Woodchuck 3100

Hi..I am new to coal....just bought a used furnace that was sold as a coal/wood furnace...called mfg and they don't support this model anymore...question I am asking here is does anyone know if this model can safely be used for burning coal...there is no shaker grate....I am assuming that if the basic box is suitable for coal ,this could be modified.....sure there is much more...looking for good advice ...thanks

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PIX are mandated here my friend. Hell, anything can be modified, SAFELY????? like I said--pix from all angles & inside the fire-box. Welcome to the FORUM P. Remember, where there's a will there is usually a way:)

P, OK, I looked at the linked pix--looks like a WOOD BURNER to me--hence the name---sorry

Lookin more--with GOOGLE---it looks like a set of grates might be available?????

Looks like the heat exchanger may be compromised and I cant see you trying to remove the ashes thru that little door Look for a coal stove IMHO

regards
waldo

Waldo, a lil ash shovel would work well there--God knows I remember doin that every couple days as a kid or getting a boot in my ass

Thanks all for quick response....after looking a little closer, I found coal in the ash box as well as on some of the firebricks..so it looks like last user burned coal...was also told by local coal supplier that in lieu of no shaker grate , one could use an "upside down" rake or equal and run along bottom of grate to clean ash....sounds hopeful unless someone has a definite no...thanks

That looks a lot like the old Woodchuck 2800 boiler I had. Mine came out of a greenhouse. The guy I got it from told me the only burned coal in it. It was in great shape, no sign of wood ever being burnt in it. Still, with that flat great in it, I couldn't get a sustained coal burn in it, even with stove coal. I sold it before I did a perminent install.
Its a big firebox ment for wood. To burn coal, you would have to work your a$$ off trying to rake the ash out without killing the fire.

It should have come with a long ash pan that has an open back, it acts like a scoop.
You can burn coal in this thing but it will require a lot of therapy.

-Don

Yep, that should work. All depends how much time & trouble ya want to put in to the old girl:) I'd keep a few spare rakes on hand in case of melt down.

Yes it does have a long ash pan like a scoop....I guess the rake idea would be with tray out, insert..scoop remove?...doesn't seem like too much...,I am a little concerned about not being able to get a burn going....from the little I have read, seems like air mixture is key..thanks

Yes it does have a long ash pan like a scoop....I guess the rake idea would be with tray out, insert..scoop remove?...doesn't seem like too much...,I am a little concerned about not being able to get a burn going....from the little I have read, seems like air mixture is key..thanks

I hate to be a bearer of bad news partner but yer gonna have a miserable time burning coal without shaker grates. The best you'll likely get is a couple few days then you'll need to clean out and start a new fire..

Coal has approximately 10 times more ash than wood does.

If the only issue is the shaker grates..and the remedy already mentioned is ng...doesn't seem impossible to get shaker grate for unit?...thanks

paragon wrote:If the only issue is the shaker grates..and the remedy already mentioned is ng...doesn't seem impossible to get shaker grate for unit?...thanks

I'm betting with some modifications, you could get a grate frame and shakers to retrofit into it. My furnace is shaped just like yours, so take a look at the Clayton 1537's grate system or a Clayton 1600's grate system. If you have a store (like Tractor Supply) that stocks the Hot Blast models (very similar as well), maybe you could go in and measure the grate frame and observe how the grates sit in them to give you the information you need to make the mods... Your looking at a few hundred dollar investment for new frames and grates but its exactly what I would do with your appliance

Will look into that....someone mentioned the possible use of a vibrator that could be set on timer to shake ash down.....doesn't seem likely but I just mention it in case someone has tried something like that...thanks