Coalpail.com Forum

With my DS1600WH gravity fed coal hopper that uses a bi-metal thermostat to control stove temp. I am looking to find out if it is possible to construct an electric thermostat controler on 2nd floor to maintain heat? In other words a device that could attach to chain/dampner that would regulate heat by demand of heat setting input from thermostat on 2nd floor?
I love my coal stove, just trying to perfect it. If I have stove set to heat house at 72 in evening it drops to 3-4 degres in morning and then takes all day till evening to get back up to 72. I have been turning stove up a notch at night and back down at morning to help this even out. I no this may be picky, but just trying to make it nicer, especially for the WIFE
I actually called DS Machine and asked them about it and they have had other inquires. Being Amish design they built it to not use electric at all. But he said they are working on possibilities with customers that have electric.

I am a big believer in having a heat source that does not require a power source. I like the simplicity and dependability of hand fed stoves. the old KISS method of living.

However, your question may be possible. But it is difficult to get a near constant temp using any product. I think it is really just a product of the thermostat that allows for a dip in temp before it kicks in. I am no expert. Sorry.

I am sure more knowledgeable people will weigh in.

ridgeracing wrote:With my DS1600WH gravity fed coal hopper that uses a bi-metal thermostat to control stove temp. I am looking to find out if it is possible to construct an electric thermostat controler on 2nd floor to maintain heat? In other words a device that could attach to chain/dampner that would regulate heat by demand of heat setting input from thermostat on 2nd floor?
I love my coal stove, just trying to perfect it. If I have stove set to heat house at 72 in evening it drops to 3-4 degres in morning and then takes all day till evening to get back up to 72. I have been turning stove up a notch at night and back down at morning to help this even out. I no this may be picky, but just trying to make it nicer, especially for the WIFE
I actually called DS Machine and asked them about it and they have had other inquires. Being Amish design they built it to not use electric at all. But he said they are working on possibilities with customers that have electric.

I don't understand why your loosing temp in a 12 hr. burn, I tend at 8pm and again at 8am and the 2400 sq ft stays the same temp around the clock. Are you burning through all the coal in the stove in 12 hrs? if so you need a bigger stove.

Since its not unusual for the outside temps to be 20-30 degrees cooler at night, would it be that unusual for you to wake up to a home that is 3-4 degrees cooler in the morning? I don't have a hand fired stove. I'm just asking.

What is the surface temp of your stove when you go to bed, and when you wake up? Do you have a barometric damper? A manual damper?

It not a problem of my stove handling the heat out put, I run stove temp 350-450 threw out winter and can go much higher if needed.
Here is my daily routine- 6:30pm house is 72 and stove temp is 350deg, shake it down and add about 20lbs of nut for the night.
- 6:30am house has dropped 3-4deg. but stove temp has stayed the same temp with plenty of coal left, shake stove, top off coal-repeat.
I am not saying anything is wrong with this system, I was just starting to turn up stove 1/2 - 1 notch hotter at night. I was just looking at a possibility of working a thermosat into the works with the chain operated bi-metal thermostat. I understand and am happy with my handfired stove, I am my own worst enemy, always trying to make things work better/easier. LOL
I feel with the correct componets this could be done, all we are doing here is opening an intake door as required to get a thermostat reading. I do understand that this all just wipes out the simplicity of a hand fired coal stove.
PS- I have a very good draft and manual dampner stay 85% closed always. Stove is in a semi/finished block wall family room basement of a 2600sq ft ranch, floor reqisters, no fans. Basement is usually 2-3deg. warmer than living space.

When central coal fired units were common it was not unusual to find some fitted with upstairs thermostat to control motor that raised air damper to increase fire and lowered it and even opened a check damper to lower fire.

A bi metal thermostat used remotely does not have the strength to operate a chain so would have to use a relay to control a solenoid to do the work or use a line voltage thermostat to do the same. A tiny increment is probably all you would need, enough to raise the flap 1/8 inch.

I think rberg had a good idea to use a thermostat to control a fan blowing on the stove to increase heat output and lower it when the fan was off. The stove thermostat would compensate for the lower temperature caused by the fan and increase the fire.

franco b wrote:I think rberq had a good idea to use a thermostat to control a fan blowing on the stove to increase heat output and lower it when the fan was off. The stove thermostat would compensate for the lower temperature caused by the fan and increase the fire.

To be precise, the idea was to fool the bi-metal thermostat by ducting air directly to it from a small fan, with the fan turned on and off by a standard room thermostat. I did experiment briefly with the idea, but I have gone back to the simple expedient of turning the bi-metal thermostat up a notch or two at bedtime. After awhile you will get a pretty good feel for how much to turn it up, depending on your particular house and on how cold and how windy the night is expected to be. Of course, my stove is in the living area, not in the cellar. If I had to go all the way to my old-house cellar (the dungeon, as my wife calls is) to adjust the stove, I would be working a lot harder on the fan technique.

Reinventing a stoker Had a hand fed Buderus with a hopper for 28 years, bimetallic temp control as well. It is sort of like a dumbed down stoker. I am sure there will be posts for that comment.

Thanks for all replies, just exploring ideas!

My house is drafty as all hell and over night I've seen the temps in the house drop by 10º so I always set the DS1600 high to get the temps in the house high so that when I wake up in the morning it's not 50º.

no idea if tHis would work but how about taking a cold air return directed onto the bi-metallic coil on tHe stove from your second floor? That might give the needed boost to keep your second floor better. That would keep you with a completely non electric system...
dj