Lighting and Maintaining a coal fire

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sat. Oct. 12, 2019 3:11 pm

Hrdnox1 wrote: ↑
Tue. Oct. 08, 2019 8:47 am
So, here's this weekends plan of attack:

Cover the Baro with foil and/or remove baro and replace with MPD.
Dump unburned coal from firebox and sift.

Cover entire grate with lump 3-4 inches or more and 4 scoops of nut coal sprinkled about and just send it!
air holes wide open, once coal is glowing hot add 4 more scoops every 10 minutes or so (when glowing and blue flame is evident).

Repeat until even with hopper, then fill hopper.

Start Adjusting airflow to regulate temp output.

I'll take pictures along the way and post them. Thank you all for the help and advice!!

Keep the top and bottom doors closed except to add coal on the top or to adjust the bottom air for fire throttle.

Important...coal is ssslow to respond to any changes...BE VERY PATIENT !!!

Hrdnox1 · Post by **Hrdnox1** » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 10:01 pm

freetown fred wrote: ↑
Sat. Oct. 12, 2019 12:46 pm
K, that's my line!!! WTF!!! LOL SC's post would be something to consider!!! Guys, ya think we run him off yet ???????????????????????????

Hahahaha I don't scare, unless you're a clown then...we may have an issue. I'm just getting things in the lawn and garden prepped for winter while the weather is still warmer and dry.

Hrdnox1 · Post by **Hrdnox1** » Mon. Oct. 14, 2019 10:05 pm

CapeCoaler wrote: ↑
Fri. Oct. 11, 2019 6:48 pm
So that chimney is the tallest structure on the building...

Yes it is

Hrdnox1 · Post by **Hrdnox1** » Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 12:52 pm

***UPDATE***

Well this weekend was a huge success gentlemen, I'm officially running 48+ hours!!

Some things i need to work on are:

Possibly adding a MPD.

Not being too stingy or bashful in regards to adding coal to the firebox on startup.

Regulating heat output (Holy crap this thing is HOT)!!!

It took me entirely too long to start this thing up due to inexperience with lighting coal, Almost 4 hours that's because i thought that it needed to be completely red/yellow hot before adding my next layer of coal and i wasn't shaking my ash grate hard enough to get a good ashing.

A big thank you for all the help with this beast!!

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 1:02 pm

Nice! You're getting there!

You'll get plenty scolding for not filling up to the top of the bricks though. It ain't wood!

Yes, the MPD will help a lot, but tight gaskets are a big issue too. Extra heat ALWAYS comes from extra air...you must have full control of the air. Air In equals Air Out. Air in from gasket leaks is not very controllable.

Hrdnox1 · Post by **Hrdnox1** » Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 1:49 pm

The hopper comes down below the top line of the fire bricks. The only way i could see getting it that full is to shovel more onto the sides.

I replaced all the gaskets on all the doors (Top Load Door, View Door and Ash/Air inlet Door). I may replace and reseal the glass in the summer.

How exactly will the MPD benefit this?

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 2:55 pm

Hrdnox1 wrote: ↑
Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 1:49 pm
The hopper comes down below the top line of the fire bricks. The only way i could see getting it that full is to shovel more onto the sides.
Aha.
I replaced all the gaskets on all the doors (Top Load Door, View Door and Ash/Air inlet Door). I may replace and reseal the glass in the summer.
Perfect.
How exactly will the MPD benefit this?
Indirectly throttles how much air can get in to be introduced up to and through the unburnt fuel on the grates... less air, less fire...mo air, mo fire!

Hrdnox1 · Post by **Hrdnox1** » Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 3:03 pm

Then How does it stay lit if i dampen it in the pipe and on the front of the unit?

Post by **Lightning** » Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 3:37 pm

Does this unit have a thermostatic controlled primary air intake on it? If not, and primary air is controlled manually, I HIGHLY recommend a baro damper instead of an MPD. It will smooth out the heat output and give you total control of the burn rate.

Hrdnox1 · Post by **Hrdnox1** » Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 3:40 pm

It does not have a thermostatic control it it completely manual.

I did have a baro installed but i couldn't keep the darn thing lit. i have it blocked off with foil now

Post by **Lightning** » Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 4:03 pm

Hrdnox1 wrote: ↑
Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 3:40 pm
It does not have a thermostatic control it it completely manual.

I did have a baro installed but i couldn't keep the darn thing lit. i have it blocked off with foil now

Ahhhhhh, okay I remember now.. two things - #1 as it gets colder out the draft will increase, #2 now that yer gaining some experience with running the coal fire you'll have better luck with it..

Try it again once it gets colder out. You'll really like how well behaved your fire will act.

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 5:57 pm

Hrdnox1 wrote: ↑
Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 3:03 pm
Then How does it stay lit if i dampen it in the pipe and on the front of the unit?

Dampen down doesn't mean slamming everything up tight, you can get it pretty slow with just a sliver of a crack of bottom air.
Coal can burn "Low and Slow", unlike wood. Coal is very slow to respond to any changes, wood is more like a Jack Rabbit.
Make small changes and wait a while to see the results...no instant gratification with coal.
Forget everything you ever knew about burning wood. It only messes up your thinking for now burning coal.

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Mon. Oct. 21, 2019 9:38 pm

And if you look at a fully closed pipe damper, there's not just the holes in the damper plate, there's a lot of gap between the edges of the plate and the pipe - enough open spaces that a coal stove can still exhaust up the chimney with the pipe damper fully closed and the primary damper just open a sliver as Mac said.

That's what we generally mean by "dampering down".....it's not the same as, "shut down".

Paul

Hrdnox1 · Post by **Hrdnox1** » Tue. Oct. 22, 2019 10:25 am

When i think about draft it's basically vacuum, now if i have a weaker than normal draft and i start obstructing the stove pipe that would in turn drop my draft correct? or would it increase the vacuum (draft). If it does reduce the vacuum (draft) and i also have a full load of coal that would further drop my draft and if i closed off to a very small air intake that would drop it even further correct? Did i just way over think it or am i tracking good here?

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Tue. Oct. 22, 2019 10:56 am

A manometer can demonstrate for all your draft curiosities...

Your baro, if calibrated, will keep things all evened out.

Why are you convinced all your fires went out only due to poor draft and nothing else? we are on page 6 here now...may be other factors at play???

Lighting and Maintaining a coal fire

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