Cookin' With Coal

Photog200 · Post by **Photog200** » Sat. Dec. 28, 2013 5:39 pm

Sunny Boy wrote:
Photog200 wrote:Something interesting happened today when cooking. I started the coal fire and it was going great...put it into oven mode and the oven was at 400° with the primary air only opened a little. Then all of a sudden (two hrs. later) the temps started dropping. I had to open the primary air all the way just to keep the oven at 350°. I am not sure if it was the temps outside warming up or if the chimney cooled off after putting into oven mode. I have a feeling it was the outside temps going up because it was in oven mode for a couple hrs before this started happening. I have to order two of those manometers!
Randy
Could be a combination of that. Plus, with the shallower firebox of the range, depending on how long the majority of coal had been burning, it may have needed some fresh coal and shake the grates ?

When I'm doing a lot of cooking, to maintain higher cooking temps I have to shake the grates some and sprinkle on a layer of fresh coal about every two-three hours. Just one thin layer, but it does help keep the higher cooking temps up.

When not cooking, I can go for many more hours not having to do any of that when just using the stove for heating.

Could something like that be happening with yours ?

Paul

That might just be what happened Paul, I did sprinkle a little more coal on to top it off but didn't shake it down. I didn't think it would need it after only a couple of hours burning. Learn something new every time I cook on this thing! Thanks for the tip!
Randy

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Sat. Dec. 28, 2013 5:47 pm

Now ya have to go cook something else to see if my theory was right.

And that was my shameless excuse to get you to post more pictures for this thread about cookin' with coal ?

Plus, I'm traveling for the holidays and need a kitchen coal stove fix !!!!

Paul

Photog200 · Post by **Photog200** » Sat. Dec. 28, 2013 7:05 pm

Sunny Boy wrote:Now ya have to go cook something else to see if my theory was right.

And that was my shameless excuse to get you to post more pictures for this thread about cookin' with coal ?

Plus, I'm traveling for the holidays and need a kitchen coal stove fix !!!!

Paul

Sorry Paul, but my tired ass is sitting down for the night! LOL I did just go out and shake it down and reloaded the stove. It came back up with no issues at all and I am sure if I pushed it...would be fine.

I have a feeling what happened is what you mentioned but also tied in with the fact that I just put a light layer of coal on top but I did not open everything up to help it to catch faster(I thought it was hot enough that it would catch just fine). That must have cooled the fire down and just did not have the ability to overcome it. Without shaking it down, it was not getting enough draft to bring the temps back up. I am learning quickly! LOL No, really I am...

I would have already mastered this, if I didn't have to burn up this firewood!

At least our learning experiences might help someone new going through setting one of these stove up. I have learned so much through this forum, it would be nice to be able to help someone else out. It seems coal cook stoves have gone out of style...

Randy

buffalo bob · Post by **buffalo bob** » Sat. Dec. 28, 2013 7:20 pm

question ? how do I get the most room warming out of my keeley#28 ? oven door open or closed, and the flaper damper open or closed? been following all the info here thanks for ur tips...

Photog200 · Post by **Photog200** » Sat. Dec. 28, 2013 8:12 pm

buffalo bob wrote:question ? how do I get the most room warming out of my keeley#28 ? oven door open or closed, and the flaper damper open or closed? been following all the info here thanks for ur tips...

As long as all the seams are sealed in your oven so the draft isn't sucking air through them, leave the oven door open. You will be taking advantage of all the heat generated in your firebox.
Randy

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Sat. Dec. 28, 2013 8:47 pm

Paul[/quote]
Sorry Paul, but my tired ass is sitting down for the night! LOL I did just go out and shake it down and reloaded the stove. It came back up with no issues at all and I am sure if I pushed it...would be fine.

I have a feeling what happened is what you mentioned but also tied in with the fact that I just put a light layer of coal on top but I did not open everything up to help it to catch faster(I thought it was hot enough that it would catch just fine). That must have cooled the fire down and just did not have the ability to overcome it. Without shaking it down, it was not getting enough draft to bring the temps back up. I am learning quickly! LOL No, really I am...

I would have already mastered this, if I didn't have to burn up this firewood!

At least our learning experiences might help someone new going through setting one of these stove up. I have learned so much through this forum, it would be nice to be able to help someone else out. It seems coal cook stoves have gone out of style...

Randy[/quote]

Understood !

Yup, hopefully our stumbles save other's some steps and raise interest at the same time. Who knows, maybe some others will get bitten by the kitchen coal range bug too. And, if not, at least we're enjoying ours !

Paul

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Sat. Dec. 28, 2013 8:52 pm

Photog200 wrote:
buffalo bob wrote:question ? how do I get the most room warming out of my keeley#28 ? oven door open or closed, and the flaper damper open or closed? been following all the info here thanks for ur tips...
As long as all the seams are sealed in your oven so the draft isn't sucking air through them, leave the oven door open. You will be taking advantage of all the heat generated in your firebox.
Randy

Unless the oven seams need re-sealing like mine. Then more likely, while you'll get some heat out, it also becomes a check draft leaking cool air in with the flue gases.

Paul.

Photog200 · Post by **Photog200** » Sun. Dec. 29, 2013 8:34 am

buffalo bob wrote:question ? how do I get the most room warming out of my keeley#28 ? oven door open or closed, and the flaper damper open or closed? been following all the info here thanks for ur tips...

I just noticed I did not answer both of your questions. I am assuming you mean manual pipe damper? I would start out by closing it 3/4 of the way and see how the draft is working. All chimney set ups are different, you may have to open or close it more depending on how well your chimney drafts.
Randy

buffalo bob · Post by **buffalo bob** » Sun. Dec. 29, 2013 10:49 am

Photog200 wrote:
buffalo bob wrote:question ? how do I get the most room warming out of my keeley#28 ? oven door open or closed, and the flaper damper open or closed? been following all the info here thanks for ur tips...
As long as all the seams are sealed in your oven so the draft isn't sucking air through them, leave the oven door open. You will be taking advantage of all the heat generated in your firebox.
Randy

thanks

buffalo bob · Post by **buffalo bob** » Sun. Dec. 29, 2013 10:53 am

Photog200 wrote:
buffalo bob wrote:question ? how do I get the most room warming out of my keeley#28 ? oven door open or closed, and the flaper damper open or closed? been following all the info here thanks for ur tips...
I just noticed I did not answer both of your questions. I am assuming you mean manual pipe damper? I would start out by closing it 3/4 of the way and see how the draft is working. All chimney set ups are different, you may have to open or close it more depending on how well your chimney drafts.
Randy

no I mean the damper in the stove that directs the exhaust around the oven.but I think that if I keep the oven damper open it will almost act like a baseburner am I close in my thinkin?? and in the bottom of my oven is an 8 inch lift out plate is this for cleaning???

Photog200 · Post by **Photog200** » Sun. Dec. 29, 2013 11:10 am

Bob,
Yes, after your fire is going good, put it into oven mode and leave the oven door open. You are correct, that is like putting it into base burner mode. You are increasing the flue path and will gather more heat instead of it going up the chimney. You are also heating more surface area on the stove which will radiate heat into the room. That lift out plate in the bottom of the oven is for clean out. You will get fly ash or soot, depending on what you are burning. I have been cleaning mine out once a month because I have been burning wood lately. If burning coal, you would not have to clean it out as often.
Randy

buffalo bob · Post by **buffalo bob** » Sun. Dec. 29, 2013 11:36 am

thanks randy ur answers have been real helpful, kinda thought I was on the right track a little confirmation is all I needed...looking forward to getting the stove in my 288 sq ft cabin gotta wait for weather to build a chim.

Photog200 · Post by **Photog200** » Sun. Dec. 29, 2013 11:39 am

buffalo bob wrote:thanks randy ur answers have been real helpful, kinda thought I was on the right track a little confirmation is all I needed...looking forward to getting the stove in my 288 sq ft cabin gotta wait for weather to build a chim.

Post some photos, you know how we like photos on here!

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Sun. Dec. 29, 2013 12:44 pm

Yes, photos.

And lots of photos will help others help you with how to get the most out of the stove.

Paul

buffalo bob · Post by **buffalo bob** » Mon. Dec. 30, 2013 9:53 am

will post photos as soon as my computer geek step son gets over here I don't know how...hell it took me 2 years to change my avatar pic. lol..got stove out in my garage it will be spring till I get set up in the cabin..