Question About Unburned Coal When Using Coal and Wood

 
User avatar
coaledsweat
Site Moderator
Posts: 13763
Joined: Fri. Oct. 27, 2006 2:05 pm
Location: Guilford, Connecticut
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260M
Coal Size/Type: Pea

Post by coaledsweat » Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 10:25 am

Always fill it as much as it can hold no matter what .


 
Jgib4
Member
Posts: 308
Joined: Sun. Jul. 30, 2017 7:08 pm
Location: Carroll county maryland
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Fire chief 450

Post by Jgib4 » Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 10:27 am

coaledsweat wrote:
Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 10:25 am
Always fill it as much as it can hold no matter what .
Will do I was at 50 pounds or a little more and thought that would have been sufficient but I guess not.

 
User avatar
windyhill4.2
Member
Posts: 6072
Joined: Fri. Nov. 22, 2013 2:17 pm
Location: Jonestown,Pa.17038
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1960 EFM520 installed in truck box
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane 404 with variable blower
Coal Size/Type: 404-nut, 520 rice ,anthracite for both

Post by windyhill4.2 » Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 11:29 am

When loading coal,don't think in terms of how much it might need to go all night....
Think about how much coal you can squeeze into that stove...
You will be better able to control the burn rate with it full.
You will have a good supply of hot coals in when you load the next batch of cold coal..
This will help the stove to do what coal does so well....
Steady warm heat.. gotta love burning coal !!!

 
User avatar
joeq
Member
Posts: 5739
Joined: Sat. Feb. 11, 2012 11:53 am
Location: Northern CT
Hand Fed Coal Stove: G111, Southard Robertson

Post by joeq » Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 4:49 pm

Couldn't you double that amount of coal in the picture above? I would think you could fill the sides to the top of the bricks, and heap it higher in the middle. No?
Picture's not above, but on the previous page.

 
User avatar
Lightning
Site Moderator
Posts: 14659
Joined: Wed. Nov. 16, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Olean, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite

Post by Lightning » Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 5:59 pm

Jgib4 wrote:
Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 9:45 am
How many spins out do you normally have on your damper?
I don't use the spinner anymore. I've made things a little more automated lol. More on that later on down the road.

How many spins open is quite dependant on the draft pressure, there's not really an answer that works for every setup. You'll just have to experiment with adjusting the spinner until you get a handle for controlling the burn rate. A thermometer on the stove itself, located just above the load door will help you see responses to adjustments of primary air. But the big Red Herring will be the variable draft pressure since you don't have a baro installed (do you?) or manometer to monitor it.

 
Jgib4
Member
Posts: 308
Joined: Sun. Jul. 30, 2017 7:08 pm
Location: Carroll county maryland
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Fire chief 450

Post by Jgib4 » Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 9:32 pm

windyhill4.2 wrote:
Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 11:29 am
When loading coal,don't think in terms of how much it might need to go all night....
Think about how much coal you can squeeze into that stove...
You will be better able to control the burn rate with it full.
You will have a good supply of hot coals in when you load the next batch of cold coal..
This will help the stove to do what coal does so well....
Steady warm heat.. gotta love burning coal !!!
I’m pretty sure I could probably get close to 70-80 pounds in there judging by what I put in last night.

 
Jgib4
Member
Posts: 308
Joined: Sun. Jul. 30, 2017 7:08 pm
Location: Carroll county maryland
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Fire chief 450

Post by Jgib4 » Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 9:32 pm

joeq wrote:
Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 4:49 pm
Couldn't you double that amount of coal in the picture above? I would think you could fill the sides to the top of the bricks, and heap it higher in the middle. No?
Picture's not above, but on the previous page.
Oh easily, I could probably add another 20-30 pounds


 
Jgib4
Member
Posts: 308
Joined: Sun. Jul. 30, 2017 7:08 pm
Location: Carroll county maryland
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Fire chief 450

Post by Jgib4 » Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 9:34 pm

Lightning wrote:
Tue. Nov. 21, 2017 5:59 pm
I don't use the spinner anymore. I've made things a little more automated lol. More on that later on down the road.

How many spins open is quite dependant on the draft pressure, there's not really an answer that works for every setup. You'll just have to experiment with adjusting the spinner until you get a handle for controlling the burn rate. A thermometer on the stove itself, located just above the load door will help you see responses to adjustments of primary air. But the big Red Herring will be the variable draft pressure since you don't have a baro installed (do you?) or manometer to monitor it.
I do not have those installed. I have a amazing draft from the chimney so that’s a plus.
To give you an idea last night I started at 4 full spins and backed it down to 2 before I went to bed. I honestly feel like that still was to much air.

 
Jgib4
Member
Posts: 308
Joined: Sun. Jul. 30, 2017 7:08 pm
Location: Carroll county maryland
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Fire chief 450

Post by Jgib4 » Wed. Nov. 22, 2017 5:08 pm

So serious question what should I do with all of this 😂

Attachments

D277F708-4937-4F7A-A260-A06902F4E86A.jpeg
.JPEG | 1.1MB | D277F708-4937-4F7A-A260-A06902F4E86A.jpeg

 
User avatar
freetown fred
Member
Posts: 30293
Joined: Thu. Dec. 31, 2009 12:33 pm
Location: Freetown,NY 13803
Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut

Post by freetown fred » Wed. Nov. 22, 2017 5:17 pm

Sell some, save some--buy coal!

 
Jgib4
Member
Posts: 308
Joined: Sun. Jul. 30, 2017 7:08 pm
Location: Carroll county maryland
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Fire chief 450

Post by Jgib4 » Wed. Nov. 22, 2017 5:18 pm

freetown fred wrote:
Wed. Nov. 22, 2017 5:17 pm
Sell some, save some--buy coal!
I probably could sell it lol I have 3 cords there and 1 more in the woods.

 
Jgib4
Member
Posts: 308
Joined: Sun. Jul. 30, 2017 7:08 pm
Location: Carroll county maryland
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Fire chief 450

Post by Jgib4 » Wed. Nov. 22, 2017 6:46 pm

So loaded it up to the top of the firebricks tonight and had something odd happen. I did each layer like I normally do add some then wait for it to ignite then add more. Tonight when I got to the top I cracked the door to see if it was lit and closed it when it wasn’t and it pushed down out of the bottom of the open ash pan. Huge cloud of ash and embers. I feel like it was starved for air with that much on there and needed to find it from the only place it could which was from under it.

 
User avatar
joeq
Member
Posts: 5739
Joined: Sat. Feb. 11, 2012 11:53 am
Location: Northern CT
Hand Fed Coal Stove: G111, Southard Robertson

Post by joeq » Wed. Nov. 22, 2017 7:18 pm

Under it is where you want the air to come from. Hopefully it'll go through the coal bed, like it's 'pose-ta. If the coal bed starts dieing out again, you'll need to keep shaking out the ashes. Once you get into the routine, you'll learn what settings will work best, to achieve the heat out-put, and burn times you desire, with the least amount of ashes. sounds like you're improving, so at least you're heading in the right direction. keep at it. The season is young. :)

 
Jgib4
Member
Posts: 308
Joined: Sun. Jul. 30, 2017 7:08 pm
Location: Carroll county maryland
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Fire chief 450

Post by Jgib4 » Wed. Nov. 22, 2017 7:21 pm

joeq wrote:
Wed. Nov. 22, 2017 7:18 pm
Under it is where you want the air to come from. Hopefully it'll go through the coal bed, like it's 'pose-ta. If the coal bed starts dieing out again, you'll need to keep shaking out the ashes. Once you get into the routine, you'll learn what settings will work best, to achieve the heat out-put, and burn times you desire, with the least amount of ashes. sounds like you're improving, so at least you're heading in the right direction. keep at it. The season is young. :)
I get that it needs the under air but it actually pushed air Down through the ash pan hard enough to push the ashes and embers out into the room.

 
Qtown1835
Member
Posts: 705
Joined: Sat. Nov. 08, 2014 11:47 am
Location: Quakertown, PA
Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker '81 KA4 (online 1/16/17)
Coal Size/Type: WAS Lehigh Rice (TBD)
Other Heating: EFM SPK600

Post by Qtown1835 » Wed. Nov. 22, 2017 7:25 pm

What was your draft reading? My guess is you did not have the bed of coal established before you capped it. Without foot draft the gasses build up in the firebox. Once you introduce fresh air the gasses ignite causing you puff back


Post Reply

Return to “Hand Fired Coal Stoves & Furnaces Using Anthracite”