Hotpod Unlimited User manual

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2 3
INSTALLATION AND INSTRUCTION
MANUAL
CONTENTS
Page
5 Unpacking your Hotpod
6 Dimensions
7 Consumer summary
Installation instructions
8 The room
9 The ue
10 Connection to ue
10 Installer’s notes
User Instructions
12 Pieces of Pod (what all the bits are and what they do)
14 Installation of bafe
16 Lighting your Hotpod
18 Getting the best from your Hotpod
19 Fuel notes
20 Maintenance
21 Safety checklist
22 Troubleshooting
24 Seasonal use and adverse ue and weather conditions
26 Other HOT stuff
2 3
VERSION 3, JUNE 2011

4 5
UNPACKING YOUR HOTPOD
Your Hotpod is made from recycled cast iron, mild steel, and high-
grade stainless steel, and is therefore not light in weight. We
recommend that 2 people are available to handle the stove.
Care should be taken not to break the glass whilst
handling the stove.
Please remove all outer packaging before tting your Hotpod and
check that all protective packaging has been removed from inside the
stove also.
A WARM WELCOME TO HOTPOD
Thank you for purchasing a Hotpod, we trust that it will bring you as
much pleasure as ours have brought us.
Please have a good read of this instruction booklet. If you have any
questions about your Hotpod please do get in touch - either:
give us a call on 01736 797285, or
email us on [email protected]
We really love to see Hotpods installed in their new homes, so if you
feel inspired to send us a photo that would be great!
We look forward to hearing from you.
Dan & Lucy
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6 7
[ EXOTHERMIC OXIDIZING REACTOR - UNLIMITED
Intermittent burning solid fuel room heater for installation in single chimneys
Flue spigot 125mm ID
Minimum distance to combustibles: 500mm
Recommended minimum clearance to non-combustibles: 100mm
Output: (wood) 6.1kW.6.1kW to room, 0kW to water
(1.2kg wood per 45 minutes/1.9 kg per hour)
CO: 0.24% @13% O2. Efciency 81.3%
Output: (anthracite) 6.8kW. 6.8 kW to room, 0kW to water
(0.9 kg anthracite per hour)
CO: 0.10% @13% O2. Efciency 75.7%
Hearth temperature does not exceed 100 °C
Flue gas temperature directly downstream of the ue spigot: 350 °C
Required ue draught for correct operation: 12Pa
Weight of Hotpod: 56.3 kg
Conforms to EN13240 and is a DEFRA exempt appliance for use in smoke control areas
The Hotpod is designed for operation with the door closed. Heat is mainly
diffused by infrared radiation from the main body and the window and by air convec-
tion from the stove body and any exposed ue pipe.
Combustion occurs on the grate, with draught (oxygen) entry through the primary and
secondary air vents.
All local regulations, including those referring to national and European standards need
to be complied with when installing the appliance.
THE HOTPOD SHOULD NOT BE MODIFIED IN ANY WAY
USE ONLY GENUINE HOTPOD REPLACEMENT PARTS
The Hotpod Unlimited has a 10 year warranty. Warranty terms and conditions can be
found at: www.hotpod.co.uk/warranty.asp
HOTPOD UNLIMITED DIMENSIONS
76

8 9
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
Your Hotpod should only be installed by competent personnel in the strict application
of normal practices and all safety precautions. All local regulations, including those
referring to national and European standards need to be complied with when installing
the appliance.
An incorrectly installed stove can cause serious accidents.
The manufacturer’s responsibility shall be limited to the supply of the equipment only.
THE ROOM
VENTILATION: For satisfactory operation with a natural draught, check that sufcient
air for combustion is available in the room. The Hotpod should be installed in a room
with a permanently open air vent (e.g. air brick) with an opening of at least 1100mm²
(or 2350mm² if a draught stabiliser is tted). The vent should be installed in such a
way that it is not liable to blockage. It is a good idea where possible to position the air
vent close to the Hotpod to prevent cold drafts travelling across the room.
Extractor fans must not be placed in the same room as the Hotpod.
FLOORS: Before installing the Hotpod, you must ensure that the load-bearing capacity
of the oor can withstand the weight of the Hotpod plus the ue pipe and connections.
If an existing construction doesn’t meet this prerequisite, suitable measures (e.g. load
distributing plate ) should be taken to achieve it.
HEARTH: The hearth must be suitable for use with solid fuel burning appliances and
must comply with Current Building Regulations. If in doubt, consult your local buildings
inspector.
The Hotpod hearth temperature does not exceed 100 degrees Celsius and therefore
may be placed on a 12mm non-constructional hearth directly onto the oor.
CLEARANCES: The Hotpod should not be positioned close to combustible materials.
The minimum distance to combustible materials is 500mm. This includes above the
hotplate e.g. to a wooden mantelpiece or lintel.
The recommended minimum clearance to non-combustibles (e.g. the walls of the
replace) is 100mm. This allows for free air movement around the Hotpod improving
convection and therefore efciency.
THE FLUE
The Hotpod has an outlet designed for 125mm (5”) ue pipe (or connecting pipe
into an existing masonry chimney). It can be used with either a top or rear ue by
swapping the ue spigot and the blanking plate. They should both be sealed to the
Hotpod body with a suitable proprietary sealant such as re cement.
THE FLUE MUST NOT BE SHARED WITH OTHER APPLIANCES.
The ue must not be supported by the stove.
The ue must be in good condition and must provide sufcient draught.
THE FLUE DRAUGHT SHOULD BE 12PA. A FLUE WITH A DRAUGHT MUCH
ABOVE OR BELOW 12 PA CAN BE DANGEROUS THROUGH EITHER INEFFICIENT
OR OVER BURNING.
The ue must be suitable for the installation of solid fuel burning appliances and
comply with Current Building Regulations.
The ue must be clean. It should be swept to remove soot and dislodge tar deposits.
If the chimney has any down draught tendency, due to its position in relation to nearby
obstacles, then an anti-down draught cowl must be installed or the chimney height
increased.
If the decompression in the chimney is excessive, a draught stabiliser should be
installed.

10 11
CONNECTION TO FLUE:
The Hotpod should be connected to the ue by a 125mm smoke pipe, approved for
installation with combustible products. We recommend a minimum of 500mm of single
walled pipe with cleaning access.
The joint between the connection pipe and the ue must be leak tight. Flue
connections should be sealed with a suitable proprietary sealant such as re cement or
high temperature rope seal. Gunnable cartridge sealing compounds work well, and are
easy to apply. For example, Fortax Ceramix.
The minimum distance to combustibles for an uninsulated 125mm ue pipe is 375mm.
The minimum distance to a non combustible shield is 187.5mm
The connection pipe and chimney/ue must have access for cleaning as the Hotpod is
too small to effectively clean the ue through the appliance itself.
Installation notes:

12 13
Every piece with its own function,
combining beauty with use...
PIECES OF POD
1: Brass ID plaque
2: Fuel loading
door
3: Secondary air
valve / air wash
4: Ash pan
5: Door catch
6: Primary air valve
7: Belly pan and
product label
1: Brass ID plaque. Chemically etched by Dan in his Garden shed using methods
learned from friends at the Porthmeor Print Workshop in St. Ives . The plaques have
the Hotpod logo and the edition type.
2: Fuel loading door. Originally designed around a Pyrex saucepan lid with a hinge
made from Volkswagen engine con-rods. Even today, the hinge pin is still made from a
section of Volkswagen shock absorber strut.
3: Secondary air valve / air wash. This is the only really complex bit of the Hotpod
and the part which makes it so efcient. The air enters through the valve and is
pre-heated in the hollow chamber around the door tube before entering the rebox
through shaped slots at the top which direct the pre-heated air over the glass before
feeding the ames. This is the best control for wood burning.
4: Ash pan. The stainless steel knob on the front of the ash pan isn’t for making
coffee or anything like that. It is just the handle for the ash pan for easy ash removal.
The knob, like the legs, air valves and door catch, are all dairy ttings. On the Prepods
(Lucy’s original stove and the next 5 copies) they were all scrap from the St Ivel dairy
which closed down a mile from Dan’s workshop. Nowadays we have to buy them new
from Yorkshire.
5: Door catch. Pretty self explanatory we think. See above. Please do not over
tighten. You will nd that you can get the screw adjuster to a perfect spot so that it
will shut the door securely while allowing you to simply uncatch without unscrewing to
open the door - have a play.
6: Primary air valve. This valve lets air in beneath the re grate. This is very good
for getting a good re going and the main control when using mineral fuels. Both of
the air valve knobs are machined at my local engineering shop from single pieces of
stainless steel.
7: Belly pan and product label. The original function of the belly pan was purely
aesthetic. The Hotpods just don’t look right without them. They are made from the top
of the re extinguishers which go on to become the Podhopper coal scuttles. Now they
nally have found their true use, which is to house the compulsory product labelling
which hides away neatly inside.
12 13

14 15
INSTALLATION OF THE BAFFLE
The Hotpod bafe plate is a simple device to keep the ames inside the stove body for
longer, helping make the Hotpod more efcient.
Due to its position in the stove it will catch any soot from the ue and therefore needs
to be checked on a regular basis to be certain it is not restricting the ue.
It is worth becoming accustomed with how it ts whilst it is new and clean. It is de-
signed to be installed and removed through the Hotpod door and does not require any
tools, although rubber gloves are a good idea. Hopefully these images will help.
The pictures have been done with the stove top removed purely to help you to visual-
ise the inside of the stove.
IMPORTANT!
ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE HOTPOD IS COLD BEFORE ANY MAINTENANCE
Finally, looking through the door, make a visual inspection to check that the bafe
plate is properly located on its shelf. The front edge should be horizontal when viewed
through the door and there should be a 3 cm gap between the top edge of the bafe
and the underside of the hotplate.
Note: I nd that like with Volkswagens, if you try to force something it will get stuck…
so tease - that’s the key.
Bafed? Hope not.
3. Drop the back edge down and
towards the back of the stove until it
sits on its shelf
4. Lower the front edge into place and
make sure that both sides are located
equally
2. Once it is fully inside, push
it up to the hotplate and
rotate 90 degrees so that the
longest at edge is towards
the front.
1. Place the bafe plate on your
at hand and post it through the
door aiming high at the back.

16 17
LIGHTING YOUR HOTPOD
PLEASE NOTE: When lighting your new Hotpod for the rst time the paint will cure
giving off some smoke and fumes. The paint manufacturer’s guidelines are as follows:
“For the rst 3 times you use your appliance, open windows, doors and if necessary
use fans to provide a fresh airow as the paint will give off fumes and smoke.
Cure Process: Use kindling only on the rst two res, which should burn for 15-20
minutes with the second burn being started whilst the appliance is still warm. A full
re should be burnt for 45-60 minutes; again starting when the stove is still warm,
then allowed to cool naturally. Your paint should now have cured and no longer give off
fumes or smoke”
1Empty the ash-pan prior to lighting, when your Hotpod is cold. Never allow the ash-
pan to overll as not only will this reduce the efciency of your Hotpod it can also allow
the grate to wear prematurely. Plus you will probably make a mess when trying to
empty it.
WARNING: THE HOTPOD ASH-PAN IS DESIGNED FOR REMOVAL OF ASH ONLY.
IT IS NOT DESIGNED AS AN AIR VENT AND SHOULD NEVER BE USED AS SUCH.
IT SHOULD REMAIN FIRMLY CLOSED DURING USE. IMPROPER USE COULD
CAUSE THE HOTPOD TO OVER-HEAT CAUSING DAMAGE.
2 Use the poker to clear the top of the grate of ash (to avoid venting ash into
the room, make sure that the ash pan and primary air valve are closed). It is not
necessary or advisable to remove all of the ash from around the grate. A good bed of
ash not only helps the re burn more efciently, but will also help prolong the life of
the Hotpod. You need to clear the grate enough for the primary air to get through. (If
you can see the gaps in the grate, then air will get through)
3 Lay re-lighters or rolled up newspaper on top of the cleared grate with dry kindling
wood on top. Place a small amount of required fuel on top of the kindling.
4 Light the newspaper or re-lighters using a long taper and close the door.
5 Open the primary air valve (the big knob on the right) and the secondary air valve
(the small one under the door) by turning anti-clockwise. Do not overturn: 3 or 4
rotations should sufce. Over turning may allow the knob to fall off.
6 When the re is burning well, open the door and add further fuel, closing the door
afterwards. Efciency tests were carried out using 1.9kg of seasoned hardwood per
hour and 0.9kg of anthracite per hour.
NEVER LOAD FUEL TO A HIGHER LEVEL THAN THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE
BAFFLE PLATE
The Hotpod is only designed for use with the fuel loading door closed. The
rebox should be kept closed except during ignition, refuelling and removal of
residue to prevent fume spillage.
WARNING: THE HOTPOD BECOMES HOT WHEN LIT; PLEASE USE GAUNTLETS
PROVIDED WHEN HANDLING THE STOVE (ADJUSTING AIR-VENT, OPENING
DOOR AND ANY OTHER MANUAL ADJUSTMENTS REQUIRED FOR YOUR STOVE)
BURNING WOOD:
Once your wood is burning well, you should close the primary air valve and control the
re using the secondary air valve only.
BURNING MINERAL FUELS:
Mineral fuels rely on a supply of oxygen from underneath therefore the re should be
controlled with the primary air valve, with the secondary air valve closed to a gap of 4-
5mm (for the airwash to work).
To slow the burning rate down turn the relevant air valve (see above) clockwise.
To speed the burn rate up turn the air valve anti-clockwise.
REFUELLING:
The Hotpod will be hot, please wear the Heat resistant gloves. Close the air valves,
open the glass door and add the fuel. Close the door and return the air valves to
desired position. See notes above on maximum fuel levels / efcient quantities.
YOUR HOTPOD DOES NOT COME WITH A FIREGUARD. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR
HOTPOD UNATTENDED ESPECIALLY IF CHILDREN ARE AROUND.

18 19
GETTING THE BEST FROM YOUR
HOTPOD
Use good fuel
Never burn unseasoned or damp wood.
You must have a good chimney draught
Never use your Hotpod with a poor chimney draught (see page 9)
Refuelling on to a low re bed
If there is insufcient burning material in the rebed to light a new fuel charge,
excessive smoke emission can occur. Refuelling must be carried out onto a sufcient
quantity of glowing embers and ash that the new fuel charge will ignite in a reasonable
period. If there are too few embers in the re bed, add suitable kindling to prevent
excessive smoke.
Fuel overloading
The maximum amount of fuel specied in this manual should not be exceeded (see
p17) overloading can cause excess smoke.
Operation with door left open
Operation with the door open can cause excess smoke. The appliance must not be
operated with the appliance door left open except as directed in the instructions.
Air controls left open
Operation with the air controls open can cause excess smoke. The appliance must not
be operated with air controls open except as directed in the instructions.
FUEL NOTES
RECOMMENDED WOOD FUEL:
• Ideally use well seasoned, kiln dried, hardwood (eg. Oak, Beech, or Ash) logs.
• 23cm (9”) logs t perfectly. Your Hotpod door tube is roughly 15cm (6”) diameter.
RECOMMENDED MINERAL FUEL:
Anthracite and smokeless fuels such as Sunbrite Doubles, Phurnacite, Ancit, Taybrite,
Maxibrite, Supacite and Anthracite Large Nuts.
OTHER RECOMMENDED FUELS:
Plant-based material compressed into briquettes or logs (NOT pellets).
NOT RECOMMENDED AS FUEL:
• Green wood or re-claimed wood is not recommended as fuel.
• Unseasoned wood
• Used timbers: Burning treated wood (railway sleepers, telegraph poles, off cuts of
plywood or chip board etc.) may quickly clog ue ways (soot, tar, etc.), pollute the
environment (pollution and smell etc.) and could cause the re to burn too quickly
and overheat.
• THE HOTPOD SHOULD NOT BE USED AS AN INCINERATOR
• DO NOT USE HOUSE COAL OR ANY PETROLEUM BASED OR MIXED FUELS
• DO NOT USE LIQUID FUELS OF ANY DESCRIPTION
• DO NOT USE WOOD PELLETS OR WOOD CHIPS
Have a look at the Hotpod Owners Pages on our website for more information
on fuels.
18 19

20 21
SAFETY CHECKLIST
• Ensure proper ventilation (see page 8, ventilation section)
• Regular cleaning and sweeping (see page 21 )
• Always use the right fuel ( see page 20 )
• Regularly check the condition of wearing parts such as re rope seals, glass and
re grate and replace when necessary. Use only Hotpod original parts available
from www.hotpod.co.uk
• Always use a securely tted reguard when children are in the house.
• If your appliance begins to burn slowly, goes out frequently or if you smell or
suspect fumes:
- Open doors and windows.
- Carefully put out the re, or allow it to burn itself out. Do not stay in the
room any longer than necessary.
- Do not attempt to re-light the appliance until a professional has checked it.
CHIMNEY FIRE
What to do:
In the event of a chimney re...
• Dial 999 and ask for the Fire Service.
• Make sure that the Hotpod door, ash pan and air vents are rmly closed.
• Close any access hatches to the chimney
• Do not re-light the Hotpod until the chimney has been checked and inspected
by a qualied chimney sweep.
ALWAYS CALL THE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE FOR A CHIMNEY FIRE - IT HAS
THE ABILITY TO DESTROY YOUR HOME
MAINTENANCE
DAILY MAINTENANCE
• Empty the ash-pan
• Check and clean light stains from the glass. Wipe the door glass using a lint-free
cloth and appropriate stove glass cleaner.
ANNUAL MAINTENANCE
• When the weather warms up and you stop using your Hotpod it is important to
carry out an annual maintenance check.
• Empty your Hotpod of ash and clean.
• Arrange for your chimney sweep to check and clean your chimney
• Replace door glass and bre rope if needed
• Check the grate and replace if necessary
CHIMNEY MAINTENANCE & SWEEPING
Very Important: To avoid accidents (chimney re, etc.) regular maintenance should
be carried out. If the stove is regularly used, the chimney should be inspected by a
competent person at least once a year.

22 23
TROUBLESHOOTING
THE HOTPOD WON’T LIGHT
Is your wood wet?
Unseasoned or wet wood with too high moisture content can be difcult or impossible
to light. This is not good for you, your neighbours, your Hotpod or the ue. If you do
manage to get the re lit, the tarry moisture which leaves the rebox can condense in
your chimney and can eventually lead to blockages and increase the risk of a chimney
re. Only use dry well seasoned wood or solid mineral fuel in your Hotpod (see
recommended fuels, page 19).
Is your grate blocked?
If the grate is blocked, either with too much ash on top or an over-full ash pan
blocking the air from below, it prevents combustion air from reaching the re. Always
ensure that the ash pan is not over-full and use the Hotrod poker to riddle the ash
from on top of the grate.
Is your ue blocked?
Insufcient ue draught can cause any stove to be sluggish and can be dangerous
particularly if it causes ue gases to leak into the room instead of going up the
chimney. If you smell smoke or smoke visibly vents into the room from the re-door
when open for lighting or refuelling, this would suggest insufcient draught either from
a blockage in the stove itself or in the ue.
Check inside the Hotpod for any blockages, remove and clean the bafe plate (see
pages 14 and 15). If there are denitely no blockages in the Hotpod body, then it is
time to call the chimney sweep and have your ue inspected.
DO NOT USE THE HOTPOD UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS FOUND AND RESOLVED.
SEE PAGES 9 & 10 FOR INFORMATION ON THE FLUE.
THE HOTPOD GETS TOO HOT/ WON’T SHUT DOWN:
Are you using the correct fuels?
See page 19 for fuel information
Is your ash-pan closing properly?
Remove the ash-pan and clean out the ash compartment. Sometimes a build up of ash
at the back can prevent the drawer from closing fully. Check the condition of the ash-
pan rope seal and replace if necessary.
Is the primary air valve (the big one) able to close fully?
When fully closed (turned clockwise) the primary air valve should have no air gap
between the knob and the valve body. The secondary air valve (the small one) is made
with a 4mm air gap for efciency and the air wash so will never close fully.
Is your ue draught too high?
Too much ue draught can draw too much air through the re even when fully closed
down. The Hotpod is designed for a ue draught of 12Pa (see page 9). This is a better
problem to have than too little ue draught as it can be solved by tting a ue draught
regulator in the ue above the Hotpod which enables excess draught to be drawn into
the ue from the room through an adjustable ap instead of through the Hotpod. Ask
your stove installer or local chimney sweep for details.
Have a look at the Hotpod Owners pages on our website for frequently asked
questions.

24 25
CORRECT OPERATIONS FOR SEASONAL USE AND UNDER ADVERSE FLUE
DRAUGHT OR ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS:
Before a long period of non-use, empty the fuel and ash, remove and clean the bafe
plate and leave all the air controls open to allow ventilation to reduce condensation.
If lighting after a period of non-use, do check that the ueways and chimney are
completely clear.
On days without wind or with fog, down draught may occur. If down draught happens
this results in problems with lighting and maintaining the re. Use good quality
kindling to start the re and run the stove at a higher heat setting than normal for a
period after starting up. This will heat the chimney faster and improve the draught. If
down draught is a consistent problem, then you should speak to your installer about
tting an anti down draught device.
If a ue blockage or adverse weather conditions cause the Hotpod to emit smoke, do
not treat it as merely a nuisance, this smoke will indicate that carbon monoxide is
being emitted into the room.
If your chimney is in an exposed position or a place where high winds are common,
this can create conditions with too much draught in the ue, causing the Hotpod to
over-burn, and be difcult to control. In this situation, a ue draught stabiliser should
be tted to the ue above the Hotpod which will stabilise the draught .
The ue draught should be 12Pa.
FINALLY:
This Hotpod has been carefully designed and constructed to give clean burning with
optimum efciency and safety, but as with all appliances these standards will not be
achieved unless it is installed and maintained regularly by qualied persons. It must
also be operated strictly with the procedures given in this manual. If you are unsure
about anything concerning your appliance please contact us or your local professional
for advice.

26 27
HOTPOD ACCESSORIES
Hotrod poker
Hotrod tongs
Hotrod brush
OTHER HOT CREATIONS
Every Hotpod comes complete with its very own Hotrod poker made from retired
Volkswagen shock absorbers, and a pair of Hotpod-branded (literally) Gauntlets.
Other re tools available, which are also made out of recycled Volkswagen parts,
are the brush, re tongs and shovel - available individually or as a set complete
with stand. There is also the Podhopper: a coal scuttle made from a recycled re
extinguisher.
There is even more HOT stuff in our online shop:
www.hotpod.co.uk/hotpod-online-shop.asp
Hotrod shovel
Hotrod stand Podhopper Gauntlets

28
web: www.hotpod.co.uk
email: [email protected]
tel: [phone]
HOTPOD
PENCARN FORGE, CANONSTOWN, HAYLE, CORNWALL TR27 6NA
Registered ofce: The Old School, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 1QU
Registered in England 05728243
VAT Registration Number 886 9099 45