Anthracite Heater MADRAS?

Post by **franco b** » Sat. Jul. 18, 2020 8:16 am

Progress anyway. Set that other damper for maximum draft.

Post by **coaledsweat** » Sat. Jul. 18, 2020 8:17 am

Do all those grates move? The bed appears shallow too. I'm not so sure this thing will burn anthracite the way God intended. It's starting to look like a wood stove to me.

Post by **franco b** » Sat. Jul. 18, 2020 10:10 am

coaledsweat wrote: ↑
Sat. Jul. 18, 2020 8:17 am
Do all those grates move? The bed appears shallow too. I'm not so sure this thing will burn anthracite the way God intended. It's starting to look like a wood stove to me.

Ash clearing has to be done with a slicing poker above the grate. With the restrictor removed there should be a six inch bed; good for pea coal.

AlanH · Post by **AlanH** » Sun. Jul. 19, 2020 5:37 am

So, once it is hot it keeps going but if it drops to 50%, chances are it dies. So I am getting better coal next week and am hoping for the best.
The grate does move, intended to be a shaker. The small protruding lever gets moved left to right to shake the grid.
This stove has a hopper, so I am certain it is for anthracite?
Well with the bottom plate removed it works much better already, but I will also try to get some Pea size coal to test with.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions thus far. I'm sure I'll be getting the most out of this heater once it is fine tuned with all your help.

Holdencoal · Post by **Holdencoal** » Sun. Jul. 19, 2020 7:00 am

coaledsweat wrote: ↑
Sat. Jul. 18, 2020 8:17 am
Do all those grates move? The bed appears shallow too. I'm not so sure this thing will burn anthracite the way God intended. It's starting to look like a wood stove to me.

I believe that’s made to burn UK style coal, which are coal dust / charcoal briquettes.

Post by **franco b** » Sun. Jul. 19, 2020 9:08 am

When you move that shaker lever, check to see if a slot is also opened up to insert a flat poker above the grate. You will need that to clear ash properly.

AlanH · Post by **AlanH** » Sun. Jul. 19, 2020 9:59 am

franco b wrote: ↑
Sun. Jul. 19, 2020 9:08 am
When you move that shaker lever, check to see if a slot is also opened up to insert a flat poker above the grate. You will need that to clear ash properly.

There is a small gap and I have made myself a poker out of flat bar with a handle which I use to really clean properly. Problem currenty is that the coal seems to burn to small stones which also don't just fall through the grid.

Post by **franco b** » Sun. Jul. 19, 2020 10:06 am

AlanH wrote: ↑
Sun. Jul. 19, 2020 9:59 am
There is a small gap and I have made myself a poker out of flat bar with a handle which I use to really clean properly. Problem currenty is that the coal seems to burn to small stones which also don't just fall through the grid.

Using smaller pea coal will lessen that problem. As a fire is kept burning steadily the worse the problem can become.