Beginner looking for advice on coal cook stove

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MPWintermute
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Joined: Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 12:53 pm
Location: Tunkhannock, PA
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 818
Coal Size/Type: Nut Coal

Post by MPWintermute » Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 1:08 pm

First I just want to say that you guys have saved my butt the last month. The knowledge and problem-solving on this thread have single-handedly allowed me to approach a foreign subject with a great deal of confidence. I also want to apologize in advance if anything I'm discussing feels like an overlap on some other popular subjects. Just, after hours on this site, I feel I need some advice and knowledge that is extremely specific to my scenario. Thank you in advance for your patience and feel free to direct me elsewhere.

I have one of your classic, late 1800s cast iron coal cook stoves, with the burners, oven, warming rack, etc. It was well-used and cared for until owner passed in 2017. I replaced all stove pipes, cemented the necessary junctions, and heavily cleaned the chimney, clean-out and the stove itself. I have been burning coal for three days now, on and off, and I have some basic questions that I've been unable to fully answer while searching the site. EDIT to add: the stove has been used in this location for many many years with an extraordinary deal of success. It is a "Columbia Choice" - one of many, many stove manufacturers from Pennsylvania back in the heyday. Every house had one of these.
IMG-2815.jpg

before cementing and sealing joints

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1. How concerned do I have to be about visible openings on the cook top? The draft is excellent, there is no visible smoke leakage, and the CO detector has been satisfied so far.

2. Why does the back of my firebox burn SO much better than the front? I understand this is where the draft pulls up through to the flue, but I don't understand why no combination of damper manuevering can provide a truly even and ferocious burn across the firebox.
3. Why can't I get this thing HOT? The oven temp gets to 250 max. I have tried keeping dampers open for far too long. The blue ladies are dancing and the coal is hot, but it doesn't throw off nearly the type of heat I can get from burning wood in there for 20 minutes. My understanding is that I could (incorrectly) get this thing red hot if I were reckless, but I don't get the impression that that is possible with what I've witnessed.

4. Lastly - there is a damper on the ash box, there is a damper on the stove pipe. There is also what appears to be a secondary damper on the side of the stove, above the ashbox basically even with the top of the firebox. What do I use this for? Would this solve my problem of the draft making the back of the firebox burn so much better than the front?
IMG-2932.PNG

secondary damper at top?

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The coal does not go out, it burned for 8 hours overnight last night, and is still burning well now from a few small layers I added 6 hours ago. I feel it is not hot enough, but the draft is very solid and wood can burn like a son of a gun.

EDIT: added photos to show stove. The second is blurry, but it's purpose is to show you what I believe is the "secondary" damper which I am unsure of how to properly utilize.
Last edited by MPWintermute on Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 1:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

 
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warminmn
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Location: Land of 11,842 lakes
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 » Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 1:25 pm

The folks in the know here will need several pics and the brand and model of the stove. Its just too hard to guess.

Are you using the bypass (I assume it has one) to have the fire go around the oven and leave under the oven? An oven wont warm up well without doing that. I'll leave the rest to the experts.

 
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MPWintermute
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Joined: Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 12:53 pm
Location: Tunkhannock, PA
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 818
Coal Size/Type: Nut Coal

Post by MPWintermute » Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 1:42 pm

I added some photos. I didn't specify brand or make because I don't believe there is any info out there on these. There were hundreds of these manufacturers in Pennsylvania back in the day. I am using the bypass as soon as the pipe starts to warm up. Also - to clarify, I am not trying to cook anything on this. I'm sure I WILL, but that is not it's purpose at this point. It is a free stove and a superior heating option, so I am fully vetting it to see what's what.


 
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Sunny Boy
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Posts: 25551
Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 1:40 pm
Location: Central NY
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Anthracite Industrial, domestic hot water heater
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood range 208, # 6 base heater, 2 Modern Oak 118.
Coal Size/Type: Nuts !
Other Heating: Oil &electric plenum furnace

Post by Sunny Boy » Fri. Nov. 11, 2022 10:57 am

Welcome, MP.
MPWintermute wrote:
Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 1:08 pm
First I just want to say that you guys have saved my butt the last month. The knowledge and problem-solving on this thread have single-handedly allowed me to approach a foreign subject with a great deal of confidence. I also want to apologize in advance if anything I'm discussing feels like an overlap on some other popular subjects. Just, after hours on this site, I feel I need some advice and knowledge that is extremely specific to my scenario. Thank you in advance for your patience and feel free to direct me elsewhere.

I have one of your classic, late 1800s cast iron coal cook stoves, with the burners, oven, warming rack, etc. It was well-used and cared for until owner passed in 2017. I replaced all stove pipes, cemented the necessary junctions, and heavily cleaned the chimney, clean-out and the stove itself. I have been burning coal for three days now, on and off, and I have some basic questions that I've been unable to fully answer while searching the site. EDIT to add: the stove has been used in this location for many many years with an extraordinary deal of success. It is a "Columbia Choice" - one of many, many stove manufacturers from Pennsylvania back in the heyday. Every house had one of these.

IMG-2815.jpg

1. How concerned do I have to be about visible openings on the cook top? The draft is excellent, there is no visible smoke leakage, and the CO detector has been satisfied so far.

The cooktop plates never sealed 100% from new. They allow a small amount of "overfire" air in that the range is designed to handle. And it helps prevent the buildup of unburned gases after a refueling so you rarely geta puff-back like can happen with heating stoves.

2. Why does the back of my firebox burn SO much better than the front? I understand this is where the draft pulls up through to the flue, but I don't understand why no combination of damper manuevering can provide a truly even and ferocious burn across the firebox.
3. Why can't I get this thing HOT? The oven temp gets to 250 max. I have tried keeping dampers open for far too long. The blue ladies are dancing and the coal is hot, but it doesn't throw off nearly the type of heat I can get from burning wood in there for 20 minutes. My understanding is that I could (incorrectly) get this thing red hot if I were reckless, but I don't get the impression that that is possible with what I've witnessed.

Wood burns hotter, but not as long and steady as coal. But you should be able to at least get the oven temps up in the 300-400 range with coal,... if your temp gauge is close to being accurate. The ones on oven doors are rarely even close to actual oven temps after 100 years. Measure with a modern oven thermometer and you'll get closer readings. Usually, low oven temps indicate the oven seams are leaking and need to be resealed. Or the dampers are leaking or you're not setting the dampers correctly

4. Lastly - there is a damper on the ash box, there is a damper on the stove pipe. There is also what appears to be a secondary damper on the side of the stove, above the ashbox basically even with the top of the firebox. What do I use this for? Would this solve my problem of the draft making the back of the firebox burn so much better than the front?

The damper on the ash pan door is the primary air. You use only that one for coal. If you are not leaving the back damper in the open (direct draft) position (the ring-handled lever under the front edge of the cooktop)., there is likely air leaks around the ash pan door, or damper that is allowing more air toward the rear of the firebed. Otherwise, if the coal size is distributed evenly in the firebox hen it should burn fairly evenly. Keep in mind that coal is a natural mineral and as such is not perfectly uniform.

The damper in the end of the cooktop, just above the primary, is the secondary air. You only use that for "over-fire" air feed for wood with maybe a very little of the primary. Otherwise, the wood burns up too quickly and the range runs too hot. Wood burns from the top of the firebox down, coal from the bottom up.


The back damper is the "oven damper" (sometimes known as the indirect damper) it closes off the direct path from the firebox to the stove collar and forces the exhaust to go around the oven. Even when you're not using the oven, that is the preferred setting because it helps extract more heat before it goes up the chimney. You only open that back damper when you are refueling the firebox. After the fresh load of coal finishes with its snap, crackle, and pop you close it.

The damper on the stove pipe is called the MPD (Manual Pipe Damper). You use that to help slow the exaust gases to give the range and pipe more time to extract heat.


IMG-2932.PNG
The coal does not go out, it burned for 8 hours overnight last night, and is still burning well now from a few small layers I added 6 hours ago. I feel it is not hot enough, but the draft is very solid and wood can burn like a son of a gun.

EDIT: added photos to show stove. The second is blurry, but it's purpose is to show you what I believe is the "secondary" damper which I am unsure of how to properly utilize.
FYI, all of your questions about ranges and how they work, and any you haven't thought of yet,.... have been answered in the "Cookin' With Coal" thread. Here is the link, Cookin' With Coal

Hope to see you join in as you learn about and enjoy the many benefits of a coal range !!!!!


Paul
Last edited by Sunny Boy on Fri. Nov. 11, 2022 1:54 pm, edited 3 times in total.

 
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Sunny Boy
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Posts: 25551
Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 1:40 pm
Location: Central NY
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Anthracite Industrial, domestic hot water heater
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood range 208, # 6 base heater, 2 Modern Oak 118.
Coal Size/Type: Nuts !
Other Heating: Oil &electric plenum furnace

Post by Sunny Boy » Fri. Nov. 11, 2022 11:12 am

BTW. Since this range is not a boiler, even though it can do boiling, :D this thread should be in the "Hand Fired Coal Stoves" section.

Paul

 
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freetown fred
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Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut

Post by freetown fred » Fri. Nov. 11, 2022 12:20 pm

Whoops!!!! :)


 
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MPWintermute
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Posts: 19
Joined: Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 12:53 pm
Location: Tunkhannock, PA
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 818
Coal Size/Type: Nut Coal

Post by MPWintermute » Sat. Nov. 12, 2022 8:14 pm

WHOOPS. To all of my offenses.

Thank you for your time and your advice. I will certainly be snooping these parts for the foreseeable future.

 
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jedneck
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Location: South Central PA
Hand Fed Coal Stove: DSM Antramax
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Coal Size/Type: nut or stove
Other Heating: Southbend Banner range

Post by jedneck » Sat. Nov. 12, 2022 8:27 pm

I have same stove. Grates from a glenwood c fit if needed.

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