Gas Conversion

 
Glen
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Post by Glen » Fri. Apr. 07, 2017 3:00 pm

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!


 
fifthg
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Post by fifthg » Fri. Apr. 07, 2017 3:36 pm

It has been done,but it is blasphemy...I think some from the Middle East have done it.I can think of no one else.

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Fri. Apr. 07, 2017 4:20 pm

My grandmother's kitchen has a large cast iron cookstove that was originally coal fired. At some point, someone installed a gas burner in it - and did a nice job. Although she no longer uses it for cooking, it does a great job of keeping her kitchen & dining room cozy.

With that said, I think it would be a waste of a base burner to convert it to gas if it is still able to burn coal. If you had a nice looking stove with a cracked firepot and wanted to hook it up just to provide a little extra heat and ambiance, a gas conversion might be worth looking at.

If you just want to heat the garage with gas, get something factory made to burn gas.

 
Glen
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Post by Glen » Fri. Apr. 07, 2017 4:44 pm

fifthg wrote:It has been done,but it is blasphemy...I think some from the Middle East have done it.I can think of no one else.
Just don't send any Tomahawk cruise missiles to my house please.

 
Glen
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Post by Glen » Fri. Apr. 07, 2017 4:50 pm

I love it for what it is...I'm just never going to use it for what it was intended for. I could either rebuild it converted to gas and use it or it is going to fund a shiny new Colt LE6920. I really like it but I have had it for 2.5 years and still haven't done anything with it. I don't remember reading on here if any one converted and then actually got some heat off it. Thanks

 
waldo lemieux
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Post by waldo lemieux » Fri. Apr. 07, 2017 5:34 pm

What exactly is it?

 
Glen
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Post by Glen » Fri. Apr. 07, 2017 6:02 pm

Sorry,

Its an old post on here. Its a "Sunbeam Universal 514" . It turned out to be complete. I did save it from certain destruction. And if anybody wondered where they all went my dad says they use to smash old parlor stoves in the 50s and 60s and turn them in for scrap iron. That might give some of you all nightmares. Especially you William. I am definitely attached to it somewhat; I just wont ever use it the way God intended. But maybe...if I converted it...


 
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warminmn
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Post by warminmn » Fri. Apr. 07, 2017 6:34 pm

Its yours. Do what you need to do to enjoy it. It would be nice if you could convert it without drilling holes in it so it could be converted back to coal after your time on earth is over. Im willing to bet more of these stoves are sitting in homes without being used than those that are. Thats the shameful part.

 
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coaledsweat
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Post by coaledsweat » Fri. Apr. 07, 2017 7:15 pm

Not all that shameful, at least they will live deades or centuries longer that way. An archive if you will. Better collecting dust than scrapped and destroyed.

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Fri. Apr. 07, 2017 8:03 pm

Not uncommon to see some parlor stoves and even more kitchen ranges, that were converted to kerosene. While they were gravity feed systems from a kerosene tank, I don't see why you couldn't do some kind of propane conversion much like BBQ grill burners. The parts are available for all different sized BBQ grills - see what of all those parts would be adaptable to fit and make sure there are no leaks !!!!!

Paul

 
fifthg
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Post by fifthg » Fri. Apr. 07, 2017 8:13 pm

Glen wrote:
fifthg wrote:It has been done,but it is blasphemy...I think some from the Middle East have done it.I can think of no one else.
Just don't send any Tomahawk cruise missiles to my house please.
Oh Alright,but I have been itching for a fight ever since someone started a war on coal...

 
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deepwoods
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Post by deepwoods » Fri. Apr. 07, 2017 8:38 pm

In my neck of the woods nat. gas & propain (spelling intentional) are pricewise out of the question for actual heat source and I have a very modern 98% efficient Ruud forced air furnace which is for emergency only. A gas converted antique coal stove probably would not be very efficient compared to the new ventless gas heaters. Just put a colored light bulb in that coal stove and let your Imagination do the rest. Meanwhile get a purpose made new gas heater. Just my 2c :D

 
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Pauliewog
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Post by Pauliewog » Sat. Apr. 08, 2017 1:55 am

deepwoods wrote:In my neck of the woods nat. gas & propain (spelling intentional) are pricewise out of the question for actual heat source and I have a very modern 98% efficient Ruud forced air furnace which is for emergency only. A gas converted antique coal stove probably would not be very efficient compared to the new ventless gas heaters. Just put a colored light bulb in that coal stove and let your Imagination do the rest. Meanwhile get a purpose made new gas heater. Just my 2c :D
If you decide to go with the colored light........... Please consider a battery operated or fish the cord thru the flue rather than drilling a hole. :cry:

Paulie

 
waldo lemieux
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Post by waldo lemieux » Sat. Apr. 08, 2017 11:18 am

The stove may not work well, as nat, or propane require a higher stack temp because of the moisture released during combustion.

 
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joeq
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Post by joeq » Sat. Apr. 08, 2017 12:28 pm

Glen, this is just my opinion, but I have to throw it out there. You say you like the looks of the stove, but don't want to bother with coal. Why don't you take a picture of it, blow it up into poster size, and hang it on your wall. That way it won't be taking up valuable floor space in your garage. It certainly won't do any good heating with a Bunson burner in it. You could find a much more efficient garage heater that'll be cheaper to run, and be out of the way. I'm sure there is some-one on this site who would "really" appreciate your classic antique, and would make you a decent offer so you can make a profit on your investment, and the stove will be returned to what it was intended to do. That is, heat up space toasty warm, last a long time, and look good doing it. It may sting a little at 1st to sell it, but seeing you've had the stove for a while, and don't really want to use it, it would be a noble gesture to pass it on to a willing recipient. I hope you change your mind to butcher the stove. (JMHO)


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