Anyone Still Waiting to Start?

Ed.A · Post by **Ed.A** » Fri. Oct. 24, 2008 7:56 pm

Been runnin' for a week, on the lowest possible setting and a full burn for a 1 hour now and again at night.... just to keep the chill out.

JohnnyAsbury · Post by **JohnnyAsbury** » Fri. Oct. 24, 2008 8:59 pm

I am amazed that this thing has been on an idle most of the time, and the Coal-trol has done its job adjusting it to stay at 74*. Im going to love the Coal-trol. Now if it could only dump the ash pan...

europachris · Post by **europachris** » Fri. Oct. 24, 2008 9:07 pm

Plan to start the Keystoker tomorrow - gonna get cold and windy by Sunday. Right now it's in the 40's and rainy, but not much call for heat yet, only in the mornings. Like last year, coal prices out here ($7 a bag now) don't really justify the coal compared to our natural gas as a savings. It's more a hobby and enjoyment for me to keep the basement toasty to watch movies and also keep the extra bedroom (also my guitar practice room) comfy.

Chris

cbc6 · Post by **cbc6** » Fri. Oct. 24, 2008 9:24 pm

been burning since last sunday....wife is happy....so everyone is happy

ScottD · Post by **ScottD** » Fri. Oct. 24, 2008 9:37 pm

JohnnyAsbury wrote:The stoker has been lit for one week now, house has been 75* all week, and I have burned approx. 50 lbs.

Are you talking 50 lbs for the week? I got an Alaska Hearth and on setting 1 (1 out of 5) and 2 nights on 1 1/2 I have averaged 30 lbs a day this past week. How much area are you heating? I would loose my fire at that feed rate.

Mike Wilson · Post by **Mike Wilson** » Fri. Oct. 24, 2008 9:38 pm

coalmeister wrote:
kjb197 wrote:Waiting on my stove, called the factory last Monday Channing III ordered July 31st was still on schedule for by Thanksgiving. Got oil delivered today for 2.39/gal.
Oil for $2.39 WHOA! Did you mean $3.39? That's what it is here.

Nah, prices are coming down all over the place. I added 500 more gallons to the tanks last week at 2.51/gallon.

-- MW

JohnnyAsbury · Post by **JohnnyAsbury** » Fri. Oct. 24, 2008 10:46 pm

ScottD, yes, 50 lbs. for the week. I have my Coal-trol set MIN 4, MAX 35 and temp set at 73 night and day. I have not burned more than 50 lbs. I love this thing. I must say though, my house is fully insulated, Anderson insulated windows, and lots of southern exposure. 1400 sf, the upstairs isnt as warm as the downstairs, maybe 69-70*. My oil heat has not been turned on once this season, not even to burn the dust off the baseboards, which I normally do by now every year.

kootch88 · Post by **kootch88** » Fri. Oct. 24, 2008 11:07 pm

Been burning since Last Sunday. My wife is complaining and has the window open upstairs to let the heat out. Is asking if there is a way to burn it slower than the lowest setting. She asked if the stove was too big for the house.

Can't wait until it gets below zero here and we can really test this baby out.

John

Filled up the oil tank at 2.42 9 and hope it lasts the season. Last year I burned about 170 gallons but also burned 4 1/2 cord of wood. Hope my next fill comes around the end of February.

JohnnyAsbury · Post by **JohnnyAsbury** » Sat. Oct. 25, 2008 4:45 pm

2.42 a gallon ?? IN NH, the prices are averaging 3.10 Check out this site for oil prices in New England area. Im at 5/8 a barrel, and would love to top it off, but you need to purchase a minimum of 150 gallons.
http://www.newenglandoil.com/index.asp

mufwapo · Post by **mufwapo** » Sat. Oct. 25, 2008 4:55 pm

I just fired up my efm 520 highboy just to make sure it works. I'll keep it running because the house has been dropping down to the low 50's in the morning. It hasn't really ran off of anything but the timer since it came up to temperature though.

arcticcatmatt · Post by **arcticcatmatt** » Sun. Oct. 26, 2008 10:43 pm

still waiting to start.

Running my masonary fireplace as long as it can keep up.

lincolnmania · Post by **lincolnmania** » Mon. Oct. 27, 2008 12:00 am

i got 3000 lbs of buckwheat coal and fired up the efm last tuesday......i havent fired up the alaska yet cause it needs repairs and I don't have the bucks for 2 motors and a new glass and chimney pipe yet

slb04786 · Post by **slb04786** » Mon. Oct. 27, 2008 7:21 am

I started my EFM 520 last Wed. evening as soon as I had it installed. It's been running every since and I haven't burned a drop of oil in that time. It looks like I will burn about 240# of rice coal by this Wednesday. Is that a bit high for this time of year? It hasn't been overly cold but I do make my DHW with it. 2 people 2-3 showers a day plus an ocassional dish washer run. I'm still dialing it in. I set it at 3 teeth, 3.5 air and the aquastat is at 160/200 last night. It has been at 4teeth 4 air since first fire. No outfires yet.

LsFarm · Post by **LsFarm** » Mon. Oct. 27, 2008 9:59 am

Hi slb, every install is different,, you need to look at your ashpan, is there a lot of unburnt coal in it?? If you burn 240# of coal, you should have about 25# of ash, if you have more than this, maybe you need to increase your air a bit, .5 or 1. and see if your ash looks better..
Is the boiler running more than on the timer, maybe only just when a lot of DHW is being used?? If your draft is too strong, then you may be pulling too much heat up the chimney.

Ask this question on the EFM forum for more exposure to the EFM gurus..

Greg L.

MrMikie · Post by **MrMikie** » Thu. Oct. 30, 2008 3:17 pm

I am almost done with the install. I will be laying the floor tiles tonight, then grouting on Friday.

I have a TT load of rice coal coming on Saturday morning.

I have been taking some photos as I go on the install and can post those.

Its been busy trying to get everything to come together. Getting permit, purchasing SS chimney and installing that. It will be well worth the trouble in the long run.

When I go to light it off on Monday will be like a kid at Christmas I think.

I will have to open some windows to burn off the stinky paint and such but looking forward to it and being WARM.