Burning Bit in a Hitzer 983 double door

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freki
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Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 983 double door
Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/Eastern Kentucky Bit-

Post by freki » Thu. Dec. 20, 2018 4:46 pm

I have had my 983 for 4 years and have burned anthracite. I recently got some eastern kentucky bit but am having trouble figuring out how to burn it. Not sure how I should load it, a lot at a time or just a little, and having trouble with figuring out my airflow. I seem to either have black smoke or white smoke out the chimney, and seem to have to add more every 6 hours. I am going through it much faster than the anthracite so I know I am screwing it up big time. I have no issues with smoke or soot in the house, although I do have some soot buildup inside the firebox. Any suggestions, ideas, or even constructive bashing of my coal burning failures would be helpful.

 
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Freddy
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Post by Freddy » Sat. Dec. 22, 2018 6:07 am

Well.... I'll say.... I know nothing about burning bituminous other than if you have a puff back it can make a mess. I hope you get it figured out & stay comfortably warm!

 
corey
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Location: Southwest VA
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Buck Stove Hybrid
Coal Size/Type: Eastern KY bituminous

Post by corey » Sat. Dec. 22, 2018 12:34 pm

White smoke is better then black you want lighter colored smoke.

In my stove stove if i load to little it dont build an ash and ember base just ends up going out. Always leave some burning coals visible to help ignite vols


 
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warminmn
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Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Junior, Efel Nestor Martin, Riteway 37
Coal Size/Type: nut and stove anthracite, lignite
Other Heating: Wood and wear a wool shirt

Post by warminmn » Sat. Dec. 22, 2018 1:59 pm

In case you dont have one, here is the manual and bit coal is mentioned. http://hitzer.com/uploads/page/Files/983_instruct ... d_2016.pdf

I dont see that this stove has any over fire air and that will make it harder to burn bit and could be why your smoke is black???

 
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McGiever
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Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
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Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar

Post by McGiever » Sun. Dec. 23, 2018 12:55 am

Lack of over fire air and especially so when burning bituminous can encourage conditions to create puff-back conditions.

By opening the closed loading door shortly after adding fresh coal can cause it to go boom by introducing oxygen suddenly!

 
corey
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Hand Fed Coal Stove: Buck Stove Hybrid
Coal Size/Type: Eastern KY bituminous

Post by corey » Sun. Dec. 23, 2018 5:41 am

McGiever wrote:
Sun. Dec. 23, 2018 12:55 am
Lack of over fire air and especially so when burning bituminous can encourage conditions to create puff-back conditions.

By opening the closed loading door shortly after adding fresh coal can cause it to go boom by introducing oxygen suddenly!
I found that out a years ago bout lost some hair.


 
Hillbilly
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Post by Hillbilly » Sun. Dec. 23, 2018 5:52 am

You need over fire air and a good poker when burning bit. I burn Kentucky bit in a Warm Morning #400 and keep the over fire air open all times,find that it keeps the soot way down and my chimney cleaner. Ive burnt anthracite and find bit is a little more work. When i go charge with fresh bit i close tstat open MPD and poke real good to bust the coal up then shake it down. Open ash door let the bit catch up and charge with 20 to 30 pound then shut ash door, set MPD and tstat. Try to keep anywhere between 75 to 100 pound in stove. If home and after 3hrs or so ill take a poker and bust it up where its fused together. Them old Warm Mornings with hollow corner bricks were made to burn bit or anything you throw in them. These new air tight stoves with gaskets, no over fire air damper i think would be hard to burn the volitals that bit gives off. With the current stove you have i would stick with hard coal.
Tony

 
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warminmn
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Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Junior, Efel Nestor Martin, Riteway 37
Coal Size/Type: nut and stove anthracite, lignite
Other Heating: Wood and wear a wool shirt

Post by warminmn » Sun. Dec. 23, 2018 9:15 am

If there is anywhere to put one or two of these on your stove for over fire air it is one option. Pipes with caps will work too. Im betting Hitzer's draft control they use on a couple of their stoves is better quality than this one and you could call them for pricing. https://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/product.aspx?p_id=587796

 
freki
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Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 983 double door
Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/Eastern Kentucky Bit-

Post by freki » Tue. Dec. 25, 2018 12:07 am

Sorry for not replying sooner. I have a double door variant of the 983 and each door has a spinner to let in over fire air. I am trying to open those more and it has seemed to help a lot. After I put in new I let it burn with as much air as it wants for about 30 minutes, then close the ash pan door and adjust the door spinners and I haven't had near as much soot buildup. It took me about 2 heating seasons to get adjusted to burning the anthracite so I am sure I will get the hang of the bit soon. Thanks for all the replies. I am aware of puff back, I had that happen when burning anthracite before and had a fireball come about 5 feet out of the stove.

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