Coal Usage on Caol-Trol, Min of 6 As Apposed to a Min of 4?

I know there are alot of variables but what would be the difference in amount of coal used between a min of 6 as apposed to a min of 4? Thanks.

At the low feedrate range there are a number of factors that work to reduce the actual amount of coal fed from what would be predicted by a simple mathematical approach. Figure about a 2 KBTU/hr difference between 4 and 6 in the MIN setting. Assuming 12.5KBTU/lb, thats roughly .16lb/hr or 3.84lb/day. These are guesstimates.

It is hard to quantify exactly in a mathematical way. In a simple/ideal math analysis it predicts more around a 4KBTU/hr difference between them, but there are startup frictions and momentums in the motor, stoker parts, and in the interface between the "carpet" and coal from the hopper that come into play at the minimum feed rates that become negligible with longer on-times, like is found in the medium and high feedrates.

If you're serious about wanting to know, the only way to determine the difference is to load the hopper with a known amount of coal, burn on the MIN screen at the 6 setting, time how long it takes to empty the hopper. Then repeat with the same amount of coal and the lower MIN setting. Calculate the lb/time ratio for each test and you will know.

The amount of coal used I would say would be trivial. Your fire might go out running on 4. But if you switch brands of coal, 4 might be fine. Is 6 making your house to warm at idle? I've had slightly warmer days where the stove must have been on 5 all day, and the ash pan was maybe 1/4 full after 24 hours. Get used to 5 to 40 first, then slowly bump down the low end, maybe try 4 for 24 hours, see if still burns ok. I'm running 5-35 currently. When I used bag coal I had to run 6 as it didn't burn as well.

spc wrote:I know there are alot of variables but what would be the difference in amount of coal used between a min of 6 as apposed to a min of 4? Thanks.

I dropped mine to 4 and found that on extended idle I was getting unburned coal on the edges of the grate. Coal was burning fine in the middle, but no fire on the edge. This was a non scientific observation, but when I bumped it back to 6, it burned fine all the way across.

How are the Coal-trol's working in the warmer weather? I find it nice that it idles well (little heat output) in the sea saw outside temps. Just watch your chimney draft ! Good time to clean them out !

Went from 34* last night to 61* this afternoon and the coal-trol did a good job of holding my setpoint of 72*. Although it is 74* in here right now but that is because of the wife baking dinner. The stove has been on idle since around noon and my temp held at 72* until about 5pm shortly after the wife turned on the oven.

My Hyfire with 2 burners is on Min. 7 and idling nicely. Any lower, it burns too far back and worry about a hopper fire, it pretty close to the back right now. The exhaust (After the Baro) is around 130-150 degrees.

Min. 5 also idling nicely. This is the time of year you can really appreciate a Coal-troled stoker. Could be a new product slogan "Get Coal-troled"

With the Harman on max stroke mine is set on 13 min and working great! The stove sits there on the warm days and uses only 10 # during the warm daylight hours. Then at night when it has been down to around 25 to 32 * F it stokes back up and keeps the house nice and cozy. And with the power vent taking care of the draft, I keep the rheostat set for around -.03 to -.04" WC and no worry for hopper fires or issues with the hopper being at a lower pressure than the stove.

Gotta love all these modern conveniences!

Coal trol works great in the warm wheatther unless the operator is dumb as a box of rocks like me. Worked well until I tried to run it with straight superior buck and got it burning back in throught of the stoker. Operator error as with the new Alaska's they don't have a cover plate to restrict the air. So one needs to put a rheostat on the combustion fan , which I have one for it but was to dense to turn it down a little. Burns really well with a 50% UAE rice 50% superior buck mix.

Letting My Channing run out, my setting of 4 just idles along even when the daytime temps hit 70.

Basement wet from recent torrents of rain, fired up the Harman MK III to dry the basement out, even with the temps in the 60s this AM the charcoal method had a roaring fire in no time. Going to throw the last of the firewood on it too, just to get rid of it, may have to open the draft up a bit.

BK

jpen1 wrote:ew Alaska's they don't have a cover plate to restrict the air.

Hey Jpen, take it easy on yourself, you can't help it if the folks at Alaska haven't learned much in the past 30+ years. I would definitely not burn 100% buck in that stove with no way to monitor the firebox draft/static pressure.

Besides when you get that EFM installed you won't be using the stove this time of year.

i burn pure buck in my alaska......no coal trol or secondary combustion.....have the stoker running full throttle (only way the motor will run) and the broan fan died......i got it cut way back via the carpet adjustment, no fire going up into the coal

Matthaus wrote:

jpen1 wrote:ew Alaska's they don't have a cover plate to restrict the air.

Hey Jpen, take it easy on yourself, you can't help it if the folks at Alaska haven't learned much in the past 30+ years. I would definitely not burn 100% buck in that stove with no way to monitor the firebox draft/static pressure.

Besides when you get that EFM installed you won't be using the stove this time of year.

Matt please elaborate on this, I'm running Superior buck in the Alaska with no problems. Maybe I'm missing something with Jpen's set-up? Maybe it's the good drafting chimney I have. The combustion fan is separate now and runs full speed all the time.

Wood'nCoal wrote:Maybe I'm missing something with Jpen's set-up?

Different feed mechanism, you have the old style carpet and Jpen has the paddle. Your carpet feed is keeping the coal away from the hopper opening and you evidently have enough draft over fire.