Couple More Questions

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Demented
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Post by Demented » Mon. Jan. 31, 2011 6:58 pm

Hopefully, our Harman Elite will be by next weekend and I can really start asking the newbie questions. :D I've read tons of posts and have a few questions.

Regarding shaking, I keep reading that when you shake the fire you don't stop till you have a nice glow from underneath the grates. Is this glow coming from the ash pan itself or the glow from the coal above? I've also that you shake just until embers start to drop down, which is correct method?

Also, roughly what sizes are the different sizes of coal? Stove, nut, rice ect., as usual, pics would be a huge help!

Thanks in advance!

 
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oliver power
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Post by oliver power » Mon. Jan. 31, 2011 7:32 pm

Shaking: Yes, shake till embers start to drop, and maybe a little more, but not much more. At that time, you should see a nice even glow all across the ash pan. It is reflection. Should you not see a nice even glow across the ash pan, you may have excessive ash build-up, which requires poking / slicing, or both. You may even have clinkers on the grates, especially if you're new to coal burning.

 
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coalkirk
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Post by coalkirk » Mon. Jan. 31, 2011 7:34 pm

With a Harman magnafire you shake short choppy strokes so that you don't dump the coal. Shake until you see a nice glow across most of the grates. Yes live coal embers will fall into the ash pan. You'll get the feel of it soon enough. For that stove you would not want to use rice coal. Way too small and would fall right through the grate. I'd start with nut coal.
Here's a pic of rice with a quarter for perspective and a piece of stove coal also.
rice coal.jpg
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stove coal.jpg
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Don't have any nut coal in the house right now so no pic. for the Harman you can burn stove, nut or pea.


 
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I'm On Fire
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Post by I'm On Fire » Mon. Jan. 31, 2011 8:01 pm

Here is some nut. Sorry, no quarter to compare it but it's a little smaller than stove.

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Demented
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Post by Demented » Mon. Jan. 31, 2011 8:12 pm

Thanks for the pics. That clears things up a lot. From what I saw at the dealer that I will be buying my bulk coal from, they have nut coal in their big 'ol pile. The load it with a front end loader, but I'm the one who's gonna have to shovel it into my coal bin ;) (this weekend's project).

 
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coalkirk
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Post by coalkirk » Mon. Jan. 31, 2011 8:34 pm

Your profile doesn't say where you are located. Just a word of caution about the dealers pile of coal. One of the biggest lesson I've learned here on the coal forum and from my own experience is that all coal is not the same. Ask your dealer where (what breaker) his coal is from. Then read the section of the forum here that deals with coal quality. If you are in NEPA or not far, might be worth a trip to get good coal. Your dealers coal may be fine. I'd start with a small quantity until you know for sure.


 
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lowfog01
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Post by lowfog01 » Mon. Jan. 31, 2011 9:04 pm

coalkirk wrote: If you are in NEPA or not far, might be worth a trip to get good coal. Your dealers coal may be fine. I'd start with a small quantity until you know for sure.
yep, I'll second that opinion. Nothing worse the buying a couple of tons only to find it doesn't burn well. Lisa

 
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jeromemsn
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Post by jeromemsn » Mon. Jan. 31, 2011 11:26 pm

Shaking; Very short choppy stroke and very quick. As you grab the very end of the handle to shake the grate you will find that the best movement might be about 4 inches of throw or there bout. It's more like a vibration than a shake since you want to do it quick so that it dislodges the ash from the coal.
Your not trying to clear out all the ash, some ash is good for insulating the grate from all the heat. After about 3 or 4 days you will see how much shaking you need to do.

Glow, embers; yes once the "reds" start to fall through the grate you want to stop and let things settle and check to make sure you have done enough......less is more.

Now remember!

1st, Before every shake open the ash door and let the stove/coal heat up for about 5 mins or so.

2nd, Close the ash door and shake, quick choppy strokes until embers fall. Check by just opening the ash door to see if any red embers fell. Also make sure you didn't happen to shake so much ash that the ash tray is so full you can't get it out easy. close the ash door and let the dust settle/go out the chimney so the wife doesn't get mad about dust in the house.

3rd, Be careful when removing the ash tray, it's going to be hot! I use a pair of very long welders gloves, almost up to my elbows, to grab the ash tray. Some have a lid made for the ash tray so that dust does not get all over, or/and they buy a second one so one cools while one is in use.

4th And most important.....NEVER WALK AWAY FROM A COAL STOVE WITH THE ASH DOOR OPEN!!! It will get "real hot" "real quick"!

Remember slow and steady wins the race....

This message brought to you by "Solarcaine with aloe" (Don't ask how I know)

 
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SMITTY
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Post by SMITTY » Tue. Feb. 01, 2011 12:29 am

Demented wrote:...... Is this glow coming from the ash pan itself or the glow from the coal above? I've also that you shake just until embers start to drop down, which is correct method? .....
Definitely don't want the ash pan to glow .... just reflect the light from the grates above. That's what I look for ... everyone has a different way. I end up dropping quite a few embers in order to get a nice bright even light on the pan. In my situation, the more I shake, the better/hotter/longer the burn. YMMV.

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