Fire in the Stove Pipe and Through the Hopper Door
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I've had a Hitzer 50 93 for several years, and have had two issues I was wondering about. Occasionally after shaking the stove I will get gas burning off / flames up the stove pipe for a few minutes. Similar to a small chimney fire. Also, occasionally I get flames out the top hopper door when I go to fill. I realize it's the gas causing this. Just wondering. Do most of you wait after shaking to open the door and take the ashes out and to open the hopper lid to fill? The flames in the chimney pipe don't bother me too much. But the flaming gas ball at the top sometimes is a bit annoying!
- coalmaster
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have you tried tending with the door cracked open? over fire air through the door will help the gasses up the chimney
- freetown fred
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I've heard of some that top off & then shake. Your hopper must be really down when you tend. How many X's daily? Sorry CM but I would never let my main door open while tending. Just crack ash door while shaking.
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I don't open the main door when shaking. I'm tending twice a day every 12 hours. Hopper does get kind of low after shaking. Heating 2500 sqft.
Appears to me that the hoppers only hold about 25 - 30 lbs of coal. When burning hard, isn't it expected the hopper will nearly empty out?
Appears to me that the hoppers only hold about 25 - 30 lbs of coal. When burning hard, isn't it expected the hopper will nearly empty out?
- Rob R.
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I don't understand how you are getting flames out of the hopper door. Are you adding coal into the hopper, shaking the grates, and then opening the hopper door a second time?
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I shake the stove down. Then usually take the ashes out. Close the ash door. Then slowly open the hopper lid. By then the coal that fed down from the hopper is gassing off. The oxygen introduced when opening the lid is lighting off the flame and the gas that built up in the hopper is igniting. BTW - the slots in the top of the hopper for venting, are not obstructed.Rob R. wrote:I don't understand how you are getting flames out of the hopper door. Are you adding coal into the hopper, shaking the grates, and then opening the hopper door a second time?
- freetown fred
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Have you switched coal??? Refer to my above post. Whoops--never mind! CN, I'm running Nut/Stove mix--hopper is never more then 2/3 down--I know it's late BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm heating 2200 sq. 200 yr old farm house.
Last edited by freetown fred on Mon. Jan. 18, 2016 8:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- windyhill4.2
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I thought we all took the previous tendings ashes out b4 shaking ? And then shake the ashes down & leave them till the next tending.?
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Keep Hopper Full...
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I've done it both ways. Would it really matter? I still open the ash door to look for a few red coals falling into the pan. It only takes me an extra minute to go outside my door and toss them in the pile. Think maybe too much air getting introduced, and then closing the ash door might have something to do with it?windyhill4.2 wrote:I thought we all took the previous tendings ashes out b4 shaking ? And then shake the ashes down & leave them till the next tending.?
- freetown fred
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I just kick my ash door closed don't latch & go dump ashes--maybe 25 yds away & come back replace pan & then latch--slowly open hopper door & top off. Strange what she's doin? All the time??? OK--NO--again, did you switch coal brand?
- windyhill4.2
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I just like to leave the hot ashes in the pan in the stove,seems that should help with a more consistent,constant output. I do notice that often the flames will flare up some when I slowly open the load door. Maybe it would help with your issue to slowly open the front door for 30-60 seconds,close it , & then open the hopper lid. I could be wrong & it likely won't be the last time.
- deepwoods
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Agree with Fred, except when I take out the ash I just lightly turn the ash door handle, just enough to engage it but not fully closing. It lets in a seep of air to keep the gasses moving up & out. She has burped on me before I started doing the ash door thing. Also I shake before adding coal and only empty the ash pan during my daytime shake. It is -2 Deg. outside right now and the 50-93 is running in the 400 Deg. range. Tonight's shake wont fill the ash pan over 1/3. Only time the ash pan comes close to full is when I knife the corners out.freetown fred wrote:I just kick my ash door closed don't latch & go dump ashes--maybe 25 yds away & come back replace pan & then latch--slowly open hopper door & top off. Strange what she's doin? All the time??? OK--NO--again, did you switch coal brand?
Just the same go slow when you lift the hopper lid. Start with about 1/4" gap and hold it there for a few seconds then open it all the way.
Another thing, before closing the hopper lid make real sure there are no coal chips/pieces on the top edge of the stove where the hopper lid gasket contacts it.
- oliver power
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Open ash pan door, empty from previous tending (safer, and no hot air therms for fly ash to ride on). Close ash pan door. Shake (poke if needed). Always open hopper door slowly. Top off hopper, and close hopper door. Done! I've had the gasses burn as you describe. The stove pipe gets really hot. I don't remember the cause. But I do remember it being something I did, or did not do. I've had it happen 3 or 4 times. Once it gets to burning, it can't be stopped. Just have to wait for the gasses to burn off.