Heitzer 503 Hopper Operation

 
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CRAZYBOBDS
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Post by CRAZYBOBDS » Sat. Jan. 06, 2018 4:08 pm

Hi everyone. I was hoping you could help me out. I have a Heitzer 503 wich i have been burning for about 4 years. About 2 tons a year. I am getting pretty good at keeping fires going and had one go for about 90 days last year non stop. (Success lol).

My question is that I have never used the hopper. I continually shovel in coal which kind of makes a mess and takes some time.

Has anyone used one of these top fed hoppers?

I don’t see how you can bank the coal from front to back using the hopper.

What keeps the blue flame that normally sit on top of the coal from burning right up inside the hopper?

Any tips on using it. Is it worth it ?

Thank you!!

Bob


 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Sat. Jan. 06, 2018 7:11 pm

Gravity banks the coal coming out of the hopper--fill er up & let her do what she was made to do. :) Tend (shake & top off hopper every 12 hrs.)

 
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Post by Den034071 » Sat. Jan. 06, 2018 7:35 pm

Bob I have a Hitzer hopper fed .The advantage of a hopper is the coal is Pre Warmed an the stove fire recovers almost instantly .I shake fill hopper take ash pan out walk away walla .No dropping coal on area in front of stove .Try it .P M me if I can help .jack

 
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Post by CRAZYBOBDS » Sat. Jan. 06, 2018 7:51 pm

Thank you. So do i get be the first fire going? Then slide the bin in above it? I guess that’s the only way to do it. Or maybe put the hopper in and shovel around I.T to start.

 
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Post by franco b » Sat. Jan. 06, 2018 8:39 pm

Put the hopper in first.
Start the fire and add coal.
Load through hopper when coal fire is big enough.
fill hopper.

 
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Post by CRAZYBOBDS » Sat. Jan. 06, 2018 8:55 pm

Ok. So, i may be a little gun shy here but i put the hopper in. My screw hole does not line up so i can’t get that in. But it looks like the hopper bottem is much higher than the front fire brick. Is this correct?

I’ve never had a coal fire that high before. So i should try and get the coal fire going to somewhere close to the level of he bottom of that hopper?

 
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Post by CRAZYBOBDS » Sat. Jan. 06, 2018 8:59 pm

Hopper
image.jpg

Hopper

.JPG | 739.9KB | image.jpg


 
franco b
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Post by franco b » Sat. Jan. 06, 2018 9:34 pm

The hopper is high but the coal tapers down to the front of the stove.
You can gradually fill it to confirm this.

 
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Post by freetown fred » Sat. Jan. 06, 2018 9:44 pm

It looks like that hopper won't go anywhere--my set up is different,(not removable) but does yours wobble or slide around? If not, just use it without a bolt in the front. It looks pretty stable as is. Start her goin slowly & then fill hopper after you get your fire going up to the hopper bottom. The fire won't feed up onto the hopper unless your hopper door gasket is bad.

 
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Post by Gian4 » Sat. Jan. 06, 2018 10:21 pm

Hi Craz
I'm giving you a board link that sums up my 7yrs of living and using my 503. Hope it helps. The hopper makes life much easier.
Gian4
Post by Gian4 - Reflections on Hitzer 503 Insert

 
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Post by CRAZYBOBDS » Sun. Jan. 07, 2018 12:44 pm

F046FAAA-9CF8-4091-A16F-0523C3C8CAD5.jpeg

After shaking filled through hopper

.JPEG | 848KB | F046FAAA-9CF8-4091-A16F-0523C3C8CAD5.jpeg
So i built the fire up to the point of the bottom of the hopper last night. Filled the hopper and it seemed ok. There was blue flames kinda hanging out around the bottom of the hopper when i added the new coal. All seemed ok.

This morning i shook the unit down. So the level of the coal dropped about 2 inches lower than the hopper. I never opened the front door and just tried to fill through the hopper. The coal came up in level pretty high in the front of the unit. It’s on top of the fire brick. But does not fall out the door if opened. Is this ok?

I normally try and keep a very bright area in the front corner to make sure gasses ignite but every time i try to move the coal more feeds down from the hopper.

I am using pea coal so it tends to slide around and fill up the spaces pretty easily. Just want to make sure I’m still on track here.

I appreciate everyone’s help. Thanks. Bob.

 
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Post by Gian4 » Sun. Jan. 07, 2018 12:55 pm

There is no problem with coal on top of the front fire brick. It's a good idea to leave an area of burning coal uncovered as per your post to prevent coal gas explosion (puff back). I find nut coal allows for a better burn in my 503.
Gian 4

 
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Post by franco b » Sun. Jan. 07, 2018 2:06 pm

Nut coal would be better.
Feeding hot coal from the hopper, the blue flames should appear very quickly, without any other action.

 
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Post by rberq » Sun. Jan. 07, 2018 4:16 pm

Gian4 wrote:
Sun. Jan. 07, 2018 12:55 pm
There is no problem with coal on top of the front fire brick.
:?: :?: :?: It won't burn out the steel, over time?

 
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Post by Gian4 » Mon. Jan. 08, 2018 9:40 am

rberq
There is just a small amt of coal on the lip along the front of the stove. We are not talking about a large mound of coal that will generate a lot of heat. I'm not an expert but I don't think this will cause damage.
Gian4


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