Stoker Specs

I think after reading the posts here you've got me seriously considering the girlie-man side of the world. Now I've been looking at various stoker stoves and have it narrowed down to three, and I've got a couple questions that will help me narrow it down. But, I've got to hand it to the members here. I've found the answers to most of my questions already just by searching through the board! Great resource you have here!

Anyway, the stoves I'm looking at are the Harman Magnum, the Leisure Line Pioneer, and the Keystoker 90 or 105. The questions I have still:

1) How do the ash pans compare on these units? There are some weeks when I may be out of the house for several days at a time. They all seem to hold about the same amount of coal in the hopper, so I assume size of the ash pan will be a limit in how long the stove can run unattended, though I guess the real question is if all other factors being equal, does one offer a longer burn than the others?

2) I think I've read that all of these can be equipped with a thermostat or coal-trol to better control the burn. Do they all operate the same, I assume adjusting the combustion air blower speed and feed rate of coal?

3) I think I read that the Keystoker has an option for that air-cleaned glass technology. Do the others have this as an option? How much difference does this make?

4) Last, I see the side clearances on the Harman are 34", whereas the other two are only 12" and 8". Does the Harman direct heat out the sides, whereas the others direct it out the front? Does it make a real difference for heat distribution? I like the idea of better distribution, but would rather save several feet of wallspace with one of the other units if it's not that big a difference. There is a ceiling fan in the room where I would put the stove which should help distribute the heat some as well.

Thanks again for all the help! I hope to get a better feel for these stoves, and then go visit a showroom to see them all in person.

Chris

First, you may not get a Harman stove untill the end of this winter, they are further behind than the other manufacturers.
The LeisureLine Stoves come with the Digital CoalTrol thermostat/controler, and work excellently with it. The Keystoker is also a very good unit.

I believe all three stoves have about the same capacity ashpan. The trick is to turn the stove down when you are gone, this is easily accomplished with a good controler/thermostat. This will reduce the ash quantity produced.. All the stoves will run if the ash pan overflows, but it will be a bit of a mess to clean up when you get home.. I'd 'train' someone to come and empty the ash pan, or swap an empty one for the full one. A very simple job to do.

Hope this helps.
Greg L

I think you may be the first person who asked about ash pan sizes. What a great question. I own an Alaska 3 stove and it has an OK sized ash pan. It's about 12 x 13 x 7 roughly. It will hold the ash from 100 lbs. of burned coal. The stove will burn for 7-9 days on the lowest setting. I know because I tried it. Alaska also has the clean glass system but I've been told that if you don't clean the glass everyday that the glss will still get etched or cloudy. Replacement glass is about 70.00. One of the reasons I went with ALaska is because of the foot print. I needed the smallest stove possible. While my stove came with a manual feed selector I could purchase a Coaltrol or an Alaska thermostat if I wanted. Lesiure line stoves all come with a Coaltrol. A Coaltrol will keep your house at one temp and there are setting to turn down the stove when u leave.

Thanks for the info. As it stands, I wouldn't be putting in the stove until next summer, so no worries about lead time for me.

It sounds like the ash pans of these stoves will hold all the ashes from a full hopper, so as long as I empty the ash pan before topping off the hopper, I should be able to let it burn unattended through the full load if I'm away for a couple days and the worst I should expect is a cold stove, and possibly the furnace running.

I still have a couple questions on clearances, though, in addition to the heat distribution question in the original post. It seems stokers have very small (0" or 2" on most) clearances from the back of the stove to a combustible wall. I plan to check with the local fire code for clarification, but if I'm understanding this correctly, these stokers can basically be backed right up to a wall, no? All stoves I've seen (not many, mind you, and all radiant wood) have had wall protection regardless. Even if I'm within manufacturer's and code clearances, is it beneficial to still have some sort of wall protection, or doesn't it really matter? The stove will be in the living room, and I'd rather not have an ugly wall protector if possible since I can easily meet at least the stoker manufacturer's clearances.

Chris

I have a Leisure Line stove and if you follow the 2" clearance on the back of the stove you will be fine. I have no wall protection on the back and the wall does not get hot. The hopper and the fans blowing the covection air up the back of the stove and across the top keep you well insulated from the heat getting to the wall.

I just received my new ash pan from Leisure line. It is a little larger all around then my pan that came with my Alaska stove but it will fit with a few mods. I need to cut the handles off the sides, and add a handle to the front of the ashpan and a top handle. I'm very excited to have a bigger pan.

gambler wrote:I have a Leisure Line stove and if you follow the 2" clearance on the back of the stove you will be fine. I have no wall protection on the back and the wall does not get hot. The hopper and the fans blowing the covection air up the back of the stove and across the top keep you well insulated from the heat getting to the wall.

One last question on clearances... I now understand the stove clearances, but wonder about the stove pipe clearance. My understanding is that the stove pipe needs to remain 18" from a combustible surface. If the Leisure Line or Keystoker are backed up to the wall as close as the manufacturer recommends, is there enough clearance for the stove pipe from the back wall, assuming a top vent model? If not, do they make double-wall stove pipe to help reduce this distance? Any other recommendations, or am I off base here?

Thanks again!

Chris

They make double wall pipe. Or you can make your own or buy heat shields that screw right onto the pipe maintaining a 1" air gap between the pipe and the shield. You only need the shield on the side of the pipe that is closest to the wall.

http://www.redhillgeneralstore.com/Ocp54120.htm

Thanks, Rick. That's a great idea I would have never thought about! Definitely better than something attached to the wall, and still up to code!

Chris

Most of thestoker stoves have the hopper (and blowers) on the back and the convection blower will blow the air from the bottom back up the back and across the top to the front, that is why you can put them right up against a wall with min. clearance (2" or less). The backs and top are usually double wall (Air chamber).

The sides are Single wall metal (like wood stoves) that is why they recommend at least 18"+ for the sides on some stoves.

Yes, the larger LL stoves have 100-200# hopper and fairly large ash pan and I have let it go 2-3+ days without refilling or emptying the ashes (Depending on temps of course).