Coal Chubby

JRLearned · Post by **JRLearned** » Wed. Oct. 29, 2014 10:03 pm

rberq wrote:
JRLearned wrote:When I started burning coal, I had a Jotul and fussed with it constantly ... Now I have a Chubby and love it. I leave it be 4+ hours between checking/tending it.
OK, somebody's got to say it... Checking/tending every four hours IS fussing with it constantly.
Are you filling the firepot to the top? Is it too small for your house so you have to run it flat out?
Tending every 12 hours is more typical with most stoves. You have to have FAITH that the coal fire can take care of itself. Start by leaving it 5 hours for a few days, then 6 hours for a few days, then 7, then 8, and so on.

I said 4+. As a new chubby operator he's probably tending it ever 15 minutes. Sheesh. I go 10 hours between shakedowns, but if im home on a weekend I do check on it often. What fun is a hobby if you don't pay attention to it!

Fiziksgeek · Post by **Fiziksgeek** » Tue. Jan. 06, 2015 8:00 am

Hello all, just thought I would post an update on my progress. I started burning back around thanksgiving like I had planned. It was definitely a learning experience. It was hit or miss weather I was able to keep it going continuously or not. A couple times it was burning so little, that once I was done shaking it, there wasn't enough heat keep it going. That being said, I think I have it down now. I've been burning for ~3 weeks continuously now, with not much more than 2x daily service. Keep downstairs nice and warm, not sure how much heat really makes it upstairs, but I am sure it helps.

Here is what I have learned:

It's hard for me to get the draft started, add a bunch of paper to burn hot and fast to get the air moving in the right direction!
Don't let the coal go out, keep burning even if there are a couple warmer days. The reversed draft blowing over the coal makes it stink!
Must shake it down morning and night, or I can't get enough new coal in there to get the really long burn times.
Close the air inlet and flue damper all the way, must be enough air leaking in and strong enough draft to burn just fine.
Never ever ever dump the ash pan inside, always step outside and close the door behind me.
I find it messier than wood, fine layer of ash/soot all over, even with dumping the ash pan outside.

I seem to get 1, maybe 1.5 days on a bag, which seems pretty good. The heat is nice and smooth. The smell isn't really noticeable, more to me because I am the one taking care of it, but its definitely different (and not is a good way) compared to wood.

My initial conclusion is that coal is OK. It was a no brainer, since I already had the stove, just a couple pieces of pipe and the coal itself, and I was in business. If I had to buy a heating appliance, and I had to buy fuel, I'd probably go with a pellet stove.....but we'll see how the rest of the year goes! At least I am warm!

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Tue. Jan. 06, 2015 9:02 am

Fiziksgeek wrote:The smell isn't really noticeable, more to me because I am the one taking care of it, but its definitely different (and not is a good way) compared to wood.

Do you have a CO monitor or two installed? There should be NO smell in the house.

rberq · Post by **rberq** » Tue. Jan. 06, 2015 10:57 am

Fiziksgeek wrote:It's hard for me to get the draft started, add a bunch of paper to burn hot and fast to get the air moving in the right direction!
… reversed draft blowing over the coal makes it stink!
… The smell isn't really noticeable … different (and not is a good way) compared to wood

You may want to evaluate your chimney, now or sometime before next heating season. Sounds like it is marginal.

Fiziksgeek · Post by **Fiziksgeek** » Tue. Jan. 06, 2015 2:47 pm

Yes, 4 actually, one on the main floor, one on the second floor, and 2 in the basement, one by the boiler and one by the coal stove, just because they are on opposite ends of the house.

The smell is strange...maybe just related to the rubbermaid bin that I use to hold the coal once I dump it out of the bin....

titleist1 wrote:
Fiziksgeek wrote:The smell isn't really noticeable, more to me because I am the one taking care of it, but its definitely different (and not is a good way) compared to wood.
Do you have a CO monitor or two installed? There should be NO smell in the house.

Fiziksgeek · Post by **Fiziksgeek** » Tue. Jan. 06, 2015 2:53 pm

I'm not sure its the chimney itself, it may be more of a strong stack effect in the house....or to tight with air being drawn out elsewhere (like the wood insert in the family room). Once the draft gets going, it seems to go just fine. Its an exterior chimney, from basement, centered on the gable end, extends 3-4' above the peak of the house, so total height somewhere around 25-28'.

All I know is without the stove going, the draft reverses!

rberq wrote:
Fiziksgeek wrote:It's hard for me to get the draft started, add a bunch of paper to burn hot and fast to get the air moving in the right direction!
… reversed draft blowing over the coal makes it stink!
… The smell isn't really noticeable … different (and not is a good way) compared to wood
You may want to evaluate your chimney, now or sometime before next heating season. Sounds like it is marginal.

rberq · Post by **rberq** » Tue. Jan. 06, 2015 5:32 pm

Fiziksgeek wrote:Its an exterior chimney, from basement, centered on the gable end, extends 3-4' above the peak of the house, so total height somewhere around 25-28'.
All I know is without the stove going, the draft reverses!

Could be worse, but not much. Or if it is on the north end of the house, couldn't be worse.

You certainly have plenty of chimney height, since the Chubby is in the basement. But as you point out, you have the stack effect of the whole house height working against you, plus possibly the wood burning insert. Maybe there is a way to introduce outside air for the Chubby? Or a way to insulate the flue to keep it warmer? Don’t want to be a worrywart, sorry, here you are reporting success and here I am raising problems

… but it would be unfortunate if there is so little draft that it might reverse with the stove going. A manometer is called for…

Formulabruce · Post by **Formulabruce** » Tue. Jan. 06, 2015 7:22 pm

Draft reversal with Chubby off can happen with a Kitchen exhaust fan, Bathroom exhaust fan, a window box fan fan blowing out smoke etc.
I have a 153 yr old house, but it has new windows. I leave one near the Chubby open a crack and it really seems to help the draft.
As another member on here mentioned with his Chubby, ash collects on the rear exit models just past the MPD in the 90 degree elbow ( if you have one). That ash build up can affect the performance some, and the poker is barely long enough to drag out the ash when the stove is hot, but can be done.
Good luck and stay warm

I now have this on my Chubby, works pretty well and needs no power
http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/16644/products/U ... ?d_id=4854

Post by **ONEDOLLAR** » Tue. Jan. 06, 2015 8:23 pm

We have one of the Eco Fans and they work pretty well. They won't blow your hair back by any means but they do help get the air moving about the house. Though I seem to remember a warning on them not to have them on the stove if the surface temp was over 450f (I think) as it could damage the fan. The only reason I remember this is we used to use the fan on a woodstove the woodstove wood exceed that at some points. But with the even heat of coal I don't worry about it now..

Formulabruce wrote:Draft reversal with Chubby off can happen with a Kitchen exhaust fan, Bathroom exhaust fan, a window box fan fan blowing out smoke etc.

In all fairness draft reversals like you mention can happen to any stove. I don't see Chubby's being anymore susceptible than any other brand. Just as fly ash will tend to collect in any 90 degree elbow. Clearing ash from spots like these is part and parcel to being a responsible stove user.

Fiziksgeek · Post by **Fiziksgeek** » Tue. Jan. 06, 2015 8:39 pm

Not much I can do about the chimney...it is what is it. I just keep the CO monitors with fresh batteries!

I have a fan on low down there, blowing cold air toward the stove, seems to disperse the heat pretty well.

Instead of an elbow turning the pipe up the flue, I installed a T with a cap on the bottom. The ash collects down on the cap, and I can easier take it off and clean it out. Also seems to work pretty well.

I am pretty satisfied with the results overall, my complaints are more nit picking than anything else. It's a chilly 16 out right now, and we are nice and warm!

Formulabruce · Post by **Formulabruce** » Tue. Jan. 06, 2015 9:57 pm

ONEDOLLAR wrote:We have one of the Eco Fans and they work pretty well. They won't blow your hair back by any means but they do help get the air moving about the house. Though I seem to remember a warning on them not to have them on the stove if the surface temp was over 450f (I think) as it could damage the fan. The only reason I remember this is we used to use the fan on a woodstove the woodstove wood exceed that at some points. But with the even heat of coal I don't worry about it now..

Formulabruce wrote:Draft reversal with Chubby off can happen with a Kitchen exhaust fan, Bathroom exhaust fan, a window box fan fan blowing out smoke etc.
In all fairness draft reversals like you mention can happen to any stove. I don't see Chubby's being anymore susceptible than any other brand. Just as fly ash will tend to collect in any 90 degree elbow. Clearing ash from spots like these is part and parcel to being a responsible stove user.

Max temp on the Eco is 650 Degrees, and you are sure right on the fact that any stove can reverse draft. Guess I was just re-imagining my nightmares LOL!

Post by **ONEDOLLAR** » Tue. Jan. 06, 2015 10:40 pm

Fiziksgeek wrote:I am pretty satisfied with the results overall, my complaints are more nit picking than anything else. It's a chilly 16 out right now, and we are nice and warm!

Hard to beat coal heat.....

I often wonder what my neighbors are keeping their house at temp wise and what it is costing them to do so. At the most it cost us $4 to $5 a day to stay nice and warm. Too warm sometimes for my liking but I can live with it. I do feel for those that keep paying the oil guy 2x a month or so. I can't imagine forking over $300 to $500 a month for oil. Or worse as the case may be. Even with falling oil prices it is hard to beat coal.

Chubby's are awesome stoves and if you ever need any help don't be shy about firing off an email to me. Happy to help.

Coal Chubby

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