What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: xackley On: Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:26 am

morrisfamily3098 wrote:Nothing better Than a HYFIRE II and a COAL-TROL themostat. :punk:

No way, it is way too big. The pocono is the right size. It fits perfectly up against my cold air return, which meant making the hood and tying it into the cold air return was extra easy.
xackley
Member
 
Posts: 160
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:57 am
Location: Finger Lakes, NY
Stove/Furnace Make: Leisure Line
Stove/Furnace Model: Pocono

Visit Lehigh Anthracite

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: morrisfamily3098 On: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:07 pm

MINE IS IN THE BASEMENT AND I AM BUILDING DUCT WORK TO HEAT THE FIRST FLOOR WITH FUTURE PLANS TO RUN DUCTS TO THE SECOND FLOOR. HEATING SYSTEM WAS ELECTRIC BASE BOARDS EVERYWHERE. BIG SAVINGS :D SO THE SIZE WILL BE USED I JUST BOUGHT IT THIS YEAR. SO FAR I HAVE JUST NEEDED TO RUN ONE SIDE 180,000 BTUS WITH BOTH WILL HEAT MY 2800SF GREAT PLUS KEEP THE BASEMENT TOASTY.
User avatar
morrisfamily3098
Member
 
Posts: 136
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:34 pm
Location: Central New York
Stove/Furnace Make: Leisure Line
Stove/Furnace Model: Hyfire2

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: LsFarm On: Wed Oct 15, 2008 5:36 pm

Please don't type in all caps.. It's considered yelling.. while I agree, your Hyfire II is almost worth 'yelling' about..

Thanks Greg L
User avatar
LsFarm
Site Moderator
 
Posts: 7159
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2005 9:02 pm
Location: Michigan
Stove/Furnace Make: Axeman Anderson and Custom
Stove/Furnace Model: Boilers: AA 260M, BBertha 250K

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: samhill On: Thu Oct 16, 2008 9:53 am

I`m new to coal also, had my koker towards the end of last year & loved it, there is a dealer in Kingsville, Ohio. Not far from you, they carry Alaska & Keystoker for sure & I think one more brand. Gives you more to compair, I think any of the main brands mentioned will do the job. Good luck.
samhill
Member
 
Posts: 6433
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:29 am
Location: Linesville, Pa.
Stove/Furnace Make: keystoker/hitzer
Stove/Furnace Model: koker 160/ hitzer 75

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: morrisfamily3098 On: Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:25 am

Sorry i have my caps lock on at work and just type without thinking about the yelling thing. AND YES MY HYFIRE II IS WORTH YELLING ABOUT! :woot: :up: :clap:
User avatar
morrisfamily3098
Member
 
Posts: 136
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:34 pm
Location: Central New York
Stove/Furnace Make: Leisure Line
Stove/Furnace Model: Hyfire2

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: eelhc On: Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:30 pm

LsFarm wrote:What brand/make is the stoker for $2800?? Make and model please..
If for example it is a Harman Magnum, like suggested above,, buy it yesterday.
If for example it is a Reading stoker,, that is about double it's retail price, and quality and value is suspect..
Greg L.


Hmm... So a Reading Stoker can be had for ~$1400? What about the quality is suspect?
User avatar
eelhc
Member
 
Posts: 210
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:02 pm
Stove/Furnace Make: Harman Magnum Stoker

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: tugcapt On: Wed Nov 19, 2008 9:45 pm

I live in S/E Connecticut where the winters are cold and wet very wet.I bought a Leisure Line Pioneer.I couldn't decide on LL or Harman.What made up my mind was Harman says "absolutely no wet coal" LL said wet coal is OK.I knew i couldn't keep my coal completely dry in this area so it was LL for me. Good luck finding one.
User avatar
tugcapt
Member
 
Posts: 78
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 2:09 am
Location: uncasville ct
Stove/Furnace Make: leisure line
Stove/Furnace Model: pioneer le

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: Poconoeagle On: Sat Nov 29, 2008 11:24 am

Did You Know?
A large hard-working steam locomotive can use up to 6 tons of coal in about an hour. This means a fireman (the one who shovels the coal) might shovel 200 pounds of coal a minute. This is why railroads invented automatic stokers. Learn more about railroad jobs at Steamtown NHS in Scranton, PA.


200# / min. ?? wow I doubt many American workers would do that kind of work these days!! :lol:
User avatar
Poconoeagle
State of Pennsylvania Moderator
 
Posts: 6777
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:26 pm
Location: Tobyhanna PA
Stove/Furnace Make: Buckwalter & Co. , EFM520
Stove/Furnace Model: No. 28 Glenwood 1880, Alaska

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: Dutchman On: Sun Nov 30, 2008 10:42 am

200# / min. ?? wow I doubt many American workers would do that kind of work these days!!


A local landscape supply yard added coal to his line this year, and it's been nice stuff, so I've been hauling my own coal this year so far. It takes me 15+ minutes to clean out my 1000# trailer, and then I'm ready for a break! Those boys back then were probably in a heckuva lot better shape than me!

As for Harman's "no wet coal", mine's almost always damp to the touch, but never had trouble. Is it just that wet coal hangs up and won't feed so good, or is there more?
User avatar
Dutchman
Member
 
Posts: 122
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Berks County, PA
Stove/Furnace Make: Harman
Stove/Furnace Model: Magnum Stoker

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: Horace On: Sun Nov 30, 2008 2:32 pm

Dutchman wrote:As for Harman's "no wet coal", mine's almost always damp to the touch, but never had trouble. Is it just that wet coal hangs up and won't feed so good, or is there more?


You're not supposed to burn wet coal in a Magnum? I've done so for six years - everything from damp to soaked and never had a problem with it. I think that that's some CYA from Harman. Wonder if wet coal will promote corrosion in the hopper?
User avatar
Horace
Member
 
Posts: 325
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:15 pm
Location: Central PA
Stove/Furnace Make: Harman
Stove/Furnace Model: ST8 - VF8 / Frankenstove

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: kootch88 On: Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:16 pm

Hmm... So a Reading Stoker can be had for ~$1400? What about the quality is suspect?


Got my Reading Lehigh for 2600 This September. Greg and I had a conversation about the quality. This is my first coal stove, but I have been burning wood all my life and I thought this stove was very well made, clean welds, very well fitted parts. So I am curious what the quality issues may be. Is it the stoker system?
kootch88
Member
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:35 pm
Location: Raymond, Maine
Stove/Furnace Make: Reading
Stove/Furnace Model: Lehigh

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: LsFarm On: Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:59 pm

I can't figure out why Reading decided to use or continue to use the old design TriBurner stoker,, This type of stoker depends on chimney draft to keep the fire burning at idle settings.. and because of this there is often a lot of unburnt coal in the ashpan.. it's fact... The other stoker designs use a full time combustion fan, Keystoker retrofits a full time combustion fan in their boiler stokers when they have outfire problems..

I can't figure out why Reading decided to use cast iron to make one of their stove boxes.. they are prone to leaks and cracking.. Steel is by far a superior material to make the stove box or body out of.. Cast iron is slotted together in corners or where the sides meet the top and bottom.. all a source for air leaks.. a welded steel box is airtight at the seams.

Just my observations and opinions.. I don't see the same problems with other manufacturer's stoves..

After a few more years of reading about problems, issues, and from happy/unhappy customers, maybe I'll change my opinion..

Greg L
User avatar
LsFarm
Site Moderator
 
Posts: 7159
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2005 9:02 pm
Location: Michigan
Stove/Furnace Make: Axeman Anderson and Custom
Stove/Furnace Model: Boilers: AA 260M, BBertha 250K

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: kootch88 On: Sun Nov 30, 2008 8:44 pm

I can see where the issues Greg listed could be a factor. In my house I have a chimney that is probably close to thirty feet tall and internal, so draft is never a problem if the chimney is clean. I can see where the separate stoker motor would be an advantage, perhaps next year I will retrofit one. I must say though, I am very pleased with the stove thus far. We'll see when the temps drop well below zero.
kootch88
Member
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:35 pm
Location: Raymond, Maine
Stove/Furnace Make: Reading
Stove/Furnace Model: Lehigh

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: Tamaqua_Rob On: Thu Jan 22, 2009 2:52 pm

Matthaus wrote:
e.alleg wrote:The best is EFM. I can't think of a better built unit on the market today for any price. I also think Chevy trucks are the best and Pepsi is the best cola, and Ski-Doo makes the best snowmobiles and Honda makes the best motorcycles. If it is made in Pennsylvania it is good, if it's made in China forget about it.


Axeman-Anderson, Dodge trucks, Coke, Arctic Cat, and BMW of course I do agree about being made in PA is good! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


Every thing American Made, Chevy and Ford Trucks, Arctic Cat, Not much on Bikes but for a Quad I would have to say Honda.
Tamaqua_Rob
New Member
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2009 2:29 pm
Location: Tamaqua, PA
Stove/Furnace Make: EFM
Stove/Furnace Model: 520

Re: What Brand of Stoker Stove is Best

PostBy: billlindley On: Wed Jan 28, 2009 1:07 pm

Well I can;t say what is best but I can say everytime I talk to someone and say I have a Reading Stove they all tell me how wrong I am. The stove seems to work fine now after the stoker motor was fixed (Air was pushing out of the sotve not in). Stove gets to temp and gets hot. My onl;y complaint so far is that I burn to much coal but I think that has more to do with my movement of warm air as opposed to the stove itself being faulty.
billlindley
Member
 
Posts: 290
Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:07 pm
Location: Eagleville (SE PA)
Stove/Furnace Make: Reading
Stove/Furnace Model: Lehigh RS-96

Visit Lehigh Anthracite