Comfortmax Instructions Deficient in the Coal Burning Dept.

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 5:56 am

I'm amazed to discover that the DS ComfortMax 75 instruction manual basically offers instructions for wood burning only. Nary a hint of instructions for coal sans how to get a coal fire going. After that there is nothing provided on routine shaking down, poking, or feeding. Based on this I would like some basic pointers (or links to already existing pointers on this forum) for instructions on how to safely and properly sustain and maintain an anthracite coal fire in a hand fired stove without a hopper.

blrman07 · Post by **blrman07** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 6:20 am

lsayre wrote:I'm amazed to discover that the DS ComfortMax 75 instruction manual basically offers instructions for wood burning only. Nary a hint of instructions for coal sans how to get a coal fire going. After that there is nothing provided on routine shaking down, poking, or feeding. Based on this I would like some basic pointers (or links to already existing pointers on this forum) for instructions on how to safely and properly sustain and maintain an anthracite coal fire in a hand fired stove without a hopper.

Try this
Basics of a Hand Fired Coal Stove

KingCoal · Post by **KingCoal** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 6:22 am

i'm sorry it's come to this.

a batch fire, hand fed isn't all that rare. Lightening among others have been doing very well in this department and will have the most helpful suggestions.

while I lived with one for over 20 yrs. it was mostly because I didn't know any better. never wondered if there was a better way.

i know it's not helpful but it's not intended to be offensive either but, i'd take that thing back, you aren't going to be happy.

that's my side of the coin, some one please polish the other side for Larry !!

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 6:43 am

Thank you Rev. Larry! I have copied, pasted, and printed this document.

Ouch, KingCoal! I hope it will not prove out to be all that bad. After all, there are lots of Harman users on this forum who speak highly of them, along with numerous others with hand fired coal stoves lacking magazines/hoppers.

Post by **Rob R.** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 7:08 am

Crane Model 404.pdf

Crane Manual Mod.44.pdf

Although not for your specific stove, the manuals for the Crane stoves are excellent and contain some great general information.

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 7:37 am

Rob R. wrote:Crane Model 404.pdf

Crane Manual Mod.44.pdf

Although not for your specific stove, the manuals for the Crane stoves are excellent and contain some great general information.

Thanks Rob! I've printed out sections of both of these manuals.

coalfan · Post by **coalfan** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 7:54 am

the video from messick stove on the 75 is very very vague on coal burning to all talk of burning wood !!!!! hmmm hope you can get some better info !

Hambden Bob · Post by **Hambden Bob** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 8:25 am

Larry,I'm shocked ! I mean,You,of all People !........

You've always struck me as one of the Guys on this Board that would figure out a way to raise the Titanic ! Ida figured the first thing You would of done was to shred their manual,and roll out the Isayre version on the ComfortMax !

You 'Ol Sandbagger,You,I'm thinkin' You're just trying to start a Summer Conversation ! I think both You and Your new Hand-Fired are going to be just fine together !

coalfan · Post by **coalfan** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 8:32 am

the DS dealer where im getting my 1500 has the 75 in his shop /office and loved his burned all winter using readind nut and had no complaints at all with his tend every 12 to 24 hrs pending on his needs but other than that he really liked its performance !!!!!!!!!!

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 8:42 am

Hambden Bob wrote:Larry,I'm shocked ! I mean,You,of all People !........

You've always struck me as one of the Guys on this Board that would figure out a way to raise the Titanic ! Ida figured the first thing You would of done was to shred their manual,and roll out the Isayre version on the ComfortMax ! ....

Raising the Titanic, hmm!!! I'll have to think about that one. Anyone got a few million dollars to lend me so I can get the planning and research end of it going?

As to the ComfortMax on coal manual, it will come in due time. Aside from the coal boiler (which stokes itself) all I've ever done in my past is burn wood. Nothing in my wood burning past offers guidance on how to safely or properly burn coal. I'm not trying to kid myself and pass lightly over how to burn coal, knowing that it is often stated that the worst thing a coal burner can do is learn how to burn wood first and then have to unlearn it in order to transition to coal. It's all sort of embarrassing, but in all honesty I'm a complete coal burning rookie when it comes to hand fired coal.

warminmn · Post by **warminmn** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 9:18 am

Theres nothing wrong with a stove without a hopper. It just takes a few more minutes of attention per day.

Oversimplified, but once you have it going, every 12 hours shake it until some embers are falling, fill it, leave a little over fire air and plenty of under fire air until its burning good, then set air for long burn. How you set it you will have to figure out yourself as no 2 stoves act the same. If you want more heat give it more air. Hot? Less air or open a window. Usually you can have the air at the same setting after burning well.

It will basically be the same as a Harman, Chubby, Hitzer 55 or 81, Crane, etc. Theres a learning curve but its not hard.

michaelanthony · Post by **michaelanthony** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 9:58 am

Have no fear Larry, both of my hand feds came with a lift 'n pour hopper. After 12 - 18 hours depending on the output I lift and pour the coal in

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 11:00 am

michaelanthony wrote:Have no fear Larry, both of my hand feds came with a lift 'n pour hopper. After 12 - 18 hours depending on the output I lift and pour the coal in

Mine has those type coal hoppers, also. They've worked so well that the design has been unchanged for well over 100 years.

Easy to use too! A few times a day, I just "hop" up from the couch and pour more in.

Paul

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 12:44 pm

If I'm understanding them correctly, some guidelines say to spruce up the fire, then feed some portion of your new coal charge into the stove and spruce up the fire again, then shake down, and then finally add the remaining coal and get things spruced up yet again before lastly closing the ash door and adjusting down the air supply settings for the duration of the burn. And other guidelines seem to take a more simple approach and say to spruce the fire up, then shake down, and then add coal and then spruce up the fire again and finally close the ash door and adjust down the air supply settings for the duration of the burn.

Between these two approaches, which is to be preferred?

And if the stove has a bimetallic damper air inlet, does the ash pan door even need to be opened up to spruce up the fire, or can you simply accomplish this by adjusting the air inlet dial on the bimetallic damper control?

PS: Love the lift-n-pour hoppers.

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Sat. Jun. 13, 2015 12:50 pm

warminmn wrote:Theres nothing wrong with a stove without a hopper. It just takes a few more minutes of attention per day.

Oversimplified, but once you have it going, every 12 hours shake it until some embers are falling, fill it, leave a little over fire air and plenty of under fire air until its burning good, then set air for long burn. How you set it you will have to figure out yourself as no 2 stoves act the same. If you want more heat give it more air. Hot? Less air or open a window. Usually you can have the air at the same setting after burning well.

It will basically be the same as a Harman, Chubby, Hitzer 55 or 81, Crane, etc. Theres a learning curve but its not hard.

No hopper? No problem ! My hopper just gets eaten away every year anyways. Considering burning bit ... no hopper allowed there.
Now if I could find a bit supplier and get it up here (can't sell bit in CT but nothing about not burning it - something I learned here

).

Comfortmax Instructions Deficient in the Coal Burning Dept.

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