Vermont Casting 1610CE Manuel D’Utilisation

18

operating temperature quickly.  Use this sequence as a 
guide to successful refueling:
NOTE: Door handles can be hot. A glove has been 
included with your stove. We recommend using this 
glove whenever operating door or damper controls and 
especially when operating the top griddle.
1.  Open the damper.
2.  De-ash the stove as described above.  Open the 

ashdoor and check the level of ash in the ash pan.  
Empty the pan if necessary and replace it in the 
stove.  Close the ash door.

3.  Open the griddle, load the wood (smaller pieces 

first), and close the griddle.

4.  Close the damper.
5.  When the surface temperature reaches 230° C 

(450° F), adjust the air control for the amount of heat 
you desire.

NOTE:  If the remaining charcoal bed is relatively thick 
(51-76 mm/2-3”) and if your fuel is well seasoned, it is 
possible to add fresh fuel (smaller pieces first), close 
the door and damper, and reset the primary air control 
for the desired heat output within five minutes.
CAUTION: The Defiant will be hot while in opera-

Contact may cause skin burns.
DO NOT OVERFIRE THIS HEATER.  Overfiring may 
cause a house fire, or can result in permanent damage 
to the stove.  If any part of the Defiant glows, you are 
overfiring.

Routine ash removal is important for ease of maintenance, 
and is important for the stove’s durability. Remove ash be-
fore it reaches the top of the ash pan.  Check the level at 
least once a day.  Every few days, clear any ash from the 
outer edges of the firebox.  Most of the ash will fall through 
the grate.  Slice or stir the ash  with a shovel or poker so 
that it falls through the grate slots.  
IMPORTANT:  Check the level of ash in the ash pan 
before reloading the stove.  If the ash level is close to 
the top edge of the pan, empty the pan according to this 
procedure:

 

• 

Open the damper.

•  Open the griddle or front doors, and use a shovel or 

poker to stir excess ash through the ash slots in the 
grate down into the ash pan. 

•  Close the griddle or doors, and unlatch the ash door.  

(Fig. 34) It will pivot, swinging the ash pan out of the 
stove. 

•  Slide the cover onto the pan, making sure it is securely 

closed. (Fig. 35)

•  Remove the ash pan, making sure to keep it level.
•  To keep the cover from sliding off and to keep ash from 

falling on the floor, do not tilt the ash pan forward. 

•  If the stove is in operation, close the ash door while dis-

posing of the ash. You may need to lift the latch end of 
the door slightly to align the latch with the mating part 
on the stove bottom.

•  Properly dispose of the ash in a metal container with a 

tight-fitting lid.  Store the container outdoors away from 
all combustible material.

•  Return the ash pan to its original position in the stove, 

and close and latch the ash door. (Fig. 35)

•  Do not operate the stove with the ash door open. This 

will result in over-firing, and could cause damage to the 
stove, void the warranty, or even lead to a house fire.

Empty the ash pan regularly, typically every one to three 
days. The frequency will vary depending on how you oper-
ate your Defiant: ash will accumulate faster at higher heat 
outputs.
Remove ash  frequently and place it outdoors in a metal 
container with a tight-fitting lid. Place the closed container 
of ash on a noncombustible floor or on the ground, well 
away from all combustible materials, pending final dispos-
al.  If the ash is disposed of by burial in soil or otherwise 
locally dispersed, it should be kept in the closed container 
until all cinders have thoroughly cooled.  
You can use wood ash as a garden fertilizer. 
CAUTION:  Never use your household or shop vacuum 
cleaner to remove ash from the stove; always remove and 
dispose of the ash properly.

ST545

ashdoor

11/00

ST545

Fig. 34  Turn the ashdoor handle clockwise to open and coun-
terclockwise to close.

Open

Close

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ST566

Fig. 35  Be sure the cover is securely attached before remov-
ing the ash pan.