Coal Insert

Wizard · Post by **Wizard** » Sat. Jan. 24, 2009 9:51 am

I have a coal fireplace insert not sure what brand there is no name on the stove but my question is when it was installed they put a stainless liner in but no damper
they said they could not put one with that stove is the damper a necessity? Second question is when I see all your posts about filling it up do you mean all over the
bed or banking it to the sides?

Post by **coaledsweat** » Sat. Jan. 24, 2009 10:11 am

Post some pictures of it, I'm pretty sure someone will recognize it.
A baro damper will keep the heat in your home instead of having it go up the chimney.
Banking is raking the burning coal up to one end or the other, leaving a valley to load the fresh charge in. It's purpose is to leave an active fire on the surface to burn off volatiles and keep the fire lively with a burn top to bottom in at least one spot.

Ashcat · Post by **Ashcat** » Sat. Jan. 24, 2009 10:16 am

Wizard wrote:I have a coal fireplace insert not sure what brand there is no name on the stove but my question is when it was installed they put a stainless liner in but no damper
they said they could not put one with that stove is the damper a necessity? Second question is when I see all your posts about filling it up do you mean all over the
bed or banking it to the sides?

They may have been referring to a barometric damper, which is difficult (if not impossible) to use with an insert, but it is possible your stove has a manual pipe damper instead. Pictures might help, including what the inside of the firebox looks like. Does it have a blower fan, to blow warm air out into the room?

Filling it up means all over the bed. There may be some situations in which you might not fill it up evenly across the entire bed but, usually, you want a deep bed of coals everywhere.

Wizard · Post by **Wizard** » Sat. Jan. 24, 2009 11:47 am

I have taken some pictures hope these help . There are a couple of the inside and inside the stove there is a half round piece osf steel to divert heat I dno't know if you can make it out.

Wizard · Post by **Wizard** » Sat. Jan. 24, 2009 11:49 am

More pictures I could not upload all at once

jeromemsn · Post by **jeromemsn** » Sat. Jan. 24, 2009 11:56 am

Banking means to fill the grate area with as much coal as possible. To do this you need to fill it from the front of the fire bricks to the rear of the fire bricks to the top, and as you can see that would make a bank or pitched/angled bed of coals from front to back.

Is that the shaker handle for the grates on right as I look at the picture ?

Nice looking insert.

jeromemsn · Post by **jeromemsn** » Sat. Jan. 24, 2009 12:00 pm

Sorry didn't answerer the first question. with a fireplace insert you will rarely find a damper in the chimney. I have no problems with my Harman and I also have no damper in the chimney. I just regulate the heat with the damper control in the front of the Harman, works great.

Razzler · Post by **Razzler** » Sat. Jan. 24, 2009 12:03 pm

What does it say on the ash door above the damper control?

Wizard · Post by **Wizard** » Sat. Jan. 24, 2009 12:06 pm

It say's Russo

jeromemsn · Post by **jeromemsn** » Sat. Jan. 24, 2009 12:07 pm

The two damper controls on either side of the door need to be closed for coal. Use only the damper control on the ash door when using it for coal

JB Sparks · Post by **JB Sparks** » Sat. Jan. 24, 2009 12:10 pm

It says Russo, Hummm must be a Russo huh!

CapeCoaler · Post by **CapeCoaler** » Sat. Jan. 24, 2009 2:34 pm

Russo is/was a good stove and parts can still be had for the most part.

baldeagle · Post by **baldeagle** » Sun. Jan. 25, 2009 11:12 am

Wizard -- Jerme.. is correct in what he has written, like his installation my Hitzer 503 insert is not connected with a damper, I see no way to use a barometric damper inside of your chimney. Close all top air flow as he suggests unless you have just filled and are running a lot of underfire air ....ie "really heating" it up - this helps shorten the blue ladies and combusts some CO. ITS a nice looking stove & installation. Best, baldeagle

Coal Insert

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