How much is to much?

 
Gezzer 71
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Post by Gezzer 71 » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 6:43 pm

When it comes to shaking down a coal stove I would like to know how much to shake the darn thing. Everyone says to shake until hot coals or a nice glow appears in the ash pan. OK I agree! But I sit by my stove, a Hitzer 30-95 for from 3 min. to 5 min. shaking all the while and not 1 hot coal or a nice glow appears. That is about 100 strokes of the shaker handle. Yes I do poke it and knife it. I do get a nice pile if fine ash but that is it. I also have blue ladies dancing all over the place when I am done. I just feel that there is just to much shaking being done.


 
ncountry
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Post by ncountry » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 7:11 pm

. After reading your post I had to go downstairs and shake my stove. Close to 30 strokes and it was all shook down, with an even glow in the ash pan. No other poking or prodding needed...

 
CorrosionMan
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Post by CorrosionMan » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 7:13 pm

Wow. I shake hard and fast, maybe 5 times each grate (2).

 
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windyhill4.2
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Post by windyhill4.2 » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 7:14 pm

Gezzer 71 wrote:
Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 6:43 pm
When it comes to shaking down a coal stove I would like to know how much to shake the darn thing. Everyone says to shake until hot coals or a nice glow appears in the ash pan. OK I agree! But I sit by my stove, a Hitzer 30-95 for from 3 min. to 5 min. shaking all the while and not 1 hot coal or a nice glow appears. That is about 100 strokes of the shaker handle. Yes I do poke it and knife it. I do get a nice pile if fine ash but that is it. I also have blue ladies dancing all over the place when I am done. I just feel that there is just to much shaking being done.
Are you doing this every 24 hrs or every 12 hrs. ???
Could your stroke be too short ??

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 7:20 pm

I give my 50-93 8 good shakes every 12 hrs & have a nice amount of red ash in the pan. G, stop with your poking & slicing--not the way the stove is designed. Are you running her hot or just idling, is it putting out any heat??? I'm Using around 40lbs. per 24 hrs--maybe 50 lbs in the cold weather. Coals in firebox are bright red with an occasional dancing blue lady.

 
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oliver power
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Post by oliver power » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 7:24 pm

I'm going to guess you're not poking correctly. It's not really poking. It's more like fluffing. Do the fluffing, so that the ash drops to the grates. Then Shake. You will see the glow in the ash pan.

How are you poking now? Could you explain your tending procedure?

 
rberq
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Post by rberq » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 8:38 pm

oliver power wrote:
Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 7:24 pm
It's not really poking. It's more like fluffing. Do the fluffing, so that the ash drops to the grates. Then Shake. You will see the glow in the ash pan.
Ditto that advice. I don't have to do the poking/fluffing every day. Part of the problem with mine is the corners and front edge get ash-bound. Also the coal seems to "bridge" and stick together so it doesn't fall onto the grates, especially along front and sides. Poking/fluffing helps with both situations.


 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 8:43 pm

Never had to fluff, knife, slice or riddle mine. Just an occasional side cleaning with a long hooked critter.

 
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michaelanthony
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Post by michaelanthony » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 9:29 pm

When I ran the box stove a few strategic straight down firm pokes and 20 lbs of fresh would jump start a short lived grate shake.

 
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warminmn
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Post by warminmn » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 9:49 pm

Gezzer, there is something different about either your coal or technique or maybe both. Go on youtube and watch some videos of other's shaking their grates and see if there is something different you are doing.

The only thing at this time I notice is you have pea coal mentioned in your profile and many here use nut size in that stove.... not that pea wont work, but its different than most here.

Please let us know when you get this figured out as its kind of uncommon.

 
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windyhill4.2
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Post by windyhill4.2 » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 9:56 pm

No one with a 30-95 has responded..

If i am thinking correctly, the 30-95 has just 1 grate where the 50-93 has 2 ?

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 10:16 pm

Yes WH. But something aint right here.

 
hank2
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Post by hank2 » Fri. Feb. 02, 2018 12:01 am

Not sure of what's normal for a 30-95. That does sound like a crazy amount of shaking. I'm guessing it's the coal. I try to get a feel on the shaker handle for when I've shaken down the ash and get to solid burning coal. The amount of shakes can sure vary with the coal I'm burning. I've had high ash red ash coal or coal with too much bone that needed the crap shaken out of it to get it down. Other coals, like Lehigh or this year's very nice bagged Blaschak, don't need much shake down. Maybe half or less than others. I go by the old measure of only a few hot coals in the pan when done. I usually take a coal poker to the front corners of my DS box and once in a while to the sides or back corners.

 
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oliver power
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Post by oliver power » Fri. Feb. 02, 2018 12:52 am

OK, Now we're getting somewhere......... As I'm reading other replies, I too noticed others responding would not know the little quirks of the 30-95. Then I see windyhill4.2 actually called it out.

Example: The 50-93 ashes at the left, and right sides. Yet, depending on stove operation, poking/fluffing at tending time is at a minimum. The D.S. ashes at the front, and back. Although the D.S. doesn't need poking/fluffing every day, it should be done every day in order to get all the grate area pulling it's own weight. The D.S. needs ALL of it's grate area cleared in hopes of any performance. The 50-93, and D.S. both have vertical side walls in the firebox.

The 30-95 is a Great Performing little stove. It puts my D.S. 1600 to shame. However, due to it's slanted back wall, it needs to be poked /fluffed at EVERY tending for optimal performance. Mainly at the two sides, and a little across the front. The two sides get heavy ash build up, sometimes needing a little raking on the slanted back wall at each side. On the flip side of things, the 30-95 also shines when it comes to idling way, way down. Just enough heat to take the damp chill off during the shoulder months.

warminmn noticed you're using pea size coal. Nut burns soooo much better in the 30-95. The sames goes for the 50-93, and the D.S..

At tending time, do a good fluffing/poking. That's where your attention should be for the 30-95. Shaking will then be to a minimal. You'll see the glow in the ash pan.
Last edited by oliver power on Fri. Feb. 02, 2018 12:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

 
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oliver power
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Post by oliver power » Fri. Feb. 02, 2018 12:52 am

windyhill4.2 wrote:
Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 9:56 pm
No one with a 30-95 has responded..

If i am thinking correctly, the 30-95 has just 1 grate where the 50-93 has 2 ?
I did..... :) .....and yes, the 30-95 has one grate. The single grate feels funny, as it's a one, on one ratio. But works very well.


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