Coal Fireplace Insert Hitzer 503?

I haven't put coal in since Sunday afternoon. 3:00pm will be 48 hours. I shook one time yesterday, one time today. Fuel bed is pretty thin now. Still hovering around -.01 to -.015 on the mano.

One thing that I did in the past to make for a much better grate shake is the making of a two handed, two handled shaker. It focuses the torque into the axial rotation and eliminates the lateral sliding or lifting of the grate due to the unbalanced forces of using a single handle. I'd like to make one for the 503.

Lightning wrote: ↑

Tue. Feb. 09, 2021 6:54 pm

One thing that I did in the past to make for a much better grate shake is the making of a two handed, two handled shaker. It focuses the torque into the axial rotation and eliminates the lateral sliding or lifting of the grate due to the unbalanced forces of using a single handle. I'd like to make one for the 503.

Spoken like a seasoned engineer ! I had to read it 3 times before being able to visualize it.

Paulie

Pauliewog wrote: ↑

Tue. Feb. 09, 2021 7:26 pm

Spoken like a seasoned engineer ! I had to read it 3 times before being able to visualize it.

I know it's terrible.. Sometimes a simple explanation just eludes me. I should have consulted franco b, he has a much better way with words

You guys ever try running another brick course along the front? Or maybe half a brick? Coal seems to spill onto the air wash ledge once ya try to build it up.

Do you have the old styled shaker...
The new one is much better...
I believe they raised the front lip of the new 503 up about 1\2 of an inch...
Better but not perfect...
But that is with a hopper...
Going to love how ya tweak that 503...

Lightning wrote: ↑

Tue. Feb. 09, 2021 8:39 pm

You guys ever try running another brick course along the front? Or maybe half a brick? Coal seems to spill onto the air wash ledge once ya try to build it up.

I did it with my 983 and it worked very well, i was able to put more coal in it but it didn’t have a hopper.

Even has it in my 50-93--it's not like your re-inventin the wheel Lee--as hard as ya try!!! LOL No air wash, but damn functional!

I just wanted to post an update on the sweet lil 503.. I just reread most of this thread, such a wealth of information, thank you to the contributors.

Over the last few days I pulled the stove out and installed a 6 ft SS flexible pipe that extends up into the 8x12 chimney flue. I packed some fiberglass insulation around it to seal it to the flue. I ran screws thru the adapter and SS liner then attached short ropes to the screws on the inside of the pipe. This was done so that once the stove was put back into the fire place I could reach thru the stove and pull the whole works down into the breech of the stove. This took several attempts since lining up the pipe to the stove proved to be difficult. Sliding that 500 pound stove in and out of the fireplace made me a sore man, but just imagine how much stronger I am now I first had to cut away some of the fireplace's surround to make room for the pipe. I thought flexible meant it would be flexible lol, not so much. It took a rediculous amount of effort to get the bends in the pipe just right. I wish I could have got a few pics of that fiasco, but I was such a dirty mess that I didn't wanna touch my phone I managed to finally get the adapter pulled into the breech of the stove but I'm not exactly totally content with it. I think at some point in the future I'll replace the flexible liner with rigid stove pipe using a couple 90s to achieve the needed bend.

Anyways.... Results. The sealed liner to the flue proved to give me a great draft! So I'm very pleased with that When I lit the lumpy charcoal to start the fire the mano jumped up to -.12 and peaked at -.15 Once I had a nice coal fire settled in and idled down the draft eased back to -.05 It's now cruising at a steady -.04 which is perfect.. I had some pretty blues earlier but now that she's idled back there's not much to see.

The right side fan had a rattle going on so I replaced it with the new one that the seller gave me with the stove.. nice and quiet now, I mean as far as quite with blowers can be lol.

I had to push the stove so far into the fireplace to get the SS pipe to line up that the surround is in the way of using the hopper.. another reason that I'd like to re attempt with regular stove pipe. I can still access the hopper lid by moving the 503's surround, if desired..

I have about a ton of nut size in buckets that was given to me so I'd like to use it thru the colder parts of winter in the 503. That should cut some usage of pea size that the Axeman is burning so that I can stretch out my pea size a little longer. Hopefully till coal prices settle down, whenever/if that happens.

I'd also like to get a nice hearth rug/carpet for out in front of it. Feel free to make recommendations..

Lookin' Good!!!!

D-frost wrote: ↑

Sat. Nov. 19, 2022 7:23 am

Lookin' Good!!!!

Thank you D frost today after work I shook her down and added 20 pounds. Purring along nicely at -.05

Yesterday I shook it down and added about 20 pounds. I have to really dial it back or that side of the house gets too warm. The mano showing -.04 to -.05 steady as long as the wind doesn't blow. Today has been breezy, I witnessed it peaking -.10 but only momentarily.

Later this week the daytime highs will be much milder so I'm gonna have to let it go out or it'll just be too much. The past couple days, today included, only reached the mid 20s with teens at night. I will shake and load again today but probably let it run till out afterwards..

Wow, Lee, I think I'm a bit behind, but that insert looks really sweet. Nice to have during the cold swells. Just wundering how you load the hopper, if the top is buried inside the fireplace.

joeq wrote: ↑

Sun. Nov. 20, 2022 4:47 pm

Just wundering how you load the hopper, if the top is buried inside the fireplace

Thanks for your interest Joe. I move the 503's metal surround to access the hopper lid. Not a best case scenario, but it works lol. I shook it down and added about half a bucket today. Purring along low and slow. I miss taking care of a hand fed stove. It's really nice to have the 503. Not to mention, it's a great stove. I'm not using the hopper currently. It's not in stove to obstruct my viewing lol..

I have the convection blowers set to automatic which allows them toggle on and off as needed.

I don't know much about coal or wood stoves but I think the 503 might just be the best stove ever made.