Hotblast Furnace ?

BIG BEAM · Post by **BIG BEAM** » Fri. Sep. 19, 2008 1:44 pm

Which way do the grates go?They have a flat side and a rounded side.I called hotblast when I got my furnace and they said flat side up.I looked in TSC today and the round side was up.So I called USS and they said round side up.Maybe that's why I have so much trouble shaking my furnace down.DUH.
M # 1557M

Post by **coaledsweat** » Fri. Sep. 19, 2008 6:22 pm

Mine runs rounded side up, the flat side up would be more difficult to shake I think as the ash would just tend to sit there on the flats.

BIG BEAM · Post by **BIG BEAM** » Fri. Sep. 19, 2008 6:53 pm

Well the grates are offset.With the flat side up they only move about 10 degrees each way.With the round side up they move 15 degrees or more each way.

If you shake the h*ll out of it can you "dump" your fire?
thanks DON

Post by **coaledsweat** » Fri. Sep. 19, 2008 6:57 pm

I would say round up, I swing mine about 45* (90* total arc) each way and don't lose it.

BIG BEAM · Post by **BIG BEAM** » Fri. Sep. 19, 2008 7:16 pm

Thanks coaledsweat.
And I been running it that way for 2 yrs

.
I think that's why it takes me 5 or 6 mins.just to shake it down.
I even twisted the nub off one of the grates.
DON

Do you burn nut or stove?

BIG BEAM · Post by **BIG BEAM** » Sat. Sep. 20, 2008 7:45 pm

Got the fan on so I don't cook.Just tried to shake the furnace down and I aint sure if the grates are in right now or before.Shook the handle about 6 times and the ash pan was 3/4 full with a lot of embers.If anyone else has a hotblast with the front and rear grates could you post if the flat side of the grate goes up or down.
DON

TimV · Post by **TimV** » Sat. Sep. 20, 2008 10:44 pm

I have a coal/wood Energy King and my grates are smooth side up when in place.
I believe a hotBlast is second cousin to a Clayton US Stove bought them out to) They make the Hotblast to and the Clayton has grates smooth side up to.

BIG BEAM · Post by **BIG BEAM** » Sun. Sep. 21, 2008 6:09 am

Thanks TimV
I've been running it flat side up for 2 years but in the winter I have to shake them 200-300 times and it is a pain,I would have to switch hands, shaking so much.I changed them a few days ago and now I shake them 5 or 6 times and 1/2 burned coal gets stuck in the grate.Maybe because I'm not runing it that hard this is happening and I'll be ok when I run it harder.Seems like there's no middle ground.
DON

TimV · Post by **TimV** » Sun. Sep. 21, 2008 7:59 am

What size coal are you burning? I use chesnut.

BIG BEAM · Post by **BIG BEAM** » Sun. Sep. 21, 2008 8:05 am

I'm using nut too.
DON

I have 5 grates and 4 grate holders.They're all cast a little differant.I'll have to wait 'till the furnace goes out but I think I'll try to look for the least aggressive holder(least angle when shaking) and try them with the grates round side up.I like not having to shake so much.If worst comes to worst I can always but it back to flat side up.

How much do you have to shake yours with a full load?

gambler · Post by **gambler** » Sun. Sep. 21, 2008 9:05 am

BIG BEAM wrote:Seems like there's no middle ground.

Is it possible to alternate them? One grate round up and the next flat up. Would that do anything for you if it is possible

BIG BEAM · Post by **BIG BEAM** » Sun. Sep. 21, 2008 12:27 pm

Will here's what I did,
If you use them round side up they'll tip 45* each way but it's EZ to dump the fire.Also the holes are tapered so if you put them round side up the holes are smaller on the bottom(towards the ash pan) so clinkers can get stuck in them.

Flat side up they tip about 10* or 15* before they hit the stop on the grate holders.So I ground down the grate about 3/16' where it hits the grate holder.Any clinkers that get in the holes will fall through and the grates tip about 25* or 30* each way.

So the grates are in the same way they were for the last 2 years only they tip more.Maybe now I won't have to shake the sh*t out of it so much.
DON

I think they would be ok if I burned stove coal like I'm supposed to but nut coal is EZer to find.And some of that stove coal is as big as a softball and I worried that when you dump it in it would crack the fire brick

BIG BEAM · Post by **BIG BEAM** » Mon. Sep. 22, 2008 5:07 pm

I just got a reply from us stove by email and now they say you can put them in either way

DON

LsFarm · Post by **LsFarm** » Tue. Sep. 23, 2008 10:50 am

Part of the reason that it takes you a fair amount of time is the 'V' or funnel shape of your firebox.. with a typical coal stove firebox, the entire base or bottom of the box is composed of shaker grates.. so the ashes get to fall straight down through the grates..

With your Funnel or 'V" shaped firebox, you have much less shaker grate area for the amount of coal above, a lot of ash rests on the sloped sides on the firebrick.. as you start shaking, this added coal ash on the sides must make it's way down the sloped firebrick to the shaking grates before the coal bed is adequately cleaned of ash. So this is sort of like having a 5 gallon bucket of ashes being dumped through a 3" diameter hole, instead of just inverting the bucket and dumping all the ashes out through the open top .

I think that since you have increased the amount of movement, you will see some improvement in your shaking time needed. I'm glad you put the grates in so the slots have the small opening at the top, and widen below,, otherwise you would have the grates very quickly fill up solid with ash and you'd have to shut down and cleanout the firebox..

Greg L

BIG BEAM · Post by **BIG BEAM** » Tue. Sep. 23, 2008 12:30 pm

Yeah Greg:
I did 1 burn with the grates in small side down.This wasn't going to work.I think it will be better with more movement,but time will tell.
DON
Just trying to "tweak" this thing so shaking is a little EZer.Besides I love to play with things!