Very Happy with Leisure Line.

I was going to wait until the end of winter but decided to write this sooner.
Last Fall I replaced a Harman Mark I with a Leisure Line Pioneer top vent
with Digital Coal-trol.

Just one word describes this Stove..... OUTSTANDING!

At first I was a little nervous because it's automated, noise from the fans and
power outages.... etc. I'm sure you have hear it all before. I burned wood for
12 years before installing the Mark I and I really liked how long the coal lasted
but the ash pan should have been 3 times the size. Still better than wood but
you still have to operate it and worry about getting home to tend it. Only lost
the Coal fire a few times during last winter but that was enough.... You guys
with a hand fired stove know what that's like...

This Stoker has been so nice! Just fill it up and empty the ashes once a day.
When its not windy or above 35 outside I get 2 days or more. I use the switch
on the back of the stove to turn the power off when changing the pan. Open the
door slowly to clear the fumes, use a shovel the compact the ashes then change
the pan. So much cleaner! Very little dust escapes if you take your time. Close
it up and turn the power back on.

The Digital Coal-trol is great! You can play with Min and Max feed rates. I've
got my Min set a 10 and Max at 40. If I want to go away for a long weekend
I turn the Max down to 25. My house will stay in the 50's and the Coal will
easily last until I get home. I used to use a night set back but because the
unit is so good on coal I just leave it at 72.

Anyone out there looking to install a Coal Stove for the first time install a chimney
and buy a stoker! It may cost a bit more at first but you will be glad you did it.
I also built a coal bin.... another wise decision.
As far a Stoker Stoves go I'm very happy with Leisure Line and M & M Coal out
of Fulton N.Y. If you live in the Syracuse Area give Mike a call at M & M coal
315-593-7360 he is a good guy to do business with.

Keep Warm, Ethan

That's a nice endorsement for Lesuire Line. If I had read your review before buying my stove 2 years ago I may have bought a LL. Maybe this site should have a review section. Anyone listening?? I have an Alaska Channing 3 DV. I'm very happy with my stove too. One of the reasons I went with Alaska is that my dealer was local and that it had one of the smallest footprints of any stove I looked at. The LL stoves seem to be more up to date with safety and you get a Coaltrol which is nice, although the Coaltrol I purchased for my stove never worked right. The one gripe for my Alaska is that the ash pan is a little small. I can usually get 2 days before dumping it but I really hate dealing with it. Coal is spectacular but if oil was 1.00 a gallon I would probably turn it off and not have to think about being warm, dumping ash or humping coal. But at 3.50 a gallon I would rather save the money.

Like you, I'm a n00b with coal and pleased with the LL product, but I have a couple of thoughts..

Instead of changing your feedrate when you leave, why not just set the tstat back to 50 or so?

What style home do you have and where is the stove located in the home?

Did you have a problem with the ash getting blown around when changing the pan? I ask because I have not had an issues with mine and I leave it running while changing the pan. I have a Hearth model.

Thanks again and enjoy.

traderfjp wrote: Maybe this site should have a review section. Anyone listening??.

Had one for about a year, no one used it.

Hi traderfip,
To heat my house I burn 800 gallons of oil, 13 face cord or less than 3 ton of coal.

When Fuel oil was .80 per gallon ($640) - wood was $325 for the year
When Fuel oil was $1 per gallon ($800) - wood was $455 for the year
Fuel oil is now $3.50 per gallon ($2800) - wood is $715 for the year - Coal $630 ( Syracuse NY)

If Fuel oil was a $1.00 per gallon I would be burning wood. Two years ago One wood guy
quoted me $780 for 13 face cords... got greedy! So I switched to coal. I have always liked
saving money during the heating season by burning wood and feel I traded the endless stacking
of wood for the coal ash pan...

I looked at the Alaska, nice heavy metal. Good looking stove too.

Personally I'd like a nice Heat Pump and Gas Fire Place.... in Tennessee I've got family down there, power
bills are around 100 to 150 a month with heat and hot water.... All elecrtic house.

Hi av8r,
I change the feed rate because I want to find out how long a single load of coal will last. Like the rheostat model.
I'm not worried about the house freezing just want the coal to last 3 days or 5 days....

I've got a ranch and the stove is centrally located.

Yes I have a problem with fumes when changing the pan. when the ash pan door is open and the combustion fan
running I can smell sulfur. Turning the unit off helps this problem.
If I compact the ashes before removing the pan then when I walk through the house less dust seems to escape.
I'm probably making more out of it but the coal fumes and dust bother me some, I'd like to keep it to a minimum
until I get that Gas Fire Place...

Keep Warm, Ethan

Ethan wrote:Hi traderfip,

Hi av8r,
I change the feed rate because I want to find out how long a single load of coal will last. Like the rheostat model.
I'm not worried about the house freezing just want the coal to last 3 days or 5 days....
Keep Warm, Ethan

Maybe you're unaware of this, but the CoalTrol automatically adjusts the feed rate based on heat demand from the stat. Setting the stat at 50 will adjust the feed rate to the minimum required to maintain that temp. So, setting the minimum rate to 10 and setting the stat to 50 will allow the stove to burn at a minimum feed rate of 10 if there is no call for heat. I think most of us running the LL use a low rate of 4-8 which should give you a very low fire without it going out. Obviously, your setup and draft may have some affect on this. If you're unconcerned with the set temp and just wanted to keep the stove lit for as long as possible, then your method may be more effective.

I am really happy with my Leisure Line Hearth side load model
2005 = $3300.00 to heat my 200 year old farm house. Oil heat and Hot Water
2006 = new stove, 4 tons of coal and I started burning coal on 10/30/2006 with a full tank of oil.
Including the price of the new LL Stove I saved $400.00 over my heating costs in 2005
2007 = 3.5 ton of coal and one tank of oil bought on 9/27/2007. Coal $720.00 delivered and $502.00 for the oil. $2078 saved compared to 2005 heating costs.
I need to run my oil furnace when below 20 outside. I keep the temp on the oil furnace @ 64 and bump it up to 68 when outside is below 20.
Am I happy with my Leisure Line? Well…. yea!
Every Sunday I fill up 10 5 gal buckets and move them from my coal shed to the garage.
Some weeks I use 6~7 buckets, this past week was the first week I used all 10.

Is it the stove itself or the coal-trol unit that rocks your world?

I know that question sounds flippant but I am on the verge of buying a new stove and the LL Pioneer is one I have long and hard at because of the coal-trol unit. I've kind of eliminated the LL at this point but may want to add a coal-trol in the future.

tvb wrote:Is it the stove itself or the coal-trol unit that rocks your world?

I know that question sounds flippant but I am on the verge of buying a new stove and the LL Pioneer is one I have long and hard at because of the coal-trol unit. I've kind of eliminated the LL at this point but may want to add a coal-trol in the future.

When I was setting my Harman I was real gung-ho on adding a Coaltrol, the very first thing that turned me off was the fact they ran the combustion blower 24 hrs a day 7 days a week non-stop, I would think given the electronics they could have been a little more efficient and regulated the fan but the answer I got from everyone was it is the best way to make it more efficient and burn all the coal, now I know nothing is 100% efficient and you don't get something for nothing, that completely burned out ash cost you electricity and wear and tear on the motor on the other hand I found cycling the fan can at times leave as much as a coffee can of unburned pieces of coal during warm days, but last time I checked Coal was cheaper than electricity and blower motors so I'll take the 2¢ or 3¢ worth of Coal . Then I continued to learn more and watch some of the questions that came in about it and came to the conclusion that it works great for some folks in their setting but for others it seemed finicky and problematic and although it always seemed to get worked out sometimes I felt the customer was talked out of feeling that it wasn't right .

I don't have any serious health problems or scientific experiments that require a + - 1℉ temp tolerance and I got bad luck so mine would prolly be a problematic situation/installation in the mean time I read a few posts here of other folks quite happy with the controls designed for their stoves so I decided to initially run the Harman control and decide later about the Coaltrol I'm quite pleased with how the factory control works .

I think the coaltrol would be an advantage during the first and last few weeks of the season when the stove barely needs to burn but I'll know better when the temps start to warm up.

So far I set my stove and factory control at the end of Oct and haven't had to fiddle with it 2 dots feed pilot set to 4 on 11 off using a round Honeywell thermostat that my Mom was real familiar with to control room temp .

I do not own a coaltrol and my opinions are based only on what I have read here and a general knowledge of coal and gadgets, that may change someday as they develop it or my needs change. There was some talk of a firmware or software upgrade for them but it doesn't appear they have a handle on how to get that done yet I think the new ones might be upgraded . But as you see they have reps and supporters all over the forum so give them a call and get it straight from the horses mouth I'm sure they will answer your questions and I will say this for them they do seem to be straight talkers even when it comes to some undesirable situations with the product so while I'm sure they would like to sell ya one I don't think they would feed ya a line a crapola to do it.

Please do not take this as recommendation for or against the product it is only the way I see things and others may see it different . A lot of folks here whose opinion I respect use them and are Very Happy .

...I don't think they would feed ya a line a crapola to do it.

... No we at Automation Correct try not to, unlike like the great coalstoves.

Yet again... 11 paragraphs, 47 lines, 579 words, and 2978 characters ... of your speculative, uninformed and you think, most valuable opinions.

You are adding nothing of value to this thread or others ... you don't know how to burn coal ... and you don't know what you are talking about in so many ways... I trust that thoughtful readers of the forums also see your agenda and your ignorance.

To all readers: Following this fellows advice encourages unsafe operation of your appliance and energy waste. An inflated ego, poor critical thinking, and research skill at the level of an 6th grader do not add up to expertise or knowledge.

EDIT: Removed unbecoming rant.

P.S. I usually try to be somewhat more professional. Forgive me. (No, "forgive me" is not a reference to you, coalstoves. And yes, the obvious must be spelled out to you.)
Neil Waelder, President of Automation Correct

Coalstoves:

Posting your opinions is part of what this forum is all about, but I for one only put stock in opinions from someone who has actual experience regarding any issue or product. Despite your disclaimer at the end of your post about not actually having ever owned a Coal Trol or operated a stove with one installed you have no reason to post an opinion regarding their operation or performance. Install one on your stove and then report back based on your actual experience. Until then, I don't appreciate your uninformed opinions.

The next modification on my stoker stove will be a full time combustion fan separate from the stoker motor, I like the idea of running the blower full speed all the time, I'm not concerned about the "huge" amount of electricity it will use or the "wear and tear" on the motor. What I am concerned about is getting the most efficient performance out of my Alaska.

I also intend on purchasing a Coal Trol at some point, based on what I have learned about it I like the product and am interested in seeing how it will help my stove to operate better and more efficiently.

I will not post an opinion on the performance of the product until after I have given it a fair trial.

Like the sign says, Think before you say something stupid.

Neil,

I don't know what Coalstoves is talking about, I don't think he does either.

I do own a Coal Trol on a Alaska Channing and you all were very helpfull in setting it up, it held all the settings over the summer and started this year without a hitch.

The unit run's exactly as you have advertised and I will report back in the spring on how much coal it will have saved.

The tiny motor running the combustion fan uses less electricity than an electric toothbrush! Sure hope that "extra" expence does not put me in the poorhouse!

I would recomend this unit to anyone.

Thanks again

BK

Coalstoves, you gave forum member tvb a list of links, all of which include plenty of your diatribe against the Coal Trol and LeisureLine... But you still find it necessary to come on the manufacturers forum and spew your bile... then try to sort-of mask this bile with a few disclaimers... I don't buy it..

Your opinion about the Coal Trol is well documented... you even listed what 6 or 8 links to threads where you spewed your bile in the past... we get it... you don't like the product..

Now let a potential customer make their own decision.. that decision by the way comes with a return policy and a money back guarantee...

Greg L

tvb wrote:Is it the stove itself or the coal-trol unit that rocks your world?

I know that question sounds flippant but I am on the verge of buying a new stove and the LL Pioneer is one I have long and hard at because of the coal-trol unit. I've kind of eliminated the LL at this point but may want to add a coal-trol in the future.

My decision was based on the stove design. I wanted a utility stove for my basement. The Pocono had the right BTU, and a 200lb hopper. The mechanics of the feed looked to be as simple as it could possibly be. The fans are all available even if LL is not.
One critisism heard of the LL is that it is made of thinner metal. As a boilermaker, I can assure you this should make zero difference in the life of the stove. Hand fed units should have thick walls as it is possible to accidently overheate the unit. With a stoker, the fire is controlled to burning only on the Grate in the middle of the firebox, which makes it impossible to accidently make the stove red hot.
The only downside of the coal trol would be if they went out of business. Sooner or later electronics fail, and if a coal-trol thermostat or controller were not available, one would have to hope the LL would have the parts to retrofit the stove back to the manual controls.
For my installation, the coal-trol keeps temps within +-2 degrees, most the time it keeps the house at the set temperature. When the outside temperature changes 10 or 20 degrees, the coal-trol might be a little slow, like yesterday started at near 50* and dropped to the low 30s in the evening. The house did get down to 68* for a while before the stove started to seriously supply heat.

It comes down to deciding which stove fits best your wants and needs. No matter which stove, burning mechanism, or controller, coal heat requires monitoring and maintenance.

As to CoalStoves post, his opinion is as useful as any, he was describing why he chose not to even try the coal-trol unit. The only way to really know would be to have 2 stoves side by side, feeding the same coal, and recording perfomance and maintenance/adjustments required over a long period of time.

Don

Edit: hopper design is important. Narrow and deep is good. Wide and shallow would require more attention. The hopper could be huge, but if gravity doesn't keep the coal over the the stoker, the coal will just sit there in the hopper. I can't remember the Pioneer hopper shape, but the Pocono and Hyfire hopper shape make sense.

...As to CoalStoves post, his opinion is as useful as any

I'm afraid not, xackley.

The only way to really know would be to have 2 stoves side by side, feeding the same coal, and recording perfomance and maintenance/adjustments required over a long period of time.

Good idea. Maybe coalstoves can do this useful research and report his results.

I'm not trying to quibble with you, but I'm through making excuses for him.

To your point about Coal-trol responsiveness, this is something that we have been actively working on.

No matter which stove, burning mechanism, or controller, coal heat requires monitoring and maintenance.

True today, but not necessarily so true in the future. Progress is slow... but will be made.
Regards