Hand Fired Coal Burning Stages

Devil505 · Post by **Devil505** » Sat. Dec. 06, 2008 10:31 am

Running your hand fired stove/furnace can be thought of as having two different stages, requiring 2 different techniques:

Warm Weather Technique: (for me, normally all but mid December through early Feb)

(Lower stove temps needed as outside temps cool but not cold & chimney draw poor)

1. Stove temps low (120*-200*)
2. Real danger of running stove so cool you could lose your fire (recommend this http://www.smarthome.com/3219/Redi-Chek-ET-73-Rem ... ter/p.aspx)
3.(Low coal consumption (for me around 20-30lbs/day)
4. Takes longer to shake down/reload due to waiting for fire to liven up with ash door open.
5. "Window-Stat" adjustments my be necessary

Cold Weather Technique: (for me, normally mid December through early Feb)
(Higher stove temps needed as outside temps cold & chimney draw good)

1. Stove temps higher (200*-350*)
2. Real danger of overfiring stove ( recommend http://www.smarthome.com/3219/Redi-Chek-ET-73-Rem ... ter/p.aspx)
3. Higher coal consumption (for me 40-60lbs/day)
4. Faster shake down procedure as no need to wait or fire to live up & good draw on chimney
5. More need to wear eye protection & even a cap (high heat BAKES my bald head as I shake down the stove)

6. Humidifier necessary to keep house comfortable.

grizzly2 · Post by **grizzly2** » Sat. Dec. 06, 2008 5:43 pm

Hey Devil,
Sounds like I have been doing things about right with regulating my fire by the season. You are refering to temps with a magnetic thermomenter on the stove pipe, right? I went to the link you gave. Tell me, doesn't your meat tast sulphery when you smoke it in the Harmon? I will take your advice about the hat for cold weather grate shaking and for the same reason you wear one.

gambler · Post by **gambler** » Sat. Dec. 06, 2008 6:15 pm

Warm Weather Technique: Fill hopper and empty ash pan.

Cold Weather Technique: Fill hopper and empty ash pan.

Power outage Technique: Show up at Devils house.

BIG BEAM · Post by **BIG BEAM** » Sat. Dec. 06, 2008 9:02 pm

gambler wrote:Warm Weather Technique: Fill hopper and empty ash pan.

Cold Weather Technique: Fill hopper and empty ash pan.

Power outage Technique: Show up at Devils house.

That's why I'm thinking about a stoker!!!
DON

Devil505 · Post by **Devil505** » Sat. Dec. 06, 2008 9:56 pm

grizzly2 wrote:You are refering to temps with a magnetic thermomenter on the stove pipe, right?

Yes...about 12" above the stove on the pipe. (where you place it really doesn't matter....Just mentioned 12" because that's about where mine is....lower=hotter ...Higher=cooler