Pros and Cons of Adding a Log in My Hand Fired Coal Stove

 
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dtzackus
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Post by dtzackus » Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 5:59 pm

Hello everyone.

I just got my Gibraltar LCC model and since I live in the country, I have wood already spilt for camping, but figure I would add a piece of wood on occassion.

Any pros or cons of doing this? Will it effect anything at all, or should I watch anything differently than burning just coal?

Thanks in advance,

Dan


 
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devon570
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Post by devon570 » Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 6:12 pm

There is a difference between the two wood needs air from the top and coal needs air from the bottom up.Good luck stay warm.

 
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Post by Devil505 » Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 6:17 pm

I have thrown a log on top of my coal fire a few times & found no ill effect. (You have to do it when the fire is lively or the log will just sit there all day!.....I have thrown tissues on top of the coal bed & they'll often last all day without igniting as there's not allot of heat on top) It also helps if your coal stove has separate secondary air controls (above the fire) to allow top air in to burn wood. (The Harman TLC does) I don't know what throwing a log in will really gain you though & there's always the possibility you could smother your coal fire. In general my advice would be to stick with just coal on a coal fire.
Last edited by Devil505 on Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 6:51 pm, edited 4 times in total.

 
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coaledsweat
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Post by coaledsweat » Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 6:46 pm

Save the wood for a warmer time period when you only need a fire for the night. Wood is easy to start and stop, coal is not.

 
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Cap
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Post by Cap » Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 7:18 pm

I often used logs my first year burning coal using a Mark III. I also had some drafting issues and the logs would aid the fire through the night and assist in the heat output & keep the flue warm But I did crud up my flue using the logs. Stick with coal if you can or burn wood now when the days are still mild.

 
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Post by coaledsweat » Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 7:24 pm

One problem the wood creates is the creosote gets on the back of the baro and will ruin it's balance in a very short time. This is why I don't switch fuels without pulling and capping the baro when on wood. Come to think of it, I haven't burned any of that in years. :D

 
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coal berner
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Post by coal berner » Tue. Oct. 07, 2008 2:44 am

dtzackus wrote:Hello everyone.

I just got my Gibraltar LCC model and since I live in the country, I have wood already spilt for camping, but figure I would add a piece of wood on occassion.

Any pros or cons of doing this? Will it effect anything at all, or should I watch anything differently than burning just coal?

Thanks in advance,

Dan
Keep the wood for your campfire burn the coal in the stove it is a coal stove with no secondary air control all the wood will do is make a mess and you will have to clean the chimney more often Dan your killing me talking about wood burning
in a perfect coal stove Please stop :lol:


 
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Mantis
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Post by Mantis » Tue. Oct. 07, 2008 10:25 am

This morning I threw a chunk of wood on a nice hot bed of coal. Sat back and enjoyed the sun rise, several cups of coffee, Robin Meade on TV, and a nice dancing wood flame. Priceless!

 
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Post by Devil505 » Tue. Oct. 07, 2008 10:28 am

Mantis wrote:This morning I threw a chunk of wood on a nice hot bed of coal. Sat back and enjoyed the sun rise, several cups of coffee, Robin Meade on TV, and a nice dancing wood flame. Priceless!
There is the aesthetics of a wood fire too! (did you open the secondary air sliders to get the log to burn or just leave them closed?)

 
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Post by Mantis » Tue. Oct. 07, 2008 10:56 am

No. I didn't see a need to becuase the top of the coal bed was red hot. I just ran down and took a look. A couple pokes and it will break up and blend in like it was never there. My guess is had it been unburned coal on top, opening the slidders would be called for. I'll try it tonight and report back.

 
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Post by Devil505 » Tue. Oct. 07, 2008 11:02 am

Mantis wrote:No. I didn't see a need to becuase the top of the coal bed was red hot
I actually never touch those secondary air sliders since I never burn wood, so they are always down. (The sliders get very hot so wear gloves when you touch them!)

 
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Post by Mantis » Tue. Oct. 07, 2008 11:27 am

(The sliders get very hot so wear gloves when you touch them!)
Been there done that! :mad:

You're missing out on some pretty fires my friend (not that a well lit coal fire doesn't put off some damn pretty flame. Like you said, aesthetics of a wood fire. Nothin like it and one log here or there isn't going to choke the chimney up.

 
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Post by Devil505 » Tue. Oct. 07, 2008 1:38 pm

Mantis wrote:You're missing out on some pretty fires my friend (
Yeah but the crap wood I've burned always blackens up the nice clean window, so I'll stick with coal.

 
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Post by Mantis » Sun. Oct. 12, 2008 2:44 pm

always blackens up the nice clean window, so I'll stick with coal.
Roger that. But in my very short experience with the stove I've found that one log on the coal fire doesn't bugger up the window at all. Now when I start a fire with paper and wood to build a good bed of hot wood coals :mad: that's another story.

Edit: I was thinking of picking up the optional screen so I could maybe keep the door open durring that blackening timezone. It's a real P.I.A. to clean off.

 
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Post by Devil505 » Sun. Oct. 12, 2008 3:46 pm

Mantis wrote:Edit: I was thinking of picking up the optional screen so I could maybe keep the door open durring that blackening timezone. It's a real P.I.A. to clean off.
Start your fire with Matchlight briquettes & just a few wood chips & your window stays perfectly clean.

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