We have a Rayburn Heatranger 355SFW and we just use wood logs.

We need helpful suggestions in running and cleaning this machine. Is there anyone out there who has one of these and who is happy to talk to us via this Forum? Our installer has been helpful but doesn't have expert knowledge of solid fuel Rayburns. The Rayburn handbook is frankly atrocious. The help line has referred us to the installer.

Hmm, do not, not, aka NOT burn overnight regularly or you will risk a chimney fire.

Rayburn: What can one say? Masters of marketing, double-speak and connivification (dictionary a/c to Ben and IMHO based on more than a few years of their 'customer care')

History: The first 'British' built central-heating cooker was the Rayburn Supreme, later Nouvelle, then 355 SF, now you own a derivative of same as 355 SFW. The 55 refers to Btus/hr and is utterly unrealistic on wood, unless you have a PhD in stoking and five-year-old Beech. Think nearer 35 000 (just over 10 KW/h) if you are burning hot on logs and the boiler damper (front chrome lever) is vertical - ie switched to boiler.

Suggestions: As tony says, clean regularly, esp rear boiler flueways via lift-off enamelled plate (LHS rear) which conceals cleaning hatch. Let ash build up, but not to the extent it chokes combustion. Burn as hot as you can, viz clean (this is not a cleanburn appliance per se) with front firebox slider (in front of firebox just below loading hatch) set to wood - ie extra over-fire air. And, I repeat, do not burn overnight if you value your house. Small but succinct precis of the fire brigade's report in this week's Cornish Times of a neighbour who did.

Lastly, do fit a thermostatic pump control or your boiler will condense and rot.

We've had a Rayburn 355M since new in 2003 running on wood constantly all winters (and over night), heating a big 4 bedroom house and providing all hot water and cooking. Never had any problems except for setting the flue on fire (got a bit concerned when it was glowing cherry red) and the nice firemen didn't believe I'd swept the chimney 6 weeks previously. Since then I sweep the chimney WITHOUT FAIL on the first day of each month never had any blue lights since then BUT you have to treat it like a sick child or is that corned lion, anyway it's not the sort of thing you can just forget about.
It took us a year or so to get used to it, to know which wood to use to make nice roasts and which wood to make sponges, to clean the flue monthly, the other bits to fettle etc - great if you like that sought of thing but I should imagine a nightmare if you are house proud and have white jeans.
As for leaving the thing on when we're out - always! If they were that dangerous they would come with a warning in the handbook "DO NOT LIGHT FIRES IN THIS APPLIANCE"

I agree with timevans2000 -it's the wood that is critical then the cleaning. So your chimney brush and wood store are worth investing in.
On another point - I did try running on small nugget anthracite but it was either like a blast furness or nearly out. Big anthracite didn't have that problem.

What is the verdict of older vs. newer models?

I've been looking at the 355sfw for our build but there is of course also considerable choice on ebay. We try to buy second hand if we can but I'd imagine newer ones are more efficient burners, however are they as well made?

Ok, thanks. Building regs are being slowly ploughed through. I'm taking a break now and again to do something more pleasurable, like eat some glass.