Coalpail.com Forum

Over the summer I installed the AK110 and am heating 1650 sqft well insulated raised ranch to 70*. Outside temps have been between 25*-60*.This year I am trying buckwheat for first time and seem to be going through about 40 lbs/24 hours.The temp directly above the door is between 225* and 325ish*. Coaltrol settings are min of 5 and max of 32 with maximum FR that I have seen at 37 but more often than not when I check, the FR is running between 0-10. Considering we have not entered winter yet, does the coal consumption seem excessive? Should I be using rice instead at this time of the year?

Thanks for any input

Mark

my AK runs best on rice.... 40lbs a day seems fair and get ready for it to get worse.

Lower your min if possible. If your feed rate is mostly at 0 and you are keeping the house warm the min is too high. The furnace loses a lot of efficiency below a feed rate lower than the CFT which is default at 8 because the convection fan is not running. I am not a big fan of buckwheat in a stoker for this reason. Its harder to get a small fire. Once colder it works fine. You also may need more heat than you think. This week I used 4 bags in 5days with my boiler compared to normally 3. I think because it has been windy.

To be fair, just idling will consume 20lbs per day. Is your Coal-trol the standard unit or the Energy Star version with weekend set-backs etc?

I believe that tweaking the Coal-Trol and using the temperature set-backs could reduce your coal consumption by ten percent.

Here's how I figure my coal consumption.

I have degree heating days going back to 2010 in excel.

I set my tstat downstairs to 71.

I set my tstat upstairs to 68.

I make all my DHW with my boiler.

I've run heat loss calculations multiple times, using multiple variables to determine optimum radiation for the house.

I've replumbed the entire system twice.

And in three years, keeping the house at 71 and making the DHW with coal, I have yet to spend as much on coal as I' spent on No 2 oil when I had the house at 50 and was carrying portable electric heaters from one room to the other to stay warm.

I don't know if you're adjusted just right yet, but I'm confident you have a looooooooot of wiggle room.

Flyer5 wrote:This week I used 4 bags in 5days with my boiler compared to normally 3. I think because it has been windy.

Same here.

Mark,

Any update on coal usage and how the furnace runs now that the temps have dropped?

I seem to still be putting in a bag a day, which I can't complain about. The furnace definitely does run less efficient when it is warmer outside. After reading the posts, I turned the CFT? way down when it was warmer to make sure the heat actually got pushed through the ductwork and onto the main living floor.
Love the AK-110 and how it just runs with little interaction on my part. I still go down there and open the door just to see the flame, which is the one thing I miss with the two smaller stokers.

(The bridging of the coal in the hopper is a little irritating)

Mark

heatwithcoal wrote:I seem to still be putting in a bag a day, which I can't complain about. The furnace definitely does run less efficient when it is warmer outside. After reading the posts, I turned the CFT? way down when it was warmer to make sure the heat actually got pushed through the ductwork and onto the main living floor.
Love the AK-110 and how it just runs with little interaction on my part. I still go down there and open the door just to see the flame, which is the one thing I miss with the two smaller stokers.

(The bridging of the coal in the hopper is a little irritating)

Mark

Ya make it sound so boring.

Love the AK-110 and how it just runs with little interaction on my part.

Yep, being a stove mistress gets old real quick. 3 mins and I am done for the day. No bridging EVER, try not to pee on the coal. I don't even bother to look at the flame anymore but I do spend 2 seconds looking at the Dwyer. She's running hard now so weekly Powervent service and a look at the ash buildup on the lower exhaust exit and up for breakfast. I'm fighting snow and ICE, no time to screw around with a coal stove.

Try going up a steep hill on a Cat 955H and have it start slipping down the hill on you. Time for new underpants. You should see me panic, nobody does it better. Yesterday morning 13F and raining, why is it only me. I should have got a clue then.

coalnewbie wrote:

Love the AK-110 and how it just runs with little interaction on my part.

Yep, being a stove mistress gets old real quick. 3 mins and I am done for the day. No bridging EVER, try not to pee on the coal. I don't even bother to look at the flame anymore but I do spend 2 seconds looking at the Dwyer. She's running hard now so weekly Powervent service and a look at the ash buildup on the lower exhaust exit and up for breakfast. I'm fighting snow and ICE, no time to screw around with a coal stove.

Try going up a steep hill on a Cat 955H and have it start slipping down the hill on you. Time for new underpants. You should see me panic, nobody does it better. Yesterday morning 13F and raining, why is it only me. I should have got a clue then.

Be on a D7 sliding sideways toward your 100 gal propane tank for a pucker factor. The tracks are like a 100 little tiny skis on ice.

I have not let the 'funnel' go all the way down to the bottom of the hopper so the bridging is not really an issue. Have others let the funnel get all the way to the bottom? Will it actually happen if left unattended long enough?

Mark

In a few weeks I'm gonna experiment with some buck size coal. This larger size may alleviate the surface tension which makes black rice stick like white rice.

I have been running my KA 6 hopper with measured weights of coal rather than filling the hopper. I'm trying to get an accurate read on my usuage, this being my first winter with the stoker. I'm able to check it regularly when it's getting low. I have had the funnel effect of the coal being emptied from the stoker inlet. Haven't lost a fire yet since I'm keeping a close eye on it. I'm aware of the hopper fire danger when the hopper gets low but so far no problem. I generally just have to scoop what's left in the hopper over the stoker mechanism and she keeps burning fine until I add a couple more buckets.

I have not let the 'funnel' go all the way down to the bottom of the hopper so the bridging is not really an issue.

How about all the way to the bottom, feeder empty and stove nearly out. How is that for timing, or how is that for dumb luck? Yes, the sides do not empty, never expected that... Look up Angle of Repose for Anthracite. Min 9 so as not to overwhelm the little flame and it came roaring back....... whew. They do make a 320 lb hopper, trouble is with my coal the ash pan is just about full so that would not help.

NOTE TO SELF: You're an idiot.