Crane 404 - Maintain Temperature at Refill

Rob R. wrote:Just my $0.02, but if you need to run the stove at 600 degrees to keep the house warm you need a larger (or additional) stove.

Windy, if you can add coal at lunchtime that will help smooth out the cycle.

The stove is located in my baseement which is all field stone foundation therefore the reason to run my stove at max. I'm not in the market for a new stove so it is what it is for now.

Maybe going from max to 300-400d is expected. Someone who runs their stove at 400 with a temp swing down to 300 at shakedown wouldn't notice a dramatic cool down I suppose.

Rob R. wrote:Just my $0.02, but if you need to run the stove at 600 degrees to keep the house warm you need a larger (or additional) stove.

Windy, if you can add coal at lunchtime that will help smooth out the cycle.

That is what I have been doing during the day and at night it is on it's own though usually for no more than 6 hours. Installing a draft regulator this morning and relight it to see if more consistent results and a longer as the draft here is all over the place generally high but if drops off a lot primary air closed too much to keep the fire and tired of trying to save it every now and then.

I've been trying to run the stove at 550 or less to see what the results are. I guess the largest PITA part of burning coal in the 404 is having to sit around with the ashpan door open to help get the fresh new coal going. But I can't always do this.

Example: This morning I tended the stove at 5:30AM. Shook her down, added coal and had to shut the ashpan door with the knobs only open a half turn. Then I had to head out the door for work....

It will most likely take the stove 2 or 3 hrs to get back up to temp because I'm almost choking it out by shutting the ashpan door so quick. But, it is what it is.... Maybe in the future I'll look into a larger stove that regulates the temp more. BUT, I'll never get rid of this Crane 404... it looks too nice and think it works really well as designed. I'll keep this on in the family for a loooong time.

Kind of like your first gun.... you never sell or trade your first gun.

The 10/22 will never be sold until I am dead then out of my control and both kids have no problem with gun control and would not want it in their house. Possibly I need to attach a list of friends to my will to give it to should they not want it include all the others ammo etc.