Recurring Problem Is Annoying

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hyway61
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Post by hyway61 » Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 3:57 pm

Well, I think I'm well along on the learning curve with coal fuel and my system setup. Pretty much understand two problems...losing draft from a cool chimney and losing draft from ash bound intake from below. Because my cabin is small I run my Russo c-55 on the low side, but with the colder temps recently this stove has proven to be a real heater and results have been much better when the whole thing is fired up to a higher operating temp.

Howvever, a recurring problem occurs with the shakedown mechanism. A piece(s) of hard coal inevitablely lodges between the front teeth of the grate and the inside frame of the firebox...thusly essentially shutting down the shaking mechanism.....becoming ash bound is likely to happen as the shaking becomes very limited and ineffective. Trying to dislodge this coal stopper is often futile, or temporary as another piece soon lodges to bind up the mechanism. These pieces of coal are down low and so escape getting burned up. I don't think the mechanisms in these stoves are strong enough to crunch up these coals and I don't want to risk breaking it.

Perhaps these are replacement grates in my stove and are a bit undersized from stock grates. I'm thinking of re-designing the grates ...perhaps construct a rectangle of flat steel to go around the perimeter of the grate in the fire box, which would 'ride' along with the shaking yet stop coal from falling into a blockage mode. Using nut coal as manufacturer recomends, but may switch to pea, too. Pea does burn well in the stove. Ideas welcome.....

hyway61
.

 
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Devil505
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Post by Devil505 » Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 4:08 pm

Are you using Reading Nut coal by any chance? If so, there's your problem!!

Had that problem last year. That's It- Stick With Blaschak!

 
hyway61
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Post by hyway61 » Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 4:09 pm

Maybe...its bagged Kimmel from Agway. But the flame is pure blue and heat is good.....the coal burns alright, but there is alot of ash and crunchy ash.. The blockages are from unburned coal falling between the grate and the firebox frame jamming up the works.

hyway61
Last edited by hyway61 on Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 4:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

 
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Devil505
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Post by Devil505 » Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 4:11 pm

hyway61 wrote:Maybe...its bagged Kimmel from Agway.

hyway61
I'll bet if you try Blaschak Coal your problem will be solved.
(you'll need to burn through or clean out the old crap first though)

 
hyway61
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Post by hyway61 » Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 4:16 pm

Devil505 wrote:
hyway61 wrote:Maybe...its bagged Kimmel from Agway.

hyway61
I'll bet if you try Blaschak Coal your problem will be solved.
(you'll need to burn through or clean out the old crap first though)
.
Yep, I'll try it next, but the only problem is the dealer around here likes $12+ for a bag of Blaschak. In anycase with the Kimmel the blocks are always from coal itself. Actually, I haven't seen any impurites or clinker development from this coal.....yet.

Thanx...hyway61


 
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SuperBeetle
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Post by SuperBeetle » Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 4:53 pm

$12.00 for a bag of coal=RIPOFF

 
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Devil505
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Post by Devil505 » Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 5:09 pm

SuperBeetle wrote:$12.00 for a bag of coal=RIPOFF
Is it really $12.00/ 40 lb bag??? WOW!! (that's double what paid last year & will kill the coal industry....I'll just have to start burning all that worthless U.S. currency that will be lying in the streets!) :mad:

 
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Devil505
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Post by Devil505 » Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 6:48 pm

From another thread:



New postBy: Joe in NH On: Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:04 pm
Checked the price today for Blaschak at our local Aubuchon Hardware store. Nut coal is currently $415.00 for a pallet of 2400 pounds. That is $345.83 a ton or $6.92 a 40 pound bag. Seems a bit pricey even for northern New Hampshire. My SF 260 is using about 2.5 bags a day, so I would be paying $17.30 a day for coal. Thinking about using the oil furnace for the rest of the season when I run out of coal? NEVER!


Are they really looking for $12.00 a bag near you??

 
klinker
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Post by klinker » Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 7:09 pm

This has happened to me also and it is annoying. I left the jam alone overnight or for the day with the fire going. Quite often it will loosen or burn enough so it will break. I have changed to Jeddo coal and have not had a problem for quite sometime...had mystery coal previous. Last comment...12.00 for a 40lb bag of ANY !! coal is outragious. Your dealer should be ashamed

 
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Post by Rob R. » Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 7:10 pm

How often are you shaking down the stove? Shaking it down too often can contribute to this. I burn Kimmel nut coal with no problems, 6000 lbs since Oct. 17th and no jammed grates :D


 
03281
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Post by 03281 » Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 7:34 pm

I've got the same Russo C-55. I had the same problem several times running nut coal. The grate couldn't break up the lodged coal nugget and the fire would die because I couldn't shake it. Believe me, I tried, just short of standing on the shaker handle. I switched to pea coal. I will still occasionally get a piece lodged in the front, but the grate breaks it right up. The pea coal seems to have a more even tempered fire, and has a quicker response to draft adjustment.

 
hyway61
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Post by hyway61 » Mon. Jan. 05, 2009 10:25 pm

03281 wrote:I've got the same Russo C-55. I had the same problem several times running nut coal. The grate couldn't break up the lodged coal nugget and the fire would die because I couldn't shake it. Believe me, I tried, just short of standing on the shaker handle. I switched to pea coal. I will still occasionally get a piece lodged in the front, but the grate breaks it right up. The pea coal seems to have a more even tempered fire, and has a quicker response to draft adjustment.
Yes exactly the problem. I tried some Pea and it seems to burn nice and smooth...It may be the answer. Maybe I shake too much,,,I tend to do a few quick shakes between major shakedowns.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm located in central Long Island NY...Kimmel 50lbs from Agway is $9.00, Blaschack from Bethelham is $10.00 but I think that is 50lb. My local dealer about 1mile from me is well known in the area for bandit pricing and less than stellar attitude,,,btw, I've heard of them mentioned here, and there price is $12+ for bagged but I don't know if that is 40 or 50lb. That's about the size of it and I've not seen prices drop with oil's drop. If anybody knows a supplier in central Long Island, NY...please let me know. I've seen prices for bagged as high as $20 for bagged on Craig's List in this area. The way I save money is just heating a portion of my small cabin and not heating up the whole place and basement...also the heat is radiant 77* and constant, so very enjoyable.

hyway61

 
hyway61
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Post by hyway61 » Wed. Jan. 07, 2009 12:55 pm

Latest observation. Since this stove is old, but new to me and is in nice shape. It is quite possible that the grates were changed.
Seems like there should be a 'stop' in the grate mechanism to prevent the grates from overly rotating too much allowing coal to lodge tightlly and jamming the mechanism.
I have installed a jury rigged stop for this reason and am have much better success...I do think pea is the way to go for me as well, and hopefully Blaschak in future.

On other hand-fired stoves are there stops built into the mechanisms to prevent over rotation of the grates which could dump the fire or allows jam ups....??? Or is it intutitive and a feel kind of thing.?

hyway61

 
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coalvet
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Post by coalvet » Wed. Jan. 07, 2009 1:41 pm

I believe some others on this forum put marks on the side of their stove where the shaker handle is to determine how far to move the handle. You might also want to check with Gary L, he has used a Russo for a long time!

Rich

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