Another Hitzer question

I redently installed an Hitzer 50-93 in my basement.I am new to coal heating here in South Jersey, but at $2.51 /gal. for heating oil,I feel that this source is worth the effort. My stove was installed with no flue dampner and runs to a 6" ss liner. I do have a magnetic temp. gauge on the flue about 12-14 " above the stove. I have also had the partially burned and unburnt coal problem and figured that correcting that was just part of the learning curve with the transition. I am currently using nut size coal, which I purchased from my stove dealer at $240.00/ton in 50 lb. bags, but if sound advice from this forum indicate that peas size is more efficient to this stove, I would be inclined to change. My question to the forum is this: Using the flue temp as a guide, what is the optimum exhaust gas temp. range to achieve the best, most efficient combustion and reduce the unburnt and partially burned fuel.
Thanks to all who reply.
Bob from S.J.

I also just bought a Hitzer 50-93 (used) and fired it up for the first time on saturday. I had no problems getting it started. However the next day when it finally did burn out, I was left with a single layer of white really crappy looking and nearly weighing nothing looking coal pieces. I was wondering if I did something wrong or is this just some bad coal mixed in? Also we lit the stove at around 1:00PM saturday and it burned till about 9:00 AM sunday, in that time the stove burned 120 lbs of coal. Is the stove burning coal too quickly?

Thanks
Steve

BOB- The 50-93 works best burning NUT size coal. You do not need to watch the stove pipe thermometer, throw it away. This stove has a bi-metal damper, when set properly it will adjust itself, sometimes burning hot, sometimes not so hot. Yes, as you learn how to shake it properly, you should eliminate some of that waste.

STEVE - The "white, light weight crappy looking coal" you refer to is just ash, that is what you want to have left after your coal is burned. It is fully burned, pick up a piece in your hand and it will crumble to dust. Sounds like you did not shake it very well tho. That ash should be in the ash pan and pretty well crushed to dust after going through the shaker.

Sounds like your stove is burning too hot, is it too hot in your house? You should NEVER go through more than 50 lbs of coal in a 24 hour period. Check your stove for air tightness, gasket on the ash door, on the front door & around the glass. Make sure the hopper lid is fully closed and sealing well at all times. Is your damper door opening & closing or just staying open? Somewhere, you are getting way too much air.

Sounds like your stove is burning too hot, is it too hot in your house? You should NEVER go through more than 50 lbs of coal in a 24 hour period. Check your stove for air tightness, gasket on the ash door, on the front door & around the glass. Make sure the hopper lid is fully closed and sealing well at all times. Is your damper door opening & closing or just staying open? Somewhere, you are getting way too much air.[/quote]

I guess its possible that the gaskets are leaking, the stove is used, the last owner had it for almost 5 winters. I dont know what you mean by damper door? Do you mean the metal door on the back of the stove with the chain connecte to it that goes to the warmer-cooler dial? I kept the dial set to the warmest position to see how much heat the stove could put out. The sliding adjuster on the ash door i had open about a quater the way. Any more then that and the section of the stove under the glass door began to glow red. As far as how hot the house got: basement was between 87 and 89 degrees and the first floor got to around 67.

Steve - first of all, close the slider in the front. That is for temporary adjustments, like you just came in from skiing and need some extra heat for a while. When you are comfortable again, close it. You are way over firing your stove, you will ruin in quickly if you continue to burn it this way.

Yes, the damper I refered to was the one attached to the chain on the back. Most people leave that at about 5 - 7. This damper should open & close itself 2 - 5 times per hour. The Anthracite is meant to burn slow and even. You want the air blowing out the front of the stove to be about 90 degrees. This should keep your basement around 74. When you first fire it up, it may take a couple of days to get the heat to travel evenly through out the house.

Obviously your stove produces heat, now you need to figure out how to move it around your house. Try a fan at the ceiling at the bottom of the stairs. Or turn on your fan on your forced air system. Is your basement finished or unfinished?

Mlou,

Thanks for your input, you are filling in many unkown questions that I did have. The basement is unfinished. I was wondering why it took so long for the heat to reach the rest of the house, I didnt realize it could take a few days. I guess i will put a fan at the basement stairwell doorway to help it along, and then use my ceiling fans on the first floor to help it along to the second floor. One last question, do I need one of those "T" looking things with a barometric pressure guage on it? The stove store was out of them so I just used a straight pipe. The guy at the stove store said if my chimney wasnt very tall then I should not need it. However I have heard that you can loose a lot of heat without one.

Thanks
Steve

Mlou, Thanks for the tips. These should make the transition from oil to coal much easier. I was using two fans to move the heat from the basement to then main floor, but there the temp. soon reached 70 degrees with no problem
Thanks again,
Bob