To20Chris
Platinum Member
I've been getting the hang of my tiny little potbelly stove on my porch, but the most I can get it to run is about 4hrs. If I let it run longer than that it goes out. It works better on pea than it did on chestnut. I find if I let it go too long it's really hard to bring it back, as too much ash builds up in the coal, and since it is so small there is not a real big mass of coal there. It's tough to shake down in that condition without putting it out. I find if I add a small amount of coal to it first, let it catch, and then shake it down it will be easier. The grate in this one can be shaken back and forth, and it will tilt to dump.
I have also found that if it goes a long time before I shake it down, it forms a kind of "plug", where the coal gets held up in the funnel shaped firebox. The ashes will fall out the bottom, but then the coal is not really resting on the grate anymore, and the fire is burning higher in the stove. I have to use a poker from the top to knock it all back down so the grate will work again. Sometimes I tilt the grate a bit while shaking it and can knock it down that way.
I have a damper in the stove pipe (4"), and when it is running I usually have the ash door completely closed, the damper closed, and the door over the fire closed. It's not sealed, as there are some leaks around the castings. There is no firebrick in it, and it will glow if I leave the ash vent open much!
I start it by shoveling some hot coals into an old saucepan form my wood stove, and dumping them into the coal stove. Then I pour in some coal, and instant start! I add coal layer at a time until it gets going good so I don't smother it.
This is a tiny antiqure potbelly, and it has a sliding door just above the center seam (i.e. in the upper bowl shaped casting). I've been hesitant to put in coal higher than the door (I fill it through the griddle hole on the top), but since I don't really use the door, would it hurt to put more in? How much space do I need between the top of the coal and the chimney?
It is dirty, and I hate cleaning it. But I like the heat it puts out, and if I could get it to run a bit longer it would sure be helpful.
This stove is only temporary, when I rebuild that porch (hopefully next year), I want to put in a cook stove. I'll have to decide on wood or coal - it'll probably be wood because I have enough woodland, but I still need to give it more thought.
Sorry to ramble!
I have also found that if it goes a long time before I shake it down, it forms a kind of "plug", where the coal gets held up in the funnel shaped firebox. The ashes will fall out the bottom, but then the coal is not really resting on the grate anymore, and the fire is burning higher in the stove. I have to use a poker from the top to knock it all back down so the grate will work again. Sometimes I tilt the grate a bit while shaking it and can knock it down that way.
I have a damper in the stove pipe (4"), and when it is running I usually have the ash door completely closed, the damper closed, and the door over the fire closed. It's not sealed, as there are some leaks around the castings. There is no firebrick in it, and it will glow if I leave the ash vent open much!
I start it by shoveling some hot coals into an old saucepan form my wood stove, and dumping them into the coal stove. Then I pour in some coal, and instant start! I add coal layer at a time until it gets going good so I don't smother it.
This is a tiny antiqure potbelly, and it has a sliding door just above the center seam (i.e. in the upper bowl shaped casting). I've been hesitant to put in coal higher than the door (I fill it through the griddle hole on the top), but since I don't really use the door, would it hurt to put more in? How much space do I need between the top of the coal and the chimney?
It is dirty, and I hate cleaning it. But I like the heat it puts out, and if I could get it to run a bit longer it would sure be helpful.
This stove is only temporary, when I rebuild that porch (hopefully next year), I want to put in a cook stove. I'll have to decide on wood or coal - it'll probably be wood because I have enough woodland, but I still need to give it more thought.
Sorry to ramble!
