thought i figured it out already - i was wrong

I am new to all this and saw my first coal fire last week when i lit my new (old) Gold Marc Independence coal stove.

After a lot of reading I have a barometric damper, a dwyer manometer hooked up, a large coal bin, 3 1/2 tons of nut coal, and a 1200 lb capacity wagon to move coal into my building. The only thing missing now is the ability to make it all come together. That coal is supposed to be hot. I will figure it out but figured we all like to look at pictures so here are some. from the top is the baro, thermometer, nipple where manometer goes in and the fan on the stove.

Thats a fine looking machine, nice set up. The coal looks like it got burnt up. Is the mano. set up?

If I were you, I'd lose the baro & put in an MPD--more then one person has done this due to lousey results with them on the hand fired type, old simplistic stoves. Do you have your under draft adj. figured out & I hope the draft knob on the firebox door has been kept completly closed. More detail on exactly what your doing will help if you're still having troubles. Anthony, you goit a baro or MPD on yours?

What are you pulling for a draft, is it still pulling hard because it looks like it ran away and burnt up all the coal, like FF mentioned you may need a mpd as well to slow it down.

I used the manometer and got the draft to between .04 and .05 but the flap was pretty much wide open. when I was hooking the manometer up the stove was empty and stone cold and was drawing almost .03. while lighting the stove I held the baro closed and it went to 1.0 to 1.1. I lit the fire at 1245pm, set the draft to .04, closed the bottom air intake all the way and walked away. I came back at 9pm after reading the post on here about how to refuel an established fire. I read to not shake or hardly shake a new fire, so I didn't really shake it and just loaded it up. it was still going strong. I closed it all back down and when I came in all excited to see my fire still going - it taught me a lesson. I should have shaken it, I think.

You closed the bottom all the way?

I think I spotted a problem.

Yep, I think this problem may have been solved--give it a shot & keep us posted

freetown fred wrote:... -give it a shot ...

Good idea Fred!

With you my young friend---anytime.

thanks, i will open it more when i relight it. too warm here today. i will also shake it down, let it settle, and then reload it. This is some operation. I enjoy trying to figure it out and giving my workers something to laugh at.

rebjr615 wrote: I lit the fire at 1245pm, set the draft to .04, closed the bottom air intake all the way and walked away..... so I didn't really shake it and just loaded it up. it was still going strong. I closed it all back down and when I came in all excited to see my fire still going - it taught me a lesson. I should have shaken it, I think.

A couple things, I learned that still going strong is very deceiving, it can look great, but an ash bridge could have formed. ( more reading ) This may require a little poking to actually see if you need a shake. The fire will look great, but will collapse and be careful this can also kill a fire. then you said you closed it all back, sounds like wood burning creepin' in. I load and actually open her up and even pop the ash pan for 10-15 until I see that all is good, at that point I check draft and adjust air intake and close ash pan.

IT will take some trial and error to get your primary air settings set properly on any stove and chimney config. Plus if you ever change coal size, you might need to relearn like I did. I lost 3 fires before I got all the kinks worked out. Few things to know: No over fire air what so ever, when you do make adjustments on the primary air control in the ash pan door, make small ones and give the stove a few hours to adjust. Most people from my understanding shake the fire down once per day. I typically add small amounts of coal 3 times a day and shake down once.

I think I cursed myself with my flippant response and for that I am truly sorry.

I closed the air intake on my Mk II and shook the fire down around midnight last night then reloaded and went to bed.

Got up to a slightly chilly house this morning and what appeared to be a dead fire. Oops, forgot to open the air intake after loading.

I had to run to school so I opened the ash door on a wing and a prayer and texted my wife to keep an eye on it.

Luckily, I was greeted by a nice collection of blue ladies when I got home.

nice save, I just topped mine off. I started it this morning at 9am and it has been going good all day. I opened the ash door, shook the handle pretty good, i was suprised by the amount of ash, poked around making sure there were no ash bridges (yes i looked them up after being told about them) loaded it with coal and closed the top but left the bottom open for the last 15-20 minutes. WOW did that get hot! i just closed the ash pan and the the air intake 1/2. i know she will be going at about 9:30 when I am back down here. (maybe) Thanks for all the help.