Intro, Outside Hand-Fired Stove Project, Few Questions

Hi,

John from SE PA (outside phila) here and we're putting a coal stove I got off Craigslist outside of the house tapped into a clay chimney that runs from the basement wood burner. I don't use the basement wood stove, as it's not practical (stove design is real poor, wood is expensive), but we're going to weld an air box around the hand-fired coal stove and pipe an intake and exhaust through a basement window to supplement the gas furnace heat. I live in an old house, brick, block, and bomb-proof, with no room for insulation (except attic). Coal is available locally from a dependable supplier.

Anyway, I don't know what area to place this topic under, so here's a few questions.
-We'll be tapping into the chimney that runs into the basement for the wood stove. Since the chimney extends below ground for another 4 feet, should we place a cap underneath where we T the coal stove combustion exhaust into the chimney? What's an easy way to cap that? OR just let it go down the chimney into the elbow and seal it in the basement.
-The box is being welded from plate steel, like a donut around the stove, with the stove being in the donut hole. Then the box will be insulated. Wondering how to plumb the heated air into the house. Direct vent into basement (cold as hell down there), or push it into the ducts for circulation by the furnace blower?

Starting work this weekend, so it should be interesting. This is modeled after my dad's setup at his house, an outside hand-fired stove that's boxed in, insulated heavily, and blows heat into his house. His setup keeps all the dust / dirt outside, and the house a toasty 75F or so.

Thanks,

John

hmmm. Interesting. I can't see going outside every 8-10+ hours to shake it down, and fill it out. But, that is your choice. Most of us put them in the basement and plumb them upstairs, so you only get a little dust in the basement. Hard coal is not that bad as long as you clean as you go to keep it to a minimum.

I would have 2 large openings in the box, one for cold air inlet 8, 10, 12" or more from basement or first floor, a good size blower (squrrel cage like a furnance), and a top vent (similiar size 8,10-12" or so) piped somewhere into your house.

Sounds like it might work as long as you stove is big enough for the house.

That sounds like way to much work.

That s all I can and will add.

How will you shelter the stove from the weather?

I would "cap" or plug the flue in the basement where the wood stove connects to the chimney and seal it so it won't let air into the flue.
You should use a barometric damper also.

Thanks for the advice and replies.

I'm not putting the stove in the basement b/c there is one entry exit through the kitchen, and I don't want to lug bags, or barrels in this case, of coal up and down the steps, along with the ash, through the refinished kitchen.

The stove is under an overhang on the back of the house, so it's not out in the elements. The coal will be right next to it, under the larger overhang, part of the roof.

We have a barometric dampener, and will try to plug it up at the basement entrance to the house so we don't get a large suction sucking out the heat we'll be blowing in.

Thanks,

John

Just make sure you take all the safety precautions, (CO detectors), etc...

JAK wrote:This is modeled after my dad's setup at his house, an outside hand-fired stove that's boxed in, insulated heavily, and blows heat into his house. His setup keeps all the dust / dirt outside, and the house a toasty 75F or so.

Do you have any pics of your Dad's setup or yours?
How do you insulate it enough to keep from just trying to heat your back yard?

Personally, I think I'd just be tempted to move to a warmer climate than go through that hassle......... but to each his own.