Crane 44

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Tue. Dec. 10, 2013 2:34 pm

Are the real world clearances 36 inches or is that what was legal at the time built? If so no way to make it fit the room. I have a piece of .060 brushed aluminum 2 3/4 off the wall and a pad I made out of 2 sheets of cement board topped with tile. 36 inches side should be easy but the back clearance would be very hard to hit. I found an online manual and sure does seem like a large distance. Any other things to consider please offer.

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Tue. Dec. 10, 2013 5:21 pm

That's to unprotected walls and combustibles. Depending on what you use to shield with, that can be reduced down to as little as 12 inches.

Using "stove clearance", here's just one of many links a web search will bring up about this.
http://www.nasdonline.org/document/1254/d001052/w ... ation.html

Paul

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Tue. Dec. 10, 2013 6:05 pm

That is interesting and a bit funny though thank you for taking the effort to forward it. the NFPA 2003 code is public and suspect the 2008 code is available. Brick is about the worst insulator possible. It all reads a lot different.

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Tue. Dec. 10, 2013 6:35 pm

ddahlgren wrote:That is interesting and a bit funny though thank you for taking the effort to forward it. the NFPA 2003 code is public and suspect the 2008 code is available. Brick is about the worst insulator possible. It all reads a lot different.

Yes, but brick plus an air space will get you the 12 inch. It's qualifies as a non combustible and doesn't transmit heat as well as sheet metal - which is also ok.

It's the air space with cool air being drawn up through it by convection that does the insulating.

And obviously, the sheet metal+ air gap, will get the stove a few inches closer to the wall than brick will.

Paul

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Wed. Dec. 11, 2013 9:09 am

I will dream something up for a heat shield.
Does anyone have the dimensions of a Crane 44 and know it's heat output at a normal setting for a 400 degree stove top or does it have to run hotter than that to produce a useful amount of heat, 13000 to 20000 btu?
I found one local to me that is in good shape for 225

Dave

michaelanthony · Post by **michaelanthony** » Wed. Dec. 11, 2013 9:30 am

[quote="ddahlgren"]I will dream something up for a heat shield.
Does anyone have the dimensions of a Crane 44 and know it's heat output at a normal setting for a 400 degree stove top or does it have to run hotter than that to produce a useful amount of heat, 13000 to 20000 btu?
I found one local to me that is in good shape for 225

Dave[/quote]

Send up the bat signal Dougie boy just got a crook in his neck as you were typing that last question

he should be right along ( unless he is doing that work thing ) forgive me if I mis- quote him..." the Crane 44 stove is bullet proof, made of quarter inch steel plate run that sucker hard" I trust his assurance he built these baby's but there are things to look for when buying a used stove and d.c. will enlighten you!

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Wed. Dec. 11, 2013 10:55 am

You'd think with dougie having his own special crane section, he'd pay better attention on what he knows best! FOCUS

We are goin on 2 days now

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Wed. Dec. 11, 2013 11:07 am

I just want to make sure it is big enough for all but the most brutal days.

Post by **dcrane** » Thu. Dec. 12, 2013 5:12 am

Thought I replied in here already (must have done so when Rich was cleaning house or something and the lag got me).

Anyways... clearly the manual calls for 18" to any combustible period (brick, metal, rock board, etc. is not combustible)... I do not wish to start saying things that counter what the manual says regarding installation because I get to many emails from insurance companies and I always simply go by the book "as written then" as they are accepting of that. Its easier for someone else (whos name is not Crane) to speak freely regarding their personal opinions (as I do about other things).

The 44 can run very hot (top temps to 800 NP)!....your not going to want any combustibles around this thing if you think your running it as hard as I did (I used to turn my face loading the lil'sucker to keep my face from frying

) it can also run fairly cool (top temps down to about 150). I clearly should have had a larger stove...

I know none of this really does anything for you other than giving my personal sample top temps and saying read the manual. But honestly using common sense goes a long way and seeing what others have done in similar circumstances is wonderful to know.

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Thu. Dec. 12, 2013 12:16 pm

I am thinking the 44 is not the stove for me if it has to run that crazy hot to get a useable amount of heat for more than 1 modest room. I need to at least look at something larger and possibly steel plate construction in case it has to be changed to a top flue outlet.

Post by **dcrane** » Thu. Dec. 12, 2013 12:37 pm

ddahlgren wrote:I am thinking the 44 is not the stove for me if it has to run that crazy hot to get a useable amount of heat for more than 1 modest room. I need to at least look at something larger and possibly steel plate construction in case it has to be changed to a top flue outlet.

who said one room... I was heating 2100 sq' 8 room coln. with that lil sucker

Post by **Rob R.** » Thu. Dec. 12, 2013 12:45 pm

ddahlgren wrote:I am thinking the 44 is not the stove for me if it has to run that crazy hot to get a useable amount of heat for more than 1 modest room. I need to at least look at something larger and possibly steel plate construction in case it has to be changed to a top flue outlet.

He never said it had to be run hot to heat more than one room. I believe Doug was heating an entire house with his. 15-20,000 btu's/hr should be fine for that Crane 44. 5 gallon pail of coal per day, shake down and top off every 12 hours or so.

You have to start somewhere. If you can get one for $200 or so, I would get it installed and enjoy burning less fuel oil.

A piece of steel mounted on 1" spacers is very effective at reducing clearance.

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 8:37 am

dcrane wrote:
ddahlgren wrote:I am thinking the 44 is not the stove for me if it has to run that crazy hot to get a useable amount of heat for more than 1 modest room. I need to at least look at something larger and possibly steel plate construction in case it has to be changed to a top flue outlet.
who said one room... I was heating 2100 sq' 8 room coln. with that lil sucker

OK let me rethink this again. I did look at it today and could see what looked like a seam in the refractory in the back and assume one in the front that I can not see without a mirror. I think you said they are all 6 inch flue pipe though forgot to measure it and looked smaller. I could not move the grates in any direction though they did not looked cracked but frozen up and do not move at all. There was no handle of any sort to attach to the grates either so have no idea what the plan is there is there. I did some calculations about the real BTU potential and not all that promising unless run with the stove top above 800F and what I would estimate filled twice a day and then no doubt shaken down 3 or 4 times a day if shaking after half a load burned makes sense. The numbers I came up with was running the top and half the sides at 750 and the other half of the sides at 300 and bottom at 200 with an output of around 17000 BTU per hour and 48 lbs of coal a day. Does any of this make any sense?.

michaelanthony · Post by **michaelanthony** » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 9:12 am

You seem apprehensive and that is ok, I bought a pot belly stove 4 yrs. ago and wished I had saved the $400.00...oh well, even Dougie boy would understand if you went in a different direction. Our friend understands when a product sells it's self and the customer is most satisfied. It took me 3 stoves to be content (temporarily)

no seriously maybe the next one will be the ah ha moment.
It does appear you will need the run the 44 pretty hard most of the time and personally I like when my stove cruises at 550-600, the stove can run up to 700* or more but slightly lower seems like the sweet spot for the "house" and that is what is most important!

Post by **dcrane** » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 9:30 am

michaelanthony wrote:You seem apprehensive and that is ok, I bought a pot belly stove 4 yrs. ago and wished I had saved the $400.00...oh well, even Dougie boy would understand if you went in a different direction. Our friend understands when a product sells it's self and the customer is most satisfied. It took me 3 stoves to be content (temporarily) no seriously maybe the next one will be the ah ha moment.
It does appear you will need the run the 44 pretty hard most of the time and personally I like when my stove cruises at 550-600, the stove can run up to 700* or more but slightly lower seems like the sweet spot for the "house" and that is what is most important!

MA is right... best avenue is to hook something up and start burning! anything is better than burning oil or wood
the grate in the 44 needs to rotate (if the grate cannot rotate or move its more than likely that coal and/or ash has fused to it from sitting for years without first being cleaned)... time to get out the hammer and chisel (careful of the cast iron grate though!)

i can obtain a 44 handle easy enough or a simple 12" length of tubing will do the trick.