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The Search Is on...Looking for A Used Stoker

Posted: Fri. Nov. 23, 2007 11:27 am
by CoalHeat
I have decided on a stoker for my 2nd stove, I'll then be a half manly-man & half girlie man. The pull of the Coal King is too strong...I'm being lured deeper into the chasm of coal burning independence.

Here's what I'm looking for:

I want to install a stove in the cellar that can heat domestic hot water. I'll tie in to the water lines and use the oil fired water heater as a storage tank. I don't see any problems with the set-up that I can't figure out. I'll leave the aquastat on the water heater set lower then the coal-fired heater, so it won't start the oil burner unless there's a high demand. The unit has a fast recovery, so it won't run that long.

I also need a source of heat there, the cellar can get to the mid 50's when it's really cold out. Since we don't run the oil hot air furnace, there is no heat. It's under the living room, so the floor gets cold.

I'll have to run a power vent, wife said no to another chimney. I'll have to use 1/2 of the only cellar window (I installed it in the opening that was made for the coal chute years ago. The other 1/2 I'll build a custom window for, I need that half for a little light and for the coal chute to my bin. I'll have to get rid of some more junk and build another bin for the stoker coal.

Money is an issue, I'm going for used.

Suggestions???

Re: The Search Is on...Looking for A Used Stoker

Posted: Fri. Nov. 23, 2007 3:40 pm
by stoker-man
You can do this, but you will have to create dump zones or the stoker will overpower the water in your oil boiler. I do the same thing, but just dump heat to whatever floor I toggle to at the top of the steps. You can also turn off your oil burner so it won't come on unless you want it to. I had to do this because when I started the fire, the cold water from the coal boiler and the returns from the base would turn the oil boiler ON and create nuisance firings.

It can be a complicated setup requiring several relays and aquastats. I had to actually write a manual "for the next guy" because I'd have trouble figuring it out myself.

However, after 3 months of work, I finally turned off the oil burner and have a fully automatic system.

It's worth the work.

Re: The Search Is on...Looking for A Used Stoker

Posted: Fri. Nov. 23, 2007 3:43 pm
by traderfjp
Why not just get a boiler and heat your whole house comfortably and only deal with one unit? It sounds like your going to make a lot more work for yourself. Another alternative is to get a stoker for the first floor and install a coil for domestic and then buy a pellet stove for your basement.

Re: The Search Is on...Looking for A Used Stoker

Posted: Fri. Nov. 23, 2007 4:08 pm
by Yanche
As "traderfj" has suggested a coal stoker boiler will be a good solution to your stated needs. Another suggestion to the new chimney need, would be to change your existing central heating flue to power vent and then use your existing chimney for the coal burning stove or boiler. Unlike coal all other heating fuels can be easily switched off. This makes their power venting somewhat more fail safe than power vents on coal appliances. I know coal boilers are more expensive than other heating solutions but the cost of heating domestic hot water is significant. A careful cost analysis often tips the choice in favor of a boiler especially when you burn coal all summer to heat the domestic hot water.