Put down a tiny bit of coal on grates and a generous supply of old pine and poplar trim boards that were scrap. Lit is once burning well started adding coal a scoop or 2 at a time until about 40 lbs. in it. It took a bit to draft well and might be rushing the burning season.freetown fred wrote:DD, what do you use for startin your stove?ddahlgren wrote:Decided to light off tonight even if for a short 12 hour burn. Flames crackling snapping and popping sounds like I am there.
WOW this is tough Blaschack does not light well ash pan door open for a half hour and sort of burning Waiting for stack temp skin temp of 300 before closing. Ok got blues ash pan door closed and getting ready top off and switch to full idle cruise control!!
Light Off 9-21-2015
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- freetown fred
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Nice. Hell DD, I been lit for a couple weeks now since our first frost. The old HITZER'll idle down nicely.
- Photog200
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We still have not had a frost yet up hear near the lake. The coldest night so far was 38℉. Have had a few wood fires but have not broke out the coal yet. I will say one thing for sure, having the wood fires makes you appreciate coal that much more once I do start burning it! A coal fire is much easier to idle way down.freetown fred wrote:Nice. Hell DD, I been lit for a couple weeks now since our first frost. The old HITZER'll idle down nicely.
Randy
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Ran 350 last night and needed it. closed it way down after shaking and a little poking from the top. Around 200 now an still on the same load. Did not start last year until November but did have the wood stove and wood.
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I let the fire go out Sunday night. Won't need it this week with daytime temps running 65°-70° & lots of sun. 10 windows on the south side bring in plenty of heat during the day & the old house holds it well.
44 this morning and house "felt" chilly. Probably due to dampness from the 3 days of rain we had. Threw one log on top of the coals so if nothing else I could see the flames. Gotta do some jedi mind tricks to make it seem warmer even if it really doesn't get warmer.
One log ain't gonna make that much difference except in my mind.
One log ain't gonna make that much difference except in my mind.
- joeq
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Nice to have that option with your Vigilant Larry. A nice big glass window, to watch a log burn.blrman07 wrote:44 this morning and house "felt" chilly. Probably due to dampness from the 3 days of rain we had. Threw one log on top of the coals so if nothing else I could see the flames. Gotta do some jedi mind tricks to make it seem warmer even if it really doesn't get warmer.
One log ain't gonna make that much difference except in my mind.
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Really starting to question lighting up. Doors and windows open all over the place. MPD closed air down to a 1/16 open and house 84 to 86 yet I know tonight I will want it. I need to check the price of oil LOL looked a couple days ago and around 1.95 cost for BTU it beats coal here from what I can figure out. I think I need to pick up a couple of oil filters dose the tanks for algae and wait for the weather for coal as this is getting silly.
- freetown fred
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DD, if you're gonna stay fired up--open that MPD all the way. It'll let a good chunk of heat out.
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Did Fred and helped some doing a wake it pass now with ash pan open and a short shake down a little poking from the top and when I get it cooking will do the ritual clear the grates until this burns down. Burned around 25 lbs in 27 hours so not nearly as good as you but wildly different stoves. When opened MPD closed all the air off and minor leaks enough to keep it going. Where oil is now here 20% cheaper than coal but yes not as bone warming and sleep all night warm, I get that. being a man of limited means choices need to be made at times. Adding long johns makes fuel oil fine and free though annoying too.freetown fred wrote:DD, if you're gonna stay fired up--open that MPD all the way. It'll let a good chunk of heat out.
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Got pretty toasty in here today with the boiler running. Hit 68° out there today - inside hit 75°! That never happens, lol.
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It usually makes sense to run the oil unit into November. At 300 per ton you could burn up to 2 gallons of oil per day and break even.ddahlgren wrote:Really starting to question lighting up. Doors and windows open all over the place. MPD closed air down to a 1/16 open and house 84 to 86 yet I know tonight I will want it. I need to check the price of oil LOL looked a couple days ago and around 1.95 cost for BTU it beats coal here from what I can figure out. I think I need to pick up a couple of oil filters dose the tanks for algae and wait for the weather for coal as this is getting silly.
I calcuated that oil would have to be $0.86 a gallon to match BTU's with coal in my area. We are blessed to live less than 5 minutes from Reading and Keystone Anthracite, 10 minutes from Blaschack, 20 minutes from Glen Burn (old UAE ) in Mt. Carmel. They all range $170 to $185 a ton.
Much cheaper for me to burn the coal and open a couple of windows than burn oil. Not cold enough to burn wood because I have to burn it hot to keep everything from sooting up in the stove.
I'll burn the coal and operate the window stats.
Much cheaper for me to burn the coal and open a couple of windows than burn oil. Not cold enough to burn wood because I have to burn it hot to keep everything from sooting up in the stove.
I'll burn the coal and operate the window stats.
- freetown fred
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You & me both Padre, but what ever works is the proper venue! Up until I fired up, I would kick on my furnace in the early AM for 15 minutes or so. This old stone foundation holds the dampness.
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Coal here is 349 a ton delivered as I don't own a truck. My boiler is 5 zone and 87% efficient so a different situation for me. I ran the calculator here and plugged in price of oil and price of coal with 87% for boiler and 75% for coal stove maybe it's better but have to figure my skill level too so thought it a fair number.
Results from calculator
Coal 19.39
Oil 16.24
Results from calculator
Coal 19.39
Oil 16.24