Crane 404 - Our First Coal Burner

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Sun. Mar. 29, 2015 10:33 pm

Our cats have grown to love this stove with it's bone warming radiant heat.When I let it go down to 160* like today they gather real close to warn us that something is wrong with the stove. We didn't get any pics of them doing that yet ,but that will likely happen later this week as outside temps go up & our stove may just get shut down late in the week.Here are some pics of some of the cats lounging in our warm stove room.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Sun. Mar. 29, 2015 10:39 pm

Can't that stove be idled down real low on these warmer days WH & brought back at night?

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Sun. Mar. 29, 2015 10:55 pm

freetown fred wrote:Can't that stove be idled down real low on these warmer days WH & brought back at night?

FF,i had it down to 160* this afternoon & it is now over 400* again,with the forecast & our spring work load,we will likely let it go out when our last 5 buckets of coal are all.The EFM coal boiler can easily handle the job,we just won't have the WARM spot to go to on chilly mornings & evenings.Lit this stove on Nov. 1.2014,it will be strange to let it finally go out.

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Mon. Mar. 30, 2015 1:50 am

I am only looking at 2 nights above 40 in the next 10, most around 32. Is this ever going to end?

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Sun. Apr. 05, 2015 10:19 pm

156 days since Nov. 1,2014 when we lit our Crane. It has kept our living room comfortable with it's bone warming,radiant heat. The stove temp has been down to 150* & still came back up without too much fuss.We have gone thru 5300 # of coal = 34#/day avg.This stove was our primary heat during most of the normal part of winter,the heat exchanger fan would run during the colder times & extract heat from our EFM coal boiler.We hate to part with the heat this stove gives off,BUT, we are out of coal,the temps are warm enough during the day to need windowstats open,we are in our gardening season & our shop is experiencing the usual spring rush. So the time has come

,overnite or tomorrow the heat will cease radiating from this stove,BUT with out side temps mid to upper sixties we will be spending a lot of time in the shop & outdoors. This was our first heating season with coal,it has been a very positive experience for us & we are

Many yrs of heating with wood,1 yr of heating with coal & we are very impressed with the consistency of coal heat.

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Sun. Apr. 05, 2015 10:28 pm

Glad to hear you had a great first year burning coal. I hope you have many, many more.

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Mon. Apr. 06, 2015 9:33 pm

I have read many posts from those who have had trouble keeping their stove lit,i can't get my stove to quit !!! It is currently at 150*,still can see red coals glowing. We had a high of 75* outside today,windowstats were open.

blrman07 · Post by **blrman07** » Tue. Apr. 07, 2015 5:37 am

Switched to wood two days ago. I figured I would get a light creosote coating on everything to hold down corrosion before shutting the Vigi down for the season. I started finishing and starting the season on wood about 7 years ago and I have had zero problems with corrosion. I replace the flue piping every other year for no reason other than I think it's a good idea.

We had a 25 foot rotten cherry tree fall over the winter a year ago. A friend was supposed to come cut it up and haul it away but he never showed so I got out my trusty electric 14 inch chain saw, 50 foot extension cord and created lots of chips. I cut half the tree up and decided to burn the wood my self during the shoulder months we are in right now. I burned out one chain and for 13 bucks for a new chain, we have enough wood to finish the season out. It's hitting the low 60's during the day and 40's at night. Wife still wants a touch of heat and the wood fills the bill. Wood is harder to control as far as I'm concerned and it sure seems to be messier to contend with indoors. I did get an overnight fire that livened back up this morning when I opened the loading doors.

Window stats are in operation during the day and moderated at night. I tilled my hobby garden area two days ago with our little electric tiller. I have been slowing down around seed racks lately. I am fighting the urge to squirrel away seeds for Mothers Day Weekend. We don't put stuff in the ground until Moms Day weekend.

Post by **dcrane** » Tue. Apr. 07, 2015 9:54 am

windyhill4.2 wrote:I have read many posts from those who have had trouble keeping their stove lit,i can't get my stove to quit !!! It is currently at 150*,still can see red coals glowing. We had a high of 75* outside today,windowstats were open.

I can remember I went 73 hours on a full banked load during the warm weather in my 404 and wrote a post about it I was so amazed

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Tue. Apr. 07, 2015 10:16 am

dcrane wrote:
windyhill4.2 wrote:I have read many posts from those who have had trouble keeping their stove lit,i can't get my stove to quit !!! It is currently at 150*,still can see red coals glowing. We had a high of 75* outside today,windowstats were open.
I can remember I went 73 hours on a full banked load during the warm weather in my 404 and wrote a post about it I was so amazed

Wow 50 hours beyond my best! LOL at 23 I was getting a bit terrified and opened MPD and ash pan door. Let mine go out a couple of days ago only to hear the oil furnace running way to much so simmering along at 200 ish again and house warm. I rather use a windowstat than hear the boiler running. Today is 40's and damp so 200 perfect.

Post by **Lightning** » Tue. Apr. 07, 2015 3:02 pm

windyhill4.2 wrote:Here are some pics of some of the cats lounging in our warm stove room.

What do you feed your cats? Miracle Grow?

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Wed. Apr. 08, 2015 6:37 am

Lightning wrote:
windyhill4.2 wrote:Here are some pics of some of the cats lounging in our warm stove room.
What do you feed your cats? Miracle Grow?

We feed them the normal cat foods,its been a long ,lazy winter,summer should slim all of us down a little bit.We all enjoy eating & without lots of work or exercise it starts showing .

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Wed. Apr. 08, 2015 6:47 am

I did forget to update yesterday ~~~~~ Our Crane 404 was 100* yesterday at 6 a/m & officially declared room temperature (dead) b4 noon. We already miss our go-to hot spot. Even with readjusting the hot air vents to allow more hot air to this room & less to others,we have a tolerably comfortable house with no "WARM" room. We will be missing the warm room over the next few days as the high temps will only be in the 40's,but we are spending long days in the shop where we can work hard enough to sweat at times.We are not looking forward to next winter , BUT, we do know that when it comes we will have a very WARM room to enjoy thru the cold weather,it will make winter a bit more tolerable.

Post by **Lightning** » Wed. Apr. 08, 2015 7:33 am

windyhill4.2 wrote: We feed them the normal cat foods,its been a long ,lazy winter,summer should slim all of us down a little bit.We all enjoy eating & without lots of work or exercise it starts showing .

Right lol. I have some fat kitties too. My "Big Black" actually weighed in at 27 pounds at one point.

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Wed. Apr. 08, 2015 12:13 pm

A couple days ago finally got one of the 2 adjustable secondary air dampers installed on my 404. It seems to help a bit under two different conditions the first with a fresh load of Kimmels coal. Wow serious blues from the top of coal bed to top of stove and for hours I quit looking and checking at 4 and ignored until 6 hours and going down so closed it off and used the standard amount as built. It allowed me to cut primary air by 35% and get the same stove temp of 450 that I was shooting for so a coal savings with Kimmels and a bit finer as well. With the Blaschack not nearly as much a difference but some so the need seems it varies by coal as much as anything else. Running slow and cool for me stove top of 150-175. Cracking the MPD to about 20% open from full closed and opening secondary seemed to keep the stove top temps manageable and still have a decent draft. I am assuming I am sending more heat up the chimney and less to the stove but primary air barely open so doubt I am wasting coal just avoiding a time consuming clean and start from scratch.

In the end was it needed I would have to say 98% of the time no is it handy yes another tuning tool to suit a particular need of the coal being used or the outside temp. I am a fairly competent engineer and willing to admit if I just wasted my time and I think this was not a waste and if nothing else a teaching tool.

OK DCrane what kind of steel did your dad use to build this thing? I needed a carbide tipped drill to do the install as coated cobalt drill were laughed at. I only have a few left hand cutting drill bits and clearly marked but had to double check as nothing but the carbide tipped one would bite in and drill a hole.

I can send a pic if anyone is interested as well.

Crane 404 - Our First Coal Burner

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