Automatic ignition on stokers

How does a automatic ignition coal stoker sound ? Would you buy it if it was under $225.00 (leisure line stoves). Imagine coming home from work, hitting a buttom on the thermostat, setting down to eat, watching the news, taking a shower and your stove is purring like a kitten without you ever going to look at it. This is the future in burning coal, and the future is almost here !!!!!!!!
Need your input and opinions.
Jerry

Count me in, tell us more!!!!!

I also heard a rumor about being able to hook it up with your home network...that way, if you are coming home from vacation, you can remotely fire it up and come home to a warm house. The keystoker manufacturer told me about this.

I made it into a poll.... that option cab be found at the bottom if you want to create your own.

My opinion is the only place I can see the need is if you have a unit that is very small and you're only trying to heat a very small area with it for short periods of time. For most people they only light them once or twice a season. I think one of the best benefits of coal is it's always on, even with our insulated furnace the residual heat keeps the first floor floors nice and warm.

Guess you could set it up on timer to come on before you get home but would there really be any benefit to this? You really don't burn much while it's idling and the furnace would also have to run quite a bit to catch up.

One thing I dislike is over engineering where a complex solution is used to achieve a simple task. Take for example power windows in cars. A great idea right up until the point they break. If you can guarantee that it's going to work 20 years from now then sure I can see it otherwise I don't see the need for most consumers unless they fit into the first category stated above.

I think that this will be a great selling point for coal units. If you go away and have a house-sitter taking care of your place, it is a one button operation.

I think that many coal units were NOT sold due to the fact that the 'lady'of the house didn't want to get near that 'dirty mechanical thingy' or get involved in getting it lit. But push a button?? yep!

As long as it is trouble-free I think it will go over big!

For those who live in a more temporate climate where it may too warm for days on end, then cold for a day or two, this will be just like burning oil, gas or electricity.

Now, how about an automatic ash removal system?? [just kidding, I'm not THAT lazy]

Greg L

Any idea how they are making this, is it a high powered arc like what oil burners use, or something else?

For me, I don't see the need. I use Matchlite charcoal to start mine. I do realise that when most non coal burners hear that you have to start a wood fire first, cut kindling & roll paper...I think that's when most people think it's too much trouble, when it doesn't have to be.

If I start mine 7 times before it stays on, it's really less than a one minute process with the charcoal, no looking for wood & paper, cutting it up.

I would assume a coal mouse would ba as easy.

I would think that the person you couldn't get to lite the stove, surely isn't going to load it with coal or empty the ash pan, that would be too icky... I don't think that it will bring many more customers over to coal burning. Then what do I know?

I think its an excellent idea. How many times have we heard of this person or that was going to get rid of there stoker because they had to work away and the wife didn't want to have to deal with the fire. More than likely starting it in case of outage was one of the biggest problems. I personally just installed a Leisure Line stove for my mother so that she didn't have to carry firewood into the house. She fell and broke her hip doing so last Feb. . I'm waiting for the auto ignition which is one of the reasons I bought the stove. Autolite will be great for her or the wife.

I think it would be an excellent idea. Along with the superb Coal-Trol unit from Automation Correct it would make stove operation simple and easy!

Who makes it and how does it work? I agree with the Keep it Simple approach but also think that the safety of lighting coal without a need for highly flammable materials to be stored near by is worth the additional complexity.

Matthaus wrote: but also think that the safety of lighting coal without a need for highly flammable materials to be stored near by .

What are you using to light your coal?

Last time I looked wood and newspaper wasn't considered highly flammable. That's how most of the people I know light a coal fire.

Oh well I am new to this, used the little boxes with a fuse on them that kinda look like fire works. Thought that was the norm!

How long does it take to start with newspaper and how much care and feeding? Sounds like a hassle comparted to the little boxes (just put some coal on top, light it and forget it).

Anyway thanks for the education.

Matthaus wrote: Sounds like a hassle comparted to the little boxes (just put some coal on top, light it and forget it).

Whatever works, I guess they would fit in the highly flammable category. I can get my stoker ripping in a few minutes with wood. Practice.

Has anyone ever used wood chips soaked in kerosene?

I start mine with 4 pieces of charcoal crushed in a 1/2 sheet of newspaper rolled like a cigarette. Place in coal over burn area, soak with lighter fluid. Let stand for a few minutes, lite, walk away for 5 minutes and adjust for heat output. Simple and cheap.

I can start my harman in 5 minutes....it is a light it and forget it...and it is off and running...I run my stove all winter with 3 shutdowns for cleaning...once you get a system to lite coal it is easy...especially in a stoker since you have a combustion blower that acts as a accelerator

the ignitor being able to be lit from a network is a nice feature...

what is the lifespan of the ignitor element...will it be in the hot coal all the time....is the element replacable and at what cost...

Al

Al,
We don't have the system out yet, so I can't answer any questions about life, or cost. I knew asking this question would have comments from the gang (like myself) that can lite the fire in nothing flat. My concern is the people that haven't yet purchase a coal stove. When the pellet stove companies can come into the backyard of the coal mines and sell stoves at a much higher cost and less BTU's of a coal stove, then it's time that the coal stove people take a good hard look at their product. We have gone above and beyond any other stove company to upgrade our product to a computerized thermostat. All of the other stove companies are watching but no one has the balls to change from what has worked for the last 50 years. The computerized thermostat has been just great, and I'm sure that the igniter will be a big selling tool to the woman and men that don't want the hardship of liting the coal stove. I could go on and on but no one would listen. Now I feel better.
Jer