Minor Explosion In Coal Stove

I got a real strong "POOF" from my stoker today. I was running it pretty hot, when I had to empty the 'fines' tray. I put the stove into ASH-OUT mode, then pulled the fines tray and dumped it onto my coal ash shovel. I opened the glass door, and quickly dumped the shovel full of fines onto the burning coal, only covering half of the blue flames. I immediately got a WWHHOOOOOOF flash and sound, as if I had just turned on a gas grille and delayed igniting the gas. I guess the dust from the fines caught fire before they actually hit the hot coals? No big deal, it never happened before, so I'll just dump the fines on the hot coals, a little slower next time.

DVC500 at last wrote:I got a real strong "POOF" from my stoker today. I was running it pretty hot, when I had to empty the 'fines' tray. I put the stove into ASH-OUT mode, then pulled the fines tray and dumped it onto my coal ash shovel. I opened the glass door, and quickly dumped the shovel full of fines onto the burning coal, only covering half of the blue flames. I immediately got a WWHHOOOOOOF flash and sound, as if I had just turned on a gas grille and delayed igniting the gas. I guess the dust from the fines caught fire before they actually hit the hot coals? No big deal, it never happened before, so I'll just dump the fines on the hot coals, a little slower next time.

thats what happens when you have a perfect air to fuel ratio i have them from time to time on the steam loco,but on a slightly larger scale

Always wanted to ride in a steam engine, to see how it's done & for the experience of being inside what is essentially a rolling 200 ton boiler. You are a lucky man! Nothing quite like standing close to the tracks when one flies by. Noise smoke & high pressure steam -- doesn't get any better than that!


WOOOOF's are good for cleaning the flyash out of the flue!

SMITTY wrote:Always wanted to ride in a steam engine, to see how it's done & for the experience of being inside what is essentially a rolling 200 ton boiler. You are a lucky man! Nothing quite like standing close to the tracks when one flies by. Noise smoke & high pressure steam -- doesn't get any better than that!


WOOOOF's are good for cleaning the flyash out of the flue!

if you ever come down this way let me know,i will be glad to take ya for a ride.

New Hope Engineer wrote:

SMITTY wrote:Always wanted to ride in a steam engine, to see how it's done & for the experience of being inside what is essentially a rolling 200 ton boiler. You are a lucky man! Nothing quite like standing close to the tracks when one flies by. Noise smoke & high pressure steam -- doesn't get any better than that!

if you ever come down this way let me know,i will be glad to take ya for a ride.

Speakin of going for a ride.... Its cooling off, let me know whats a good day to play "Fireman", we'll all drive over for a ride. Smitty, come on down, and we can share the shovelin
Nice new Avatar

Thanks!! Sounds like a blast!! I'll have to take you up on that once my finances straighten out ... which will be when the weather starts to get warmer - perfect!

AWESOME pic, btw!

DVC500 at last wrote:Smitty, come on down, and we can share the shovelin

You don't want that -- I'll be temped to set a land speed record!

if you ever come down this way let me know,i will be glad to take ya for a ride.

I was thinking about asking you about that myself, always wanted to ride up front.

DVC500 at last wrote:

New Hope Engineer wrote:

SMITTY wrote:Always wanted to ride in a steam engine, to see how it's done & for the experience of being inside what is essentially a rolling 200 ton boiler. You are a lucky man! Nothing quite like standing close to the tracks when one flies by. Noise smoke & high pressure steam -- doesn't get any better than that!

if you ever come down this way let me know,i will be glad to take ya for a ride.

Speakin of going for a ride.... Its cooling off, let me know whats a good day to play "Fireman", we'll all drive over for a ride. Smitty, come on down, and we can share the shovelin
Nice new Avatar

ill let you know what my schedule will be for november when i get it. november is a busy month due to my trips to potter county pa for deer hunting

i will leave you with this video and get back on topic now before i gets in trouble

Way too cool!

i am running trains on sunday the 15th and sunday the 22nd. for any further info shoot me a pm
mark

I knew exactly what happened:

You were in the shower, you did not hear it ! there was no explosion :

One of two things happened :

1- The wife does not like the coal stove, she wants something else; so be prepared to hear more problems about the stove , especially when you are not around, or in the shower ( wink , wink )

2-Her boyfriend just ran out the door, while you were in the shower, and slammed the door ( Just kidding )

To have a fire, you need flammable material, oxygen, and heat beyond an ignition point, to have an explosion other factors are needed, and they have to be coordinated properly, that's rarely the case with coal stoves.

I had my first puff-back happen to me this year after loading the stove after the first match. Scared the -hit out of me & burnt 75% of my left arm hair off.......

Cyber36 wrote:I had my first puff-back happen to me this year after loading the stove after the first match. Scared the -hit out of me & burnt 75% of my left arm hair off.......

From here forward, mind your attire when loading coal. Lest more serious singeing occur.

Bob

Thanks for the video New Hope Engineer. I set down at the computer for a break today and completely lost track of what I was doing.