Coal Stove Help in NE Bombogenesis!

Thick ashes blocks air. Not enough air not much fire.
Pea coal takes some good amount of effort for ash removal.

Half fire means you only got ash remove where the half fire remained.
The other half has ashes yet to be removed and is still blocking the air.

Trade it for a Chubby! Pictures always help us to know whats going on with your stove. Stay warm!

Hello,

As everyone else has mentioned, never disturb a low fire. Only fire I’ve ever lost (and had to start over) was because of thinking, “Hey, I’ll shake the ash out, and more air will flow to liven it up!” Lol

While theoretically true, a low fire is best brought up by first increasing air, then slowly adding a bit of coal to refresh. Then, when healthy again, go ahead and shake.

Learning how much to shake is a curve, too, but you’ll get it. As others have said, I get down low and look at the underside of the grates for an even glow. The suggestion about occasional “cutting” from above sometimes works, too. If you’ve shaken until embers fall and there’s still a dead spot or two, that’s when manually poking those areas usually helps. Paul’s point about shaking a bit afterward to settle the bed is great, too. Don’t want any empty pockets in the bed.

Also, for overnight, pack as much coal in as she’ll fit. I know if I don’t fill mine fill enough on a cold night, she’ll have a ring of ash all around the perimeter and only be glowing in the very center.

Hope this helps, stay warm!

Joe

jschaefer7406 wrote: ↑

Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 11:25 pm

Also, for overnight, pack as much coal in as she’ll fit. I know if I don’t fill mine fill enough on a cold night, she’ll have a ring of ash all around the perimeter and only be glowing in the very center.

One more suggestion for night. When you make a bathroom trip in the middle of the night, do a light shaking of the grates. Actually I do that in the daytime, too, every three or four hours if I happen to think of it. Helps clear a few ashes and settle the coal a little more. No need to go through all the rest of the ash-clearing process -- just make sure the ash pan does not fill up to the bottom of the grates, which can burn out the grates.

I don't bother with the intermediate shakings in spring and fall when the stove is throttled back to low temperature. But it seems to help when I want lots of heat.

One the very big deals for me is never go to bed unless an empty sh pan so you have plenty of room in the am

You & me both DD!!!!!!!