The Coal Attraction

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Wed. May. 13, 2015 7:48 am

So, you finally took the coal plunge - congrats JJ.

As William says - welcome to life on easy street.

Paul

johnjoseph · Post by **johnjoseph** » Wed. May. 13, 2015 8:34 am

Sunny Boy wrote:So, you finally took the coal plunge - congrats JJ.

As William says - welcome to life on easy street.

Paul

I took the coal plunge long ago in a dream!....but it will not be a dream any longer after this week! I cant wait! I only wish I could have a base burner...a Chubby and so many of the others that I have read about...but a KA-6 will do the trick here...one never knows I may just get some of the others as well!

Post by **Lightning** » Wed. May. 13, 2015 8:35 am

johnjoseph wrote:Great story....mine is similar except I had an out door wood boiler for 10 years and got sick of putting up 30 cords of wood a season to heat 3 homes....that said...I have a KA6 coming soon! Cant wait!

Yeah wow, outdoor wood boiler and 30 cords.
Yer gonna be so proud of that KA6 that you won't know what to do with yerself

That's awesome!!

The first post on this thread was my very first post ever to the coal forum almost 4 years ago. I was giddy like a teenager on prom night about my 3 day coal fire, and wide eyed that those 300 million year old black rocks could even burn and produce heat.

I've come a long way since then, but one thing that hasn't changed is my enthusiasm about using anthracite. I still get excited about lighting up the furnace every fall even though I'm using a mediocre "coal challenged", manually fed and manually controlled appliance. I've enjoyed the challenge and happy I bought a secondhand unit that I can tinker with. I've learned a lot here and thru my own observation and experimentation. I'm very grateful to the nice folks here on the forum that gave me positive encouragement along the way, and I appreciate their tolerance when I've been a pain in the ass..

Without them, it's likely I never would have jumped on the coal wagon.
Thanks to all!

johnjoseph · Post by **johnjoseph** » Wed. May. 13, 2015 8:39 am

Lightning wrote:
johnjoseph wrote:Great story....mine is similar except I had an out door wood boiler for 10 years and got sick of putting up 30 cords of wood a season to heat 3 homes....that said...I have a KA6 coming soon! Cant wait!
Yeah wow, outdoor wood boiler and 30 cords.
Yer gonna be so proud of that KA6 that you won't know what to do with yerself
That's awesome!!

The first post on this thread was my very first post ever to the coal forum a little over 4 years ago. I was giddy like a teenager on prom night about my 3 day coal fire, and wide eyed that those 300 million year old black rocks could even burn and produce heat. I've come a long way since then, but one thing that hasn't changed is my enthusiasm about using anthracite. I still get excited about lighting up the furnace every fall even though I'm using a mediocre "coal challenged", manually fed and manually controlled appliance. I've enjoyed the challenge and happy I bought a secondhand unit that I can tinker with. I've learned a lot here and thru my own observation and experimentation. I'm very grateful to the nice folks here on the forum that gave me positive encouragement along the way, and I appreciate their tolerance when I've been a pain in the ass..

Without them, it's likely I never would have jumped on the coal wagon.
Thanks to all!

Im giddy for sure...my brother installed a KA-10 last fall...and I begged to watch it operate! I heated with oil and pellets to get me through this winter...but I WONT DO THAT THIS YEAR! I cant wait to become a true bragger of coal...instead of being an envious fake! LOL!

Post by **Lightning** » Wed. May. 13, 2015 8:51 am

johnjoseph wrote:Im giddy for sure...my brother installed a KA-10 last fall...and I begged to watch it operate! I heated with oil and pellets to get me through this winter...but I WONT DO THAT THIS YEAR! I cant wait to become a true bragger of coal...instead of being an envious fake! LOL!

Nice! Myself, and many here will be excited to see your install and success with your new coal unit!

I used propain and wood pellets for many years before coal. I've found that the only thing pellets are good for is a few weeks before and after coal season. I do use a few bags a year since it's easy to fire the pellet stove over night and then let it out in the morning.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Wed. May. 13, 2015 9:04 am

GIDDY?????????????????? What the hell is a GIDDY?? Nice JJ--don't forget pix!

Post by **Lightning** » Wed. May. 13, 2015 9:52 am

freetown fred wrote:GIDDY?????????????????? What the hell is a GIDDY?? Nice JJ--don't forget pix!

verb
make (someone) feel excited to the point of disorientation.

It's what yer dog does after you come home from being at the hospital for a few days..

joeq · Post by **joeq** » Mon. Oct. 05, 2015 1:12 pm

So Lee, to continue this thread, have you gotten "lit" yet? Temps gutta be dropping in your parts these days? Did you get to modify your Clayton this summer? Maybe some dual quads and hedders?

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Mon. Oct. 05, 2015 1:28 pm

I am in SE CT and thinking about lighting up this evening and see what happens from there as was plenty nippy the last few nights though have not mastered the needed go low and slow idle during the day. Draft is good maybe just the stove or my lack of talent. No doubt lack of talent so maybe a good time to practice if it goes out oil still 2 bucks a gallon so not the end of the world to burn a gallon.

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Mon. Oct. 05, 2015 2:31 pm

ddahlgren wrote:I am in SE CT and thinking about lighting up this evening and see what happens from there as was plenty nippy the last few nights though have not mastered the needed go low and slow idle during the day. Draft is good maybe just the stove or my lack of talent. No doubt lack of talent so maybe a good time to practice if it goes out oil still 2 bucks a gallon so not the end of the world to burn a gallon.

Would the trick of temporarily down sizing the firebox by placing a couple of fire bricks in your Crane's firebox, work to make a smaller fire, but keep enough coal depth to keep it going well ? There's a few guys on here that do that in the shoulder months.

Paul

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Mon. Oct. 05, 2015 3:46 pm

I actually have a 50% fire pot for it but such a task to change for a guy in his 60's with arthritis I quit. Will put in a full load and use window stats it is what they are made to do.

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Mon. Oct. 05, 2015 3:47 pm

My 404 is simmering as we speak,lots of windows are open too,outside temp @ 66*.stove is at 180*,i just don't ash very much,that keeps it from firing hard.

Post by **Lightning** » Mon. Oct. 05, 2015 5:14 pm

joeq wrote:So Lee, to continue this thread, have you gotten "lit" yet? Temps gutta be dropping in your parts these days? Did you get to modify your Clayton this summer? Maybe some dual quads and hedders?

Hey man!! Not lit yet. I'm looking for at least 3 consecutive days in the forecast where the outside temp don't exceed 55 degrees. So far, it looks like the next couple weeks are in violation of the coal firing rule. In the meantime, I have an electric fireplace in the big living room and the pellet stove insert on the other side of the house that I've been using just part-time as needed ..

As for mods, I have some works in progress! I bought the actuator that hotblast1357 was using on his furnace(It belonged to McGiever before him) and my plan is to wire to my living room thermostat. When the temp lowers to set point, it will open a path of primary combustion air to rev the fire a little. Otherwise the furnace will be in cruise mode, pouring out its steady BTU rate. My furnace is good at smooth consistent heat output by manual control, but what happens during the night when outside temps fall and all the lights are off? Well you guessed it, the house cools down. Last year I ran the house too warm in the evenings to combat this, so this year I wanna try some automation. Other than that, I wanna try running half a fire box for the first month and see how that goes. I have a baffle plate that's currently not in use that I can cover half the grate with, if it will fit lol..... and there was something else too.. OH, I gotta order new stove pipe!

Wow, come a long way since writing this first post at the beginning of this thread..

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Mon. Oct. 05, 2015 7:14 pm

windyhill4.2 wrote:My 404 is simmering as we speak,lots of windows are open too,outside temp @ 66*.stove is at 180*,i just don't ash very much,that keeps it from firing hard.

Doing the learning curve on slow and easy on mine tonight lit off just to play with it and not hear furnace run tonight. 1/2 full 20 or so pounds to go and get lit then turn way down to simmer as low as I dare and not go out. Walls ready to suck up plenty so no overheat for hours then the battle begins around 9 or 10.

joeq · Post by **joeq** » Mon. Oct. 05, 2015 7:54 pm

So Lee, your actuator is an air injector, to kind of "super-charge" the fire?
Have you gotten your winters supply of coal yet?