New to Forum, Semi-New to Coal..

 
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Ky Speedracer
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Joined: Sun. Dec. 21, 2014 9:38 pm
Location: Middletown, Kentucky
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Florence HotBlast NO.68 & Potbelly
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: HotBlast 1557M
Coal Size/Type: Ky Lump & Anthracite Nut
Other Heating: Oil

Post by Ky Speedracer » Wed. Oct. 21, 2015 10:56 am

larryfoster wrote:Last year I had a 40+ page thread.
In it, I was told that I would have to block off the return to my propane furnace if I wanted to use it for my coal furnace.

In other words, it sounded like I could use it for one or the other but not both if I wanted my propane for back up.

Did you do that so you use only coal or can use either/both furnaces at any time with "switching between?
Hello Larry, I remember your thread... :)
Yes I did make an directional air flow control for my oil furnace. It actually allows me to run both if I need to at the same time. I did that so I could use the blower recirculate feature on my furnace. I'll post a picture of it later.
But, with that said, all you need is something solid cut the exact same size as your air filter. Like a piece of plywood or even a political yard sign. When you want to run your Hotblast furnace, you pull your air filter out and put this piece in. This will separate the cold air return from the supply in your propane furnace so it doesn't just recirculate a large percentage of the air. When you want to run your propane furnace, pull that piece out and put your air filter back in.

 
larryfoster
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Location: Armstrong County, Pa.
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 617-B
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Coal Size/Type: Bituminous nut (me and the coal)
Other Heating: Propane Kerosene

Post by larryfoster » Wed. Oct. 21, 2015 11:13 am

Thanks for the fast reply.

It doesn't sound like I can do what I want using the same return.

I was hoping that, for example, when the coal furnace burns down that the propane will kick in.
Overnight, for example

 
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Ky Speedracer
Member
Posts: 492
Joined: Sun. Dec. 21, 2014 9:38 pm
Location: Middletown, Kentucky
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Florence HotBlast NO.68 & Potbelly
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: HotBlast 1557M
Coal Size/Type: Ky Lump & Anthracite Nut
Other Heating: Oil

Post by Ky Speedracer » Wed. Oct. 21, 2015 12:15 pm

Below are a couple of illustrations they may help to clarify...

The first one is with the system in normal operation of the forced air furnace (gas, oil, etc) with the air filter in place. The second is using the Hotblast with the air filter removed.
Hope this helps.

Attachments

duct work 1.jpg
.JPG | 58.6KB | duct work 1.jpg
duct work 2.jpg
.JPG | 47KB | duct work 2.jpg


 
larryfoster
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Joined: Fri. Nov. 21, 2014 1:02 am
Location: Armstrong County, Pa.
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 617-B
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Hot Blast 1557M
Coal Size/Type: Bituminous nut (me and the coal)
Other Heating: Propane Kerosene

Post by larryfoster » Wed. Oct. 21, 2015 12:36 pm

Thanks for those.
I think it confirms that I need a separate return to run both furnaces at any time without manually being involved in the switch or shut the propane down altogether

 
JC-711
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Location: Southwest PA
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Hotblast 1557
Other Heating: none

Post by JC-711 » Thu. Oct. 22, 2015 12:39 pm

Ky Speedracer wrote:The size of the return is determined by the size of the supply. You have two 8" supply lines on top of the stove I assume. Actually, if your return is a long run then it really should be a little bigger than the supply but that is not always practical.
As for the filter, if you notice, my stove sits to close to a step down in my floor to get my returns into the filter box the way it was designed by the manufacture. So I put a filter in the cold air return of my oil furnace return where I connected two 8" pipes.
Ideally you would attach the two return ducts to the area just outside of the filter on the filter box of your Hotblast stove. You will need to create connection with some sheet metal. I have attached a couple of images that may give you some ideas.
Thanks :)

Yea, the position my furnace is in won't allow me to place the vents behind either.. I had my fiance put it on the concrete slab where the old oil furnace was, so it's pretty close to the wall behind it. Once we get the money together for the ducts, I'll get those put in... I still have to order this winters coal and firewood.. lol I'll be sure to let you know if it's made a difference.. This week has warmed back up and so I've let the fire go out (perfect time to put the baro and mano in) and with the fiance working all this overtime, looks like it'll be me and my 2 two year olds doing it... lol Wish me luck... lol

Jen

 
ddahlgren
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Post by ddahlgren » Sun. Oct. 25, 2015 12:21 pm

The 1920's as a guess Holland furnace that was in my house had returns that were about 1/3 to less than 1/2 the area of supply and worked just fine but were connected to the bottom of the furnace with nothing to sort of just jump from here to there to get in. This is with the returns on the outside walls to get the coldest and densest air too. That is the opposite of modern forced air, they just work on different principles if gravity or force air.


 
JC-711
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Location: Southwest PA
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Hotblast 1557
Other Heating: none

Post by JC-711 » Mon. Nov. 02, 2015 1:19 am

Ok, we've had the damper and mano installed for a little while now, and have noticed a huge difference after last winter already.. Now, mind you, it hasn't been freezing yet.. nearly, but not.. We've had some chilly nights and mild days (I like the cold, so 55* outside is perfect for me..)

I have a thermometer in my kitchen, which is the first room on the ducts, and its been between 75 and 79 in the kitchen with the kitchen window open.. (I hate the heat lol) I've got the baro set so that it's averaging out at about -.04 to -.05 on the manometer. That thing (the baro damper) cranks wide open.. So I think we're gonna be in great shape for the cold days ahead.. :)

An oddity tonight though, when banking my fire for bed, I had the first 2 shovels of coal added and the main fill door closed, while the ash pan door was open to help the new stuff catch, and I glanced up at the mano and it was all the way across and heading up around the bend, reading at -.45 and climbing up to -.5.. I quickly shut the ash pan door and watched to see if it would go down.. after a few minutes it dropped to -.3 and I ran to get my camera (lol) and by the time I got back it had normalized back to -.05.. phew!

Anyone ever see one go that high? (I have the hose to the flue pipe in the right side)

I also took some pics of my set up and finally figured out how to get them to my laptop since running safemode doesn't seem to allow me to do much on it at all..

Before
IMAG0237.jpg

Before

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After
IMAG0276.jpg

After

.JPG | 97.5KB | IMAG0276.jpg
IMAG0277.jpg

Mano

.JPG | 95KB | IMAG0277.jpg

 
ddahlgren
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Post by ddahlgren » Mon. Nov. 02, 2015 3:37 pm

Why not do it the simple way Cold air returns to coal stove coal stove output to furnace returns furnace fan set on a slow speed. You get heat no matter what fuel and all work done in basement. It also allows you to run coal stove at a setting that does not overheat the house 90% of the load and if more needed a brief occasional run by furnace to keep it from rusting out.

 
JC-711
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Posts: 16
Joined: Fri. Oct. 16, 2015 12:08 am
Location: Southwest PA
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Hotblast 1557
Other Heating: none

Post by JC-711 » Mon. Nov. 02, 2015 5:09 pm

There are no furnace returns, this house had a partial hot water radiator heat when I bought it, and I tore it all out, last year we installed just a coal furnace and half the ducting.. this year will be the other half the ducting..

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