Fire won’t stay lit

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Warner21
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Kodiak
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Yes
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Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by Warner21 » Mon. Dec. 30, 2019 11:46 am

I have an Alaska Kodiak coal stove and it just won’t stay lit. I had it cleaned and serviced the exhaust is working as far as I know the fans are working as far as I know is there anything I can do or check to see if I’m doing something wrong

 
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Lightning
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Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite

Post by Lightning » Mon. Dec. 30, 2019 12:33 pm

Hi Warner, welcome to our coal community :) we can certainly help you with that. Please explain your fire starting process and tending. Pictures are worth a lot of typing lol

Are you new to coal?

 
Warner21
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Kodiak
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Yes
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Yes
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by Warner21 » Tue. Dec. 31, 2019 2:02 pm

I am new to coal. I will post some pics of the stove. We tried kindling and quick light charcoal it starts to burn the rice but never stays lit.


 
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nepacoal
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Post by nepacoal » Tue. Dec. 31, 2019 2:21 pm

Warner21 wrote:
Tue. Dec. 31, 2019 2:02 pm
I am new to coal. I will post some pics of the stove. We tried kindling and quick light charcoal it starts to burn the rice but never stays lit.
You would never use rice in a hand fed stove. It calls for nut or pea. Was rice a typo?

The single biggest mistake new coal burners make is not putting enough coal in the stove. Coal needs a deep bed to burn properly. Are you filling it to the top of the fire bricks (assuming you are really burning nut or pea)?

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Tue. Dec. 31, 2019 2:37 pm

Ah yes, it's a hand fed. I was confused when I saw rice. You need at least pea size or nut size coal for that stove. Rice is too tight to allow combustion air up thru and will fall thru the grates. My choice would be the nut size coal.

 
crazysteamer
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Post by crazysteamer » Tue. Dec. 31, 2019 2:39 pm

in addition to the size question -> are you trying to light it on the top of the bed and expecting it to burn DOWN?

Coal needs to be started from the bottom and burn UP.

try putting the already red / burning charcoal / kindling on the grate and pile the coal ON TOP.

needs lots of air at this stage - so don't totally smother it so air cannot get through..(hence the question about rice)


 
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Rick 386
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Post by Rick 386 » Wed. Jan. 01, 2020 8:05 pm

Warner21 wrote:
Tue. Dec. 31, 2019 2:02 pm
I am new to coal. I will post some pics of the stove. We tried kindling and quick light charcoal it starts to burn the rice but never stays lit.
We definitely needs to see pics of the stove.

As some have mentioned, if you have the Alaska Kodiak hand fed stove, you need the larger sized coal.

BUT......if you have one of the older Alaska Kodiak STOKER stoves, you are correct in that the stokers do use rice.



Rick

 
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oliver power
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Post by oliver power » Wed. Jan. 01, 2020 8:27 pm

Rick 386 wrote:
Wed. Jan. 01, 2020 8:05 pm
We definitely needs to see pics of the stove.

As some have mentioned, if you have the Alaska Kodiak hand fed stove, you need the larger sized coal.

BUT......if you have one of the older Alaska Kodiak STOKER stoves, you are correct in that the stokers do use rice.



Rick
As I first started reading the posts, I wondered if someone remembered how the two different Alaskan stoves (Stoker & Hand fired) can easily get mistaken for one another. This has happened before..... Pictures Please...

If a stoker stove, try this....... Empty the hopper. Cover the bottom hole in the hopper with a piece of aluminum foil. Put a little coal all around the edges of the aluminum foil just to hold it in place. By doing this, you block fumes from coming up through the empty hopper. Now, with the fan on, you can reach through the fire door, and take your time building a nice fire with the stoker / fan running. Fresh coal won't be pushing the fire off the grates pre-maturely, as the hopper is empty. You can start a nice little wood fire, sprinkling a little coal on by hand. Once you have an established coal fire going, pull the aluminum foil out of the hopper, and add a bucket of coal. The fresh coal will get pushed into the already established coal fire, and continue to burn. This is an easy way for a beginner to get a fire going in a stoker stove, as you can take your time building the fire.

In other words, with coal in the hopper, you will be racing to build a fire, hoping to ignite the fresh coal before it gets pushed off the grates. If that happens, you will have to start all over. With an empty hopper, you can take your time.

 
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Tifford
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Post by Tifford » Tue. Jan. 07, 2020 9:35 pm

I had problems with this as well until I did this.

1. Dig out coal on my metal plate with a metal scoop.
2. Put in paper bag with magnesium inside the bag. (The local coal store sells them for $1.25 a bag near me.
3. Drizzle some liquid fire starting gel on top of the bag. Can be bought at big box store.
4. Put coal on top of the bag and light it.
5. My stove has a blower and I turn it on at this point.

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