About 12Hrs Per 40lb Bucket O' Coal

Just loaded it.
I ran it up to 500 in direct mode, I have the MPD shut as hard as I can get it, check damper is 100% open.....and the gas ring looks like I have a propane line run to my stove.

We'll see what happens.

Please don't fear the baro my friend.. it is a very simple and ingenious device which steadies the draft pressure. The only way flue gas can leak out is if the chimney draft fails. Flue gas will leak out of the stove anyways if draft fails. At least they can promote drafting by automatically closing to stop room air from entering the pipe as draft strength decreases.

In my eyes, a mpd is more dangerous since it can't automatically open if draft gets weak. I'm not discounting what Mr. William has stated, that's just my opinion. I don't have any experience with a base burner.

Pancho wrote:Just loaded it.
I ran it up to 500 in direct mode, I have the MPD shut as hard as I can get it, check damper is 100% open.....and the gas ring looks like I have a propane line run to my stove.

We'll see what happens.

I get that effect too from my secondary air pipes. It's hydrocarbons being burnt off the fresh coal.

I have a vogelzang pot belly stove that I have run continuously for five days straight. Stack temps varied during the burn time but it maxed out at around 510 and as low as 200. any lower and the fire would go out. I have a modified shaker grate that I made so the whole load doesn't dump when you pull out the grate. I presented it the these members here but was shot down as it was not efficient. I cleared klinkers out from the bottom with a bent poker working between the grating slots. the bottom half of the stove was full to the first ring. this held a full 40# bag. I have a manual damper about a foot and a half away from a ninety degree elbow and pipe going into the chimney thimble. I usually leave it open ever so slightly just for draft. that and the openings in the damper and cracks around the edges help a little. I also inserted half pieces of firebrick into the exhaust fitting on top of the stove to cut back the whooshing of exhaust gases.

Unless I misunderstood...

I don't recommend shoving objects into the pipe to reduce draft. This could be very dangerous coupled with fly ash accumulation. Let the mpd do the restricting.

Lightning wrote:Please don't fear the baro my friend.. it is a very simple and ingenious device which steadies the draft pressure. The only way flue gas can leak out is if the chimney draft fails. Flue gas will leak out of the stove anyways if draft fails. At least they can promote drafting by automatically closing to stop room air from entering the pipe as draft strength decreases.

In my eyes, a mpd is more dangerous since it can't automatically open if draft gets weak. I'm not discounting what Mr. William has stated, that's just my opinion. I don't have any experience with a base burner.

I've always lived by the fact that systems fail.
Like I mentioned, many people use them and have no problem with them....I just don't like em' (and I'll admit I have never used one but have seen them in use).

Ok, the fresh load o' coal is starting to settle.

500 on the barrel and about 180 on the stack. That's with the MPD cranked over until it stops (then a smidge more ) and the check damper open 100%.

I'll give it a half hour and that will probably be where it'll run for the day.

Pancho wrote:Ok, the fresh load o' coal is starting to settle.

500 on the barrel and about 180 on the stack. That's with the MPD cranked over until it stops (then a smidge more ) and the check damper open 100%.

I'll give it a half hour and that will probably be where it'll run for the day.

How are your primary dampers set? How is the secondary damper in the loading door set?
Last question. Do you need to operate the stove at 500 to heat the house?

wsherrick wrote:
How are your primary dampers set? How is the secondary damper in the loading door set?
Last question. Do you need to operate the stove at 500 to heat the house?

Primaries have roughly a 1/4" opening. The secondary is closed.

I am still working on where my settings need to be for a given outside temp but so far the 450 to 500 range seems to work without getting it hot in the house.

I am heating a 2,500sq ft two story full cathedral house with this (100% of my heat) so my heating requirements are fairly big in my opinion.

Hmmmmm. Just checked. The barrel temp has dropped to about 425 (it's never moved before once the fire is established and my primaries are set) BUT....the stack is down to 160(ish).

Why would my barrel temp drop?.

Possibly ash build up.

hotblast1357 wrote:Possibly ash build up.

That's what I was thinkin' so I just rattled the grates and I'll restart my experiment.

Pancho wrote: Primaries have roughly a 1/4" opening. The secondary is closed.

I am still working on where my settings need to be for a given outside temp but so far the 450 to 500 range seems to work without getting it hot in the house.

I am heating a 2,500sq ft two story full cathedral house with this (100% of my heat) so my heating requirements are fairly big in my opinion.

Hmmmmm. Just checked. The barrel temp has dropped to about 425 (it's never moved before once the fire is established and my primaries are set) BUT....the stack is down to 160(ish).

Why would my barrel temp drop?.

80# of coal a day is a lot in my opinion for running the stove at 500... I tend to not use that much unless I'm running the stove above 600. I use my secondary (front door) much more. Right now my stove has one primary completely closed, the other cracked open a bit, like 3/8 of an inch open space on the utter edge and my front door is 1/4 open. I'm also running down around 300 at this time. So if I was kicking up to around 500 I'd likely be with my main door at half open and both primaries at 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch open. that will depend upon coal, fire state etc. I find using the secondary to be more important than what one would think given the "under fire air" knowledge... Another thing, I have pretty good draft so I will control fire temps a lot with the MPD. If I want to move the temp up some I may just crack the damper a bit more rather than change my primaries or secondary. Right now it's completely closed.

dj

hotblast1357 wrote:Possibly ash build up.

Good point, a new fire runs the hottest and in my mind the least efficient. My little base burner, (Vigilant 2310) runs best after I run a hundred pounds or so through it and some ash blocks some of the air inlets...like breaking in a new car.

Pancho wrote:

hotblast1357 wrote:Possibly ash build up.

That's what I was thinkin' so I just rattled the grates and I'll restart my experiment.

You want to let it ash up a little bit, that will let you run at a lower temp, unless you wanna run at 500... Once the manometeris hooked up well have some numbers and facts.

dlj wrote:
80# of coal a day is a lot in my opinion for running the stove at 500... I tend to not use that much unless I'm running the stove above 600. I use my secondary (front door) much more. Right now my stove has one primary completely closed, the other cracked open a bit, like 3/8 of an inch open space on the utter edge and my front door is 1/4 open. I'm also running down around 300 at this time. So if I was kicking up to around 500 I'd likely be with my main door at half open and both primaries at 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch open. that will depend upon coal, fire state etc. I find using the secondary to be more important than what one would think given the "under fire air" knowledge... Another thing, I have pretty good draft so I will control fire temps a lot with the MPD. If I want to move the temp up some I may just crack the damper a bit more rather than change my primaries or secondary. Right now it's completely closed.

dj

So you run with the secondary in some state of open?. That is one thing I've never done.
To this point I've been using ONLY the primaries, the MPD and the check damper for controls.....and I've been setting both primaries equally.

What should I expect if I go over and crack open the secondary?.
I've only been using the secondary when I load the stove and get it back going.