Well, with the shaker grates I was in the 4-6% range of unburned in the ash. I've only done one comparison with the flat grate and it was still around 4% lol. But at that time I was pretty fresh at using the riddle bars. It might be a hair better now that have some experience with it.
Chronicles of the Clayton
- Lightning
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- Location: Olean, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
- Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite
- Lightning
- Site Moderator
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- Joined: Wed. Nov. 16, 2011 9:51 am
- Location: Olean, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
- Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite
Here we go, 2018-19 heating season with the Clayton. Just cleared ash and reloaded after a 40+ hour burn. It was pretty mild outside for Halloween yesterday so I decided to skip my normal tending time and let it ride till after work today. It was ashed up pretty good - filled the ash pan twice, but now I'm seeing a bright orange glow the full length of the grate. Threw on about 75 pounds roughly, it'll take a while to engage, I'm sure.
I'm still doing the riddling technique for clearing ash. I just think it's so much better than those narrow in line axial grates. Space for combustion air to come up thru the fuel bed has been increased by about 4 times with the current stationary grate as compared to the shaker grates in it before. I think that's why I can get these crazy long burns without suffocating the fire.
Anyways, not too much else to report. I've decided not to measure coal usage this year. Too much work to lift the coal bucket onto the hanging luggage scale given my shoulder situation right now. Other than that I didn't do any other mods to my setup or change much with my routine of tending.
I'm still doing the riddling technique for clearing ash. I just think it's so much better than those narrow in line axial grates. Space for combustion air to come up thru the fuel bed has been increased by about 4 times with the current stationary grate as compared to the shaker grates in it before. I think that's why I can get these crazy long burns without suffocating the fire.
Anyways, not too much else to report. I've decided not to measure coal usage this year. Too much work to lift the coal bucket onto the hanging luggage scale given my shoulder situation right now. Other than that I didn't do any other mods to my setup or change much with my routine of tending.
- Lightning
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
- Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite
Today I just got my winter supply delivery. 4 tons of Lehigh stove/nut mix at $235/ton delivered. Since installing the flat grate with its better breathing ability, I'm finding that the stove/nut mix has an advantage over the stove size alone. It seems to be getting the best range of heat output control.
But, with the mild temps of 40's for lows and nearing 60 during the day for the next two days I've set her up for another 48 hour extended burn. Here is roughly 100 pounds of stove/nut mix complete with an 8-10 pound blanket of fines on top. I'll visit the furnace again for tending on Wednesday. Later in the week it looks like temps outside are on the fall.
The 4 tons delivered today plus what was left over from last year will barely get thru the whole heating season. My plan is to completely clean out the bin by spring next year to prepare for the AA installation. I may need to buy some bagged coal for the last few weeks of heating in the spring of 2019.
But, with the mild temps of 40's for lows and nearing 60 during the day for the next two days I've set her up for another 48 hour extended burn. Here is roughly 100 pounds of stove/nut mix complete with an 8-10 pound blanket of fines on top. I'll visit the furnace again for tending on Wednesday. Later in the week it looks like temps outside are on the fall.
The 4 tons delivered today plus what was left over from last year will barely get thru the whole heating season. My plan is to completely clean out the bin by spring next year to prepare for the AA installation. I may need to buy some bagged coal for the last few weeks of heating in the spring of 2019.
Attachments
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- Location: Western Massachusetts
- Baseburners & Antiques: Crawford 40, PP Stewart No. 14, Abendroth Bros "Record 40"
- Coal Size/Type: Stove / Anthracite.
- Other Heating: Oil fired, forced hot air.
I’m going to miss this thread
And you Lee...submitting to the evil of the Dark Side if the Force. I had such high hopes for you my young Padawan
Tend your stove always you will not
And you Lee...submitting to the evil of the Dark Side if the Force. I had such high hopes for you my young Padawan
Tend your stove always you will not
- Dieselpowerf350
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- Posts: 200
- Joined: Sun. Oct. 25, 2015 6:51 pm
- Location: Pittsburgh, Pa
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Hotblast 1557m
- Coal Size/Type: All and I want more....lol!
- Other Heating: Oil
I’ll be getting my 3ton this week. Hopefully I’ll be fired up by the weekend.
See Lee you shouldn’t leave us HOTBLASTERS, I think Ashley is trying to tell you something.... she doesn’t want you cheating on her
See Lee you shouldn’t leave us HOTBLASTERS, I think Ashley is trying to tell you something.... she doesn’t want you cheating on her
- Lightning
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
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Yep, half to three quarter inch layer down the middle. I leave the sides exposed a couple inches give or take a little. This gives the fuel bed a place to exhaust its combustion gases. The blanket insulates the fuel bed keeping it healthy.
Fines tend to collect under my coal chute door. When I get into them a little past mid season, I'll use a screen to separate the fines out. I have half a 55 gallon drum of fines. Blanketing is a really good use for them during mild weather.
It just amazes me how steady coal burns. I'm currently seeing 140 on the top side of the pipe and 162 on the face of the furnace. It'll just hover there, only varying a couple degrees across a two day burn, provided no heat calls. That's what happens when you stabilize all the variables, it just bakes, sipping away at its fuel.
- Dieselpowerf350
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- Joined: Sun. Oct. 25, 2015 6:51 pm
- Location: Pittsburgh, Pa
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Hotblast 1557m
- Coal Size/Type: All and I want more....lol!
- Other Heating: Oil
Well, I couldn’t wait until the weekend, so I fired up tonight....ahhhh! I love coal heat.
I think I’m gonna try those blanket of fines, but I’ll use rice instead cause I don’t have any fines separated just yet
Lee that’s why we need you over here buddy. Everytime I think ok that’s got to be it...BOOM! You come up with something else. We really need to get you a job with US STOVE $$$,$$$only stipulation is you have to keep burning the Ashley
I think I’m gonna try those blanket of fines, but I’ll use rice instead cause I don’t have any fines separated just yet
Lee that’s why we need you over here buddy. Everytime I think ok that’s got to be it...BOOM! You come up with something else. We really need to get you a job with US STOVE $$$,$$$only stipulation is you have to keep burning the Ashley
- Lightning
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
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Thanks for the kind words Mike! Even once the AA is in use I'll help as much as I can with new people using these style units That would be really fun to have a job engineering coal furnaces
The rice coal will work excellent for a blanket. Temps are falling after today so you'll be happy to be burning the black rocks for sure.
The rice coal will work excellent for a blanket. Temps are falling after today so you'll be happy to be burning the black rocks for sure.
- joeq
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- Joined: Sat. Feb. 11, 2012 11:53 am
- Location: Northern CT
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: G111, Southard Robertson
Hey, what am I missing here Lee? As usual, I'm a little late to the table.
What's this about a "AA" installation? Are you going "dry cell" battery operated furnace? I know you're in pain, but it'll pass Lee. You can't ditch the Clayton. With all that time and hard work, and perfecting it's operation more than Clayton could've ever done. What am I missing.
What's this about a "AA" installation? Are you going "dry cell" battery operated furnace? I know you're in pain, but it'll pass Lee. You can't ditch the Clayton. With all that time and hard work, and perfecting it's operation more than Clayton could've ever done. What am I missing.
- Lightning
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
- Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite
I love that humor Joe Yeah man, I scored a 1959 Axeman Anderson back in February for $500. It's a fixer upper but I'm looking forward to it. It's gonna heat the house and another side building currently in development for my wife's spray tanning business and a music studio/jam room for me.
Here's what was left after clearing ash of the 48 hour burn. Three inches of lava lol. 5 seconds of holding my camera in that position and I thought the skin on my knuckles was gonna boil. I just put on 65 pounds of brand new Lehigh stove/nut mix, bright as the sun under the grates right now. She'll ignite in short order