Harmon MK1 questions

I spent time looking at the Harmon MK1, MK2, & Alaska Kodiak. What turned me off with the Kodiak, is that in order to shake the grates, you have to open ash door & connect a rod to shakeer. The concern is that it would create dust in the room when shaking.

The Harmon has a shaker lever on side, but doesn't allow top loading & has a small hopper, compared to the Kodiak.

The MK1 I could get a great deal on, but its only 48K BTU, at 1400 sq ft. I only have 1280 sq ft, which according to dealer its underated & will nicely heat. My question is how long of a burn can I get on this smaller stove? The catalog say's 24 hours, but the salesman estimates 10 to 12 hours. Does anyone know?

Hi Ron, the rate of burn will determine how long a single load of coal will burn. With your fairly small house, I'd say you will always get at least 12 hours burn time. at least during the day when you won't be home, and can keep the burn rate down.

At night on a sub zero windy night, you may have the burn rate up much higher, but you will be home and be able to load more coal just before bed. So a 10-12 hour burn wouldn't be a problem.

From all the discussions about your concerns with burn time, looks of the stove etc. I think a Mark I is just about ideal for your application. You can save a lot of money by buying one of the good used ones for sale, and install it yourself, or spend the savings on having a professional install a chimney for you.

Greg L

Ron
Take a look at keystoker's top load stove. They are slightly more $ than a Harman mark I but has a larger fire box and has an external grate shaker handle. If you go to their web site its is a brownish colored stove towards the bottom left of the radiant coal stove page . It comes in many colors and is fairly modern looking and is built like a tank like the harman.

jpen1 wrote:Ron
Take a look at keystoker's top load stove. They are slightly more $ than a Harman mark I but has a larger fire box and has an external grate shaker handle. If you go to their web site its is a brownish colored stove towards the bottom left of the radiant coal stove page . It comes in many colors and is fairly modern looking and is built like a tank like the harman.

Looked at the keystoker, and didn't care for how the doors latched, and the dealer wanted $1650. The MK1 is $1250, MK2 is $1529. Both Harmon models have the external grate shaker handle.

If I could find a new keystoker for $1300, I would consider.

Also, the dealer told me a barometric damper is not necessary with a hand fired stove. Is this true?

ron54 wrote:Also, the dealer told me a barometric damper is not necessary with a hand fired stove. Is this true?

Does it need it, no. Should you have one, yes.

coaledsweat wrote:

ron54 wrote:Also, the dealer told me a barometric damper is not necessary with a hand fired stove. Is this true?

Does it need it, no. Should you have one, yes.

So if it doesn't need it, then why get one. This dealer has the best price so far, but he strongly discourages a damper for a hand fired stove. He only recommends one for a stoker type with an electronic thermosthat.

Also, what do you know about leisure line stoves, another dealer has a 70,000 BTU econo model for $1169 new.

[/qoute="ron54"]So if it doesn't need it, then why get one. This dealer has the best price so far, but he strongly discourages a damper for a hand fired stove. He only recommends one for a stoker type with an electronic thermosthat
Also, what do you know about leisure line stoves, another dealer has a 70,000 BTU econo model for $1169 new.[/quote]

He may be talking about the plate type hand damper inside the stovepipe that usually gets closed after loading as in wood stoves. I wouldn't burn antracite without a barometric damper. It prevents overfiring the appliance, a safety device. He may be correct, but I would want to see the manufacturer's reasoning before I would run without one.

If you don't use a damper the stronger draft will burn up your coal very quickly. Also a damper keeps the heat in your stove and then your room instead of up the chimney. You can buy one very cheap it will pay for itself in about 2 or 3 days.

leisure line stoves are good stoves but the Econo I as well as the rest of their stoves are all stokers which require electricity to run. I looked at an Econo 1 last year before I bought my Alaska. That price is in check with what I have seen. You can get it with a coal trol thermostat for $1450-to $1525. The Econo is a good stove and Jerry the owner of leisure line is great. He is always helping out the people with his products here on the forum. I think if you get it with the coal-trol if the power goes out long enough to put out your fire the unit will stay off after the power comes back on so you don't end up with a mess.

ron54 wrote:

jpen1 wrote:Ron
Take a look at keystoker's top load stove. They are slightly more $ than a Harman mark I but has a larger fire box and has an external grate shaker handle. If you go to their web site its is a brownish colored stove towards the bottom left of the radiant coal stove page . It comes in many colors and is fairly modern looking and is built like a tank like the harman.

Looked at the keystoker, and didn't care for how the doors latched, and the dealer wanted $1650. The MK1 is $1250, MK2 is $1529. Both Harmon models have the external grate shaker handle.

If I could find a new keystoker for $1300, I would consider.

Also, the dealer told me a barometric damper is not necessary with a hand fired stove. Is this true?

ron54 hear is another stove you might want to look at http://www.bakerstoves.com contact them for price they make them in a lot of colors they been making them since 1977

I have carpeting in room where stove will go, Hearth pads are expensive. Can I lay & adhere granite tiles to a piece of plywood to use as a hearth pad?

Yes, you can but I would use cement board as a base. Cement board is what's used as a backing board in tile showers. Look for it in your building supply center. Comes in 3 x 5 sheets.

It will stick much better to the cement board than the plywood too.

Also known as "Hardiboard" to some. That's just a popular brand of cement board. The big orange and the big blue box stores will have it.

gaw wrote:Also known as "Hardiboard" to some. That's just a popular brand of cement board. The big orange and the big blue box stores will have it.

Now, the one & only dealer who sells & installs Harman in this area doesn't have a stove to sell me. All his stoves he pre-ordered with all the trimmings, brass, etc. I just want the plane black model MK1 or II, thus he doesn't want to order me one.

What else are my choices with the shaker handle on outside of stove, and what dealer in my area?