Seasonal Strike Out . (Success!)
- joeq
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My 1st attempt at a fire this season and I just failed....big time. Been at it for almost 3 hrs, and can't get my coal to lite. Paper, kindling, wax brick, good fire with wood, slowly add coal, get a bed slightly glowing, won't take off. My manometer reads "0". Even with the grates heated up, and wood burning strong, can't get a draft.? Even tried a fan, through the open ash pan door. Could it be because it's still 60* outside? Trying to get a handle on this Stockton coal. Had the ash pan door open, MPD open, thermostat open. Guess I'll wait for the tempts to drop.
Last edited by joeq on Wed. Oct. 23, 2013 11:29 am, edited 2 times in total.
- joeq
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- Joined: Sat. Feb. 11, 2012 11:53 am
- Location: Northern CT
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: G111, Southard Robertson
No smoke in the house. It was going up the chimney. I thought it was weird too the mano wouldn't budge. Maybe I need to read the directions again. it worked fine last season. (Dwyers, mark II). I could have the tubes on wrong. 1 was open to atmosphere, and the other to the stove pipe. maybe I got them backwards. should I also get a barometer? Will it aid with starting?
- McGiever
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Assume you're trying to light PEA Coal.
It would benifit you to start w/ nut...and then switch to the pea after nut is going well.
Pick up a bag of nut for whenever starting a new fire.
It would benifit you to start w/ nut...and then switch to the pea after nut is going well.
Pick up a bag of nut for whenever starting a new fire.
Last edited by McGiever on Tue. Oct. 22, 2013 8:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Disconnect the Dwyer and check the zero then re connect. Open window. It also could be too much of the grate is open meaning air is going past the coal instead of through it. Cover grate with light layer of coal and scoop out the center to build wood fire.
- Lightning
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Check the manometer tubing for a clog. My rubber hose is connected to a section of brake line that goes into the pipe. I will every so often pull it out of the pipe, disconnect the tube and look thru the section of brake line (since its perfectly straight) at a light bulb to make sure no soot fouled it up.
You can also try blowing on the tube to see if the mano reading moves.
You can also try blowing on the tube to see if the mano reading moves.
- Lightning
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I assume you meant barometric damper? No it won't help with starting, Its purpose is to keep a consistent negative pressure in the firebox thru the burn time. This will give you a nice steady heat output between re loadings.joeq wrote: should I also get a barometer? Will it aid with starting?
- Lightning
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Oh ok, pressure systems can influence chimney draft to an extent, but if you had a hot wood fire burning then your chimney must have been pulling good. In my best guess, I wouldn't rule that as the culprit to a failed lighting..joeq wrote:What I mean is, a barometer measures outside pressures. Would there be different methods of lighting depending on different pressure systems?
- jpete
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Current outside temp...51joeq wrote:Ok guys, thanx for the tips. But the temp is still almost 50* outside,(9 PM) so I think I'll hold off till next time.
Current inside temp...72.
Just started up tonight and things went OK. Hopefully it will still be that way in the morning.
And my chimney is AWFUL in terms of draft.
One thing I do this time of year is to cover my baro with foil to ensure ALL the air goes through the coal bed.
- Lightning
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- Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite
Covering the baro prevents any cool air from going in at that location, this cool are would help cannibalize your draft. In warm weather burns I'll run my secondary air more open, this secondary air which doesn't really help an idling fire burn, carries a little more heat up and out the chimney which will help you maintain draft. Try it, works awesome for mejpete wrote:One thing I do this time of year is to cover my baro with foil to ensure ALL the air goes through the coal bed.