I'll be the 1st to admit.... (free coal)

WHen I hear free coal, I get a little happy. But the fact is that I have no clue what breaker it came from and from the past, has a high ash content. I learned to put the UAE coal on the sides and put the "free" coal in the middle since it never "clogs" up with ash. This monring I had to shake the stove like crazy to get red cinders from the middle. The joys of being cheap.... lol

Any one have any recommendations besideds adding more UAE coal in with the free coal. Thanks in advance,


Dan

Ahhhhh, did we have to do a lil extra work shaking this AM???? Here's my suggestion--enjoy the free stuff & do what you have to do to make it work so you don't wear your lil arm out. Have a Happy New Year Dan.

Im not sure the design of the stove you have but a few basic elements apply to most coal stoves... make sure your stove is airtight above the firebox (IE: glass, gaskets, doors, any vents above the firebox ALL functioning and closed airtight!), coal wants all the air to be run "up through" the coal bed NOT "around it" (IE: dont leave large voids in the coal bed to one side or corner which would allow air to find a passage up easier), many people will test out pea size coal vs nut size coal (pea may burn slower with an ability to be reduced to ash better or vs. versa (alot depends on your grate system), opening your bottom draft door prior to your shake down & reload might help soften any clinkers for you before the shake. All these tips are really predicated by the stove design (Ideally with coal you want a cylindrical bed, a grate system that covers 100% of the bed area, a baffle prior to the exhaust pipe, among some other things...). I hope this can help you make some adjustments or tests for your situation... sincerely Doug Crane