USSTOVE Hotblast1557M

Hello all, I had recently bought a used hotblast 1557M wood & coal furnace and even though I have very little experience with installing these I had three individuals who have more experience than I do look it over and said I did a good job. The problem i'm having is that this thing doesn't seem to be heating up for crap with coal and isn't getting hot enough for the blowers to kick on? Now with wood I can get a good hot fire going and the blowers kick on but I need to burn coal as I cannot be here to continuously feed it wood. I have the 11DIKL forced draft inducer kit installed with the adjustable limit control plus a manual damper and good chimney draft.

The only thing I can think of is that maybe the long plenum/heat box that's right on top of the coal furnace that conjoins to the taller plenum box above it is perhaps too big all together? If anyone sees something in any of my pictures that could be causing problems or perhaps something that could be done differently for improvement please be sure to let me know? Someone also suggested that I install an automatic barometric damper since i'm burning coal but is that really needed and will adding one make a difference? Any and all help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks and Happy Holidays everyone!

Hi partner.. I've been burning anthracite for 4 years in a Clayton 1537 which is near identical to your furnace. In my signature line is a link that describes a specific modification and advice that will make your experience with coal much more successful..

Hi, Thanks for the help as I do appreciate it. I'm now regretting taking out the oil furnace even though it costs an arm and a leg to run it because this coal stove is by far the worst one that I have ever used. When we moved in here some years back there was an old luxaire coal furnace in here from the 60's which I had no problems with at all burning coal in it however it was way too big for this size house. What are those pipes in your first picture for that's in the firebox with all of the little holes drilled into them? Do you think the heat box is too big on mine though? Thanks again

Nice Malibu/Chevelle/El Camino!

68?

No. The firebox size is not the issue. That furnace will produce heat the way you want it to, I'm willing to bet a paycheck on it.

The pipes are for secondary air, but don't worry about those right now. You need to seal between the front and rear liners so combustion air can't bypass the coal bed.

Where is the combustion blower located and where does it blow in air? Under the grates? Or over the fuel bed?

I see the combustion blower is on the back of your furnace. If it's like mine, it pushes air in over top of the fuel bed. That isn't gonna work. Combustion air for coal must come in under the grates. I recommend you take the combustion blower off and plug the hole it's mounted to.

Hi, You certainly know your cars! It's a 68 camino with a freshly built 465hp 383 stroker motor, completely rebuilt muncie m21 4 speed trans with a mr gasket v gate shifter, completely rebuilt 12 bolt posi rear with 4.11 gears and a 150 shot nitrous system, There's a little over $3,900.00 in the motor alone not counting anything else. I have some new parts like quarter panels, wheel housings, chrome trim pieces, bumpers, cowl hood etc. I have some pictures and videos of it.

Hi, Thanks as I will certainly have to try what you said as i'm worried about this being that it's now our only heat source besides a couple electric heaters that we have.

internetjunkie4life wrote:Hi, Thanks as I will certainly have to try what you said as i'm worried about this being that it's now our only heat source besides a couple electric heaters that we have.

Well then, we're here to help.. I have no trouble at all keeping my 2400 square foot, somewhat insulated, not very air tight home in good warmth standing at below zero outside. That furnace will produce with coal, it just takes a couple simple mods and a thorough ash clearing at shake down and you'll be golden..

The forced draft inducer is blowing huge amounts of air above the fire bed which is cooling off the fire and probably weakening your draft also which is not letting your fire get going, once you take that off and plug it you should be toasty warm, my 1357, which is identical to yours, just half the size, is the only model where the air for the draft inducer actually enters below the grates.

The complete $221.00 11DIKL draft inducer kit that I have is for sale if anyone wants to buy it for burning wood? I take paypal and or post office money orders or cash in person. $175.00 total cost shipped takes it. It was only on the furnace for 3-1/2 days which I just took it all off today and reinstalled the factory thermodisc. I found some pics online where someone had mounted the 11DIKL draft inducer on the front of their 1557M but wouldn't that blow the ashes all over the place hooking it up on the front ash door?

Even with the draft kit removed I still can't get this dang thing to burn coal for the life of me? I'm thinking about throwing the oil furnace back in till I can figure out what the heck is wrong. I wonder if it's just the coal that won't burn?

I'm running out of ideas for getting the coal to burn at the moment, I guess that all I can do is either get more wood for the time being or put the oil furnace back in which I don't want to do that but it's getting colder out there and i'm starting to worry.

No need for that, burning coal is very simple, if you have that hole plugged, its now probably a draft problem, you have it full to the top of the fire brick? Your air intake on the load door is shut, you have the ash pan spinner open say 1-2 turns? Crack the ash pan door and watch it for 15-20 minutes, make sure the manual damper is open.

Are u burning anthracite. Or bituminous?