Hotblast Year 4
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- Member
- Posts: 1352
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 21, 2014 1:02 am
- Location: Armstrong County, Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 617-B
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Hot Blast 1557M
- Coal Size/Type: Bituminous nut (me and the coal)
- Other Heating: Propane Kerosene
Well, that was a little bit exciting.
I got my first puffback.
I've had smoke come out the load door damper before but this was my first puff.
I'd put some coal on several hours ago but the volatiles hadn't burned off and the coal was all lumped together.
I broke that up and just closed the door and then it happened.
I got my first puffback.
I've had smoke come out the load door damper before but this was my first puff.
I'd put some coal on several hours ago but the volatiles hadn't burned off and the coal was all lumped together.
I broke that up and just closed the door and then it happened.
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- Member
- Posts: 1352
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 21, 2014 1:02 am
- Location: Armstrong County, Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 617-B
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Hot Blast 1557M
- Coal Size/Type: Bituminous nut (me and the coal)
- Other Heating: Propane Kerosene
New windows in the house today.
Should help a little on heating the house.
Siding had to wait until spring
Should help a little on heating the house.
Siding had to wait until spring
- freetown fred
- Member
- Posts: 30293
- Joined: Thu. Dec. 31, 2009 12:33 pm
- Location: Freetown,NY 13803
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
- Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut
You betcha they'll help!!!
- lsayre
- Member
- Posts: 21781
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
- Location: Ohio
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
- Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
- Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75
Better that way than to have it happen right after you open the door!larryfoster wrote: ↑Sat. Nov. 18, 2017 9:06 pmWell, that was a little bit exciting.
I got my first puffback.
I've had smoke come out the load door damper before but this was my first puff.
I'd put some coal on several hours ago but the volatiles hadn't burned off and the coal was all lumped together.
I broke that up and just closed the door and then it happened.
- freetown fred
- Member
- Posts: 30293
- Joined: Thu. Dec. 31, 2009 12:33 pm
- Location: Freetown,NY 13803
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
- Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut
You my friend, are now a member of the "Puffback Club" Congrats.
- CoalisCoolxWarm
- Member
- Posts: 2323
- Joined: Wed. Jan. 19, 2011 11:41 am
- Location: Western PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: old Sears rebuilt, bituminous- offline as of winter 2014
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Buckwheat
- Other Heating: Oil Boiler
On our older hand fired bit furnace, I noticed it only had the friction style close on it, so I welded a piece of rod and a clasp on it with a notch to have a positive locking when closed.
I've seen too many furnaces over the years with the doors blown open. Granted, most of those were on demand older ones in garages, so mostly over fired, started with used oil, trash, etc, but I was concerned about that in a house.
I've seen too many furnaces over the years with the doors blown open. Granted, most of those were on demand older ones in garages, so mostly over fired, started with used oil, trash, etc, but I was concerned about that in a house.
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- Member
- Posts: 1352
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 21, 2014 1:02 am
- Location: Armstrong County, Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 617-B
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Hot Blast 1557M
- Coal Size/Type: Bituminous nut (me and the coal)
- Other Heating: Propane Kerosene
When I was a kid, the coal furnace would boom occasionally.
Door would blow open and fill the house with smoke
Door would blow open and fill the house with smoke
- CoalisCoolxWarm
- Member
- Posts: 2323
- Joined: Wed. Jan. 19, 2011 11:41 am
- Location: Western PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: old Sears rebuilt, bituminous- offline as of winter 2014
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Buckwheat
- Other Heating: Oil Boiler
Yep, that was my concern...if we were sleeping.
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- Member
- Posts: 1352
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 21, 2014 1:02 am
- Location: Armstrong County, Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 617-B
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Hot Blast 1557M
- Coal Size/Type: Bituminous nut (me and the coal)
- Other Heating: Propane Kerosene
You wouldn't sleep through the booms, as I recall
- Ky Speedracer
- Member
- Posts: 492
- Joined: Sun. Dec. 21, 2014 9:38 pm
- Location: Middletown, Kentucky
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Florence HotBlast NO.68 & Potbelly
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: HotBlast 1557M
- Coal Size/Type: Ky Lump & Anthracite Nut
- Other Heating: Oil
Hello Larry. I'm signing on!
Wow! Year 4. It just seems like "year 2 still freezing" was yesterday... LOL
Wow! Year 4. It just seems like "year 2 still freezing" was yesterday... LOL
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- Member
- Posts: 1352
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 21, 2014 1:02 am
- Location: Armstrong County, Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 617-B
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Hot Blast 1557M
- Coal Size/Type: Bituminous nut (me and the coal)
- Other Heating: Propane Kerosene
Hey, Ky Speedracer.
Season's young.
Who knows what Perils Pauline will find herself in?
Season's young.
Who knows what Perils Pauline will find herself in?
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- Member
- Posts: 308
- Joined: Sun. Jul. 30, 2017 7:08 pm
- Location: Carroll county maryland
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Fire chief 450
So I have now read season 1 and 2 and I’m on page 31 of season 3. Can you help a brother out and tell me what fixed your issue lol. I still have 70 something pages to go.
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- Member
- Posts: 1352
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 21, 2014 1:02 am
- Location: Armstrong County, Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 617-B
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Hot Blast 1557M
- Coal Size/Type: Bituminous nut (me and the coal)
- Other Heating: Propane Kerosene
Are you one of those people who skip to the end of the book to find out whodunit?
I'll try and give you the Cliff's notes version.
"Fixed" may be too strong of a word.
"Improved" may be more appropriate.
The next week or so will tell the tale on how much improvement.
It's dropping into highs of 30s and then 20s.
In no particular order, here goes:
I'm a slow learner and not very bright.
That's why I take up hundred of pages before I finally get it a little.
Ky Speedracer's methods helped me finally learn that secondary air is important.
Better housekeeping.
Making a curved poker allows me to clean the back corners better as well as rake the grates.
I spend a lot of time several times every day picking little rocks, big rocks , clinkers and other things that don't burn.
Leaves more room for coal and coals in the fire box.
Finally, a realization that this furnace won't heat a cold house fast.
I'm still trying to get some kind of sweet spot between long burning and more heat with damper adjustment and something gives me less fused rocks.
I, mostly, leave the bottom spinner open 4 turns.
The slider on the burn door is mostly open the whole way, too. But, sometimes, I'll close it half.
But I don't know why.
Mostly, the manual damper on the flue can only be closed by about 1/3.
Much more than that and my manometer drops to .02 or lower.
Hope I didn't spoil the ending.
But, this may be more of a serial with a continuing saga
I'll try and give you the Cliff's notes version.
"Fixed" may be too strong of a word.
"Improved" may be more appropriate.
The next week or so will tell the tale on how much improvement.
It's dropping into highs of 30s and then 20s.
In no particular order, here goes:
I'm a slow learner and not very bright.
That's why I take up hundred of pages before I finally get it a little.
Ky Speedracer's methods helped me finally learn that secondary air is important.
Better housekeeping.
Making a curved poker allows me to clean the back corners better as well as rake the grates.
I spend a lot of time several times every day picking little rocks, big rocks , clinkers and other things that don't burn.
Leaves more room for coal and coals in the fire box.
Finally, a realization that this furnace won't heat a cold house fast.
I'm still trying to get some kind of sweet spot between long burning and more heat with damper adjustment and something gives me less fused rocks.
I, mostly, leave the bottom spinner open 4 turns.
The slider on the burn door is mostly open the whole way, too. But, sometimes, I'll close it half.
But I don't know why.
Mostly, the manual damper on the flue can only be closed by about 1/3.
Much more than that and my manometer drops to .02 or lower.
Hope I didn't spoil the ending.
But, this may be more of a serial with a continuing saga
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- Member
- Posts: 308
- Joined: Sun. Jul. 30, 2017 7:08 pm
- Location: Carroll county maryland
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Fire chief 450
Lol thanks from as far as I got it seemed like a lot of small things just kept adding up to make it slightly better. Did you ever try mixing wood and bit to get more heat?