Question About Unburned Coal When Using Coal and Wood

Lightning wrote: ↑

Thu. Nov. 16, 2017 6:01 pm

Yep, sure is.

So you just took regular fiberglass insulation as in construction insulation and filled the gaps? So for this it would be each hole and the top?

Yes that's right, normal run of the mill fiberglass insulation, same stuff people put in their walls lol. The stuff won't burn and it puts up with some pretty extreme temperatures.

But before do that, can you remove those plates and see if they do in fact make a pathway down to the ash pan area?

Lightning wrote: ↑

Thu. Nov. 16, 2017 9:39 pm

Yes that's right, normal run of the mill fiberglass insulation, same stuff people put in their walls lol. The stuff won't burn and it puts up with some pretty extreme temperatures.

But before do that, can you remove those plates and see if they do in fact make a pathway down to the ash pan area?

I will double check Saturday when I get home from work. It goes down past the grates so I would assume it does. Yours looked simple to block I was surprised when I looked today and saw that many holes.

Had some pieces that looked like bit, the guy I got it from said it might have some “cowboy coal” mixed in he used to help start fires. This is the first time I have gotten flames this color.
I made a deeper bed of coal today. I was planning on adding the insulation before I put coal in again but it’s been raining pretty hard here all day and I’m out of wood inside.

So for anyone still following along. The holes are plugged and I also made a trip to pa today. I had a conversation with a coal yard about red ash vs white ash coal. They informed me that red ash was softer and burned easier in these types of furnaces compared to the white (which is what I have). I bought 300 pounds (comes in 100 pound bags) to try before I committed to a ton. I got 1 bag of nut and 2 bags of stove size coal. I plan on trying the red ash by its self and also mixed with the white to see if it helps. Just fired up the furnace with some wood to get the coals going so hopefully I can update soon.

Oh good, the stove size coal is a lot more forgiving when it comes to a little ash in the fuel bed. Also, it will respond quicker to primary air adjustments and recover faster after reloading than the nut size. It's important too that you fill it up, get that fuel bed 8-10 inches deep.

As for red ash and white ash - white ash is usually the preferred type since it is less prone to clinkering. I've pulled out some massive clinkers with red ash coal, but not all red ash coal has a clinker problem. True though, that red ash coal ignites a little easier. White ash coal can be more stubborn to recover if you don't have a hot coal bed to load on top of after shake down.

Lightning wrote: ↑

Mon. Nov. 20, 2017 7:35 pm

Oh good, the stove size coal is a lot more forgiving when it comes to a little ash in the fuel bed. Also, it will respond quicker to primary air adjustments and recover faster after reloading than the nut size. It's important too that you fill it up, get that fuel bed 8-10 inches deep.

As for red ash and white ash - white ash is usually the preferred type since it is less prone to clinkering. I've pulled out some massive clinkers with red ash coal, but not all red ash coal has a clinker problem. True though, that red ash coal ignites a little easier. White ash coal can be more stubborn to recover if you don't have a hot coal bed to load on top of after shake down.

The red ash just took off in about half the time lol.
As far as the fuel bed I filled it up that far two days ago and it didn’t go well. I also didn’t have the holes plugged but it took me the better pArt of a day adding wood and mixing to get it all burned up. What a headache.

So far have around 50 pounds loaded in. I also made this to clear the ash from the grated from the bottom.

A technique that I use I call "heaving". I use a 4 foot section of heavy rebar. My shake down routine goes like this, after revving the fire up I shake the grates. Then I'll take the rebar and jab down thru the top of the fuel bed at a 45 degree angle all the way to the bottom. At that point I work the rebar towards the back of the fire box "heaving" the coal upwards. As the coal is lifted, ash will fall in its place. I'll do this heaving thing several times, down one side, then the other side and also down the middle, each time lifting the coal so ash can fall towards the grates. Then finally I'll shake the grates a second time. I've found this process to be really effective in removing ash from the fuel bed.

I should do another video with my revised routine lol. I think it would help a lot of people with these sloped sided fire boxes.

Lightning wrote: ↑

Mon. Nov. 20, 2017 8:31 pm

I should do another video with my revised routine lol. I think it would help a lot of people with these sloped sided fire boxes.

Definitely should I watched your other one a few times.
That’s what I bought was rebarb small enough to fit through the grates.

So for the first hour here are my general impressions.
1st- Coal took off very easy and has heated the house faster. I’m up 2 degrees in just a hour.
2nd- I have a thermometer on the stove pipe right next to the thimble. With the white ash coal it would normally sit around 100 degrees. Now with the same damper setting it’s at 200. Not sure if this is due to the coal or the holes being plugged. So far so good.

burning along nicely

Yeah man, that's what we like to see!

joeq wrote: ↑

Mon. Nov. 20, 2017 9:05 pm

Yeah man, that's what we like to see!

Thanks the true test will be in the morning when I go to shake it down lol.
Question for all should I choke it back some or what is the desired stove pipe temp for coal?

Jgib4 wrote: ↑

Mon. Nov. 20, 2017 9:32 pm

Thanks the true test will be in the morning when I go to shake it down lol.
Question for all should I choke it back some or what is the desired stove pipe temp for coal?

Not sure what your pipe looks like, and of course the location that you take your reading is relevant too, but most people don't have over 200-250°.