Black Stove Pipe Longivity

 
Hoytman
Member
Posts: 6020
Joined: Wed. Jan. 18, 2017 11:30 pm
Location: swOH near a little town where the homes are mobile and the cars aren’t
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 354
Coal Size/Type: nut coal
Other Heating: electric, wood, oil

Post by Hoytman » Tue. Oct. 25, 2022 9:50 pm

This will be my fourth season with coal. The first two seasons were short ones because I got a late start. I’ve had two stove pipes in that time. Last year was the first full season of coal. This time (last spring) I was able to get the stove pipe off about two weeks after I shut the stove down cleaned and sprayed with Pam. The cheap snap together pipe I bought at Hitzer still rust d to beat the band and I left it on the hearth by the stove all off season. Still ended up with some pin holes in it. It’s good enough to use for wood and I already creosoted it up, but I don’t trust it for coal.

I’d like to buy some better stove pipe, stainless even, but no luck finding it in my size. Anyone have any input?

Pipe needed…

1- 2 ft section of 7” stove pipe (I cut about 1” off of it)
1- 7” adjustable 90 degree elbow or two 45 degree
1- 1 ft section of 7”
1- 7” pipe damper
1 7” to 8” increaser (crimped on small end)
1- 8” x 1ft (goes inside clay thimble which is odd sized @ 8 1/4”)

 
Hoytman
Member
Posts: 6020
Joined: Wed. Jan. 18, 2017 11:30 pm
Location: swOH near a little town where the homes are mobile and the cars aren’t
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 354
Coal Size/Type: nut coal
Other Heating: electric, wood, oil

Post by Hoytman » Sun. Nov. 05, 2023 1:06 pm

For my own reference…

I was wrong above, it was my third season with coal.

This season we’ll have been this house 6+ years as of September 2023.

First year we burned fuel oil to the tune of north of $2500+ dollars.

Second year we burned fuel oil and some wood with the old pre-EPA stove…smoked the house up pretty good.

Started burning coal the following year. Last year was season 3 with coal (winter of 2022/23). EDIT: That is correct. Just checked my notes and our first year burning coal was 12/2020, a short coal burning year for us.

I bought all new stove pipe for our first season burning black rocks.

A second set of stove pipes were bought for our 2nd season of burning because I left the pipes on the stove all year long between season 1&2 and didn’t discover pitting until beginning of season #2.

Bought new set of pipes for season #2, which also pitted but I went ahead and used them for season #3.

This year (winter 2023/24) will be black rock burning season #4.

Pipes as of 11/5/2023 (not burning yet) are pitted to the point paint on outside of pipes is flaking. Pretty sure I’m going to have to replace them again before start of this season, which will be season #4.

I waited a week after burning to remove pipes. Removed screws and disassemble stove pipe, wire brushed everything and sprayed with WD-40 (I think…might have been PAM). Didn’t help.

Next year I will remove pipes, clean them, reinstall, burn some wet wood, place 20-25 watt light bulb (turned on😂) inside stove until next season (light idea per Dean Lehman @ Hitzer).

In the mean time, I’m looking for 7” stove pipe again. Likely get at Hitzer again. Probably cost me $200 for pieces I need. This is getting costly with the rise in coal prices.

All the more reason that if I continue to burn coal I need to find/buy a 254 which has smaller and cheaper 6” stove pipe which is also more readily available than larger stove pipe.

 
Hoytman
Member
Posts: 6020
Joined: Wed. Jan. 18, 2017 11:30 pm
Location: swOH near a little town where the homes are mobile and the cars aren’t
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 354
Coal Size/Type: nut coal
Other Heating: electric, wood, oil

Post by Hoytman » Sun. Nov. 05, 2023 2:28 pm

Stainless or Regular Steel Stove Pipe?


Quote below is from link above.
McGiever wrote:
Tue. Oct. 25, 2022 10:54 pm
Heat Fab @
www.northlineexpress.com

welded seam heavy gauge.

Clean pipe as you do but remove from thimble and stove do your oiling and wrap in newspaper and store whole pipe in attic or warm place.


 
User avatar
mozz
Member
Posts: 1351
Joined: Mon. Sep. 17, 2007 5:27 pm
Location: Wayne county PA.
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 1982 AA-130 Steam

Post by mozz » Sun. Nov. 05, 2023 4:45 pm

15 years, same pipe, oh, i burn 24/7/365. Wouldn't black pipe cut and welded be cheaper, heavy but last longer?

 
User avatar
SMITTY
Member
Posts: 12520
Joined: Sun. Dec. 11, 2005 12:43 pm
Location: West-Central Mass
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520 Highboy
Coal Size/Type: Rice / Blaschak anthracite
Other Heating: Oil fired Burnham boiler

Post by SMITTY » Mon. Nov. 06, 2023 11:47 pm

Back when I had a hand-fired unit, I would get 2 months out of black pipe after shutting the stove down for the summer. And that was cleaning it out and oiling it the best I could! I went to start an early fire one fall, and the pipe CRUMBLED from touching it. Literally fell into tiny pieces.

My basement even perforated stainless pipe that I figured I didn't need to clean ... because it was STAINLESS! :lol: Look at that pic close - you'll see the dark stained circles around each hole.

Then it ate up some chinesium-grade stainless coils, and the sellers refused to warranty them. Hilkoil was the name. Never forgot! That pissed me off! :no1: They accused me of cleaning them with acid ... then suddenly they wanted to see a receipt from a licensed plumber ... :x What a bunch of f'ing scumbags!

But I digress. Enjoy! :D
Stovepipe 016.jpeg
.JPEG | 176.5KB | Stovepipe 016.jpeg
Stainless stovepipe holes.jpeg
.JPEG | 335.6KB | Stainless stovepipe holes.jpeg
Coal stove water coil damage 2.jpeg
.JPEG | 279.9KB | Coal stove water coil damage 2.jpeg
Coal stove water coil damage 4.jpeg
.JPEG | 435.7KB | Coal stove water coil damage 4.jpeg
Coal stove water coil damage 6.jpeg
.JPEG | 776.9KB | Coal stove water coil damage 6.jpeg
COAL, COIL.jpeg
.JPEG | 224.6KB | COAL, COIL.jpeg

Post Reply

Return to “Coal Bins, Chimneys, CO Detectors & Thermostats”