New (to Me) Chubby Installed

So last night I finally got my new to me Chubby burning. It's a 1979 and is in pretty decent shape. I found it on eBay for a good price. I replaced all the gaskets and MPD, got it plumbed into my chimney with the baro recommended in the manual, and have a great draft. The baro is set using the method shown in the Chubby video. I'm burning bagged Blaschak nut coal.

I grew up with a Chubby in our basement and remember our house being excessively warm in the basement and thoroughly warm everywhere else (2000sf raised ranch built in 1975). My father had cut registers in the floor to promote heat circulation throughout the house.

Our home is a 2600 sf colonial built in 1988. Today, the Chubby is running at about 375 on the side of the stove body right above the tear drop vent. I'm planning on using the intake air to get to run at a steady 450 but the thing that seems to be different to me is how the coal is burning. I seem to remember being able to see the coal burning both through the small mica (I don't have the large mica door) and when I have the loading door open. My fire doesn't look anywhere near as intense as the one in Larry's video. My air is open about 40% and I've been leaving the MPD closed about 90%. Anyone have any ideas?

Also, has anyone thought about adding fire brick to the area above the fire pit (where you'd put potatoes to bake - lol) to help hold heat in the stove?

Open the mpd more!

I would agree. Letting it breath more should help. I've read a lot of the posts here and understand the principles behind the barometric damper but I can't bring myself to opening up the possibility having flue gases enter the house. I keep my chimney sealed and use the damper and air intakes to regulate. More air on the bottom of the fire should equal more heat.

You have to remember that all set ups, stoves, chimney's, drafts, are all different. What works for you may not work for me. You have to experiment and get use to your stove. I would open the MPD more like coalvet said. I would open the air intake a little more on your ash door and see what happens. Coal is slow to react so you have to give her a little time to see the changes in the stove temperature and performance. It may take a little bit of adjustments to hit the sweet spot. Keep an eye on her till you get her dialed in.

A barometric damper is not the cause of CO in the house, a very weak drafting chimney or blocked chimney would be. A baro limits high draft & closes when draft drops below the setting,it does not direct CO into the house. It works for the stove & chimney even when you are not there to do the job.

Got a CO detector ?

Don't fear the baro..
It can do magic..

pyro29 wrote:So last night I finally got my new to me Chubby burning. It's a 1979 and is in pretty decent shape. I found it on eBay for a good price. I replaced all the gaskets and MPD, got it plumbed into my chimney with the baro recommended in the manual, and have a great draft. The baro is set using the method shown in the Chubby video. I'm burning bagged Blaschak nut coal.

I grew up with a Chubby in our basement and remember our house being excessively warm in the basement and thoroughly warm everywhere else (2000sf raised ranch built in 1975). My father had cut registers in the floor to promote heat circulation throughout the house.

Our home is a 2600 sf colonial built in 1988. Today, the Chubby is running at about 375 on the side of the stove body right above the tear drop vent. I'm planning on using the intake air to get to run at a steady 450 but the thing that seems to be different to me is how the coal is burning. I seem to remember being able to see the coal burning both through the small mica (I don't have the large mica door) and when I have the loading door open. My fire doesn't look anywhere near as intense as the one in Larry's video. My air is open about 40% and I've been leaving the MPD closed about 90%. Anyone have any ideas?

Also, has anyone thought about adding fire brick to the area above the fire pit (where you'd put potatoes to bake - lol) to help hold heat in the stove?

Larrys video.. I have watched it many times and talked to Larry in person when I bought my Chubby. A clean Chubby and "new" coal can give you the "dancing blue ladies" all night. What I get now is "taller" Blue ladies for about 15 min , than very short ones as the coal begins to glow and shimmer. When you add "over the fire draft" ( side vents, or open the front loading door, you can get taller blue flames as you are adding oxygen closer to the top coal . The Blue is the Oxygen being consumed with the coal gases. I have the bigger window door, and I often see very tiny flames and its a 375 degree fire. Fresh coal with door open a bit? yup you can see them higher.. fire is low at 36 but growing fast in temp
Edit, the door is $150 bucks