Vented Hopper Top

I have the Allegheny and the hopper has a vented top. My question is I have read that some people have a problem when there hopper gets low with the fire sometimes wanting to burn back towards the hopper and start a hopper fire. Could this be helped with a hopper top that does not have vent holes, has a gasket and fits snug on the top so that air can not draw through it? Thanks

AND if you have a LOW draft, that is usually what's causes it. If you have a good draft, you shouldn't have a problem. it depends on your stoker mechanism too, if its the Pusher BLOCK type, that normally closes off the hopper, less chance of anythign happing, but if you have a the carpet/plate type that is open to the coal, that COULD cause it, but only under certain circumstances.

I leave my hopper off my Keystoker almost all the time and have never had a problem. (It has a DV anyway).

Mine is the carpet pusher type for a feed. I do have a Powervent venting it. Just looking for ways to eliminate the possibility of a hopper fire.

I guess it can happen either way with low or high draft from what I have been told.

But, with a PV or DV, I doubt you would have any problems, since it is a constant draft on the stove.

No lid on the hopper here, don't even own one. I have had the hopper empty completely once (forgot to fill it) and the dreaded fire never happened, it just used up the coal and went out. I have to say the stoker is connected to a masonry chimney that provides a very good draft.

Hondaracer,

Do you have a manometer ???

Another member had an issue with a potential hopper fire in his Alaska triburner by having his power venter set too high. He's since corrected the wiring and replaced all of the gaskets and finally installed the manometer and his issues are all gone.


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Rick

Working on getting the manometer. I have my PV currently set at about 50% power. I adjusted my baro to .03 for the weight and then turn the PV so that the baro hovers between just barely open and the width of a pen between the bottom of the T and the damper.

It's funny that this post is up here because I've been reading about the importance of having a tight-fitting lid also. I recently purchased a Susquehanna from Reading and not only does it not have a tight fitting lid, but it lacks a lid all together. I'm curious to know what Reading's take on this is...

Yes, That is kind of why I posted it in the Reading section. I was hoping that they might poke there heads in and say something about it.

If the draft is set correctly you will not get a hopper fire. Even with an almost empty hopper. You can even leave the lid off. Also with a correctly set draft you will not have CO concerns. If you read through the hopper fire problems it is usually a power vented stove that does not have a regulated power vent and is sucking too much air through the stove.