First Coal Experience

 
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Lightning
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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

Post by Lightning » Sun. Dec. 10, 2017 2:07 pm

That looks beautiful, right that the initial fire takes a lot. A new fire for me after a clean out takes around 110 pounds, then the reload after shake down takes about 50 pounds at 24 hours (once per day).

If those are exposed fire bricks I'm seeing on each side, it still can take more coal. I'll fill mine to the very top of the bricks and mound more across the middle for a depth of 14 inches in the middle.

Keep up the good work!
Yer making progress.

 
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ASea
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Joined: Thu. Nov. 27, 2014 8:55 pm
Location: Athol Massachusetts
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska Kast Console II
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Coal Chubby
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood Modern Oak 114, Glenwood 30 "Estate" Warm Morning 120
Coal Size/Type: Sherman Anthracite Nut/Stove from C&T Coal
Other Heating: Peerless Boiler with Cast Iron Baseboards

Post by ASea » Sun. Dec. 10, 2017 7:31 pm

Get a good wood fire or bed of charcoal going,damper and air intake wide open. Sprinkle coal all over it till its burning and a few inches deep. You want to see an orange glow through the bottom of the grates. When you see that add the rest of the coal, fill it up and check for the blue ladies (gases from warming coal catching fire) poking up through the top of the pile. The air has to be trapped beneath and work its way up through the coal bed. You will be in business! Coal is very slow to catch and may take time and patients. Stick with it. Don't be afraid to dump it all in there,fill er up!

 
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ASea
Member
Posts: 1156
Joined: Thu. Nov. 27, 2014 8:55 pm
Location: Athol Massachusetts
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska Kast Console II
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Coal Chubby
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood Modern Oak 114, Glenwood 30 "Estate" Warm Morning 120
Coal Size/Type: Sherman Anthracite Nut/Stove from C&T Coal
Other Heating: Peerless Boiler with Cast Iron Baseboards

Post by ASea » Sun. Dec. 10, 2017 7:33 pm

This guy does a pretty fair job in displaying how it's done. https://youtu.be/E9mw7rnd8sc

Here's another.https://youtu.be/sUKS1WScNJQ
Last edited by ASea on Sun. Dec. 10, 2017 7:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.


 
nickdearing88
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Posts: 47
Joined: Thu. Nov. 23, 2017 3:11 pm
Location: NW PA
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: DS AquaGem 1100
Coal Size/Type: Blaschak bulk pea/nut
Other Heating: LP Boiler

Post by nickdearing88 » Sun. Dec. 10, 2017 7:35 pm

Lightning wrote:
Sun. Dec. 10, 2017 2:07 pm
That looks beautiful, right that the initial fire takes a lot. A new fire for me after a clean out takes around 110 pounds, then the reload after shake down takes about 50 pounds at 24 hours (once per day).

If those are exposed fire bricks I'm seeing on each side, it still can take more coal. I'll fill mine to the very top of the bricks and mound more across the middle for a depth of 14 inches in the middle.

Keep up the good work!
Yer making progress.
Yeah I was in process of building it up while taking the pic. The only issue is the firebrick extends about 4 inches above the loading door level so it's much easier to bank up in the back and middle than the front. I might try to put a firebrick or two at the front of the firebox to extend above the loading door slightly to make banking the front easier. After reading some of your threads, I'd like to try and add a heat diverter at the top of the firebox. Currently my furnace flue outlet (on the top right side) is totally open -- I'm sure a lot of heat escapes that way. But like I said, I'm currently working with what I've got, especially while just testing out the coal. A true anthracite burner is in my future.

 
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Rich W.
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Location: Newport County, Rhode Island
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vermont Castings Vigilant Multi-Fuel (coal for me); Vermont Castings Vigilant 2310 in the shop
Coal Size/Type: Nut
Other Heating: System 2000 Oil Burner; VC Resolute Woodstove (sold) Jotul 8 Woodstove (sold)

Post by Rich W. » Sun. Dec. 10, 2017 7:50 pm

Good looking fire. Keep playing; keep thinking it through!

 
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michaelanthony
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Joined: Sat. Nov. 22, 2008 10:42 pm
Location: millinocket,me.
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vigilant 2310, gold marc box stove
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Gold Marc Independence
Baseburners & Antiques: Home Sparkle 12
Coal Size/Type: 'nut
Other Heating: Fujitsu mini split, FHA oil furnace

Post by michaelanthony » Mon. Dec. 11, 2017 7:48 pm

Nice pictures, don't poke too much! coal burns best when left alone. I see a lot of fire bricks now fill that stove up!!

p.s. I'm not the first person to tell you to fill 'er up ;)

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