Coal-Trol Gone From Reading

bowersox1 · Post by **bowersox1** » Sat. Oct. 18, 2014 1:42 am

Greetings,
I was looking to upgrade my Reading Allegany stove with a Coal-trol. I was told Reading stove company no longer handles them that they changed to something else. Does anyone know what the new control is and is it worth it or should I get the coal-trol? I did upgrade 2 years ago to the separate combustion fan. Thanks.

Post by **StokerDon** » Sat. Oct. 18, 2014 9:47 am

Last week I spoke with HEET in Washington PA about the Reading Stove Co. control box. I don't know if this is something new to replace Coal-Trol or just there version of a timer. I was looking for something to control my boiler with so I don't know a lot about Reading stoves. Below is a link to what I was looking for.

http://www.heetinc.com/Thermostat.html

It was $189.

-Don

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sat. Oct. 18, 2014 10:03 am

StokerDon wrote:Last week I spoke with HEET in Washington PA about the Reading Stove Co. control box. I don't know if this is something new to replace Coal-Trol or just there version of a timer. I was looking for something to control my boiler with so I don't know a lot about Reading stoves. Below is a link to what I was looking for.

http://www.heetinc.com/Thermostat.html

It was $189.

-Don

That control is not anything new, been around a while.

Big differences of this unit to a Coal-trol is that this does nothing but on/off for the combustion fan and feed motor, and has no control for the convection fan.

Simply stated, it's a hold fire timer that can also be adjusted to run longer times w/o a wired t'stat...or a hold fire timer w/ over ride to steady burn w/ a wired t'stat.

bowersox1 · Post by **bowersox1** » Sun. Oct. 19, 2014 12:49 am

Thanks for all the replies. I looked at the Heet page and understand it is a timer. A little bit of info to put out to the mass to help give me some help. I heat my 1500 square foot house with the coal stove via the hot air duct. My stove is in the basement and connected to the duct work. My house isn't fully air tight. This is changing next summer. The exterior doors are direct exposure to the weather as there is no roof over them. With all this information which would be the best upgrade? The Heet of get a coal trol?

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sun. Oct. 19, 2014 8:24 am

Using the Coal-trol on a TriBurner requires the addition of the separarate blower motor.
And since you have already added the separate blower motor, get the Coal-trol.
No other controller comes close to doing what the Coal-trol is able to do.

bowersox1 · Post by **bowersox1** » Tue. Oct. 21, 2014 10:41 pm

McGlever,
I am learning towards the coal trol. Question is which one? Is the convection fan speed control worth spending the money? Does it require a limit switch installed? Also I have seen post where folks have issues getting the coal trol set up.

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Tue. Oct. 21, 2014 11:00 pm

You are best off asking some one who does use one.

There is a section here devoted to the Coal-trol, they can help you with all the particulars.

Buckshot1822 · Post by **Buckshot1822** » Thu. Oct. 23, 2014 3:51 pm

I run a coal pilot system on my Reading stove, it works great was easy to install, and cost less than the Coaltrol. With it you are provided a new carpet with a solenoid attached to it. When the thermostat calls for heat, the solenoid is activated and the lever flips down into the space between the adjustment nut, and the carpet. This lenghtens the stroke out, feeding more coal. You adjust the stove so it is just idling along until that solenoid kicks in, so on warm days the stove still burns, butit burns very little coal, and it acts basically just like a gas pilot light.

bowersox1 · Post by **bowersox1** » Thu. Oct. 23, 2014 7:54 pm

Can you post or send me a picture of the control? Also what thermostat does it require? Does the unit supply power to the thermostat?

Buckshot1822 · Post by **Buckshot1822** » Thu. Oct. 23, 2014 10:53 pm

Here is a video that details it.

The thermostat that I have runs on a few AA batteries, and is wired to the solenoid using telephone wire.

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Thu. Oct. 23, 2014 11:34 pm

Other members here have used the coal-pilot and said good things about it.

Coal Pilot doesn't require the addition of the separate combustion fan on the TriBurner that the Coal-trol does.

bowersox1 · Post by **bowersox1** » Fri. Oct. 24, 2014 10:47 pm

Thanks for all the info. Talked to a guy today from Mifflinburg who installed a coal trol. He said it was a pain to get set up but once he did it saved him a pile of coal. He said don't get the coal trol with the distribution fan control. He said he cooked 2 motors cause they aren't meet to be speed control. So folks who installed a coal trol would you say it will pay for itself in cost in one heating season?

Hoss · Post by **Hoss** » Sun. Nov. 30, 2014 8:34 pm

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I am brand new member and find this forum extremely helpful, so hoping my 2 cents can help. I have a Reading Juniata that I bought in 12/12. It has the Coal - Trol TS2 that it came with as a package. I could not imagine running the stove without it! Setting it up did not seem to be a problem after you figure out your min and max settings for your high and low end feed rates. It controls the speed of the combustion and convection blowers and so far " Knock On Wood" have had no problems with burning motors out. Maybe if the unit didn't come with the Coal-Trol it has different motors that don't handle speed control well.

WNY · Post by **WNY** » Sat. Mar. 21, 2015 9:15 pm

I don;t have a Reading, but put a Coaltrol on my old Hyfire I many years ago, it's run flawlessly, auto adjusts the feed rate, blowers, etc.... to maintain an almost perfect temperature in the house.

bowersox1 · Post by **bowersox1** » Sun. Mar. 22, 2015 1:14 am

I will be ordering a coaltrol before start of next heating season. My stove has the combustion blower upgrade. Does the coaltrol regulate the combustion blower too? Also can you tell me other then the night set backs what's the difference in the models? Right now I am having issue with my bed depth being less then half the cast grate hight. I posted a question about it. Thanks for any and all info.