The fire chief 450
- Lightning
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I think what is happening is that the fuel bed is becoming ash bound over the period of a few days. I mean, it starts out good right after a clean out, doesn't it?
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Yes it definitely does.
The first 24 hours I do not clear the ash except from underneath th grates. At 24 hours I do what you said and heave the coal. Then clear the grates, heave the coal and clear the grates. I end up doing that 2 or 3 times.
- Lightning
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Have you seen this video? You might be able to get some ideas from it. This video is a few years old, I've since modified my technique a little bit. I'm now more aggressive with the heaving routine since the stove size coal is more stubborn to move around.
https://youtu.be/MPClFQvUNaY
https://youtu.be/MPClFQvUNaY
- freetown fred
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Damn Lee, after watchin that video, I seriously think I'd consider goin back to burnin straight wood!
- Lightning
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Takes 15 minutes Fred. Show me a wood fire that lasts 24 hours.freetown fred wrote: ↑Mon. Dec. 04, 2017 8:40 pmDamn Lee, after watchin that video, I seriously think I'd consider goin back to burnin straight wood!
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Yes lol got a kick out of it the first time I watched I gave you a like on there!Lightning wrote: ↑Mon. Dec. 04, 2017 8:34 pmHave you seen this video? You might be able to get some ideas from it. This video is a few years old, I've since modified my technique a little bit. I'm now more aggressive with the heaving routine since the stove size coal is more stubborn to move around.
https://youtu.be/MPClFQvUNaY
- Lightning
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
- Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite
You said above you were trying a 24 hour tending schedule. Maybe you should try 12 hours between tendings till ya get a better grip on clearing the ash.
And thanks for the like lol
And thanks for the like lol
- Lightning
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Yes. But that's because the weather is mild and it's not burning fast. I assume too much sometimes lol. When you build a new fire after a clean out, are you getting 80-90 pounds in there? And I can't remember if you currently have the bypasses blocked. Maybe 24 hours is too long for the amount of coal you are putting in.
Plus without a baro or manometer we have no idea what your draft is doing. It could be running away and burning the charge up too fast, not leaving enough to rekindle a fresh charge, or the draft could be failing and just extinguishing the fire... And then there is the ash thing to compound it further.
I know it sucks at first, hooking up new stuff, fiddling and trying to figure things out but once you have this, you are GOLDEN.
So, try a shake and load every 12 hours, just for now, to see if you have better success.
- Lightning
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Okay great, the next time around at 12 hours, rev it up, do the shake - heave - shake, and top it off with fresh coal. Repeat at 12 hours. Let's see how that goes. Ya do the hokey pokey and ya turn yer self around, that's what it's all about.
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So a little update. I had gotten pretty frustrated with the coal and had switched back to wood for a few days. I figured I’d give the all stove coal a shot. Here is what I noticed.
First this is red ash not white. I started looking at it and noticed it seemed a lot different then the white ash I had. It was dull in color, and the big thing was when it was first lit it had a sulpher smell outside.
Second I had removed the insulation from the holes and forgot to replace it when I switched back to coal.
Last I was able to get over a 30 hour burn without tending. Because of work I’m gone for 24 hours or more so it was nice that the wife didn’t have to worry about it.
It makes a lot of ash but is actually burning completely up which is also a nice change not wasting clumps of coal.
I found a place a little over a hour away that sells Pittsburgh bit. They even will bag it if you want. I’m heading up this week. Going to grab 500 pounds to try before I commit to more. The stove definitely seems to like the softer coal so we will see how it burns. If nothing else I now know that the red ash stove size will work if the bit is to bad.
First this is red ash not white. I started looking at it and noticed it seemed a lot different then the white ash I had. It was dull in color, and the big thing was when it was first lit it had a sulpher smell outside.
Second I had removed the insulation from the holes and forgot to replace it when I switched back to coal.
Last I was able to get over a 30 hour burn without tending. Because of work I’m gone for 24 hours or more so it was nice that the wife didn’t have to worry about it.
It makes a lot of ash but is actually burning completely up which is also a nice change not wasting clumps of coal.
I found a place a little over a hour away that sells Pittsburgh bit. They even will bag it if you want. I’m heading up this week. Going to grab 500 pounds to try before I commit to more. The stove definitely seems to like the softer coal so we will see how it burns. If nothing else I now know that the red ash stove size will work if the bit is to bad.
- Lightning
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Hey man, thanks for the update! Yeah let us know how your adventures in bituminous turn out.
Just some good advice here, be very careful loading not to smother the fire, only add a little at a time, because it can and will go nuclear.
Just some good advice here, be very careful loading not to smother the fire, only add a little at a time, because it can and will go nuclear.
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Thanks and I’ll keep updated. Either way if I don’t like bit I’ll probably buy stove size red ash and keep running that. The nut size white ash is just not working well for me. Which really sucks because I have close to two tons of it.
The bit they referred to as Pittsburgh bit, said it’s high ash and smoke but low sulpher smell and burns hot.