Heat Output - New to Coal

Hello, I am very new to my Pocono Coal Stove. My question is this: At a temperature of 73 degrees in my house, shouldn't I be getting hot air coming out of the stove? It is just warm to me. When I bump up the temp a few degrees to 75 I get a nice fire and the air is hot but it cools down once it gets to the set temp.

Also, I have my baro damper set to 4 (horizontal) and was told by the stove company to set my rehostat for the power vent at the 12:00 position (8:00 being high and 4:00 being low). The damper is barely open. Also, when I first started up the stove (took me 5 tries-fire would die out after 10 min. I wasn't putting enough coal around starter bag), the 2 bags of coal I put in the hopper were wet. I noticed when I tried starting the stove on the 5th time, there was actual water drizzling down the coal plate. I also noticed that the hopper had condensation on the lid and on the inside walls. The stove company said this was ok because of the wetness of the coal. I know the book says if there is condesation there is a draft problem but none of my CO detectors have gone off and the stove is running ok (or at least I think it is). I just don't feel satisifed with the heat output. I feel it should be warmer in the house for 73 degrees. I use to set my oil furnace at 68 and it was always toasty in here. Would the air temp outside have anything to do with the inside temp (it has been around 55 the past 3 days I have had the stove going)?

The night I got the stove up and running, I had a high pitched squealing noise coming from the feeder every time it turn to feed coal. The company came in and said the wheel on the mecanism was too tight causing the squealing. Does this sound right for a new stove? Could it have anything to do with the coal being wet?

I know this is a lot of questions and I am very new to this. Any advice would be appreciated.

Diana

Your new power vented stove works almost as an an oil fired furnace does.
If the thermostat is calling for heat(air temp in room drops below setting the storker will operate making heat just like a oil gun burner.)
If you want constant steady heat always on you need something like a hand fired stove .
Yes outside air temps and other factors like humidity contribute to how a fire burns but the power vent should take care of those.
Was the coal you put in it just damp or was it water dripping wet? Coal like wood wont burn well if its soaked with water. Humidity caused moisture wont bother but soaking sopping wet will.
Your oil furnace was spreading the heat all over your whole house your stoker is only heating a room.
If you want it warmer you need to keep turning the thermostat higher till it makes the room as hot as you like it . Try bumping it up to 78 and it will run longer and get warmer.
Your stoker wont be as acurate on getting to a desired temp as your oil was.
To get your whole house to 73 you may have to heat your room the stoker is in way up to 80 or more to get the house to equalize to 73. (Fans are great for circulating heat )
I am not familiar with how your particular coal feed works but if it squeals constantly while asking for coal it may well be misalingned or a lose belt or faulty or perfectly normal. Without being there to observe its impossible to tell.
Did the "company" hear this noise and say it was normal or ok? Did they get it to stop?
What area of Adirondacs are you?
What company did you get your stove from?
I am near Lk geo.

When I watched the video last night I noticed that when Jerry set the baro damper dial at 4 it looked different than mine. Upon closer inspection there are curved lines for each number and the curved edge of the dial should be on that cuved line for whatever number you set it at. When I looked at mine it was set at 2 so I moved it to 4 last night. Will that fix the condensation problem? The damper still does not look like it is moving or open barely.

Diana

Thanks Tim. I am from Newport (north of Herkimer). I grew up in Ohio (just inside Adirondack park).

I guess I just want to be sure my heat isn't all going out the power vent. Yes, the coal was dripping wet when I put it in. I got my stove from Countryside Stove and Chimney in Little Falls. Their customer service is awesome. I have had their installer here twice. First to help me figure out why I couldn't get the stove to stay lit (he did it in one try and it was because I didn't have the bag surrounded by coal to keep the fire going-duh!!). Second time he came up and fixed the squealing yesterday ( wheel was too tight and caused the squealing). No squeal now.

Diana

Glad you got it fixed.
I hope you have warm place to store your coal so you can get the moisture out of it.
I am sure when oil bill time comes you will love your stove even more.
Your sure in an area to test it!!

Hello Diana.. the only problem with your coal being wet is if it is so wet that it drains onto the grate, which you described.. What a few forum members do is to put the bags of coal over a bucket [to catch the black water] and poke a hole or two in the bottom of the bag, and let the excess water drain..

The coal itself doesn't absorb any water, the coal is like glass, impervious to water.

The way your stove is running is correct.. the Coal Trol is designed to run the fan and 'wash' all heat off of the stove,, so when the thermostat is satisfied, the stoker is not feeding extra heat to the fire, except enough to keep the fire going. But the fan is still running to wash any residual heat off the stove body into the room.. this air often feels 'cool' to our senses, because it may be lower than body temperature.

You may want to post a question on the 'Coal Trol' forum and ask if they have a setting for turning the fan down some when heat is not being called for.

If your Pocanno is keeping the room at the 73* you have set on the thermostat, then it is doing what it is supposed to.. The extra air circulation may be giving you the feelling of it being cooler. There actually is a bit less radiant heat from the stove because it is being washed by the fan, therefore the surface of the stove is cooler.

The function of the barometric damper is to limit high draft.. you need to set it with a manometer.. Your installer should have done this for you, if you aren't sure, ask them if they did...

Or, get on the list for the Manometer Loaner Program.. PM Matthaus to be put on the list.. the forum has a loaner manometer going from member to member for setting barometric dampers like yours.

Setting the damper too low like .01-.02" can cause condensation in the hopper, too high, over .05" will pull too much heat from the stove.. The markings on the baro are rough settings, you need a meter to set it accurately..

hope this helps.. Greg L

Thanks Greg. After I changed my baro to 4 last night from 2 I looked in the hopper this morning and the condesation is gone! Yeah! Does a manometer cost much? I'm surprised the stove company didn't know that the draft problem could cause the condesation. The installer said that he checked the draft when he installed it and it was running fine. Not sure exactly how he checked it. I will have to ask. Let me find out from them if they have a manometer. If not, I will have to get on the loaner list. Thanks for all the help.

One other thing...As far as setting the rehostat...Now that I have the baro at 4, I turn the rehostat dial up to the 12:00 position and it sucks the damper in a bit too far. If I set it at the 3:00 position the damper doesn't move. Do I have to wait until the stove is running full strength before I set the rehostat? Setting it when it is at idle doesn't change the damper at all (either at 12 or 3 position). Do I have to keep playing with this rehostat on a daily basis depending on the burn or should this be a "set it and forget it" type of dial? Not sure what position it is supposed to be at.

Again thanks for the help.

Diana

I would set the reostat till the baro is just being pulled open.. any less and you don't know that you have a good draft. You shouldn't mess with the reostat unless you have a manometer hooked up and you can measure the actual draft in the stove..

Greg L
.

Hi Adirlady,
We do know that it causes condensation on the hopper lid. Please read your manual. It states it about 3 times in bold letters at the bottom of the pages. It also states to please read your instruction manual before operation. Please take the time to do this for your safety.
Thanks,
Jerry

Jerry,
Thanks. That is what I thought too. That's why I questioned what the stove company told me. They said it was because of the coal being wet. I didn't think so because of what I read on here and what it said in the book. I rechecked the baro setting and noticed it was at 2 instead of 4. Fixed it and the condensation is gone. Thanks for the reply.

Diana

Dwyer model 25 is around 35$ worth every penny.
http://www.dwyer-inst.com/Products/Product.cfm

For sale here, 33$

Good luck, Stan