Don't Let Anyone Tell You,...

Don't let anyone tell you that coal stoves can't stay running unless it's cold outside.

It's 82F in the shade here at 2:10 pm.

Started back three weeks ago, when the colder weather set in, it's easier to just keep the range still going at idle on warmer days and not use expensive pro-pain to cook with, ......even today as it's become unseasonably warm.

After a mid-day fresh load of nut coal and ash shaking 2 hours ago, the top plates over the firebox are averaging 600F, the stack is 136F, and the mano is reading a steady .01.

If a coal stove won't run when it gets this warm, it's not the coal's fault.

Paul

Whats the temp in your kitchen.

I cried uncle and submitted.

Canaan coal man wrote:Whats the temp in your kitchen.

Same as outside, low 80's.

The dampers are shut to the water tank end (right-hand end) of the stove. So instead of that being a heat radiator of about 4 square feet surface area, it becomes more of a heat shield for the oven flues in the right end of the stove. Thus closed those dampers divert more of the flue gases heat to the chimney to keep the draft at .01 - same mano reading as it would be when it's dampered down to idle in cold weather with the flues into the tank end open.

Paul

HITZER idles along--82* outside 72* inside with a nice breeze comim through the window-stats. My thermo & mano readings are--oh crap, I don't have either of those

What, no stove gadgets to play with ? How else are you gonna break up the boredom of such an easy stove to use ?

Paul

That is awesome, 82 outside and running the coal stove...
Operator management at it's finest

Thanks Lee, but being able to run it on days like this owes more to the old timers who built a well designed stove and knew to place and build a three story high brick chimney so that it even drafts well in warm weather.

Those old timers knew a lot more than we give them credit for.

Paul

Hit 80 here also, The hand fed boiler went without a hick up on the Lehigh pea coal, has dropped to 70 so far and suppose to hit 50 tonight, highs this weekend in the low 40's.

Mid-70's here today. Pipe that joins my home made heat collector on the DS Machine in the basement to the forced air ductwork is closed off and house temp is mid 70's also. Stove is idling around 275-300 deg with steady .02 on the mano. MPD is in the full open position. We have a front kitchen window open and a living room window open just to keep air moving. This wont last forever

I can do 275-300 windy hill claims he can get his crane 404 down to 175 and I fail right around there with a short chimney and a 404.

I've woke up in the mornings and mine has been down too 150. Bust the big lumps up and away she goes

Going to fire up the stove this weekend.

Sunny Boy wrote:Don't let anyone tell you that coal stoves can't stay running unless it's cold outside.

It's 82F in the shade here at 2:10 pm.

Started back three weeks ago, when the colder weather set in, it's easier to just keep the range still going at idle on warmer days and not use expensive pro-pain to cook with, ......even today as it's become unseasonably warm.

After a mid-day fresh load of nut coal and ash shaking 2 hours ago, the top plates over the firebox are averaging 600F, the stack is 136F, and the mano is reading a steady .01.

If a coal stove won't run when it gets this warm, it's not the coal's fault.

Paul

While I agree with this post, I don't get the obsession with wanting to keep a stove running continuously all season. It seems no big deal to let it go out and then light it again when needed.

We use the coal range for all our cooking/baking and hot water kettle for tea and instant coffee throughout the day, plus drying laundry (see the Cookin With Coal thread).

In addition to keeping the chill out of this large old house, it's cheaper to keep the range going 24/7 rather than use expensive pro-pain in the gas stove and the gas dryer for all of that.

Paul

Locals are complaining here about the install of a natural gas line underground to provide low cost gas rather than propane or oil. I am all for it personally though unhappy the gas comes from fracking so a big downside on that but they are going to do that anyway as a lot is in Canada and I don't get a vote on that. Someone is going to use it no matter what and we have a few gas fired power plants so cheaper gas means cheaper power if everyone is honest that is. It also means getting away from tank rental and high prices. I like to cook with a gas cooktop yet the penalty is crazy. The upside is when the power is out I really don't care all that much other than no internet. If a storm I have had them bad enough using the grill not going to happen as have had to tie the grill and tank down to keep it on the deck and tie the lid shut LOL. If blowing 40 or more get big back drafts so the stove for either wood or coal is a no thanks with big puff backs.

End of next week is 50's high low 40's low so time to start then and about done with hurricane season too so only the occasional north easter to deal with then.