Any hand fired stoves that will burn rice coal?

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sitdwnandhngon
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Post by sitdwnandhngon » Mon. Apr. 22, 2019 6:13 pm

So I'm a bit paranoid at times. I have my stoker all set up so it works well, and a dedicated generator for it so we can go maybe 10 days without needing additional gas with what I keep on hand.

But part of me always thinks the world could end at any time, and taking the wood furnace out to replace it with one that requires electricity full time is still a little un-nerving.

Are there any small hand fired stoves that will run well with rice coal? Just to be used as a backup heating source in case of an emergency. I live in the middle of the woods, so getting wood to burn in it would also be easy enough, but if there is tons of coal sitting in the bin, might as well use that.

My idea is install it in a side room that has the door to the basement, it's more of an office than anything. Something small that looks nice while installed and kind of stays out of the way would be the ticket, and maybe even something that could be used to knock the chill off on those super cold days we sometimes get and the stoker can't quite keep up with.

Thanks.

 
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Spacecadet
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Post by Spacecadet » Mon. Apr. 22, 2019 11:53 pm

I've been burning range coal in my hitzer 30-95 all season It's a mix of everything from rice to nut. I don't think I would try to burn just rice in it by itself. The smaller stuff slows the airflow down quite a bit and i don't think it would flow through just rice alone. I think it would smother it and put out the fire.
Where I live we seem to loose power too often. I know my hand fire will continue to put out heat without electric. And if the powers out long enough and I have to hook up the generator, I don't have to choose between the fridge and the heat.

 
lincolnmania
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Post by lincolnmania » Tue. Apr. 23, 2019 1:38 am

my old roommates used to take my buckwheat coal for the efm in the shop and the alaska in my room and put it in a hand fed kenmore stove in their part of the building. I got tired of it so i switched to rice coal. they still tried taking my coal but it did not burn as well as the buck.

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Tue. Apr. 23, 2019 7:35 am

Yes, but not intentionally. I just used the last of 20 bags of Tractor Supply nut coal. It had a mix of every size from nut down to rice. I was disappointed at first, but once I screened out the fines, I was surprised the mix burned well when I wanted to slow the kitchen range fire to just keep it going on warm days.

However, that mix would not burn hot enough to put out good heat on the cold days. The mix was just too air-flow restrictive to breath well enough to match the heat volume of using just nut coal size.

But, opening the dampers and shaking ash, it revived quickly when it was time to cook meals - even when it got up into the 60's and low 70's outside.

Paul


 
CapeCoaler
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Post by CapeCoaler » Tue. Apr. 23, 2019 9:21 am

Straight rice not a option...
Part of a spring/fall mix not a problem...
Burning the dregs of the pile now...
Mix from rice to nut...
Not fines bit small chips up to nut...
Burns slow but can be bumped up to 350* quickly...
Would not burn it in the winter when I need 350*-550* in the stove...

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Apr. 23, 2019 5:00 pm

Nope. Straight buck will burn alright if you have good draft, so if your stoker can burn buck that might be an option.

Something else to think about - a power outage is not the only thing that can cause your stoker to go cold. What about you getting detained away from home, or getting injured? Not everyone has family that can handle the coal chores, so think about that as well. As much as I dislike the cost of propane, a big tank of LP is nice to have in an emergency.

 
sitdwnandhngon
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska Stoker II

Post by sitdwnandhngon » Tue. Apr. 23, 2019 6:07 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Tue. Apr. 23, 2019 5:00 pm
Nope. Straight buck will burn alright if you have good draft, so if your stoker can burn buck that might be an option.

Something else to think about - a power outage is not the only thing that can cause your stoker to go cold. What about you getting detained away from home, or getting injured? Not everyone has family that can handle the coal chores, so think about that as well. As much as I dislike the cost of propane, a big tank of LP is nice to have in an emergency.
Not a major issue, I have a wife and kids, and my parents don't live far away. I would even trust a few people on our road to get into the basement and adjust it.

We took a 3 day trip in January, and I turned it down to an idle for the dogs. The hopper went almost the whole time, my dad topped it off and emptied the ashes for me the morning we left for home.

I have thought of switching the electric range to a gas range at some point, but it will be awhile, the stove is still in really good shape.

I guess it's not a major issue if I can't burn rice. I can just install a small airtight wood stove. Plenty of wood to be scavenged laying around, and with a few tanks of saw gas set aside there is cords of it easily obtained.

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