successfully burning anthracite coal in a clayton furnace

Hello coalcrazy, I am contacting you about some info on burning coal in my 1602m. I have new chimney, draft inducer fan,and loss of interest in coal . Can you help w/ some ideas. Thanks gus

While we read all these posts it takes time to understand and along the way we hit spots we don't understand and until we get the parts we don't understand we will never get the rest of it. This is common, I too have these moments and if I could only talk to someone about my misunderstandings.

Send me a PM with your phone number and I'll call you or send me a PM and I'll send you my phone number and you can call me when it works for you. If I can talk I will and if not we'll find time in short order. This has worked for a handful of Clayton/Hotblast users. Re thought that and I'm on the the next handful already.

Eric close the top spinner all the way. Coal needs the air from the bottom only, air from the top will put the fire out. Also coal takes a long time to react so be patient.

George

In need of some tips to get my us stove 1600 burning anthracite coal. Could someone pm me there number and i would call you, or i could send you mine. Thanks

Anyone have ideas on how to make the fire box smaller during the early season ready to fire up the clayton, but don't want to heat the house to 90. I was going to use some old fire brick about halfway through the firebox, and pile it up pretty high. Will this have any effect on the way the grates work. as always, any advice is greeatly apprciated


Chris

I never really thought about making the Clayton fire box smaller, but it seems like a good idea if you want to reduce the heat output. I would consider unbolting the rear grates from the shaker rod so the grates under the anthracite will work. Otherwise you may not be able to shake it down properly. Place your firebrick stack in the rear and that will allow you to have the anthracite coal fire close to the feed door. I'm not sure if you should leave the rear grates in place or remove them also. I would try to see how the fire brick stacks and make the decision from that. Intersting idea though. I may just have to try this too someday.

Doug,

That was the issue I was contempleting, the rear grates. The reason for reducing the fire box is, as my sole source of heat, the day temp is around 60 to 70 and nights in the 40's. If I can regulate the heat and still load the furnace up fairly well, I can get a days burn out of it at only half the box. I am planing on covering the rear with three fire bricks laid flat across the grates, then a stack on the front one to get my depth, I'll let you know how it works. I have a bucket full of broken fire bricks from over the years. I figure I can make something work.


chris

Hey Chris
I did exactly that with the firebrick pieces.
Not to small to jamb the grates.
The pieces made it so the grates still worked.
It worked well!
Charles

usa stove 30A burning nut coal seems to clog my grates
By: richerrr On: Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:47 pm

been a new user to hand fired stove had keystoker self fed but got flooded and couldnt afford the same so tryin my hand at hand fired have a usa 30a burns great at start up for 12 hours then i shake it down and it gos out been reading your forums

Either it has been running so hot there is not enough fire left to ignite new coal or you have failed to get enough ash out from the previous fire.

ty franco for the reply some of the rest of my post didnt show up think im gunna try stove coal nut coal seems to jam and clog my grates but never thought about it burning to hot it does seem that when i shake it there isnt much coal left
and also this model doesnt have a combustion fan on the front but its on the back more for burning wood so i hope i can run the stove just with the dial damper on the ash door

You can try stove size but honestly nut should not be clogging your grates? Be sure to use short choppy strokes so that the grates don't turn far enough to get any pieces caught. All coal sizes are going to eventually burn down to ash and small bits. People usually size buy what won't fall through the grates unlit. After that, its more about heat output versus time of burn. Stove will give you a hotter fire but maybe not as long as nut sized.

Had replace my coal furnace last tuesday. It ran away and started a fire. Thank GOD for fire extinguishers.

Anyways I got a hotblast. The smaller one. Installed it with manual and barro. Was easy to start, was burning soft coal. It burn great and all night. Due to work I'm gone 12 hours. It woud still be burning. Threw in fresh coal shake and get blazing again.

The problem, very little heat output. Also the shaker grate stinks. Its a ash collecter.

So monday I got 3 buckets of hard nut. Emptied firebox, started for with soft. Then 4inches of hard. When blue flames everywhere mound her up.

Getting more heat less ash, no smoke. oyea i like that crackle sound it makes.

I still dont think im getting enough heat. Im thinking of pricing a replacement spinner,bolt and mounting bar. Plasma again rough hole, run a boring bar to size. Then ill have to vents side by side.

And yes I bought a new fire extinguisher. Mounted 1/2 inch thick cement wanderboard on joist above furnace with two smoke detectors. Plus the one that I had at top of stairs.

Anyone have any thoughts on this modification. Or any other ideas help pointers.

thanks for all the help I got from reading other post.

If it is ash buildup causing the problem then adding more air probably will not solve the problem. I would concentrate on making the grate more effective or use other means to help get rid of the ash like raking from below and poking from top.

Starting from fresh with anthracite you should have had at least 12 hours of good heat output before ash begins to retard output.

Even starting fresh I don't feel I'm getting the heat that I should from this furnace. The ash problem Is a design flaw. Which I can overcome with vigorous short shaking and poking. If I crack open ash door it burns the way I think it should. I want something a little more control.