Hello,
I am in my first season burning coal in a Gibralter CFS hand fed coal stove. I shut my stove down today because of the warm weather and was cleaning everything out this evening in preparation for the next re-light. I noticed on the inside the metal brick retainers that hold the fire bricks in place and the side of the baffle plate closest to the coal and metal areas around the firebox have an orange tint/color to them. Is this rust or oxidation? The coal I am using is kept dry in a coal bin but I do have a humidifier running in the room that is putting moister out. Could this be rust or one of the chemicals in the coal? I also noticed some of the unburned pieces of coal had an orange color to them as well and some of my ashes can look reddish or orange at times. (I am burning Hard Nut coal from weaver valley coal in New Holland) It doesn't seem like anything is damaged in the stove at this point but I was concerned it could be a sign something is wrong. I inherited this stove when we bought the house and I don't remember the orange tint before I started burning. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.
*I did pull the humidifier farther away from the stove tonight in case it could be a moister issue. But my humidity readings were only around 30-35%
Thanks
Rob
Orange Color in Stove
- freetown fred
- Member
- Posts: 30299
- Joined: Thu. Dec. 31, 2009 12:33 pm
- Location: Freetown,NY 13803
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
- Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut
Coal burning is not an exact science my friend. I could make 10 guesses on your situation but none of them would probably be 100% right. Clean her up good & get set for your next burn. Humidity readings huh???? interesting
- JeepGuy04
- New Member
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Wed. Dec. 28, 2011 5:58 pm
- Location: Stevens PA
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Gibralter CFS
- Coal Size/Type: Nut
- Other Heating: Heat Pump
Thanks for the input. I think I'm all set to burn again if it ever gets cold...
Humidity gauge... like a hydrometer. It read about 30-35% humidity. So I didn't think the air was really damp
Humidity gauge... like a hydrometer. It read about 30-35% humidity. So I didn't think the air was really damp
- freetown fred
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- Joined: Thu. Dec. 31, 2009 12:33 pm
- Location: Freetown,NY 13803
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
- Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut
Just funnin with ya jeepguy.
- grizzly2
- Member
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- Location: Whippleville, NY
- Other Heating: Oil foilfurnace, Jotul#3 woodstove,electric base board.
I get the same exact thing jeepguy. I think it is rust. Low carbon steel rusts much more quickly than high carbon steel. Heat bakes the carbon out of steel. Therefore steel that has gotten very hot rusts quickly and easily. Did you ever notice that the weld spots on things like a welded steel arbor or patio chair rust way before any other part of the steel item
It doesn't sound to me like you have a problem. If you don't overheat your stove and cause it to warp or crack your stove will very slowly deteriorate just like all wood and coal stoves do. Coal stoves do have an additional enemy which is sulfuric acid. When coal burns the sulfur in it remains to some extent in the ash and when this combines with moisture when the stove is not in use it does cause substantial rust to stoves and even stainless steel chimneys. That is why you will find much advice here to clean your stove thoroughly as soon as you stop burning for the season. I even swab my stove out with soda water to neutralize the acid. Be Happy, Don't Worry That little bit of orange rust is the least of your stove maintenace concerns.
It doesn't sound to me like you have a problem. If you don't overheat your stove and cause it to warp or crack your stove will very slowly deteriorate just like all wood and coal stoves do. Coal stoves do have an additional enemy which is sulfuric acid. When coal burns the sulfur in it remains to some extent in the ash and when this combines with moisture when the stove is not in use it does cause substantial rust to stoves and even stainless steel chimneys. That is why you will find much advice here to clean your stove thoroughly as soon as you stop burning for the season. I even swab my stove out with soda water to neutralize the acid. Be Happy, Don't Worry That little bit of orange rust is the least of your stove maintenace concerns.
- JeepGuy04
- New Member
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Wed. Dec. 28, 2011 5:58 pm
- Location: Stevens PA
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Gibralter CFS
- Coal Size/Type: Nut
- Other Heating: Heat Pump
grizzly2, thanks for the response. Your explanation makes a lot of sense to me. I will read into cleaning the stove out at the end of the season.
thanks
Rob
thanks
Rob