How to Light a Hand Fired Coal Stove

I cleaned out the old coal... started fresh. For 3 hours I have been trying to get this thing re-lit. I did everything the same as last time but it just wont catch. The coal was glowing for a little bit and then just dies. I am not sure whats wrong. One thing I noticed is my grates are not closed right. They are stuck open from some of the coal that was in before.

You should get the grates unjamed first before you start a fire. Damp rainy days don't make good draft days. You just have to get a good hot fire going and start feeding coal.

Razzler wrote:You should get the grates unjamed first before you start a fire. Damp rainy days don't make good draft days. You just have to get a good hot fire going and start feeding coal.

I shoveled all the coal out and cleaned the grates. I started over and have been adding wood like crazy! NOTHING will get this coal to burn. Iv been at it for like 5 hours now.

Its the same coal you had before right? Give it more charcoal and wood get it HOTTER!

Put some tin foil over the barometric damper that should help with the draft.

Razzler wrote:Put some tin foil over the barometric damper that should help with the draft.

I dont have a barometric damper.

Its the same coal, but a new bag. I have a delivery of 3 tons coming but they keep delaying it. So I bought 3 bags from the hardware store to hold me over.

I ripped up a couple 2x4's and am feeding this thing like crazy now.. it may catch this time.

Is there a point where adding wood or paper will hurt?

Unreal... its gone again. I could see the glow starting to dwindle away and now its gone..
Something isnt right.

No it won't hurt just keep feeding it. Get it blazing hot.

Its strange.. This thing WAS blazing hot. And the coals were glowing orange....then as I peppered a few over it, it started to die. I could see the coals slowly lossing the glow.
I gave it one big shovel over to hope it would go and that was it.

Do you have the ash door open? What brand of coal is it?

Door is open, coal is KIMMEL'S nut coal
I had this thing going a couple days ago with 1/4 of the effort Im doing today.
This coal isn't crackling like the last time I got it going. It was a differnt bag. When I would pepper it over, it would snap crackle pop like crazy.

Some coal is harder to get going then other coal. As long as you have a draft then just try again till you get it going. Try a nother bag of coal. When you get the coal to start as you did when it starts to die through more wood or charcoal on top to blaze it back up. try try again you'll get it, don't give up.

Im in the process of it again. I think the coal is defective! LOL
Really. It doesnt want to light.

Im wondering if my heat reclaimer is slowing the draft down to much? It seems to have a good howel to it though.

Thats it... its over for tonight. There must be something wrong. I attempted this about 6 times in the last 7 hours.

Im at it again. I sliced up a 2x3 into about 20 - 1/2 chips. I had a nice blazing fire.. and peppered it with coal..

IS IT POSSIBLE that this coal has a problem. I am noticing the chunks are kind of large.. Most of it is like 3"