Coal Not Burning Totally to Ash

Your putting too much pressure on a small drill bit. Let the bit do the work. Don't try and force it through. Patience Grassshhhooppper

Just got back from my stress test. The Dr. told me to get rid of the coal and burn oil. Seriously though I got new gasket for the grate. Now I need to know how to place it in properly. When I took the grate out to clean it the gasket stuck to the stove so I'm not sure how to seat it or keep it in place when putting the grate back on. It looks like it goes around 3/4 of it in the groove of the grate, but the upper side that goes by the hopper has no groove and there is nothing to put the gasket in. It looks like it goes flat against the wall by the hopper. Just need to know the trick of seating it properly. Anyone?

Reseat the grate onto the stoker frame, making sure that the grooves on the underside of the grate match with the lip of the stoker frame. Gasket can be held on with gasket cement, if you didn't buy the kit you'll need to pick up the cement. Not sure on proper fit of gasket but will old gasket make it all the way around?

Old gasket does fit all the way around. It doesn't look like there was any cement holding it into the grate. Just up by the hopper where there is no groove to put it in. Almost looks like some double face tape residue, or some kind of adhesive. Looks to thin and uniform for furnace cement. It looks like it was folded over the edge of the grate, but not sure which way. I do have cement. Seems like theres no way of knowing if its seated right or not. It won't be visible when the grate is back on.

Found the answer Tri-Burner Stoker Grate Question???

Wow Wiz that's it in a nutshell. Thank you. I did a search but didnt get that. I found flat gasket. No metal strip in it. Might have to make another run tomorrow and look for some. I have a funny feeling I won't find any, but have to try. Thanks again.

As recommended here by several others, the added motor mod. for combustion fan independent of stoker motor will make a tri-burner be turbo charged.

Since you say you're not real handy>>> Coal-Trol With Reading Allegheny RS-96 Stove

BTW: Looking at your ash picture...sure looks more like BUCKWHEAT than rice size to me...anyone else want to revisit that photo and comment?
Here's link to the picture>>>

Mcgiever, thanks for the advice and the links. As for the size of coal, the bags say rice thats for sure, what it is, well at this point, who knows.

Once the grates get back in you can fire off. Then you still need to address that draft question. Pushing the rod in will decrease the draft through the stove. Pulling it out increases the draft through the stove. You said it was all the way in. If you pull it back 1/8 inch ONLY and watch your flame height you should see a difference. If you pull it out too far your direct vent will pull too much from the stove and start pulling air down the hopper. A hopper fire will result.

Once you get your stove ready to fire you can get any competent service man who can check draft to come and measure your draft to ensure you dial it in correctly.

The plugged holes.... I think you'll find there are a series of holes that are not holes! I did the same thing & dulled a drill or two before I got a better look. If I remember right, the center "holes" toward the hopper do not go through.

Freddy wrote:The plugged holes.... I think you'll find there are a series of holes that are not holes! I did the same thing & dulled a drill or two before I got a better look. If I remember right, the center "holes" toward the hopper do not go through.

I think you are right about the holes. It does look like they were never all the way through to begin with.

I want to thank everyone again for the help. I'm sure i'm not done with this. Going to take some getting use to.

the coop wrote:Wow Wiz that's it in a nutshell. Thank you. I did a search but didnt get that. I found flat gasket. No metal strip in it. Might have to make another run tomorrow and look for some. I have a funny feeling I won't find any, but have to try. Thanks again.

For the metal in a Strongback gasket, I used a old used stainless steel strip from a windshield wiper refill.

McGiever wrote:

the coop wrote:Wow Wiz that's it in a nutshell. Thank you. I did a search but didnt get that. I found flat gasket. No metal strip in it. Might have to make another run tomorrow and look for some. I have a funny feeling I won't find any, but have to try. Thanks again.

For the metal in a Strongback gasket, I used a old used stainless steel strip from a windshield wiper refill.

Great idea. Thanks.

The most important holes will be the ones along the top where the fresh coal feeds the fire, and the idle fire burns, coal just won't burn without combustion air..

Ask Freddy to explain how to do the 'Triburner Coversion' on your stoker. Your fire keeps going out, and the coal is partially burnt
because of the Combustion fan shutting down after the fresh coal is fed to the fire.. The idle fire needs a small amount of combustion air.. The Triburner is designed to have chimney draft or direct power-vent draft pulling air through the fire, but
aparently your stove just isn't getting enough idle combustion air.. or your coal is very stubborn coal to burn at lower settings.

When you put your stoker back together, you might be able to reuse the old gaskets, but just use a thin layer of furnace cement
to seal them up.. the furnace cement is like a thin putty, it should be available at your stove store, or hardware store.

Also, since your hopper is empty, try a bag or two of different coal.. Maybe your coal needs to burn really hot, and you need a better coal for the warmer weather when the stove idles a lot..

I know this is a lot of 'maybe's' but having read through the several pages, these are the ideas I came up with..

Hope this helps.
Greg L