BBQ Electric Element for Lighting

I'm tired of the smell, of using pellets, lump coal, mice, etc, to light my stoker. I read great results using a heat gun. I was wondering how an electric BBQ lighter would work. I found this one an Amazon.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004JF60SI/ref=o ... UTF8&psc=1

Me thinks anything that would come in contact w/ the full heat of the coal better be disposable.

Why does the smells come out of the stove? Couldn't you jump start the draft, so to speak, before lighting?

I dunno,damn handle and cord sticking out the door opening oughta make 'ya crazy after awhile.....But what the hell,try it ! My buddy in the next town over uses what he calls "The Montville Match" He gets one of those short,stout propane cylinders,coupled with the flame-lock on Bernzomatic Torch Heads,and let's his Nut Size Anthracite have it in the Harman MK2 I sold him back in '94 or '95 ! Really seems to start one hell of an ignition party !

McGiever wrote:Me thinks anything that would come in contact w/ the full heat of the coal better be disposable.

Yup. I used to use a BBQ lighter and it worked really well. Ten minutes to the start of a full burn. However, I left it in the stove too long one time. Apparently, coal is a hell of a lot hotter than a lighter. Burned right through it. I paid $3 for it at K-Mart.

Lately I've put some mostly burned wood leftovers and some shredded paper into a lunch-sized brown paper bag. Works every time.

I tried that a couple of times (electric charcoal starter) it works, but if you don't have a good draft going already, you get a lot of smoke out the door where the cord is passing through. I have one I'll sell you cheap if you want it. Not as deluxe as the one on Amazon, but it works.

I am still a big fan of the Cowboy Charcoal method, start it outdoors in a charcoal starter "can" bring it in, dump it in the stove, and you are good to go, works every time.

Rick

Hambden Bob wrote:I dunno,damn handle and cord sticking out the door opening oughta make 'ya crazy after awhile.....But what the hell,try it ! My buddy in the next town over uses what he calls "The Montville Match" He gets one of those short,stout propane cylinders,coupled with the flame-lock on Bernzomatic Torch Heads,and let's his Nut Size Anthracite have it in the Harman MK2 I sold him back in '94 or '95 ! Really seems to start one hell of an ignition party !

Maybe he uses the yellow tank...Mapp Gas
Because Propane, in the blue tank, doesn't get hot enough to light anthracite.

I thought about the electric starter. I have decent draft through the boiler with nothing running. Newspaper,Kindling, charcoal briquettes, rice coal, match. Has worked so far with no appreciable amounts of smoke/fumes.

Cowboy charcoal,a little charcoal lighter fluid,and one match. Simple and effective.If I ever used an electric element of any sort ,I think I might want to use it with a ground fault receptacle.No telling what fan powered coals might do to the outer insulation on the element after a time. Mike

I use lump coal now and sometimes I can get the stove lit very easily and then other times it requires more work. It can get smelly and messy. I ordered the electric BBQ lighter and should have it in a few days. It's better than the normal large loop because there is more surface area to light the coal. I'll report back and let everyone know how it performs. I have a coaltrol and they were working on an auto ignition system but I guess that project was killed. Love my coaltrol by the way.

traderfjp wrote:I use lump coal now and sometimes I can get the stove lit very easily and then other times it requires more work. It can get smelly and messy. I ordered the electric BBQ lighter and should have it in a few days. It's better than the normal large loop because there is more surface area to light the coal. I'll report back and let everyone know how it performs. I have a coaltrol and they were working on an auto ignition system but I guess that project was killed. Love my coaltrol by the way.

This changes everything...
Lump coal...do tell us more.
You're not using Lump in the Alaska Channing, for sure.
What is the size of Lump?

I meant cowboy coal to get my stove started.

Oh, not coal...charcoal made from wood.

When I lit my boiler for the first time last week, I just used the same plain-jane cheap charcoal I used in the handfired. Handful of charcoal, soak in diesel, light, let burn for a bit, turn on combustion blower. Easy as pie. No fancy electrical devices needed. Just my .02 ...

If you have crappy draft, stick a hairdryer .. or better yet, a heat gun in the flue for a minute.

I've been that route. It works great at times and then other times the fire wants to go out and I end up putting on more fluid, etc. and it can get messy.

coffee can or big soup can with a small v cut on end. Stuff couple sheets of newspaper in bottom of the can. Take 2 or 3 pieces of cheap charcoal and crush with a hammer in zip lock bag. Put broken charcoal in can on top of newspaper. Turn on stove. Set can on edge of burner grate and light paper in the v you cut. I use a little propane torch. Once lit start adding a little coal,about 1/2 cup. Evevy couple minutes add a little coal. About 15 minutes take your BBQ tongs and lift can up and into ash pan quickly. You will have a pile of hot coals. I have 3 Alaskas and have tried it all over 20 plus years,mice(used to be cheap,now couple bucks for each one),heat gun,bbq electric heater(no good if power gos out) . This is cheap,easy,and always works.