Hand fired to stoker

Thinking of giving a stoker another try. Tried a Pioneer 90,000 btu and it wouldn't heat my house so I bought a 100,000 btu hand fired and it does a great job. Can I assume that the 110 pocono would give me the same heat as the hand fired or would I have to go to the hyfire II at 180,000 btu? This will be for next year cause I need to burn the 5 ton of nut I have. I run the stove at 500* when the cold sets in and burned 5 ton from Oct. 15th till April 30th last year. Would I burn more, less or the same coal in a stoker vs hand fired? I would need to get this right the first time or you guys would be hearing about my funeral.

That's a tough call! I can't imagine a 90,000 not doing the job, but 100,000 filling the bill. If it were THAT close, the 90,000 should have heated you on every day except the coldest of days. I'm going to venture a guess that either the 90,000 wasn't adjusted to it's optimal output, or the 100,000 lives in a state of overfire....although 500* isn't overfire. I guess..... do a heat loss!

fastcat wrote: I would need to get this right the first time or you guys would be hearing about my funeral.

Lets not hear about your funeral, just stay on the manly side . Don't know how a larger stoker would do but look at it this way if it is 72degrees with a stoker or 72degrees with a hand fed, the room with a hand fed is going to feel more comfortable. Been there done that and went back to a hand fed. that constant heat of the radiant hand fed just warms up everything and then the objects give off the heat. The stoker heats some air blows it around then the room cools and it goes through the cycle again, the objects never seem to get warm and you have that less comfortable feel.

When I had my stoker I used the same amount of coal. It takes a certain amount of btus to warm a given area, so if the efficency ratings are the same useage should be, however, certain ways of obtaining those btus seem to be more comfortable


Good luck on which ever way you go, Eric

I started with a wood stove, went to a stoker, and moved on to a hand fired. The wood stove burned us out as long as we kept it fed constantly. Lots of cutting, splitting, stacking, hauling. Went to the stoker to get away from all the work associated with wood and noticed that when the circulating fan was on, it didn't feel quite as warm as when it wasn't The thermometer always read 70-72 but with the air moving across my skin it actually felt slightly cooler and was noisy. The wall thermometer told me it was doing the job but it just didn't feel like it.

When I went to the Efel hand fed my coal usage dropped by at least a third and the ash associated with it was cut in more than 1/2. The hand fired stoves REQUIRE more attention than the fill and forget stoker. But I much prefer the sensation of heat that I get from the handfired. No more breezes with a fan. However it does seem to take longer to ramp up the temps when we get a cool spell. Stokers can be adjusted to bounce but a hand fired doesn't like to be messed with unless you have become one with the stove.

My .02 Larry

Thanks guys, I am very well happy with my Hitzer 50-93 and the temps that I can keep the whole house and now that my thoughts have been varified by you guys about the stoker not feeling as warm I will stick with my hand fired. Thanks.

Anytime you need to blow air around to distribute heat, you decrease the comfort level. A radiant stove gives you that "nuclear reactor" feeling, and it is not easily replicated.

Ah come on George, you need to do that stoker. I'll get that NUT out of your way This retirement thing gives us way to much time to think. Our guy has only raised his price $5.00 per ton as of yesterday. Plus delivery.

Hey Fred, ya that thinking thing gets me in trouble all the time. Glad to hear our costs are staying pretty level. Got to find another project, haven't lit her up yet looks like maybe Thursday temps are headed down.

I went from a Hyfire II to a Hitzer 50-93 and would never go back to a stoker.

4 years ago install a new HITZER 30-95 upstairs in the livimg room, very impresse with that stove for comfort and heating facilities. The next season bought a "Godin" grand godin model, made in France since over 100 years, same model, intall this stove in the TV room in the basement to replace my oil stove, this Godin gives very good performance for the size ( 30000 BTU) it heats the whole basement with great comfort, except it is a real hand fired stove, needs a little more attention than the Hitzer wich is semi automatic. My house build on the mountain no wind protection 1500 square feet burning 3.5 tons nuts.

About 10 days ago installed a used Pionneer in my wood shop 20 x36 , using propane for the last 18 years. I am impressed of that stove for facilities, steady long term heat, not fast as propane to increase the temperature but satisfying in using the feed for 10 minutes increase 2 or 3 degrees during this time, I am usually heating my shop at 55 and increase to 60 in the morning to work. For the use that I need it, for me it is the perfect stove but I would'nt want to replace my both hand fired at home,

for a stoker because i find it a little noisy, one or two fans are always on, if your watching TV at the same time not sure it the best!

Serge, Quebec Canada