Hi KTMdude, read this thread: Minor Explosion in Coal Stove
If you add a lot of fresh coal on a smoldering fire, with no open flame to burn off the volitiles, you will probably get a minor explosion.. with a really big firebox it could be more than 'minor' I blew the flue pipes off my 'Big Bertha' boiler from one of these 'minor' explosions..
I assume you put the fresh coal over a layer of redhot wood coals??
Greg L
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Anybody Using Hawken or Global Hydronics HE-4000?
- LsFarm
- Member
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- Location: Michigan
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Self-built 'Big Bertha' SS Boiler
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My reduced firebox would be about 16-18" deep with 150-200# of coal. A layer of coal only 2" deep won't burn very well, a minimum depth of about 6" is needed to get anthracite to burn well. A fire about as deep as it is wide works best. Without a firebox reducer in your boiler, it will require a lot of coal to have a 6" or better 10" deep fire.
Let us know how it burns..
Greg L
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Let us know how it burns..
Greg L
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