Placement of coals on gas fire

[cantaffordtradesmen]

I've been told that the artificial coals on my gas fire are not placed correctly as there is soot on them, indicating that the flames are burning them - thus creating carbon monoxide. Apparently the coals are not supposed to touch the flame and there is a recommended placement and position of the coals on each specific fire.

I've searched the internet for manuals and user guides but can't find any. Have tried finding and phoning the company that made the fire (portway) but they dont seem to exist any more.

Does anyone know where I could get copies of manuals/user guides for gas fires?

 

[OwainDIYer]

Portway appears to be a brand for solid fuel appliances.

http://www.bfm-europe.com/index.php?target=steps&task=catstep&brand=9

BFM Europe also make/sell gas fires and the instructions are linked from the model pages on that site

 

[cantaffordtradesmen]

Thanks for the link, but yes, had seen that before and saw that they tend to be all wood burners.

All I have to go on is the text on the front of my fire, next to the gas control knob and all it says is portway and then a few serial numbers. All I've managed to find out is that the company is also called taylor & portway but their website doesn't work (just all adverts and links), neither does their phone number.

Thanks for trying anyway.
Cheers

 

[macfudd]

Almost all gas fires with a coal effect have a set pattern to set the coals in and this should be followed.
However a lot of these fires will produce some soot (manufacturers say this enhances the realism of the fire)as well and usually the customer is informed to use the fire on full for the first 5/10 minutes to burn off any excess soot that may have formed.
You should call in a Gas Safe engineer to service the fire and advise you further,he will be able to carry out checks to ensure the fire is safe and may also be able to help with the coal placement.

 

[cantaffordtradesmen]

It was actually the gas engineer who told me it was dodgy and to try and get a manual from the internet!

 

[foxhole]

It was actually the gas engineer who told me it was dodgy and to try and get a manual from the internet!

Was he from British Gas?

 

[cantaffordtradesmen]

No, he was from a local company. He was very good at finding & fixing some gas leaks and servicing the boiler (gas safe registered). He pretty much said the same as what macfudd has said here but he didn't know where to go to get old manuals. To be fair, I didn't get him in to service the gas fire, he only noticed it because one of the leaks was from the fire. Perhaps if I had got him in to specifically sort the fire out then he may have done the coal placements too. But at £80 an hour, I'm wondering if buying a manual and moving coals myself would be cheaper!

 

[kirkgas]

No, he was from a local company. He was very good at finding & fixing some gas leaks and servicing the boiler (gas safe registered). He pretty much said the same as what macfudd has said here but he didn't know where to go to get old manuals. To be fair, I didn't get him in to service the gas fire, he only noticed it because one of the leaks was from the fire. Perhaps if I had got him in to specifically sort the fire out then he may have done the coal placements too. But at £80 an hour, I'm wondering if buying a manual and moving coals myself would be cheaper!

£80 to get an expert to fix it or advise that is cant be safely used versus a few quid for a manual and a funeral for all the family, heads or tails, its your choice,

 

[cantaffordtradesmen]

Exactly. Why should I pay £80 for someone to tell me my fire is not safe. I already know that!

Looking like my best option is not use the fire.

 

[foxhole]

Maybe the soot is simply falling down chimney? Get occasional bit of soot fall on my gas fire , the instruction on mine state simply to avoid obstructing the igniter and therm o couple, other than that they can be randomly placed.

 

[kevindgas]

this what i found

taylor and portway ltd

Main Office Location:

52 Broton Drive
Halstead,
Essex
CO9 1HB
Great Britain
01787 472551

may be what you need but i haven't done anything but find you the info.

 

[albertrossboy]

try ravena power flue fire looks like the same fire bed as portway.

 

[kbfanclub]

Hi folks. Just wondering if anyone found the solution for this as I have the same problem. It's a Portway small gas fire and it was British Gas who came to do the annual service under a Homecare agreement but the engineer refused to do it when he couldn't find the manual on his laptop. Any advice on what I should do next?

Hasn't been a problem in previous years.

 

[SuffolkSilver]

I have a manual for one of these fires. Unfortunately the company has gone out of business. My problem is not blackened coals (pebbles) but the fact that it goes out. The manual doesn't have enough detail to replace the thermocouple, which I suspect

 

[tashinka]

I have a manual for one of these fires. Unfortunately the company has gone out of business. My problem is not blackened coals (pebbles) but the fact that it goes out. The manual doesn't have enough detail to replace the thermocouple, which I suspect

I have the same problem, Does the manual tell you how to position the coals? If it does are you able to enlighten the rest of us please?!