. This will also

minimise the amount of time it takes

for a qualiﬁed sweep to clean the

system making the system safer and

its cleaning more cost-effective in the

long run.

• Causes: Continuous low burning

To discourage the potential for such

soot and creosote build-ups, long

periods of consistent slow or overnight

burning should be avoided or that these

should at least be compensated for by

regular burning on full output for short

periods (eg 30 minutes per day) to help

burn off any likely deposits before they

become problematic.

A good ﬂue temperature thermostat

will indicate the ﬂue gas temperature

which promotes the conditions to

create creosote deposits (around less

than 120Cº) and therefore the

operating temperature to be avoided

and is another good reason why we

strongly recommend the small

investment in this simple to use device.

• Causes: Poor fuel choice As

previously mentioned unseasoned or

damp wood or fuel should always be

avoided as these produce excessive soot

and creosote. See page 13

28 29

TROUBLE-SHOOTING

CHIMNEY FIRE

If your stove has been installed

correctly and you have also operated it

correctly and regularly carried out the

recommended routine checks on page

33 then it is unlikely that you will ever

experience a chimney ﬁre, which can be

highly dangerous.

Chimney ﬁres can be detected by an

unusual roaring sound and / or unusual

vibrations coming from the chimney

breast, the stove itself or connecting

ﬂue pipe. The sound is not to be

confused with the gentle ‘rushing’

sound you may normally hear when a

stove has a well performing draught.

You may also see sparks or ﬂames

exiting from the chimney terminal.

• Prevention

If you suspect a chimney ﬁre then

immediately close the Primary and

Secondary air controls, evacuate the

building and call the Fire Brigade. Never

open the stove door as this will make

the chimney ﬁre worse by providing

additional combustion air. Do not

re-enter the building until you have

been advised by the Fire Brigade that

it is safe.

Do not re-light the stove until the ﬂue

system has been thoroughly inspected

by an approved installer or chimney

sweep and any necessary repairs have

been carried out.

• Causes: Inadequate cleaning

Chimney ﬁres occur when soot and

creosote have built up to such a level

that they ignite. It is important

COMMISSIONING

1 Conﬁrm that all internal parts of the

stove are correctly ﬁtted, including the

bafﬂe plate

2 Conﬁrm that the door closes correctly

and that the latch mechanism and door

seals work to make an air-tight seal

3 Warm the chimney and carry out a

ﬁnal smoke draw test

4 Light the stove with a gentle ﬁre,

allowing the stove to increase to an

operational temperature level and check

that no combustion products are

entering the room

5 Ensure that the Primary and

Secondary air controls are fully

operational

6 Explain the safe operation of the

stove to the user and the importance of

using the correct fuel types

7 Explain the requirements of using an

approved ﬁreguard whenever children,

the elderly or the inﬁrm are likely to be

in the vicinity of the stove

8 Make sure that the customer receives

this copy of the Instruction Manual

9 Complete the relevant parts of the

Alpha Warranty Card with your Hetas /

INFO or competent persons

registration number and contact details

STOVE, FLUE OR OTHER

COMPONENTS GLOWING RED

• Prevention

The Primary and Secondary air controls

should be immediately closed to let the

ﬁre die down to an acceptable level

and to reduce the heat output which

will in turn eliminate the glow from the

over-heated components. Over-ﬁring

is dangerous and could permanently

damage or warp your stove and its

components. The effects of over-ﬁring

are fairly obvious to anyone in the stove

industry and will invalidate your Alpha

Warranty. Check the stove and the ﬂue

system for signs of damage before you

re-use the stove.

• Causes: Over-Firing This is caused

by using the stove at a higher output

than recommended for prolonged

periods of time and / or over-ﬁlling the

ﬁrebox with fuel. The excessive heat in

the ﬂue system produced by over-ﬁring

could potentially also lead to a chimney

ﬁre (See ‘Chimney Fire’ above).

SMOKE AND FUMES ESCAPING

INTO THE ROOM

When properly installed and

operated your stove should not

normally emit fumes or smoke into

the room. When ﬁrst using the stove

it is normal to experience paint fumes

or see light smoke rising from some

of the stove’s painted surfaces, but

these should eventually pass as the

paint cures. Occasional minor smoke

escape may also occur during refuelling

process. However, persistent smoke or

fumes could be dangerous and in this

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 28-29 8/7/12 18:17:12

of the air controls so that the ﬁre burns

with very strong bright yellow ﬂames

and with very little difference when

the air controls are operated. In such

circumstances an adjustable draught

stabiliser in the ﬂue pipe may need to

be ﬁtted to ensure that the stove will

always operate under a stable draught

to allow the stove’s controls to

function correctly. In the interests of

safety, because draught stabilisers limit

the exit of ﬂue gases from the stove,

they should only ever be speciﬁed,

ﬁtted and subsequently tested by an

approved installer.

• Causes: Fuel The fuel itself may be

of poor quality. For example pine and

other softwoods will burn much quicker

than a good hard wood log, such as

Oak. Please read the section on hard

and soft woods on page 13.

• Causes: Faulty Door Seals The rope

seals around the ﬁrechamber door

could have become worn and may not

create the air-tight seal needed for the

Primary and Secondary air controls to

function correctly. When the stove is

cold, you can easily check this seal by

placing strips of paper at various points

between the door and chamber and

checking that when the door is closed

it grips this paper. Any paper which can

be removed easily would indicate

a weakness of the door seal in that

particular spot, in which case a

complete new rope seal should be

ﬁtted. See the section on ﬁtting a rope

seal, page 35.

30 31

combustion air and the advice of the

original installer should be sought.

• Causes: Extreme weather

conditions High winds or freezing

temperatures can also temporarily

effect the performance of the chimney

draught and consequently its

effectiveness in removing smoke and

fumes from the stove’s ﬁrechamber. In

the case of freezing temperatures it is

important to build a larger pre-ﬁre than

normal to quickly provide the additional

heat needed to warm the ﬂue system

and to counteract the much lower

temperatures at the exit point of the

chimney. Please see the section on

lighting your stove on page 16.

• Causes: High winds If the problem

is associated with high winds and it

becomes a regular occurrence, then

you will need to ﬁt a specialist chimney

cowl. These are designed to provide

a stable draught and prevent speciﬁc

types of problems. Specifying the right

cowl should always be left to an

approved installer.

• Causes: Flue Exit Check, especially

at the beginning of the heating season,

that summer tree growth has not

interfered with the free passage of

smoke and ﬂue gases from the

chimney top.

OVERHEATING OR EXCESSIVE

FUEL CONSUMPTION

This can be caused by a number of

factors.

• Causes: Excessive Chimney

Draught This limits the effectiveness

situation you should take immediate

avoiding action.

• Prevention

Open doors and windows to ventilate

the room and let the ﬁre go out to

allow the stove to cool. Never pour

water onto the ﬁre as this could cause

cast iron components to break

Most importantly, never re-light the

stove until the problem has been

identiﬁed and solved. If in doubt, in the

ﬁrst instance always seek the expert

advice of your approved installer, or

authorised Alpha dealer.

There are a number of factors, either

alone or combined, which could cause

such problems:

• Causes: A blockage When safe to

do so, examine the ﬂue-way above the

bafﬂe plate as well as the ﬂue pipe and

chimney system via the appropriate

inspection hatches and clear any soot

blockages. Excessive deposits could also

indicate that the chimney or ﬂue itself

also needs cleaning (see page 34).

• Causes: Inadequate supply

of combustion air Check that any

permanent air vent ﬁtted to supply the

extra combustion air required for the

stove has not been accidentally blocked.

Remember there should never be an ex-

tractor fan in the same room as a stove,

even in a large open plan area. A simple

way of checking whether or not the

stove is receiving enough combustion

air is to open a window in the same

room as the stove whilst the stove is

operating. If this improves the problem

then this would certainly indicate that

the stove is being starved of

STOVE NOT PROVIDING

ENOUGH HEAT

This problem is also usually indicated

by dull orange lifeless ﬂames and wood

that remains black when burning

instead of light grey. A ﬂue temperature

gauge will provide you with the best

indication of whether or not your stove

is operating effectively.

• Causes: Poor fuel Poor heat output

is more than likely caused by poor fuel,

such as ‘green’ or unseasoned wood.

We cannot over-estimate how critical

it is to use fully seasoned dry wood.

The easiest way to check whether your

wood is fully seasoned is to invest in a

moisture meter speciﬁcally designed for

testing wood fuel. These are relatively

inexpensive and can be purchased from

your stove dealer. When you bear in

mind that seasoned wood with a

moisture content of less than 20% will

give you approximately 50% more heat

than unseasoned wood, a moisture

meter is modest investment which will

more than pay for itself. See page 13

Unseasoned wood introduces

unwanted moisture into the ﬁre-

chamber, reducing the stove’s operating

temperature and thus the effectiveness

of the air wash system. In addition it

will cause problems of increased soot

and harmful creosote deposits within

the ﬂue system.

Softwoods such as Pine produce

signiﬁcantly less heat output than

hardwoods.

• Causes: Air controls Ensure that

you fully understand the difference that

using the Primary and Secondary air

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 30-31 8/7/12 18:17:12

ROUTINE CHECKS

During routine checks if you notice

anything wrong with your stove then it

should be rectiﬁed immediately. Never

use a stove that you know is not fully

functioning – this includes ﬂue

components.

• Check your ﬂue system at least once a

month using one of the recommended

inspection hatches in the ﬂue pipe.

After a few checks you will notice a

pattern of soot build-up to enable you

to determine the inspection and

cleaning period best suited to your

stove’s operation.

• Check and clear the stove’s bafﬂe

plate and ﬂue way at least once a

month – see page 34.

• Regularly visually inspect any ﬂue pipe

joints where ﬁre cement has been used

and replace any missing or damaged

cement seals using the appropriate

heat-resistant ﬁre cement.

• Make sure the door maintains a good

tight ﬁt and visually inspect the door

rope seals for fraying or other signs of

wear. Test the seal if you suspect that it

is no longer air-tight – see page 35.

• Check that the glass is not chipped

or cracked and that the glass sealing

tape is still in good condition. Replace if

necessary – see page 34.

32 33

controls make to the performance of

the stove and the best way to burn your

type of fuel. See pages 13 – 19

• Causes: Inadequate Combustion

Air A stove starved of combustion air,

even when the Primary and Secondary

air controls are in the fully open

position, will provide limited heat

output. Check that any permanent

air vent ﬁtted to supply the extra

combustion air required for the stove

has not been accidentally blocked.

Remember there should never be an

extractor fan in the same room as a

stove, even in a large open plan area.

A simple way of conﬁrming whether

or not the stove is receiving enough

combustion air is to open a window

in the same room as the stove. If this

improves the problem then this would

certainly indicate that the stove is

being starved of combustion air and the

advice of the original installer should be

sought.

• Causes: Blockages When safe to

do so, examine the ﬂue-way above the

bafﬂe plate as well as the ﬂue pipe and

chimney system via the appropriate

inspection hatches and clear any soot

blockages. Excessive deposits could also

indicate that the chimney or ﬂue itself

also needs cleaning. See page 34

GLASS STAINING OR BLACKENING

Glass can be cleaned easily if it is

undertaken regularly and the deposits

are not allowed to build up. A

proprietary stove glass spray or gel is

strongly recommended – see page 34.

• Causes: Air Controls Ensure that

you fully understand how the Airwash

system works and that you have

determined, through some trial and

air, the correct balance between

Primary and Secondary air that your

stove needs. Generally, try to use more

Secondary air as this air ﬂows down

and over the glass to help burn and

wash away any particulates that have

accumulated there. See pages 15 – 19

• Causes: Poor fuel Burning damp or

unseasoned wood will cause the glass

to stain as the moisture from the fuel

considerably reduces the ﬁrechamber

temperature reducing the effectiveness

of the Airwash system. ‘Green’ wood

will also encourage sticky deposits on

the glass which will prove difﬁcult for

the impaired Airwash system to remove.

• Causes: Continuous low burning

Continuously burning your stove with a

very low ﬂame, such as slow overnight

burning will also cause this problem

because the Airwash does not get hot

enough and some blackening of the

glass should be considered a ‘trade-off’.

In this instance, if you’re sure that the

fuel is seasoned and dry, then burning

the stove at very high temperature for

a short period after a long slow burn

will usually burn off any sooty deposits.

Glass can be cleaned easily if it is

undertaken regularly and the deposits

are not allowed to build up. A

proprietary stove glass spray or gel is

strongly recommended – see page 34.

STANDING DOWN

There will be some point in the year

when you will not need to use your

stove for a considerable time and taking

care to clean it thoroughly then will

save you much time later. This is also a

good time to get your chimney swept

too as this will prevent any soot build

up from falling inside the stove ‘caking’

and blocking the ﬂue way.

• Remove and clean any deposits from

the top of the bafﬂe plate and check

for wear.

• Remove any debris and deposits from

the inside of the stove particularly at

the entrance to the ﬂue way.

• Empty the ash pan and thoroughly

clean out the ash pan chamber.

• Check all rope seals and replace dam-

aged ropes that do not provide a good

seal – see page 35.

• Check any ﬁre cement bonds around

the ﬂue joints, particularly where they

connect to the stove. Remove any loose

cement and re-seal.

• Check the vermiculite ﬁrebricks and

replace any that are becoming very thin

or have crumbled to reveal the cast iron

sides of the stove.

• Check the grate for signs of wear.

Excessive wear, such as grate bars or

log retaining bars which are bent or

warped, could be an indication of

over-ﬁring or using inappropriate fuels

such as petroleum coke. Order genuine

replacement components from your

authorised Alpha dealer (or in case of

difﬁculty your National Distributor)

– see back cover.

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 32-33 8/7/12 18:17:12

ﬂuid have been removed and the glass

is thoroughly dry as any residue can be

‘baked’ on causing unsightly smearing.

Read the section on fuels on page 13.

• Replacing Glass Never use your

stove if it has cracked or missing glass.

Your Alpha dealer can quickly supply

you with a new piece of heat resistant

glass should you ever need it – just let

them know the stove name and model

number. Only use heat-resistant glass as

this is made to withstand temperatures

of up to 800ºC.

Remove the screws and glass clamp

washers from each corner and place

them in a safe place. Always use the

correct sized Phillips crosshead

screwdriver and use releasing oil if the

screws prove difﬁcult to remove. Be

careful not to dislodge the ribbon seal.

If this is damaged or worn replace it

completely. Loose ribbon can be held in

place with rope seal glue available from

your dealer. Lubricate the screws and

holes and reverse the process, being

careful not to over-tighten the screws

and clamps in case you break the glass.

• Paint Finish Your stove has been

ﬁnished with heat-resistant paint

(except for enamelled models) and is

very easy to maintain. Regularly remove

ash and dust from surfaces with a soft

cloth or brush. To maintain the

original paint ﬁnish you can use

traditional ‘stove black’ polish which

your Alpha dealer can supply. Make

sure the stove is cold and use protective

gloves as this type of polish can cause

deep staining to the skin and

ﬁngernails.

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

• Bafﬂe Plate and Flue Way

During the heating season check the

ﬂue way and bafﬂe plate at least once

a month to start with and remove any

soot deposits. Should these be

excessive then have your chimney and

ﬂue cleaned. At the same time review

your choice of fuel and the way that

you operate the stove.

Regular long periods of slow or over-

night burning can create excessive soot

because the stove is not operating at

the temperature required to burn off

most of the sooty. Damp or unseasoned

wood will also have similar effect. To

ﬁnd a local registered sweep visit

www.guildofmasterchimneysweeps.

co.uk or www.chimneyworks.co.uk.

• Chimney Cleaning The Alpha II

can be swept through the stove by

simply removing the bafﬂe

plate – see page 10. Sweep your

chimney before installation and then at

the end of each heating season when

you stand down your stove. Burning

seasoned dry wood means that you will

probably need to sweep every three

months. The amount of soot deposits

removed each time is a good indication

of how often you should sweep and

as you begin to understand your stove

and the wood you burn you can adjust

the cleaning intervals accordingly. If in

doubt seek the advice of a registered

chimney sweep who has experience of

stoves.

• Firebricks Regularly inspect the

condition of the ﬁrebricks. Please note

that minor cracks are perfectly normal

due to the high temperatures created

inside the stove. If necessary small

cracks can be repaired using a

proprietary heat resistant ﬁre cement

(your stove dealer should be able to

advise you). Bricks only need replacing if

they have crumbled or part of the brick

has broken away revealing the stove

bodywork. Firebricks are deemed as

‘consumable’ and are therefore not

covered under your Warranty.

To replace a ﬁrebrick, ﬁrst remove

the bafﬂe plate by lifting this up and

dropping it down to clear the bafﬂe

plate retaining ledge at the back of

the stove. The ﬁrebricks can then be

lifted upwards and outwards to clear

the ﬁre grate carrier frame. It is not

unusual for these to be a tight ﬁt so

you may have to gently lever these from

the top.

• Cleaning the Glass Using damp or

‘green’ unseasoned wood, ﬁlling with

small fuel loads or operating the stove

at low temperatures (slow overnight

burning) will reduce the effectiveness of

the Airwash system and cause the glass

to stain. Do not allow such staining to

build up as it will become more difﬁcult

to remove after each ﬁring. When used

regularly, a proprietary scratch-resistant

stove glass cleaning gel or spray, which

can be supplied by your stove dealer,

removed with a soft cloth, should be

sufﬁcient to keep the glass in pristine

condition. Make sure the glass is cold

before you apply such cleaners, as

applying a cold solution to hot glass

could create a thermal shock within the

glass causing the glass to crack. Also

make sure that all traces of the cleaning

Repair worn or scratched surfaces

with a proprietary heat-resistant spray

paint made specially for stoves, also

available from your stove dealer. Never

use an aerosol spray on, or near, the

stove when it is burning or it is hot.

• Door Rope Seals It is important

that you maintain a tight door seal

as this prevents unwanted air leaking

into the ﬁrechamber and helps make

the Primary and Secondary air more

effective in controlling the ﬁre.

When the stove is cold, to check the

door stove seal, place strips of paper

between the door and ‘door frame’

and shut the door. If you have to pull

hard to remove these or they tear,

then you have an effective door seal.

If these can be easily removed or if

they slide around you will need to

replace the door seal. Your new Alpha

stove is supplied with a spare rope

seal for the door. To replace, carefully

remove the old seal and completely

clean the seal channel of debris and

old glue. Use liberal amounts of

proprietary heat resistant ﬁre rope

glue to hold the rope in position and

glue both ends to ensure a well-sealed

joint.

Replacement rope should be 9mm

diameter.

• Replacement Parts In the interests

of safety, only ever use genuine Alpha

replacement components – see back

cover.

Alpha II Handbook Non-Defra.indd 34-35 8/7/12 18:17:13

ANNUAL SERVICE

In the interests of safety it is important

that your Alpha stove is serviced on an

annual basis in accordance with the

instructions outlined below. This should

be carried out by a suitably qualiﬁed

person such as your original approved

installer, a Hetas registered installer or

your authorised Alpha dealer.

When the stove is cold, only then strip,

clean and inspect it.

Internal Components Remove and

inspect the following:

• Bafﬂe Plate

• Side Firebricks

• Grate Assembly

• Ash Pan

Use a wire brush to clean the bafﬂe

plate and grate assembly. Use a soft

brush on the ﬁrebricks and handle these

with care as they become fragile with

continuous use. Wire brush the inside

of the stove and remove all ash and

debris from inside the stove and the ash

pan chamber.

Check all parts for wear or damage and

replace as necessary. Some surface wear

is normal on ﬁrebricks and these only

need replacing when they are very thin

or have crumbled to reveal the stove

bodywork.

Re-ﬁt all the internal parts.

Stove Glass Check the glass for chips

or cracks and the glass seal condition

and replace if necessary. Thoroughly

clean the stove glass on both sides.

Door Seal Check that this continues

to make an air-tight seal and replace

if necessary. Ensure that the new rope

joint is also in the middle at the base

of the rope seal channel. Replacement

door rope seal should be 9mm dia.

See page 32

External Bodywork All external

surfaces should be dusted with a soft

cloth or light brush.

• Examine all paintwork for signs of

wear and re-paint these areas using an

appropriate heat-resistant aerosol paint.

Warning: do not use the aerosol if the

stove is alight or hot.

• When the aerosol paint has dried,

apply traditional stove black polish to

all painted surfaces

• Lightly oil the hinges and locking

mechanism

Air Controls When standing down at

the end of the heating season these

should be left on the open position to

allow some movement of air which will

help avoid condensation and moisture

building up inside the stove and ﬂue

system. These can be closed up to 50%

if it gets too draughty.

Flue Pipe Connections Check all ﬂue

collar and pipe connections, where

applicable, for any crumbling or missing

ﬁre cement seals. Remove any failed

seals and re-seal using the appropriate

heat-resistant ﬁre cement.

Important In the interests of safety use

only genuine Alpha replacement parts

which are readily available from your

authorised dealer – see back cover.

FIRST SERVICE

Work carried out:

SECOND SERVICE

Work carried out:

THIRD SERVICE

Work carried out:

FOURTH SERVICE

Work carried out:

FIFTH SERVICE

Work carried out:

Date

Next Service Due

Signed Print