Hitzer 50-93 newbie

freetown fred wrote:You could take her up to 500* and it wouldn't hurt a thing Bc if you wanted.

I was in a hurry early morning to leave the house didn't tend the stove. Came back about noon the time I shook the ash I had very little coal base so I dumped it. Relit the stove about 1 P.M cruising at 400* house is nice and toast temps at 73 downstairs a little warmer.

I noticed last night with the heavy winds temps mid 30's seemed like my stove wouldn't get past 425* my house was still at 70*. I noticed the back flapper was still open calling for heat 1/2" gap, seemed like it was maxed out however I did have my ash pan door vents closed. I just wanted to see where it would climb to for kicks. These last two days was the hottest I ran this stove.
Usually anywhere from 175* to 350* where i've been running. Any tips to get it past 425*when needed. I know my vermont castings manual said not to run that stove past 700*. Just for kicks what would be the max temps in your opinion on the Hitzer?

If that stove stopped going up at 425 you need to poke the sides of your fire from the top and loosen the ash that is built up. Draft is draft no matter which end of the stove the air is coming in from, that flapper will take that stove to melt down if turned all the way up. Air needs to be able to come up through the ash and if there is to much you get what your stove is doing. The reason I use the slide on the ash door is to keep the flapper from banging when it is windy and the flapper just closes enough to get sucked closed (bang). The slide just evens things out a little. But back to your problem it is ash build up.

fastcat wrote:If that stove stopped going up at 425 you need to poke the sides of your fire from the top and loosen the ash that is built up. Draft is draft no matter which end of the stove the air is coming in from, that flapper will take that stove to melt down if turned all the way up. Air needs to be able to come up through the ash and if there is to much you get what your stove is doing. The reason I use the slide on the ash door is to keep the flapper from banging when it is windy and the flapper just closes enough to get sucked closed (bang). The slide just evens things out a little. But back to your problem it is ash build up.

That's exactly right. If you can't get over 400, and it's relatively cold outside you either have crap coal or it's not getting enough air flow and you need to shake more ash out.

On another note, you will notice that when you light (or re-light) your stove, the first day or two you will have better performance than after you've been buring it non stop for a while. It's just that the whole bed is fresh coal and not 1/2 fresh and half coke and ash. That's probably meaningless info but just throwing it out there so you realise you may have to crank it up a little more to get the same performance after the first couple days or so. Same theory as fastcat's ash build up.

fastcat wrote:If that stove stopped going up at 425 you need to poke the sides of your fire from the top and loosen the ash that is built up. Draft is draft no matter which end of the stove the air is coming in from, that flapper will take that stove to melt down if turned all the way up. Air needs to be able to come up through the ash and if there is to much you get what your stove is doing. The reason I use the slide on the ash door is to keep the flapper from banging when it is windy and the flapper just closes enough to get sucked closed (bang). The slide just evens things out a little. But back to your problem it is ash build up.

Good call fastcat, that was my problem to much ash build up. I just tended my stove I did that first poked all around both sides then shook the ash until I had ambers fall through the grate, I had a nice red glow reflecting off my whole entire ash pan. I would say about 1/2 hour later tops my stove shot to 450* I had to back it back down. I know if it wasn't for the flaapper being closed it would of kept climbing.

One thing I did notice last night was I had to set it back it was 75* upstairs it was a little to hot for me. I backed off the knob on the thermostat and also did my shake about a hour later it seemed even hotter. Went back down noticed I had some pretty tall flames my stove pipe temps was 225* the hottest I ever seen it. Stove temp climbed about 450 which it was at 400. I made sure my ash pan door was closed nothing was blocking the seal of the ash pan door.I then noticed I had play in the ash pan vent. It was closed but I pulled back on the knob and instantly the flames backed down and my stove temps dropped and my stove temp dropped. Tighten the nut up took the play out of the vent slide all's is good. Loving the heat this stove throws at you. Again, thank guys for all of your feedback very helpfull

That's good you noticed that and tightened it up. Probably don't use those all that much anyways with the other bi metal flapper. My old Glenwood they are spring loaded so they always stay tight as they are the primaries.

fastcat wrote:[color=#FF8040][color=#FFFF00]

Bcon wrote:First Post.

Looking at the numbers you posted as far as outside temps and amount of coal in order to reduce the amount of coal sounds like the major problem is the tightness of the house. If you decide to keep coal as your primary heat source little by little you seal up and insulate things you should be able to cut your coal by maybe 1/3. I'm heating 2400 sq ft from finished basement and when we are at the temps you listed I'm using approximatly 15 to 18 lbs every 12 hours maybe depending on the wind. When you reload after the stove settles back out close the MPD all the way. If you haven't found the post yet that talks about the washer by the shaker handle try to look it up and that will help also. Please finish your profile so we know were you are, helps us when a question arises.

Fascat,

I looked up the post about the washer by the shaker handle. I will do this mod very soon, One thing my shaker handle does have 1 hole that is tapped and it has a 1/4-20 bolt already in place. Like I said I bought this stove used it's now on it's second season. Does Hitzer stoves come with that bolt, or I wonder if the previous owner installed that.

I know you are right about my house it's far from tight, after this winter I already planned on renovating my house so it will get tighten up that's a for sure. Thanks again for your help.