Hitzer 354: Burning from one grate

 
Hoytman
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Post by Hoytman » Sat. Nov. 20, 2021 10:35 am

For some reason the last two seasons (my first 2 with anthracite) I was thinking that the back grate was connected to the shaker rod. I don’t know why I was thinking that because I had actually looked in the ash pan before my first time during the stove. Also, all you have to really do is look on the side of the stove to tell. Duh! I guess I forgot about it with learning the stove and learning how to burn anthracite.

I was hoping that it was connected to the front grate so I could unhook the rear grate. So, last night I checked again to be sure and too my surprise I was either mistaken or had completely forgotten how the shaker and grates were connected.

Now that we have it established that I can unhook the rear grate I have some questions.

1. If I unhook the rear grate and burn off the front grate can I just load as usual and allow the ash to build up along the back?

2. Do I need to somehow cover the rear grates?

3. If I cover the rear grates how would you propose I do it? (I have my own idea, but want your input.)

4. Is there anything else I need to consider when doing this? (Seems pretty straight forward.)


 
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warminmn
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Post by warminmn » Sat. Nov. 20, 2021 11:20 am

I have time today so will make a post of how I did mine. its about the same size grate but a different stove of course. Maybe it will give you an idea or two, or maybe not.

 
Hoytman
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Post by Hoytman » Sun. Nov. 21, 2021 10:17 am

Tried burning some wood yesterday. The intent was to burn it for a few days before to see how it burned in the 354. Had to burn some to start a coal fire anyway.

Loaded 5 small 3”x20” oak splits. Added some kindlin then shavings on top of that for a top down fire that started well with very little smoke. The smoke didn’t start until the stat kicked in on last years coal cruise setting for spring shoulder burns, setting 3, then the smoking commenced. I left it in that setting on purpose just to see where a wood fire would run on last years cruise setting. It wasn’t pretty. Had to go all the way to setting 8 and even that wasn’t enough air for a clean burning fire with a small fire...but boy was it throwing the heat. Far too much for the room. I decided then than wood, even a small fire in this large fire box in this large stove was wrong for this house. I knew that, but wanted to confirm it rather than assume it. So we opened her up let the wood partiallly turn to coals and started loading nut coal. Filled her up then turned the stat back to number 3 and closed the damper...the path to easy street.

It’s now been 24 hours since we closed the damper. Temps last night down to 33F and 41F as I type. IAT is 70F...right in the button.

Just disconnected the grate connecting rod and going into to try that as a means to run on one grate and see how that goes before trying other stove modifications. Ash pan door open, just threw in a couple shovels full in the front, fire coming to life (red) and waiting for enough ummmphfff before shaking, after which maybe a shovel or two more in front. We’ll let the stat take over at current setting and as soon as it shuts I’ll turn her down just a smidge. We should be perfect after that. Will be interesting to see from them on if she cruised with a glow rather than black.

I think we’d be fine running this way on one grate all winter. I also think a smaller stove would serve us much better without having to fuss with a stove. We’ll see soon enough if I can prove that rather than assume it.

Some may ask why change stoves if you can run off of one grate. Well, that depends how high I can let the stove ramp and evacuate fly ash when shaking. Normally I can’t ramp too high without the inside of the stove becoming full of ash on top of the coal, but worse yet without the room getting and remaining much too hot.

 
Hoytman
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Post by Hoytman » Sun. Nov. 21, 2021 5:24 pm

Currently 230 on the front of stove,

218 on the side...

208 under the stat

Pipe at thimble 93.

74 inside the house.

Draft -.02”WC.

Lowest stove I’ve ever had with this stove. Stove damper pulled open about 1.5”.

 
Hoytman
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Post by Hoytman » Tue. Nov. 23, 2021 8:13 pm

One thing I’ve noticed burning off of one grate. Front of stove is more hot than the back. Common sense says that’s to be expected. Why then did I forget that heat transfers underneath to the ash pan handle? Sum-a-gun that thing gets hot. :lol: Need a thicker set of gloves, fo sho!

OAT 28F
IAT 70F

Stove idling at -.01”WC and 205F. Right on, right on, right on.

 
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warminmn
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Post by warminmn » Tue. Nov. 23, 2021 8:49 pm

Dont get so low in draft that you have CO issues again. We want to read your post all the way to the end without an obit in the middle... A little loss in efficiency isnt going to cost you a dime a day so dont get hung up on that.

I may have missed it, but what do you have covering the back grate to stop air?

 
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Post by Hoytman » Tue. Nov. 23, 2021 11:18 pm

Ash.
Dean said to try running it unhooked that way rather than modify it. Said I might be surprised how it runs that way.

I haven’t had any CO issues that I know of. CO detector has been reading zero every time I look at it. I don’t think you can smell CO.

Thanks for the reminder. From the posts above my son had pushed the damper handle in all the way when he got home from school. Going to open it about 1.5” before bed. That should help the draft go up to about -.02 or -.025, especially since it dropped 20 down 27F tonight.

Stove not yet ashed up good yet. Curious to see how a weeks burning ends up. Need to bend me up a digging rod to clear ash at sides of bricks.


 
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warminmn
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Post by warminmn » Wed. Nov. 24, 2021 8:38 am

If Dean said it will work that way Im sure it will. In mild weather, like real mild when you are getting too hot, try filling just half or a third of the single grate after poking a little ash thru in that area. No shaking. Thats what I was doing when I used 7 pounds each day for 3 days. Just add a little coal a couple times a day and poke just enough to keep it going. You will get very little or no heat but hopefully wont lose your fire. I was using over fire air too, unless the fire was getting real weak. Then it got cold again and I went back to normal.

There are likely other ways but thats what worked for me.

 
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Post by Hoytman » Wed. Nov. 24, 2021 8:51 am

Are you poking from the top, or underneath? Either way, all I have is wood fire poker.

I’ve got some those small red electric fence posts you see at Rural King and Tractor Supply, the ones with the little triangle piece near the bottom. They are round and you can slide an insulator up and down on them. I need to bend me up a make-shift poker from one of those. Put a 3”-4” 90* bend at the end of one of them. Don’t know what else to use. Not a coal poker sold around here within 200 miles that I know of. Never seen one at Hitzer either, but I know guys here use them.

 
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warminmn
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Post by warminmn » Wed. Nov. 24, 2021 9:58 am

The top. Just enough to make some air to keep it alive but not burning hot. I use an unbent heavy rod and or one with kind of a fancy end on it. Just picture a 2" thick rod with a point and that is close enough. The only time I poke under mine is if something is caught in the shaker and if Im lucky thats once a year.

I do use a rod with a bend as you described but I just use that every few days to knock down the ends where more ash is and to level the coal bed. And once in a while to drag something around the lawn...

 
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Post by Hoytman » Wed. Nov. 24, 2021 10:57 am

Sounds good.

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Wed. Nov. 24, 2021 11:40 am

Hoytman wrote:
Tue. Nov. 23, 2021 11:18 pm
haven’t had any CO issues that I know of. CO detector has been reading zero every time I look at it. I don’t think you can smell CO
Although carbon monoxide has no oder, you can usually smell the other byproducts of coal combustion in the house if you have a leak of draft failure. Smells sulfury, like burnt matches. This makes burning coal even safer than other fuels since you can't smell the byproducts of combustion from natural gas or propane, maybe burnt fuel oil has an oder.. but nonetheless can't help you if yer sleeping. So no excuses for not having working CO alarms.

 
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Post by Hoytman » Wed. Nov. 24, 2021 12:50 pm

Lightning wrote:
Wed. Nov. 24, 2021 11:40 am
Although carbon monoxide has no oder, you can usually smell the other byproducts of coal combustion in the house if you have a leak of draft failure. Smells sulfury, like burnt matches. This makes burning coal even safer than other fuels since you can't smell the byproducts of combustion from natural gas or propane, maybe burnt fuel oil has an oder.. but nonetheless can't help you if yer sleeping. So no excuses for not having working CO alarms.
Thanks. Good post. Yep...was smelling just a tad of sulfur when that window retainer fell out because it allowed the glass to move towards inside of stove.

I put everything back in place and it is staying put, but that retainer will fall out in a heartbeat if I’m not careful. Glad two other screws are helping to hold it in.

I still have to order a drill and tap online somewhere. Probably do it Friday. I just have to check and double check the glass after ew h tending as well as randomly.

 
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Post by Hoytman » Thu. Nov. 25, 2021 12:53 am

Early Thursday night/morning...

OAT 48 (midnight) Our high for Thanksgiving Day.
IAT 73F up from 70F when it was a tad colder.

-.015”WC
Door spinners open half a turn each to let a little room air up the chimney and stove damper open about 1.5”.

Going to bed here real quick. Up at 5:30am to put the turkey on.

Think I’ll pull that damper open a tad more, maybe half open. Doubt if I need to, but I don’t want to lose draft, even though I think there’s a slim chance, but my biggest concern is it getting to hot in here while cooking and while people are here. Thought I’d let some heat out the chimney and open window stats in the morning if I need to.

I expect with all the cooking in the morning it’ll get sort of warm. Would like to prevent that.

Glad I’m only burning on one grate. Tended this morning but NOT this evening. Will shake gently in the morning maybe. Depends on house temp. Might help it to cool down if I let it ash up more.

Running about 195F under the stat right now.

Pipe is 95F.
Amazing how the pipe will be that temp running low like this and the same temp even much higher stove temp. Never seen anything like it.

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Thu. Nov. 25, 2021 8:14 am

Billy, I forget, did ya ever put in a MPD? Ya know, even with night-time temps in the teens, day-time in the 30's I'm only tending once daily--shakin kinda gentle around 10 shakes & toppin off---not adjustin bi-metallic nor ash door vents. I's workin real well.


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