Surdiac or Chubby

Post Reply
 
User avatar
japar
Member
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue. Oct. 16, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: Seekonk MA
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hearthmate

Post by japar » Wed. Jul. 16, 2008 9:48 pm

I am looking for a coalstove for my 80 yo dad. He burt wood years ago in a small pot belly and it worked great in my parents split level. Wood of course is to much work at his age so I am looking at one of the above that I have found on craigslist at $250 each. Reasonable priced coal stoves don't last long nowadays. Does anyone have advice or experience with one of these. I am leaning toward the Chubby but I think I recall reading it had no firebrick.

 
User avatar
EasyRay
Member
Posts: 468
Joined: Thu. Nov. 16, 2006 8:44 pm
Location: Central Connecticut
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman TLC 2000
Coal Size/Type: Pea,Nut or Stove

Post by EasyRay » Thu. Jul. 17, 2008 11:41 am

I don't know about either stove you have mentioned, but I would make sure it was built as an air tight stove with no gaskets holding it together. Just on the doors. I would also invest in a couple of CO detectors.

The learning curve from wood to coal can be difficult for some people. There are a lot of people who post here that are new to coal and have some difficulty at first.

Just my 2 cents.

Good Luck in your search.

 
User avatar
coal berner
Member
Posts: 3600
Joined: Tue. Jan. 09, 2007 12:44 am
Location: Pottsville PA. Schuylkill County PA. The Hart Of Anthracite Coal Country.
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1986 Electric Furnace Man 520 DF

Post by coal berner » Thu. Jul. 17, 2008 9:37 pm

japar wrote:I am looking for a coalstove for my 80 yo dad. He burt wood years ago in a small pot belly and it worked great in my parents split level. Wood of course is to much work at his age so I am looking at one of the above that I have found on craigslist at $250 each. Reasonable priced coal stoves don't last long nowadays. Does anyone have advice or experience with one of these. I am leaning toward the Chubby but I think I recall reading it had no firebrick.
the Surdiac has a built in hopper that you can fill up with coal each time you shake the ashes the coal comes down on to the fire they burn Pea coal what model is the chubby they are a standard Hand fed stove you fill and shake it I would
think depending on the size of the chubby you will get more heat out of it but you will have to fill it more often Surdiac I think is around 45k to 50 k BTU's output the chubby might be 60k to 65k BTU's output see if you can find out the models on both stoves and let us know for that price either one would be good better then Nothing at all The chubby should have
fire bricks any good coal burning stove will have them Make sure it has shaker grates in it


 
User avatar
Duengeon master
Member
Posts: 1958
Joined: Sun. May. 06, 2007 7:32 am
Location: Penndel, Pa.
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harmon Mark III
Coal Size/Type: Anthracite pea and nut mix. Bituminous lump

Post by Duengeon master » Fri. Jul. 18, 2008 9:54 am

The chubby has no fire bricks in it. It has a round steel pot that is virtually indestructible. A chubby also has a removable grate for inspection. the design of a chubby is very simple. :)

 
User avatar
Greyhound
Member
Posts: 183
Joined: Sun. Jul. 01, 2007 1:04 am
Location: Axemann, PA (Centre County)
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 105
Coal Size/Type: Rice
Other Heating: Lenox Oil HA, Heat Pump

Post by Greyhound » Sat. Jul. 19, 2008 12:26 am

I know people in New England that have a Chubby and they have had it for many years. Simple is sometimes a good thing. Coal berner is correct that you will be loading it more often.

 
User avatar
coal berner
Member
Posts: 3600
Joined: Tue. Jan. 09, 2007 12:44 am
Location: Pottsville PA. Schuylkill County PA. The Hart Of Anthracite Coal Country.
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1986 Electric Furnace Man 520 DF

Post by coal berner » Sat. Jul. 19, 2008 12:42 am

Duengeon master wrote:The chubby has no fire bricks in it. It has a round steel pot that is virtually indestructible. A chubby also has a removable grate for inspection. the design of a chubby is very simple. :)
Here is what the grates look like in a chubby Penn coal stove Model L used the same grate

http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/68/catalogs/Wood ... rence.html

http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/68/catalogs/Wood ... rence.html


 
klinker
Member
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat. May. 31, 2008 12:53 pm
Location: Amston, Conn

Post by klinker » Sun. Jul. 20, 2008 12:00 pm

I owned a Surdiac for 10 plus years and found it to be a very good stove. It can burn wood but not very well. Since wood was difficult to burn in the Surdiac most of my oil consumption was early fall and early spring.... when temps are to warm to burn coal but need the chill taken out of the house. I had to fire up the oil furnace. I decided to upgrade to a Harman Mark II for the 2008/2009 season since this stove is capable of burning wood. I will say a good Surdiac will be hard to find known for rusting in the rear heat exchanger area plus bowing of the coal hopper...that's about it

 
User avatar
captcaper
Member
Posts: 724
Joined: Thu. May. 29, 2008 11:55 am
Location: Northern N.H.

Post by captcaper » Mon. Jul. 28, 2008 5:37 pm

I have a Chubby. This is my second one. first one I used all winter for 14years. Sold it when I moved north.They are a great stove..very effeciant. Easy to fix.

Cast Iron pot,top feed,air tight. I have gotten 3 days on a pot of coal in 45 deg. weather.

Post Reply

Return to “Coal News & General Coal Discussions”