Clinker-Ectemy!

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Sat. Feb. 28, 2009 5:22 pm

Devil505 wrote: I found Reading nut coal was unusable in my TLC2000 due to clinkers jamming the shaker grates all the time. Never had that problem with Blaschak.
Ironic that someone reported th same problem with your beloved Blaschak just recently. ;)

Is it a clinker or rock? Sometimes a rock may be called a clinker but it's really not. The big difference is a clinker is formed.

The red ash coal like that from Superior is more prone to this especially when burned very hot. I've seen them the size of softballs and you'd need a pretty good sized sledgehammer if you wanted to break them. It's near impossible to produce with white ash, they will form to some degree but they are easily broken even with your bare hands.

 
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Devil505
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Post by Devil505 » Sat. Feb. 28, 2009 5:29 pm

Richard S. wrote: Ironic that someone reported th same problem with your beloved Blaschak just recently. ;)
You're right Richard. I did have a jam from Blashcak coal this winter. (just one) I guess all coal can form clinkers when run real hot, but last winter my stove repeatedly jammed with what the coal dealer reported was Reading Coal & I could definitely feel a "Gravely" feel when I shook down all winter. It burned fine but was virtually unusable for me in my Harman TLC2000 due to jams.
Edit: Come to think of it, I couldn't swear that the jams were from clinkers or just rocks but either way my stove rarely has a problem when burning Blashak but was virtually unusable with Reading last winter.


 
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CoalHeat
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Post by CoalHeat » Sat. Feb. 28, 2009 9:41 pm

I found Reading nut coal was unusable in my TLC2000 due to clinkers jamming the shaker grates all the time.
Those weren't clinkers, they were impurities in poor quality coal that hardened and got stuck between the grates on your Harman. I had the same thing happen when I had some really bad coal. Clinkers are fused ash and most will grind up when the stove is shaken.

Red ash coal will form clinkers when the stove is burned at too high a temperature due to a higher iron content in the coal. My opinion is that good red ash coal will produce more heat then white ash coal-therefore you can run the stove with less air and clinkering won't occur or be greatly reduced.

I shake and refill the stove twice a day. If I don't see an even orange reflection from the bottom of the stove after shaking I'll poke up through the grates with a metal rod with a 90 degree bend 3 inches from the end and loosen up the ash clogging the air flow through the coal bed (thanks to Greg L. for the idea). Every so often I have to fish out a clinker if I have been burning the stove too hot. I usually leave the air vent in the ash door open between 3/4 and 1 1/4 turns, have gone as low as 1/2 on a warm day just to maintain the fire. :D

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