Refurbishing a Salvo Citation

I'll try your suggestion, and leave the front gap open. As I say it is 1/4 to 1/2 in wide and 18 in long across the whole front of the grate area. That seems like a large area to me. Do dedicated coal stoves allow that much air to bypass the grates?

I've attached a photo that shows the other gaps at the front corners of the stove. These I will fill for now with insulation to cut down the air bypass. I do not want difficulties keeping the fire going and powered back up after a shakedown and refill.

spiker wrote:I'll try your suggestion, and leave the front gap open. As I say it is 1/4 to 1/2 in wide and 18 in long across the whole front of the grate area. That seems like a large area to me. Do dedicated coal stoves allow that much air to bypass the grates?

I've attached a photo that shows the other gaps at the front corners of the stove. These I will fill for now with insulation to cut down the air bypass. I do not want difficulties keeping the fire going and powered back up after a shakedown and refill.

No that is not the gap or space I am talking about on the last page in the fifth set of pics last one I was talking about the small gap in front of the grate bar going across the one above in this pic should have a piece of firebrick in it
but then again once the coal is filled up to where it should be there should be not a problem is that the grate frame
I am looking at in the side

The angle iron shown holds the plate across the front of the fire box.

I replaced the broken firebrick in the back and plugged the larger air gaps with insulation. See the photo. Then I moved the stove into the driveway and made a wood fire to cure the paint job. I noticed some smoke wisping out the closed-off top flue exit. I will need to reseal that tomorrow to keep the CO under control. While the fire burned I cleaned the glass and blower and put the doors back together.

User dll used to run a Citation and sent me a link to the manual and sales brochure. Sweet. The brochure specs the coal stove at 45-55,000 btu/hr, and heat capacity at 1,000-1,500 ft2. I like those numbers. I took a pic of the manufacturers plate on the stove, but it does not tell me much.

He indicated that he found it best to close off the air gap in front of the grates. I'm guessing that so long as I see blue ladies, then there is enough air above the fire to burn off the gases.

Tomorrow I hope to get it installed. Friends are coming over Sat night and I would love to show it off.

Nice job, nice pictures. Way back in your first post, I love the picture of your house. It should be on a Christmas card.

Guess what. Stove is installed! Yeah. I humped it all day and now it is done, with guests due in 45 minutes.

The hardest part was getting the new T stove pipe to fit with the other sections. It fought me for an hour and then I beat it into submission, with a few cuss words thrown in. I was bitching so loud my wife came running, thinking I had hurt myself. I installed the T to take the barometric damper eventually. I did not want to tackle the damper until the rest was done. So it is capped for now.

I have a wood fire going and once that settles, I'll start feeding in the coal.

We had a momentary scare because not long after starting the stove, one of our alarms went off. It turned out to be an upstairs smoke alarm and we are sure it was set off by the chicken wings in the oven. Great timing for questioning your workmanship on the stove install, but all is well.

We have a Kiddle CO alarm near the stove, the kind that gives a digital reading. It has not strayed from zero when I have played with coal the last few weeks.

Enjoy the pictures!

The coal is running well. I have the stove top at 400 and the pipe at 200 F without any damper in place. I am burning Blaschak nut. I have some pea that I will try as well. After I shook it down this morning and cracked the ash tray for a few minutes, it roared to life. I have not had to poke it yet, shaking seems to get the job done. After shaking I can see red coals when looking up from under the grates.

After wanting a coal stove, researching, experimenting with coal in my wood stove, watching craigslist, buying and fixing this stove up, it is a relief to have it up and running. Thanks to everyone for your help. Like most people new to coal, I learned a lot reading through the posts.

Congrats on a very nice job!



Enjoy the heat for the remainder of this season, you'll be all set for next winter.

Nice install, since I'm also in RI I was wondering where you plan to buy your coal?

Rich

Rich -
This year I am buying 40# bags from Preston Trading Post in CT at $6.20/bag. I found a potential RI source by the ton on craigslist, here is the email I got:

"The coal that we have is from Kimmel in PA. We have purchased other
brand coal locally in the past and it burned horribly which is why we
sourced this brand ourselves. This is not a one-time offer and I plan
on having an ample supply all season. I still have 22 tons left here.
If you would like to see it burning in the stove in our shop, just
stop buy. We are at 308 Hopkins Hill Road in Coventry. The number is
401 787 3367 or 401 640 1237.
Thanks for the interest.
Mike Hauer"

I seem to recall that it was nut size that they are offering. I have not stopped in yet, but I'm going to take a day off on my birthday and check it out, see if I can buy a few sample bags to try. This is my best lead for a season's supply next year.

James

Spiker, Rich,
I live in Pawcatuck, CT right on the RI line. I have been getting my coal from Andross Hardware in Charlestown, RI, they are on senic 1A, they get $275/ton for bulk picked up, they also have bagged but don't know the price on that. They have all sizes in bulk from stove to rice. There is also a place in Franklin, CT that sells Reading coal bagged at $275/ton picked up. Both places have a limited delivery radius.

Spiker nice job on the referb and install.

Duck
I have purchased from Andross in the past but wasn't sure they still carried coal anymore, I know the owners were getting up there in the years and I didn't think they were still selling coal. I got my last ton from Eastern Ice in Fall River, Ma.

Rich

Guys, I forgot to list the price on that Kimmel coal, my bad. They are want $250/ton for bagged pick up. I am not setup to handle bulk.

I checked Andross this Fall and they still carry coal, but the bagged price was not competitive, something over 300/ton I believe. That is a classic mom and pop store.

Agway in Westerly has bagged at 300/ton picked up.

Rich, what town are you in, and what price did you pay from Eastern?

Stove burned 9 hrs through the night, the fire was in good shape, still had a few hours of life in it I think. Stove was at 350, house at 68 this morning, 28 outside and the propane heat never had to run. I am very happy this morning.

James

James, I'm in Middletown, Eastern Ice is 280/ton bagged picked up. I think they charge 300/ton delivered, but I don't know their delivery range.

Rich

Eastern Ice is relatively close to you in that location. Not a bad price for bags this far from the source.

I'll post after I visit the guys in Coventry next week.

spiker wrote:The coal is running well. I have the stove top at 400 and the pipe at 200 F without any damper in place. I am burning Blaschak nut. I have some pea that I will try as well. After I shook it down this morning and cracked the ash tray for a few minutes, it roared to life. I have not had to poke it yet, shaking seems to get the job done. After shaking I can see red coals when looking up from under the grates.

After wanting a coal stove, researching, experimenting with coal in my wood stove, watching craigslist, buying and fixing this stove up, it is a relief to have it up and running. Thanks to everyone for your help. Like most people new to coal, I learned a lot reading through the posts.

Stove pipe temps is that outside temp you can add 75 to 100 + F degrees to that for the inside temp put a probe thermometer inside the stack that will be the real Number Outside magnetic thermometer will be off by 30 to 50%
depending on brand Inside probe thermometer is the way to go to get the most accurate readings By the way Nice Job on the stove refurb enjoy the heat