Kast Console II or Hitzer 503

Wow, that sounds like quite the shroud project. Please post pictures as it comes along. Am I getting this right? The entire stove will be inside a metal shroud?? I'm concerned about the inline fans pushing air into the shroud. It will cause positive pressure in there and will force air into the combustion air intakes. Unless I'm visualizing it wrong..

You mentioned having the bottom of the cabinet open for the ash vents and bi metallic intake? How would you prevent warm air from escaping the cabinet there?

Just curious..

Also, there could be a potential ash dust and coal dust issue with it getting into your house and duct work.

Yeah I thought about pressurizing the shroud that's why I was thinking of keeping the bottom open up to the ash pan and bi-metal flapper. I'm thinking that by putting the fan on the cold air side I can hopefully avoid overheating it. The cabinet will be about 6' tall and the cold air would tap in to one side of it at the highest point I can manage then the supply side would be directly on the other side tapped into the main trunk line. I'm not really trying to capture every bit of heat but the basement is only under about a third of the main floor area so I'm worried that it may not radiate up to the rooms on each end. I also thought about the possible dust issue, thinking that when I'm tending the stove I will shut the fans off until the stove is back to operating temp and also try to be as careful as I can while ashing the stove. I'm hoping by running the fans on a speed controller that I can run them at a very low speed so that it is just continually circulating cooler to and warm air from the stove.

Ok great! Sounds like you have your head wrapped around this whole thing pretty good then..

I think it's wise of you to push air into the shroud instead of pulling air out. Negative pressure in the shroud could be a potential carbon monoxide hazard..

Just remember that tending every 12 hrs is the optimum for the 50-93 or any hand fired for that matter.

WantinWarmth wrote: Tell me if I'm crazy but, this will keep the boss a little happier not having a stove take up living space. Thanks guys.

OK....You're crazy!! But so are most of us on here!

Definitely turn off the fans while tending and use a filter or two on the supply side to keep the dust from being sent to the living area.

Maybe a knife gate to isolate the ducting from dust during tending, maybe a shop vac with the wand just above the tending area to help suck in the dust while tending. They may not turn out to be necessary, but I am just throwing out some ideas to help with managing the dust to 'keep the boss a little happier'.

I would consider the cold air return a foot off the floor "outside" the shroud to eliminate pressurizing inside the shroud and making the stove pull cool fresh air from beneath. Mike.

I was thinking of putting the cold air duct at the bottom but, I was worried that it may blow into the flapper or ash vents (if they need to be open) and create a induced draft situation. I'm hoping to get stared on the shroud this week and add a clay flue adapter through the basement wall. It currently just had the oil furnace flue running through a very rough cut hole through the fieldstone wall to the chimney. If all goes well I hope to pick up the stove set her in and start making heat.

Alright guys, I talked to the dealer today with the used 50-93. He told me he also has a DS Machine Basrment #3 that he would make a good deal on. That stove is new but, he has been sitting on it awhile. I like the idea of buying new because it should come with a warranty. I also like that I could more readily tie it into my duct work. It's rated at 105000 BTU so it's comparable in size to the Hitzer. Now the main problem I see with it is the stove was ordered with out a hopper. I still think I should be able to get a 12 hr burn out of it which will work for me but, I would like your opinions on loading the stove. Mainly does this greatly increase the chance of get smell in the house due to loading through the front? Any other opinions on the DS are appreciated as well.
Thanks,
Josh

Josh, nothing really breaks on these stoves except firebricks and perhaps a grate (rare). Both are inexpensive, so I would not give up features you want for a few months of warranty that you probably won't need.

WantinWarmth wrote:Mainly does this greatly increase the chance of get smell in the house due to loading through the front?

Not really, but you will have to be more careful about your loading technique so you don't get any puff-backs. The hopper has the benefit of preheating the coal before it gets to the fire and it helps the fire maintain a more even temperature between tending.

What Rob R. said

The main reason I was interested in the ds was if I had to hook up a plenum I thought it may be easier. But the more I researched it it appears to have a lot smaller firebox. So I'll still plan in the 50-93 and see how it heats then build a shroud if needed. Thanks again gentlemen

Good choice WW. Don't project on the 50-93--you can always do improvements/ adaptations after you see what she can do. Bottom line is, she's a hell of a heating beast that can pretty easily be controlled when needed. Mine has been going for 3 wks now & I'm sure will be no more then idling just to keep the damp down over the projected WARM week-end--never can tell here on the hill:)

Do any of you have experience with Kimmel's bagged coal? I see my local tractor supply store is now carrying it and it is quite a bit cheaper than any place else I've checked. They are at 4.99 a bag and said if I buy by the ton it's a 5% discount so that would be about $252 a ton. The next cheapest I've found that is close to me is $325.