Using a SS Chimney (Dura-Vent) With a Coal Stove

 
Clinton County
New Member
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 5:22 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Baker mini furnace
Coal Size/Type: nut
Other Heating: Propane hot air

Post by Clinton County » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 5:58 pm

I am presently using a SS Dura-Vent, double wall insulated chimney with a Quadra fire wood stove. I plan on buying a Baker mini furnace in the spring and burn nut coal next winter. Does anyone have any idea how long a SS chimney will last burning coal? I know that coal creates acid that will eat through the metal chimney. Is there any way to get it thoroughly clean in the spring, after the heating season? I know about keeping a light bulb in the stove/pipe to stop any humidity from building/forming through the summer but do you folks think that would be enough to keep it from rotting away? This chimney cost me about $1100.00 when I put it when we built the house in 2000. I won't save any money on heat if I need to replace the chimney every few years.......

Any/all comments welcomed, thank you.


 
franco b
Site Moderator
Posts: 11416
Joined: Wed. Nov. 05, 2008 5:11 pm
Location: Kent CT
Hand Fed Coal Stove: V ermont Castings 2310, Franco Belge 262
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood Modern Oak 114
Coal Size/Type: nut and pea

Post by franco b » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 6:08 pm

My advice is to burn some wood for a few days before the coal and also in the spring following cleaning the chimney. Also do not burn wet coal. Leaving the chimney bottom open during the summer might also help. Doing this I have seen no rust in my chimney where previously I did.

 
dustyashpan
Member
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue. Dec. 17, 2013 2:30 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Atlanta Homesteader, Harman
Baseburners & Antiques: Radiant Medal Dockash No.150 baseheater
Coal Size/Type: nut stove pea

Post by dustyashpan » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 6:12 pm

Clinton County wrote:I am presently using a SS Dura-Vent, double wall insulated chimney with a Quadra fire wood stove. I plan on buying a Baker mini furnace in the spring and burn nut coal next winter. Does anyone have any idea how long a SS chimney will last burning coal? I know that coal creates acid that will eat through the metal chimney. Is there any way to get it thoroughly clean in the spring, after the heating season? I know about keeping a light bulb in the stove/pipe to stop any humidity from building/forming through the summer but do you folks think that would be enough to keep it from rotting away? This chimney cost me about $1100.00 when I put it when we built the house in 2000. I won't save any money on heat if I need to replace the chimney every few years.......

Any/all comments welcomed, thank you.
welcome to club, coal ate two single wall black pipe chimneys here short order, black single wall don't last, got SS lined now. stove shop said take down, scrub with baking soda & water yearly. never did. we will see. baking soda neutralizes acids. cap is must, rain rots away inside.

 
grumpy
Member
Posts: 12219
Joined: Sat. Jan. 02, 2010 12:28 am

Post by grumpy » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 6:19 pm

SS Chimneys are like tire's.... Not if and when, just when....

 
dustyashpan
Member
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue. Dec. 17, 2013 2:30 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Atlanta Homesteader, Harman
Baseburners & Antiques: Radiant Medal Dockash No.150 baseheater
Coal Size/Type: nut stove pea

Post by dustyashpan » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 6:32 pm

installer co. owner said 8-10 yrs life for SS

 
JohnB
Member
Posts: 528
Joined: Sat. Jul. 06, 2013 6:06 pm
Location: Northeastern Ct.
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93
Coal Size/Type: Mostly nut, some pea

Post by JohnB » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 6:45 pm

dustyashpan wrote:installer co. owner said 8-10 yrs life for SS
303? 316? 316ti? Insulated? All stainless liners aren't the same. 316ti is rated for coal use but if you sweep it at the end of the season, add some baking soda while sweeping, keep a rain cap on & moisture out there's no reason it shouldn't last indefinitely.

 
User avatar
VigIIPeaBurner
Member
Posts: 2579
Joined: Fri. Jan. 11, 2008 10:49 am
Location: Pequest River Valley, Warren Co NJ
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker(down)
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vermont Casting Vigilant II 2310
Other Heating: #2 Oil Furnace

Post by VigIIPeaBurner » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 7:01 pm

JohnB wrote:
dustyashpan wrote:installer co. owner said 8-10 yrs life for SS
303? 316? 316ti? Insulated? All stainless liners aren't the same. 316ti is rated for coal use but if you sweep it at the end of the season, add some baking soda while sweeping, keep a rain cap on & moisture out there's no reason it shouldn't last indefinitely.
Keep it dry and then it will serve you well. Coal ash does not make acid until water or moisture has been added. That's when the problems start.

I have stopped advocating swabbing baking soda paste to the chimney-any chimney. You can never be sure that you get the neutralizing agent to the right areas at the right concentration to neutralize any acid that the moisture in the paste will produce. No moisture present-no acid present. By adding a baking soda paste you cause the problem essentially to neutralize it - maybe :o

Attachments

image.jpg

After 13 season, pre-sweeping

.JPG | 83.1KB | image.jpg
image.jpg

Post-sweeping @ end of 13th coal only season

.JPG | 118.4KB | image.jpg


 
JohnB
Member
Posts: 528
Joined: Sat. Jul. 06, 2013 6:06 pm
Location: Northeastern Ct.
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93
Coal Size/Type: Mostly nut, some pea

Post by JohnB » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 7:15 pm

I wasn't thinking about dumping a paste in the liner, just loose dry baking soda. If there is any moisture/acid in there it should neutralize it. If there isn't you are just out the cost of a box of baking soda.

 
User avatar
VigIIPeaBurner
Member
Posts: 2579
Joined: Fri. Jan. 11, 2008 10:49 am
Location: Pequest River Valley, Warren Co NJ
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker(down)
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vermont Casting Vigilant II 2310
Other Heating: #2 Oil Furnace

Post by VigIIPeaBurner » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 7:20 pm

JohnB wrote:I wasn't thinking about dumping a paste in the liner, just loose dry baking soda. If there is any moisture/acid in there it should neutralize it. If there isn't you are just out the cost of a box of baking soda.
How does it adhere to the inside of the vertical chimney? I've heard people make a paste and swab it onto the newly brushed chimney walls.

 
User avatar
Ctyankee
Member
Posts: 111
Joined: Fri. Dec. 23, 2011 6:19 pm
Location: Danbury CT
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 503 insert
Coal Size/Type: nut and pea

Post by Ctyankee » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 7:42 pm

I brush my liner in the Spring and then dump down baking soda while brushing it again. I figure it probably will attach to the wall just like the ash will and the ash might even hold it to itself. When moisture hits, the dissolving the baking soda will neutralize some amount of the acid that is produced from the ash. I don't have any evidence of this working but it cheap enough to just try it and hope it does.

 
dustyashpan
Member
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue. Dec. 17, 2013 2:30 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Atlanta Homesteader, Harman
Baseburners & Antiques: Radiant Medal Dockash No.150 baseheater
Coal Size/Type: nut stove pea

Post by dustyashpan » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 8:23 pm

baking soda works. quart water 2 tbsp baking soda, pour on crusty car battery terminals. watch what happens. gets ems clean like new while ya watch. with masonry chimney can pour it down, and out cleanout door.

 
User avatar
VigIIPeaBurner
Member
Posts: 2579
Joined: Fri. Jan. 11, 2008 10:49 am
Location: Pequest River Valley, Warren Co NJ
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker(down)
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vermont Casting Vigilant II 2310
Other Heating: #2 Oil Furnace

Post by VigIIPeaBurner » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 8:36 pm

dustyashpan wrote:baking soda works. quart water 2 tbsp baking soda, pour on crusty car battery terminals. watch what happens. gets ems clean like new while ya watch. with masonry chimney can pour it down, and out cleanout door.
Chimney isn't a battery terminal where you can certify that you've saturated it. We're doing chemistry inside a stainless steel open ended cylinder with seams and joints (stoichiometry). It works in a beaker or a battery terminal but there's little control to keep an even application in a chimney. Dumping it down a masonry chimney doesn't carry the negative possibilities like doing and incomplete neutralization inside a SS Dura-Vent could.

 
JohnB
Member
Posts: 528
Joined: Sat. Jul. 06, 2013 6:06 pm
Location: Northeastern Ct.
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93
Coal Size/Type: Mostly nut, some pea

Post by JohnB » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 8:41 pm

VigIIPeaBurner wrote: Dumping it down a masonry chimney doesn't carry the negative possibilities like doing and incomplete neutralization inside a SS Dura-Vent could.
So what is a better solution? Doing nothing?

 
KLook
Member
Posts: 5791
Joined: Sun. Feb. 17, 2008 1:08 pm
Location: Harrison, Tenn
Other Heating: Wishing it was cold enough for coal here....not really

Post by KLook » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 8:46 pm

Well, if you look at that picture of the chimney after 13 seasons I would say yes, do nothing. :P :idea:

Mine is going strong in Maine after 13 years of wood and now about 6 years of coal. I have done nothing.

Kevin

 
titleist1
Member
Posts: 5226
Joined: Wed. Nov. 14, 2007 4:06 pm

Post by titleist1 » Fri. Dec. 20, 2013 9:50 pm

This is the 21st year for my SS double wall chimney. I recommend a cap to keep the rain mostly out. I brush it out in the spring, take off the black indoor flue pipe to the thimble and cap off the thimble in the basement, then I take the cap off the bottom of the chimney so air flows through it all summer. I have never used baking soda. I did burn a good bit of wood in the Mark III in the early years and maybe that applied a microscopic layer of creosote to the SS protecting it all these years! :D


Post Reply

Return to “Hand Fired Coal Stoves & Furnaces Using Anthracite”