Keeping the coal lit

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Hardknocks
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Post by Hardknocks » Tue. Mar. 05, 2019 9:03 pm

Ok, I'm new to burning coal. We acquired a Surdiac 690 coal stove and cant seem to keep the fire going. We start by creating a nice bed of wood coals, then add maybe a quart of coal at a time until that coal catches , and then add more until the grate is full. The coal will burn in the initial area of where the wood fire was start and will burn maybe a 6" circle area , this area is right in line with the lower damper in the back of the unit, which leads me to believe we have a draft issue. All the other coal around what is burning will not catch on fire, weird. Our chimney stack is black pipe to the 8' ceiling, then stainless from ceiling to daylight, which is another 6' of insulate chimney. We have a barometric damper installed and it seems to be working, because of the way it flutters. Before starting, we clean the stove, including the heat exchanger, so I do think clogging anything is a issue. Without a water column meter tied in, I'm curious whether we have enough of a draw to keep coal burning. I have tried to keeping the ash door open to no avail. I have also tried blowing compressed air on the fire, which seems to put the thing out....I'm at a loss...anybody got some input I could try ? The first night we fired this thing up, it ran beautifully, now we cant seem to replicate what we did....stumped

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warminmn
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Post by warminmn » Tue. Mar. 05, 2019 9:19 pm

Try putting tin foil over the baro damper and research baro damper placement on this forum, the owners ,manual, or on the internet as its an issue with how/where you have it placed. I hope you dont have a manual pipe damper I cant see but if you do leave the manual pipe damper wide open. Those would be the 1st things to do.

 
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coaledsweat
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Post by coaledsweat » Tue. Mar. 05, 2019 9:27 pm

The biggest mistake a beginner makes is not filling it up all the way up. Coal isn't like wood, you can't burn a few pieces. It must be all across the grate and of some depth. Once you get it going, fill it all the way up or watch it die.

That baro is not going to work properly like that. And I'm pretty sure what you have there is a no no.


 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Wed. Mar. 06, 2019 8:32 am

Seriously------------remove BARO---cap "T" & see how she works--YES, fill fire box FULL!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm thinkin you'll have much better results.

 
Den034071
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Post by Den034071 » Wed. Mar. 06, 2019 9:26 am

Hard Do this put a hair dryer in the stove for 15 minutes this will warm your chimney .Next get put matchlite charcoal an fill the firebox completely .After charcoal is really blazing Add A Thin Later Of Coal say 2 shovel s full on top of charcoal .Wait a few minutes to let coal get red .Keep doing this every few minutes until firebox is red .Do not rush it .What I mean is add coal after previous coal is red burning well .Fill the firebox completely .When full you Then Fill Up the Hopper .P M me private message if you need help .Is Chimney higher than roof peak .Get a Manometer .jack

 
Donb
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Post by Donb » Wed. Mar. 06, 2019 10:58 am

I found it difficult to start a fire across my Chappee’s entire grate which is about 2 sqft. So I start small with 1/3 to 1/2 the grate blocked off by wood...pieces of plywood or cut up siding or whatever’s handy. Then put a good layer of coal over it, at least six inches. The point is to build a small fire in the forward part of the firebox and temporarily cut off the draft to the rear. When the front is burning good it will work back consuming the wood and igniting the coal. In a couple hours all is good with a grate full of glowing coals and dancing blue angels.

Do this after the baro is gone/blocked and the mpd is wide open as mentioned already.

Don


 
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BlackBetty06
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Post by BlackBetty06 » Tue. Mar. 12, 2019 7:50 pm

Air is a fluid and like any fluid or electricity it will take the path of least resistance. To me it looks like it would be easier for the air to come through the baro and go straight up the pipe vs. Drawing through a stove and coal bed, then hitting the branch of the tee, making a hard turn and heading up the chimney. As others have said Id bet that your baro placement and setting are your problem. Cap that thing and I bet your issue goes away. If you still want the baro place it in the pipe above the stove. Use a 90 out of the stove, put the tee inline and stick the baro in the branch of the tee. Make sure you can pull -.06"hg before the baro starts opening.

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Tue. Mar. 12, 2019 8:38 pm

You mean -.06 in. of water, not -06 in. of hg (mercury)...huge difference ;)

Even a full 1.0" Water = .0736" Hg

 
AllanD
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Post by AllanD » Tue. Mar. 12, 2019 10:39 pm

Atmospheric pressure is 29in/Hg, but some 33feet/H20

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