Coal and Wood Burning Fireplace Insert

 
CoalIsKing
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Post by CoalIsKing » Sun. Jan. 15, 2017 1:05 pm

Do they exist? A fireplace insert that burns wood or coal?


 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Sun. Jan. 15, 2017 3:52 pm

Hitzer might w/ hopper removed???

Take what you will:
With three cast iron grates, this allows for a large firebox, to produce heating options with multiple fuel sizes and types.
Last edited by McGiever on Sun. Jan. 15, 2017 3:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

 
CapeCoaler
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Post by CapeCoaler » Sun. Jan. 15, 2017 3:56 pm

Both well...
Nope...
Hitzer has coal inserts...
That will burn wood if you pull the hopper out of the 503...
Primary coal, wood secondary...

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Sun. Jan. 15, 2017 4:06 pm

Didn't wood/coal rated inserts get nixed for inability to have the coal go thru the wood catalytic? :gee:

 
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BlackBetty06
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Post by BlackBetty06 » Sun. Jan. 15, 2017 6:03 pm

The hitzer 983 insert will burn wood just fine. When I was at Hillside Acres two years ago to buy my stove, it was the hitzer promotion week/ open house. The hitzer rep was there from Indiana with a trailer full of different stoves. I was chatting with him and learned he personally uses a Hitzer 983 insert. I asked him how it burns coal. He said he doesnt know. Hes only ever burned wood in it the years hes owned it :) Id say the 503 would be fine too without the hopper!

 
CoalIsKing
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Post by CoalIsKing » Sun. Jan. 15, 2017 7:07 pm

I haven't seen anything advertised as wood/coal that is made by the following.

Harmon
Alaska
Leisure Line
Keystoker
Hitzer
Vermont Castings
Reading

Any other companies I should check out? I've read previously about Hitzer being used to burn both wood and coal.

Thanks

 
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SawDustJack
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Post by SawDustJack » Sun. Jan. 15, 2017 8:02 pm

CoalIsKing wrote:I haven't seen anything advertised as wood/coal that is made by the following.

Harmon
Alaska
Leisure Line
Keystoker
Hitzer
Vermont Castings
Reading

Any other companies I should check out? I've read previously about Hitzer being used to burn both wood and coal.

Thanks
Hitzer does advertise on their site as "Hand built wood and coal stove", but they don't get specific about which does what or if all their models do both. I think you would be hard pressed to find any company advertise a brand new combo stoves with the regs on wood stoves and not coal stoves.


 
gardener
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Post by gardener » Mon. Dec. 18, 2017 2:34 pm

Most stoves and inserts that burn coal should be able to burn firewood. The EPA certified (non-catalytic) wood stoves/inserts have features that enable them to burn wood more efficiently, to which coal stoves and inserts will not be able to replicate. An EPA (non-catalytic) wood burning stove/insert has a baffle above much of the firebox to retain heat above the fire, also has a separate air control that routes pre-heated air above the fire (usually through perforated tubing) to burn off volatile gases before they have a chance to escape up the flue. Therefore, any coal burning stove/insert is going to operate similar to a pre-EPA technology wood stove if used to burn wood.

As far as emulating these wood burning efficiencies in a coal stove/insert:
-> the Hitzer 983 has a metal baffle, but the picture I have seen of it it does not extend past the exhaust port much, so it wouldn't be that significant of a benefit for wood burning, also has an above fire air control to direct air at the top of the door's window, user 'keepaeyeonit' had made a tubing to direct the air from the airwash to around the fire;
-> Keystoker mentions having a baffle to increase the efficiency of the coal stoves/inserts, but I have never seen it to know how it is constructed and placed;
-> the DS Machine insert has an optional 'hand fired baffle' replacement for their hopper setup... which looks promising for making it a double duty appliance, and it has an above fire air control but the air is released above the door's window for an air wash... so lacking the tubing to release the air above the fire.
-> hopper stoves and inserts would do the least to emulate the EPA features

Alternatively, a manufacturer might be able to have a catalyst inserted for their stove to perform double duty.

 
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Post by gardener » Mon. Dec. 18, 2017 2:46 pm

Forgot to mention, there is current of air from the fire going down over the door window to the front of the fire, so oxygen from air released above the door would likely struggle to reach volatile gases above the fire, but would probably burn gases that were swept to the front of the appliance.

 
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coaledsweat
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Post by coaledsweat » Mon. Dec. 18, 2017 4:44 pm

Be aware that any catalyst installed in an appliance will be destroyed by a coal fire. They work well with wood but coal will eat them up in a hurry. It should be removed prior to a coal fire.

 
gardener
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Post by gardener » Mon. Dec. 18, 2017 4:48 pm

Agreed, that was my thought, that it could be inserted and removed as desired.

 
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ASea
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Post by ASea » Mon. Dec. 18, 2017 7:23 pm

Hitzer makes one that's been out forever. DS just put one out that looks pretty cool too.

 
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Post by bksaun » Thu. Dec. 21, 2017 7:11 am

I have burned wood in my 503, it blacks the glass quickly and burns up too fast even with the air shut all the way down. 583 might be better but I don't know why.

 
gardener
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Post by gardener » Thu. Dec. 21, 2017 9:37 am

The manual for the DS Machine insert talks about their bi-metal air control with four position selector. I do not see the selector or the bi-metal door on any of the photos I have seen of the unit. Where is it located on the unit?

 
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ASea
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Post by ASea » Thu. Dec. 21, 2017 2:55 pm

gardener wrote:
Thu. Dec. 21, 2017 9:37 am
The manual for the DS Machine insert talks about their bi-metal air control with four position selector. I do not see the selector or the bi-metal door on any of the photos I have seen of the unit. Where is it located on the unit?
I think the one in the photo was the test model. I would give DS a call. The guy I spoke to was a volunteer fireman in PA and we had a great talk.


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