U.S. Stove Success

Losing combustion air is not a problem as there is a fair amount of ash smudged in the bottom behind the fire bricks. Fire looks good and healthy as it should; at least as far as I think but I could be wrong. Also, I think the size of the coal bed is okay too as I have been well over a 24 hr burn time with this current configuration.

The heat loss you mention however seems to make the most sense as it is just dead space behind the brick which tapers from nothing at the bottom to about 3 1/2" at the top of the brick. Even so, I still can't get my head around losing that much heat from the bricks not laying on the steel. Increasing the draft seemed to help quite a bit. Ash pan damper is out about four turns and the stove is holding steady at 300 degrees, house at 73. Right now I'm on all nut but will get some stove and see if that kicks thing up.

I have made tremendous gains on this unit and feel that I have only scratched the surface. It is doing a good job of heating my house - just trying to maximize potential.[quote][/quote]

The surface area of the fire box effected by heat transfer against the bricks I'm guessing accounts for roughly 20% of the total. So yeah I can agree, It's may not be a huge amount relative to the total. Thing is, that could be where a good amount of heat transfer happens being so close to the coal bed.

These furnaces are a bit handicapped for anthracite. This is my 3rd year with my Clayton. I've done pretty extensive modifications and observations to get the predictive steady heat output.

Keep posting your trials and results partner. There only seems to be a handful of people using these units that have reached a point of satisfaction with them.

Philthy,

I just read your thread and I think I might have discovered your problem..... I believe your baro is upside down If not mine IS

Waldo

His looks right to me lol. I didn't think it would even work upside down hahaha.

Roger that Lightning.

I have my weight on the bottom side of the pivot. Is it spoda be on the top?

No, I think yers it right too. Its a different model.

It seems to me that if the pivot is under the weights that it would make the flapper... fickle / unpredictable . If the door swung one way or the other It would simply stay there as the pivot is off center , at least I think so.

I think before I jump to any conclusions I need to get some stove into the mix. I crack the ash pan door and the stove takes of like a runaway freight train. Close it and it falls to 300. This is all nut and prolly more fines then should be - working on that problem too. Essentially telling me that I need to get more air thru the coal bed. I thought about adding an extra hole in the ash pan door but not too wild about hacking up my stove.

On a different note, I scored a little over 2800 lbs of blakshak nut for $200 from a guy that said it made his house too hot. Thinking I should of used some of that money for a ton of stove… Guess ill have plenty to mix.