Want to hit design engineer on head with coal shovel

Dudleymass · By: **Dudleymass** On: Wed Feb 06, 2013 9:33 am

Is it wrong to want this? I have posted a few threads trying to work out the probelm I am having with my Ashely wood/coal furnace (similar to Clayton). This is the latest. I have a good hot stove fore going during the day, I turn on the little hair dryer fan on the front to about 1.2 draw. The top spin is about 10%, the bottom wide open. just beofe I go to bed I fill it up, shake iot down good until i see it rain embers and I leve the blower on 1/2 speed. When I wake up the fire is out and this is what i see?

Please help

I'm On Fire · By: **I'm On Fire** On: Wed Feb 06, 2013 9:36 am

One issue I see is that there isn't enough coal in the bed to maintain the fire. The coal should be to the top of the bricks and then heaped in the center. While I agree with you putting a load of coal on top then shaking you should also be loading more coal on top after shaking. Also, you may have your combustion air too high. Looks like it's all burnt up.

Lightning · By: **Lightning** On: Wed Feb 06, 2013 9:50 am

I have been using a Clayton 1537G for two years now. I feel your pain and I can lead you to the coal burning promised land my friend... :lol:

...But first, some more info and pics.. Please post a picture of the "little hair dryer fan" on the front. And the 1.2 draw? I don't understand... Is that a manometer reading? Could you post a pic of that please? But before we get started, this is what is meant by filling it to the top of the fire brick and then heaping it in the middle. Don't be shy 8-)

If you look closely at the sides you will see the top of the bricks and that the coal is mounded 3 inches higher in the center..

Dennis · By: **Dennis** On: Wed Feb 06, 2013 11:01 am

not enough coal in stove
too much air
If you notice along the fire bricks there are unburn coals,indicating ash blockage witch is not your problem at this time
Dosent your stove have a heat regulated draft opener(samson control),if so use it,thats why your coal is burning out too soon.

Lightning · By: **Lightning** On: Wed Feb 06, 2013 11:23 am

I also noticed the fly ash pattern on the back of the firebox... Its a tell tale sign that your combustion air is bypassing the coal bed and carrying heat out the chimney. Right now, combustion air is finding the path of least resistance between the firebox wall and the back liner (plate with the 3 holes in it). Its most likely happening with the front one too.. I have a fix for that also.. These units are designed to burn many kinds of solid fuel. Coal, wood and bituminous coal.. As is, they don't burn coal efficiently. But with a couple tweaks that sucker will be the heat monster you seek 8-)

SMITTY · By: **SMITTY** On: Wed Feb 06, 2013 11:29 am

Rule #1 with hand fired units : PILE the coal on. When you think you've got enough, pile on some more. Sides to the firebrick, center as high as you can. Deeper the bed, the longer the burn. Then you can play with the air settings.

Dudleymass · By: **Dudleymass** On: Wed Feb 06, 2013 4:46 pm

Ok Lightnigh and other, thank you for your continued support, I have almost given up, but since I can't affor oil for not I have no choice. So here are some more picks that lightnigh suggested. the first is the fronmt of the stove, the second is what i'll be doing if i can't get it to work.

Dennis · By: **Dennis** On: Wed Feb 06, 2013 6:35 pm

Read up and look for Lightning's posts of how he modified his furnace. He has modified his furnace better for burning ant coal,I'm sure he will chime in with his help.
successfully burning anthracite coal in a clayton furnace

Lightning · By: **Lightning** On: Wed Feb 06, 2013 8:17 pm

Lets go over the basics.. Hows the chimney draft? I take it you have a manometer installed since you said you get a 1.2 when the "hair dryer blower" (combustion blower) is running.. A 1.2 doesn't make sense to me so I was hoping you would take a picture of the mano when you see this "1.2" reading.. Are you using a barometric damper or a manual pipe damper?

I'd like you to try not using the combustion blower and close any ports on it that air might get thru. Just use the combustion air feed on the ash pan door (spinner). I have a feeling that combustion blower is just blowing air over the fire and that is unacceptable for a coal fire. Coal needs a substantial amount of air to come in under the grates and go up thru the coal bed for good combustion.

oliver power · By: **oliver power** On: Wed Feb 06, 2013 8:50 pm

Dennis wrote:not enough coal in stove
too much air
If you notice along the fire bricks there are unburn coals,indicating ash blockage witch is not your problem at this time
Dosent your stove have a heat regulated draft opener(samson control),if so use it,thats why your coal is burning out too soon.

I agree with Dennis, and others. Not enough coal, and too much air. You're burning too hot. Notice how all the coal is still there in shape and size; Yet, it looks all burnt up? That's how coal looks if over fired.

SMITTY · By: **SMITTY** On: Wed Feb 06, 2013 8:53 pm

Paddington Bear! Forgot about that li'l furry guy! :funny:

xaos · By: **xaos** On: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:50 am

Agree with the above posts..
Not enough coal and to much air.
How is your draft, do you have a baro damper??

You don't need the combustion blower, keep it closed and off, just use ash door vent, no over vent unless you just added coal and burning off volatiles.
I actually rewired the combustion blower control & rheostat to run my convection fans via the T Stat.

Load the bed to the top of the bricks and add to the center to have a heap.

I have the USSC Ashley 24A and get easy 12hr burns with it..
During the cold snap I tended to it every 8hrs and during mild temps I can get 24hr burns.

Don't give up, with a little patience and an occasional poke up from the bottom to remove extra ash, you will be on you way to 12hr burns..

Dudleymass · By: **Dudleymass** On: Sat Feb 09, 2013 10:23 pm

Ok, thank you all for posting. I have a manual draft control on the back double wall pipe. I don't have any other meters. yesterday I got it going again. I only rune the hair dryer blower on the front during the day. I shut it off at night and open up the spin draft control all the way on the lower door and a few turns on the top load door. I choked the pipe damper a little and shut the damper on the inside top of the stove (it's a pull handle just over the load door.

Lightning, I relaay appriciate that you have one similar to this. I hope tonight goes well.

How vigorous should a shake down the dust?

Steve

Lightning · By: **Lightning** On: Sun Feb 10, 2013 1:24 am

Dudleymass wrote:How vigorous should a shake down the dust?

Short, fast, choppy strokes till you see many red embers raining down into the ash pan and there is a prominent orange glow radiating down thru the grates. Don't use excessive force on the grates, I've broke two of them.

I'm still wondering what the "1.2 draw" means in your first post.

Dennis · By: **Dennis** On: Sun Feb 10, 2013 9:28 am

Dudleymass wrote:open up the spin draft control all the way on the lower door and a few turns on the top load door.

try cutting back on the top spinner(over air draft/secondary air) by half and see if that helps.When running the hair dryer does the coal burn all out,if so stop using the hair dryer and go to natural draft(spinners on bottom door)

Want to hit design engineer on head with coal shovel

Want to hit design engineer on head with coal shovel

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