How to Light a Hand Fired Coal Stove

Everything is covered. There is still a layer of orange again under the last shovelfull I added in the middle. But it looks like its slowly going to be gone.

load some wood or charcoal on top of it now and get it to blaze up.

Razzler wrote:load some wood or charcoal on top of it now and get it to blaze up.

I hate to say, but thats exactly what I have been doing for the last 2 days. It just comes to the same end.

As soon as that wood gets blazzing put another shovel full on top it then close the load door and leave it go for 15 or 20 min's.

OK. LAST SHOT

I seems like the more I do, the less and less the draft I have. When I first start there will be a wind storm inside... and now the wood is just burning slowly.

Don't rake, poke or prod the coal that is burning just put the new stuff on top. If that works then do the same thing again load it up with wood after blazzin more coal leave it go with the door closed for 15 to 20 min's. If it dosen't work then you must have a draft problem. Reclaimer??

Yeah... nothing. must be a bad draft, but why such a change from a few days ago... thats why I wonder if something is clogged????

Well guess you'll be tearing the pipes down tomorrow to find out if it is. Good Luck!

Razzler wrote:Well guess you'll be tearing the pipes down tomorrow to find out if it is. Good Luck!

what could cause a draft slowdown?? i was using a lot of cardboard, would that do anything?

Strange.. its still glowing orange underneath but the top layer never caught.

Now I have ever so light flames coming off the patch of orange coal with a couple above still black.

I just peppered a little over top. My stove temp is only ready 150 if that matters.

How much wood have you burned and where in Valley are you?

I dont know how much wood.. its been some kidling and cut up oak plywood maybe 4' total. Also, so cut up 2x4's
Im in otisville ny. right outside middletown.

Well its all over again for today.... I don't know what to do next.
Any ideas? I just don't know how in the world I had a nice fire going for 3 days and now I can get nothing.

Was it colder out when you had it going? Colder weather makes better draft. What is your chimney? How tall is it? What size is the flue?

Yes, much colder. And the chimney is class A stainless steel. 30'