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Belleville Stove Co. Coal/Gas Range

Posted: Mon. Feb. 05, 2024 10:50 am
by JEFalcsik
Hi--I am new here-- but I have been reading many posts on coal stoves and burning anthracite coal. I have this old cook stove that was made by the Belleville Stove Co. (St. Clair Stoves and Ranges) and it has been in my garage for about twenty years storing tools. I have decided to see if I can use it as a radiant heat source in the garage, although the fire box is a bit small. It seems in pretty good shape and complete, as far as I can tell, without any kind of history or operating manual. The right side with the oven is strictly a gas appliance with no ability to route wood or coal burning flue gas through for heating. The shaker grates are a triangular slotted type in a small firebox on the left. There is one air vent directly below the grates. No fire brick but heavy cast iron liners which are removable.

I put a five-foot long 6" stove pipe on it with a damper and set it up in the driveway to do a few test fires and learn how to light and control an anthracite coal fire. I have much to learn. Out of four attempts to light a fire only two resulted in a sustained burn. I know the flue is way too short to get a good enough draft to really work at controlling the temperature of the fire, but the air was cold enough on Saturday morning to get the draft going a bit and the fire did get pretty hot. It easily boiled water in a small coffee pot on the surface plates. The coal seems to burn well directly over the grates where the air can get up through, but each end of the fire box is about three inches longer than the grates and coal in there areas did not burn well or at all. I pulled out a lot of unburned/partially burned nut coal. Can these partially burned chunks be burned in a another fire? some pieces were hard and others broke apart fairly easily. Is there an online source for information on the St. Clair product line from Belleville Stove Co.?

Re: Belleville Stove Co. Coal/Gas Range

Posted: Mon. Feb. 05, 2024 4:38 pm
by warminmn
No air under the ends means it wont ever burn there very well. I hate half burned pieces like that. If they will burn again they burn fast but you can certainly try it. Its better to keep playing with it to get better burns. Maybe you can put firebricks on the end where they wont burn, if it doesnt interfere with the shaking. Otherwise just leave those ends in there unburned, shake and refill or relight. You may get other suggestions that are better.

Re: Belleville Stove Co. Coal/Gas Range

Posted: Mon. Feb. 05, 2024 4:41 pm
by waytomany?s
Yeah, you should dig them all out and put them in a bucket. I'll grab them and dispose of them for you. 😁

Re: Belleville Stove Co. Coal/Gas Range

Posted: Wed. Feb. 07, 2024 9:05 am
by JEFalcsik
warminmn wrote: Mon. Feb. 05, 2024 4:38 pm No air under the ends means it wont ever burn there very well. I hate half burned pieces like that. If they will burn again they burn fast but you can certainly try it. Its better to keep playing with it to get better burns. Maybe you can put firebricks on the end where they wont burn, if it doesn't interfere with the shaking. Otherwise just leave those ends in there unburned, shake and refill or relight. You may get other suggestions that are better.
Thanks for your response. I also thought about the fire brick idea. I'll give that a try and see if it cuts down on some of the radiant heat to the front and back of the fire box, although I believe that is already happening with the unburned coal in those areas. It will be unseasonably warm here in western PA for the next several days so I won't be doing any test burning until colder weather returns.

Re: Belleville Stove Co. Coal/Gas Range

Posted: Tue. Apr. 02, 2024 6:57 am
by repaircare34
The Belleville Stove Co. Coal/Gas Range embodies versatility and innovation in kitchen appliances. Combining the traditional reliability of coal with the modern convenience of gas, it offers users flexibility in cooking methods. This range is designed for efficiency, allowing seamless transition between coal and gas cooking modes to accommodate various culinary needs and preferences. With sturdy construction and thoughtful design, it ensures durability and ease of use. Whether cooking hearty stews on coal or delicately simmering sauces on gas, this range provides a reliable and customizable cooking experience, enriching homes with flavorful meals and culinary creativity for generations

Re: Belleville Stove Co. Coal/Gas Range

Posted: Mon. Sep. 16, 2024 9:20 am
by archangel_cpj
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The Bellville Stove Company I believe was based in Belleville IL and eventually became The Qualified Range company and then Karr... Looks like you have an early model??? Here's my Qualified Range Company model 1818