Successfully Burning Anthracite Coal in a Clayton Furnace

DOUG · Post by **DOUG** » Tue. Mar. 17, 2009 11:00 pm

Hi Charles,

That is awesome news! I'm glad someone else tried to burn smaller sized anthracite coal in their Clayton and had the same successful results. Now if you could help me figure out how to add another layer of firebrick on top of the ones already there, I am convinced that it will perform even better. Larger coal bed for more heat or longer burn times.

Anyway Charles, thank you for the compliment. I'm happy to see your post!

Thanks,
DOUG

gblass1 · Post by **gblass1** » Wed. Jul. 01, 2009 12:02 pm

Hey North Candlewood

I think I meet you last year when I bought my Clayton 1600 at the Tractor Supply in New Milford, CT (I live in Brookfield). Last year I burned wood and the stove worked great. This year I ordered 2 tons of nut coal to try in my furnace so I can get a longer burn time and more even heat. I have been reading this thread trying to figure out what if anything I need to do to my furnace to get it ready. I noticed some people are burning nut coal and some are burning stove coal, what do you recommend . Another thing is my fire box is v shaped but not nearly as much as some of the picture I've seen on this thread. Do I need to modify my fire box so the fire brick is standing up straight ? I have to admit I'm a little nervous after reading some of the posts on this thread but I'm always up for a challenge.

George
Brookfield, CT

North Candlewood · Post by **North Candlewood** » Thu. Jul. 30, 2009 10:41 pm

George
Keep in touch when the heating season begins.
I sent you a PM with my contact #.
Lets get together sometime.
Charles

DOUG · Post by **DOUG** » Fri. Jul. 31, 2009 5:01 am

Hi Georage, Check out this post. Slow Blue Dancing With Red Dressed Ladies in a Clayton Say Hi to Charles for me.

DOUG

gblass1 · Post by **gblass1** » Fri. Jul. 31, 2009 5:41 pm

Charles

Thanks for the reply. I'll give you a call to get together when heating season starts.

Doug

Thanks for the link Slow Blue Dancing with Red Dressed Ladies in a Clayton. There is some great info in there and the pictures are nice for a visual of what I should be looking for. I did notice you have the forced draft on your Clayton which I don't have. I'm a big fan of the KISS philosophy which is why I didn't put it on mine. Do you think I'll need it for burning coal ? If so I should order it now before heating season starts.

Thanks again guys

George

DOUG · Post by **DOUG** » Fri. Jul. 31, 2009 8:44 pm

Hey George,

No, you don't need the draft induce blower for burning coal in your Clayton. If you read in detail, some of that post, it will tell you that I don't use the blower kit for burning coal. I do use it for burning wood though. I find it a very nice option to have when only burning wood. Check out this posting of the Clayton fired on wood. Clayton Furnace Fired on Wood This will show you some interesting stuff. Glad to help.

DOUG

eng11ine · Post by **eng11ine** » Mon. Aug. 10, 2009 5:47 pm

I was wondering if installing a manual pipe damper on my clayton would be a good idea. I currently have a Baro installed and getting ready to reassemble the stove pipe. I read my owners manual and didn't see anywhere that is was needed or not. I have my Baro set to pull a .06 draft. The furnace performed fairly well once I got the hang of it. any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Chris

DOUG · Post by **DOUG** » Mon. Aug. 10, 2009 6:30 pm

When I bought and assembled my first Clayton 1600 furnace, I installed a manual damper. But, I took it out during my first cleaning. I found out very early, that it was not needed at all and got in the way of allowing me to dial it in for optimum performance. The Clayton has such terrific draft control incorporated into its design with the spinners and combustion draft fan air flap on the blower, that it just became rather redundant or too much control capability. A barometric draft regulator set at .05-.07 inches works the best using the existing air intakes. Don't bother with a manual damper if you are using a barometric draft regulator in the Clayton stovepipe.

DOUG

gusarch · Post by **gusarch** » Mon. Aug. 10, 2009 8:32 pm

Hello guys!! Great forum! I have a 1557M and have burned wood in it the last two years. Its been the first stove of any sort I've had, and I'm pleased with it so far. I'm going to give coal a shot this winter once it gets good and cold. I have been useing around 3.5 to 4 cords of wood each year to heat my ranch home. Curious to see how many tons of coal I'd use. I've been reading alot of the posts and seems my furnace isn't exactlly "fool proof" on coal, so I'm hoping You guys will be "on call" once it gets cold here in Pa. Thanks so much for the help already given in your past posts!
Mike

gusarch · Post by **gusarch** » Tue. Aug. 11, 2009 11:23 pm

Hey guys, I've been reading alot of the posts on the hotblasts, and i'm starting to have second thoughts. Seems to be an awful lot of opinions out there that these don't burn coal for nothing! I'm pretty comfortable burning wood, i'm sure I have alot to learn and can get the furnace to do even better. Where I was hoping to improve was burn time. With wood, 7-8 hrs is pushing it, and some days, depending on what we got going, its a pain to have to "schedule" in the trip home just to load the stove. I thought if I could get 10 hrs or better and not burn so much wood when it was really cold out, coal could be the ticket. I'm not sure I'm up for the frustration now. What do you guys think? Those with the hotblasts, is it worth it? Right now, If I had to buy all my wood, around 4 cord, I'd spend around $620. Coal is $197/ton picked up right now, be more come October. Are these things coal hogs? I quess I need to make up my mind if I want to try this or not. Any input?
Thanks,

Mike

gitrdonecoal · Post by **gitrdonecoal** » Fri. Oct. 16, 2009 5:49 pm

gusarch.

i own a hotbalst, and between hands on training and this website got the thing to burn great on coal. its like a cold blooded diesel engine. once you get her started and get in goin, it works great. if you have anymore questions feel free to contact me

gusarch · Post by **gusarch** » Fri. Oct. 16, 2009 9:57 pm

Thanks for the offer..I'm gonna need it! I just brought a big crate home from work that I think I can get about a ton of coal in, so I quess I'm commited to trying her out now! I figure I'll go get some coal next week or so, and have it ready. What size coal do you use in yours? I think I had read here to use stove size, then a few posts mentioned nut. I stopped and talked to the coal guy couple weeks back and seen his stove coal...man thats some pretty big stuff. Wasn't picturing it to be that big in my head! Any advice you have I'll take. Thanks again.
Mike

gitrdonecoal · Post by **gitrdonecoal** » Fri. Oct. 16, 2009 10:11 pm

well mike, I kinda use both. long story short, I got bagged nut left over from last year. only like 15 or so. then I got nine 5 gallon buckets of stove coal given to me from a friend of mine (in his moms basement). I also got 3 and a half ton of FREE coal from a basement in buffalo. I got it through craigslist. that is what they call range coal. its a mix of both stove and nut. both works good. I found the nut burns a little bit hotter and slightly quicker, while the nut burns a little slower and mellower. don't try pea or smaller. I tried 6 bags of pea last year as an experiment, lots of clinkers. if you would like pm me for my number. would love to talk to a fellow hotblast owner and give some tips. happy trails!
John

gusarch · Post by **gusarch** » Sat. Oct. 17, 2009 9:35 pm

John,
In your post, which size burned slower and not as hot? I'm just heating a ranch home with a add on sun room. With wood I got no problems running the wife out if I wanted to, so I was hopeing to find something that I can back down a bit. I don't know, I may only be able to burn coal over the very coldest month or so. I'm just off the Maryland border, so our winters are nothing like yours I'm sure. Any tips on anything you've had to do with the stove would be great. I have the induced draft motor on the back of mine. I suppose just closeing the side flap on it will be ok? Any idea how much coal you go through? Thanks again.
Mike

gitrdonecoal · Post by **gitrdonecoal** » Sat. Oct. 17, 2009 9:53 pm

gusarch wrote:John,
In your post, which size burned slower and not as hot? I'm just heating a ranch home with a add on sun room. With wood I got no problems running the wife out if I wanted to, so I was hopeing to find something that I can back down a bit. I don't know, I may only be able to burn coal over the very coldest month or so. I'm just off the Maryland border, so our winters are nothing like yours I'm sure. Any tips on anything you've had to do with the stove would be great. I have the induced draft motor on the back of mine. I suppose just closeing the side flap on it will be ok? Any idea how much coal you go through? Thanks again.
Mike

it seemed to me, of course I only burned the coal for a year, that the nut burned A LITTLE slower. if you are trying to figure out a more bang for you buck with nut vs. stove, I don't think you will find much difference. I burned maybe 3 ton last year, and last year was a brutal winter here in western new york. you can "back it down a little." I was under the impression that you were supposed to load this baby full of coal, but the past two days I ve been able to bank the bed back, leaving the front of the bed 4 inces deep or so and the back of the bed level with the top of the fire brick.
i see that you have the induced draft motor on the back. DONT EVEN USE IT. anthracit brings air in from underneath the bed only, in other words through the spin damper on the ash pan door. wood don't care where it gets its air, under, on top the fire, sides, anywhere. anthracite will not burn when it gets air, or oxygen from over the fire. play around with it. probably only need the spin damper open half or one turn, just a crack. and as always, use a barometric damper. any more questions I ll be glad to answer them.
John