Holland Coal Furnace and Hucules Stoker

Remember that auger will be turning very slowly are you sure it is not working. Dusty? of course, but once going it will be fine. Is the auger at the motor end turning or not. Is the thermostat set to call for heat, turn it up to 90*. Remember if she aint calling for heat the fan will still work but the auger will not be turning. If not then is the sheer pin broken, the auger busted or jammed. Perhaps the stove just needs cleaning out however to me it looks like it was cleaned out very well. Take great care here, the coal burning virus can strike at any time and unlike Ebola there is no cure.

More pictures.

I moved the thermostat all the way up and I could tell the auger was working.

OMG, Dracula is about to rise from the dead and keep you ultra warm and cozy and you did not spend a penny. So did the lots of newspaper burning test produce any obvious leaks and do you see smoke coming out of the chimney?

You have air and fuel and to complete the burning triangle you need fire. How is the draft regulator set? My guess let's start half open. Run out to Lowes/HD whatever and buy a CO detector and plug it in as that is always rule number one in this business. If the alarm goes off shut it down. So let's run the auger until there is a good bed of coal (a few inches) in the stove and then light her up with a propane or MAPP gas torch. Once yo think you have fire shut the door and don't keep looking in we don't want puff backs. Although I think I see a little inspection door. You know soon enough if you have a fire by feeling the outside of the stove.

My guess is the stove was expertly serviced and thoroughly cleaned out and has been waiting to perform ever since. It looks to be in excellent condition. This is going to be fun. My guess there are 100 lurkers on this board waiting to see what happens next. C'mon guys get out of the shadows and they know better than I about those controls. However, my guess they were set when the stove was shut down and will be just fine where they are.

OK, I'm back sorry I got delayed. There are two blowers, one blowing air though the coal bed and we know that still works, the other is the distribution blower. Remember when you start a car heater it will not blow air until the engine has warmed up well those controllers are set to start the dist. blower once the air is warm enough. We don't know if they work but I would be surprised if they did not. Expect a burning dust smell until you get them going. So keep us in the loop. So do you have pics of the dist. blower we need to know that it is still there. Lots of signs that it was burning not so long ago. In picture number one on the left you see a long poker with a new wood handle we will get into that one later. It could even be that there is no secondary blower but I can promise you one thing, once you get it going it will put out crazy heat --- YEAH.

I agree furnace looks in great shape. a man I use to work for and is well to do has one older than yours and he is heating a shop that works on tractor trailers. warmest shop I ever worked in

I don't plan on using it. I've checked around and there is no where around my town to buy stoker coal.

adamzurschmiede wrote:I don't plan on using it. I've checked around and there is no where around my town to buy stoker coal.

well that's a shame. heating my home for $350 a year, yes a year not a month it may be worth while if you were to decide to use it, to look at buying it by the tractor trailer load once every 3 to 5 years. I am one of the lucky ones I guess, I have my own dump truck and the mines are less than 20 miles away.

T Bird wrote:

adamzurschmiede wrote:I don't plan on using it. I've checked around and there is no where around my town to buy stoker coal.

well that's a shame. heating my home for $350 a year, yes a year not a month it may be worth while if you were to decide to use it, to look at buying it by the tractor trailer load once every 3 to 5 years. I am one of the lucky ones I guess, I have my own dump truck and the mines are less than 20 miles away.

T bird,
What's the ash look like and how often must you remove it?

I do come across these bit stokers nearby occasionaly and there are a few good stoker coal suppliers near enough by.
Just not sure about smoke and stink...should I have these concerns?

the only time I get smoke or a stink is if I don't check the furnace for longer than 12 hrs, and what happens is a massive coke tree. when the tree is broke up the furnace is basically over fueled. smoke not as bad with the coal from the mine I am using now. have not had ash to deal with, just clinkers removed once a day so far. I think I am going to stay with the mine I get mine from "$70 ton" the other mine is $125 a ton. the $125 ton stuff does burn hotter but has more soot and is futher for me to transport.

one more thing to add my flue is two stories tall and I live on top of a hill, so if there is any stink the wind tends to carry it away just like the stink pipe in your house plumbing. and like has been said many times before its all about the tweeks. the first year I had soot stains running down the flue

Thanks for your reply, much appreciated.

I'll be tempted to try out a Bit. stoker if the right one turns up.