Gas Conversion

Glen wrote:Has anyone converted an antique coal parlor stove (a base burner) to natural gas? I am wondering what kind of heat output I would get. I am not going coal and I hate to give this thing away. Not only that I still like looking at it and am not 100 percent ready to give it up. I was thinking the middle of a 20 x 20 garage here in the Midwest. Thanks!

I've seen several Glenwood base heaters converted to gas. A few at Skips and a few for sale on craigslist. This was usually done early in a coal stoves life when houses were gasified way back when. Skip has mentioned that stoves like this always seem to be in excellent condition due to overall cleanliness and the even constant temperatures of the gas burner.

I bet with a good size burner they would heat well.

It would be cool to have one modified to have a modern "remote" like a new gas fireplace has

Be advised that a stove, no matter what fuel you burn, is considered by insurance companies, code enforcement, and the National fire code as a big no-no in a garage.

Paul

If we haven't talked you out of it yet...... Check your message box at the top of the page. I sent you a PM

Paulie

scalabro wrote:I've seen several Glenwood base heaters converted to gas.

Horrifying

I don't know a pile about gas other than a few things, they burn very clean if setup correctly, instant on and off is very handy along with not keeping it running if you don't need the space for days and the efficiency might be a good deal better than you might imagine. I would certainly work with a good gas fitter on this if you do go through with it as does not sound like 3 six pack job. If you need a hole for a gas line I am sure there are places to hide it out of sight.

I won't wade in on the positives/negatives of a stove conversion.......it belongs to the owner and he can do as he darn well pleases. I have a lot of experience with propane appliances (not much different than natural) and I would attack the problem by:

Finding and installing the ring burner from an old natural gas water heater (a turkey fryer burner should work also). They're cast iron, round for a natural fit and put out a lot of heat. About the only sensible installation would be a hole bored through the rear of the stove base, leaving the air shutter outside the stove body. A short length of black iron pipe might be needed to extend inside the stove to the burner to accomplish this. A control of some sort is needed and a simple ball valve (rated for gas) would work, although it would be necessary to reach behind the stove for your adjustments. The valve also serves as your shut off for servicing.

Note: the above is a simple way to do it but it's dangerous. The Klixon valve used on most gas appliances would be a very good safety feature to include. If the burner came with one, use it. The thermocouple bulb in the flame will shut off the gas if the flame goes out for any reason.

Double check all pipe connections by soaping, turn on the gas, and push the button on the Klixon valve while holding a propane torch over the burner, playing on the Klixon thermocouple. If it doesn't click and light for some reason, shut off the gas and allow any fumes to escape before relighting. Once lit, adjust the air shutter so that the flame is blue with tiny yellow tips.

The big problem with any of this is, if something goes wrong your insurance company will disavow any knowledge of your actions........

3006guns wrote:I won't wade in on the positives/negatives of a stove conversion.......it belongs to the owner and he can do as he darn well pleases. I have a lot of experience with propane appliances (not much different than natural) and I would attack the problem by:

Finding and installing the ring burner from an old natural gas water heater (a turkey fryer burner should work also). They're cast iron, round for a natural fit and put out a lot of heat. About the only sensible installation would be a hole bored through the rear of the stove base, leaving the air shutter outside the stove body. A short length of black iron pipe might be needed to extend inside the stove to the burner to accomplish this. A control of some sort is needed and a simple ball valve (rated for gas) would work, although it would be necessary to reach behind the stove for your adjustments. The valve also serves as your shut off for servicing.

Note: the above is a simple way to do it but it's dangerous. The Klixon valve used on most gas appliances would be a very good safety feature to include. If the burner came with one, use it. The thermocouple bulb in the flame will shut off the gas if the flame goes out for any reason.

Double check all pipe connections by soaping, turn on the gas, and push the button on the Klixon valve while holding a propane torch over the burner, playing on the Klixon thermocouple. If it doesn't click and light for some reason, shut off the gas and allow any fumes to escape before relighting. Once lit, adjust the air shutter so that the flame is blue with tiny yellow tips.

The big problem with any of this is, if something goes wrong your insurance company will disavow any knowledge of your actions........

"actions", read as POLICY

The big problem with any of this is, if something goes wrong your insurance company will disavow any knowledge of your actions........ just run across this thread.got a call from an inspection outfit that works for insurance companies,wanting to know if I would approve of an in house inspection. it would be my choice,i said no.wife was in the room&said why not.well we talked it over,having about 30 100 ft trees close to house&one coal stove,one wood stove in house&3 working in garage,2 in greenhouse I agreed to inspection.he came,was on property 30 minutes. sugestions from him was an inhouse water alarm,braided hoses for washer in our kitchen,leaning fence boards around barn.his main interest&pictures were of the in house stoves.been with this co 15 years,house & 3 vehicles. about $2,400 a year. USAA is the company.i expect to be dropped or very high rates when policy renews in sept.guy says company wants to do this every 2 years.its a wait&see at this point.will keep informed

I was complaining in an older thread about my (then) insurance co. doing annoying inspections on my house and what I was paying them. Someone familiar with insurance co.'s said I should shop around every few years. I recently did go shopping and Am now paying a bit over half LESS with an increase in coverage. I did have an in house inspection and was somewhat concerned about what they would think of my two coal stoves. They looked for the underwriters tags on them and measured to nearest combustible area. one (basement) is on concrete floor with no nearby combustible walls and upstairs is on fieldstone hearth with fieldstone chimney behind it and nearest wall is 8 ft. from it. I have a fireproof mat in front of the hearth. The inspector walked out with no complaints.

Congratulations DW. Always a gift when the inspectors leave with a clean slate.

joeq wrote:Congratulations DW. Always a gift when the inspectors leave with a clean slate.

Makes me believe there is an "insurance God". But, there is a Glenwood 6 waiting to be re-assembled in my basement and ultimately perched on my hearth They might take a dim view of it having no underwriters blessing if they ever get inside my house in the future. Notwithstanding, that Glenwood is in like new condition and it's a well known fact among lovers of old coal stoves that they last, given proper care as long as most of the stoves on the market today. Even if professionally converted to gas (which aint gonna happen) I doubt it would pass an insurance inspection.

I don't understand why an agent would have difficulties accepting an antique baseburner. As long as the clearance to combustibles were met, why would a stove be deemed "un-safe"?

joeq wrote:I don't understand why an agent would have difficulties accepting an antique baseburner. As long as the clearance to combustibles were met, why would a stove be deemed "un-safe"?

I think that the underwriters tag is the bottom line for ins. companies. An antique coal stove is something they have no research data to refer to. As is everything today data is what they live by Fact is that the antique stoves (when operated competently) safely served homeowners for 100+ years and even into this century. The average ins. inspector is absolutely clueless on antique stoves. They only know the law requires that UL tag to be there.

What if you were to scab a tag off a new stove, rivet onto an old BB, and tell the ins. it's a "re-pop". Think he'ld be the wiser?

bambooboy wrote:... got a call from an inspection outfit that works for insurance companies, wanting to know if I would approve of an in house inspection. it would be my choice ... guy says company wants to do this every 2 years.

I'm curious about the inspection being "your choice", and the company wanting to do it every two years. Did you feel there was an implied threat your insurance would be cancelled if you didn't allow the inspection?

I have been with State Farm for over 50 years, first just auto then homeowners & auto & umbrella liability. A few times the agent has written saying they wanted to look over the property, but I always felt it was a marketing ploy and did not respond in any way, and they never pressed the issue.