On the Hunt

Lmantz · Post by **Lmantz** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2015 3:54 pm

I'm currently on the hunt for new coal stove. I have been looking at a few different brands and models for over a week. Everything from Alaska, keystoker, DS, and reading stove. If anyone can help me out with some suggestions it would be great! I'm having a really hard time finding prices online and would like the best overall stove for preferably less than 3000. The stove will be in the basement and used as supplemental heat for around 2800sq ft. Any imput would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!

michaelanthony · Post by **michaelanthony** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2015 4:02 pm

Welcome and get ready to type! We could spend the winter discussing stoves, there are many excellent stoves but you only need one for your particular home.

A description of you home, style, chimney location, other type of heating system, stairwells, number of floors, etc. as well as your location or part of the world. I'm in Maine, if you are in Maryland our views will differ.

Good luck.

Mike

Lmantz · Post by **Lmantz** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2015 4:11 pm

I'm in northern Pa. House is 3 stories but heating the attic isn't very important. There is already an unused brick chimney closer to the back of the house and two separate stairways coming out of the basement, one very close to where the stove would be and one in the front of the house. The stair to the second floor is in the middle of the house. I do plan on putting registers in the floor to make it easier for the heat to get up

michaelanthony · Post by **michaelanthony** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2015 4:38 pm

Lmantz wrote:I'm in northern Pa. House is 3 stories but heating the attic isn't very important. There is already an unused brick chimney closer to the back of the house and two separate stairways coming out of the basement, one very close to where the stove would be and one in the front of the house. The stair to the second floor is in the middle of the house. I do plan on putting registers in the floor to make it easier for the heat to get up

Sounds like a recipe for some quality air currents. A home that size might enjoy a big D S Machine stove, no electric required, Hitzer makes quality stuff also...thinking 90k BTU plus but just a guess without a heat loss study.
There are many formulas available on line or by using the search box in the upper right corner.

Do you have a boiler or forced air presently?...a tie in could work well also.

Whatever you go with fire it up before you take out the sawzall, 2 stairwells to the basement and a center stair on the first floor may work wonders

Lmantz · Post by **Lmantz** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2015 4:50 pm

I currently have a boiler and didn't look into tie ins at all

michaelanthony · Post by **michaelanthony** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2015 5:06 pm

Lmantz wrote:I currently have a boiler and didn't look into tie ins at all

It could make life very simple!

Lmantz · Post by **Lmantz** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2015 5:16 pm

michaelanthony wrote:
Lmantz wrote:I currently have a boiler and didn't look into tie ins at all
It could make life very simple!

I'm pretty new to all of this so this may be a dumb question. How exactly do they work? And wouldn't it need have it's own chimney or exhaust system?

Post by **StokerDon** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2015 6:17 pm

Lmantz wrote:I currently have a boiler and didn't look into tie ins at all

If you have a boiler (oil or gas) It would wise to look into a stoker boiler. You likely could power vent the existing boiler and plumb the stoker into that chimney.

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You have existing plumbing that heats the house, why not use it? That's if this is a hot water system and not steam.

-Don

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2015 9:36 pm

Even a used boiler will be hard to find under $3000,which is the figure the op posted,BUT, maybe plans can be changed when all the info in favor of the coal boiler is viewed.

Pacowy · Post by **Pacowy** » Wed. Oct. 21, 2015 12:52 am

I'm glad to see the consideration being given to central heating here. Like many other coal users, we started out with stoves, and eventually wound up with coal-powered central heat.

On specific points already raised:

- There is nothing about steam systems that prevents use of coal. I have made steam by coal in 3 different houses.
- $3k isn't necessarily unreasonable for a budget, esp. if the OP is willing to consider used equipment. Coal equipment tends to be very durable and excellent values can be found. in the forum classifieds, on Craigslist, and elsewhere.

Mike

Post by **StokerDon** » Wed. Oct. 21, 2015 7:54 pm

I fully agree Mike. We all start out with stoves to get a good part of the house heated. Then you want more, so you start using fans and ducting over the stove. Then you move on to the whole boiler thing and wonder why the heck didn't I do this to begin with?

And, yes, coal fire boilers make great steam. My point was that a in a hot water system it could be as simple as adding two pipes to plumb the coal boiler in. If it's steam, it's a whole lot more complicated to make it work right.

-Don

Pacowy · Post by **Pacowy** » Wed. Oct. 21, 2015 8:08 pm

StokerDon wrote:If it's steam, it's a whole lot more complicated to make it work right.

Well, you can always sawzall a hole in the base of your oilhog and bolt on an EFM S-30 to make it a stoker boiler.

Or slide a conversion stoker through the ash door opening.

Or rip out the whole thing and replace it with an EFM 900.

Mike

Post by **StokerDon** » Wed. Oct. 21, 2015 8:24 pm

I like the last option!

That might cost a bit though.

-Don

Pacowy · Post by **Pacowy** » Wed. Oct. 21, 2015 8:50 pm

I just don't want anyone to think steam poses insurmountable problems.

Mike

coal stoker · Post by **coal stoker** » Thu. Oct. 22, 2015 5:04 pm

here is a Keystoker 90,000 Btu
https://www.thepapershop.com/listing/single/scran ... ilPHf8gnIU
CS