Surdiac or Chubby
- japar
- Member
- Posts: 165
- Joined: Tue. Oct. 16, 2007 8:52 pm
- Location: Seekonk MA
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hearthmate
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.
- 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
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.
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.
- 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
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 wouldjapar 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.
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
- 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
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.
- 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
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.
- 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
Here is what the grates look like in a chubby Penn coal stove Model L used the same grateDuengeon 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.
http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/68/catalogs/Wood ... rence.html
http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/68/catalogs/Wood ... rence.html
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
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.
Cast Iron pot,top feed,air tight. I have gotten 3 days on a pot of coal in 45 deg. weather.