Starting with nothing--Secondary burn wood stove that accepts coal (or coal stove that accepts wood)

Preferences:

-Coal stove that accepts wood or wood stove that accepts coal (however you want to say it). All I can find is the Harman TLC 2000 so far.

-No catalytic converter (secondary burn type). I can't see buying things every couple years; defeats my purpose of finding free wood and heating with it.

-Can accept or has option to switch out glass door (some evenings for the family ambiance). A must.

-Preference for outside air that hooks directly to stove (the explanations don't add up; cold air has to come from the outside and outside isn't heated, so I'd prefer that to go directly to the flame not draw from rooms upstairs). Just a preference, 'cause if it's big enough, it shouldn't matter.

-Prefer to control air intake for sustained burns rather than bursts of hell coupled with cold. I was thinking about a huge box, loading it up and controlling the air for all day use (unless they invented an efficient one that can last 12 hours with one load). Creosote doesn't scare me at all; I used to burn all pine and can deal with it.

-I'd like the option of coal if I get too busy to split wood (one I can turn down to control the burn).

Heating 1200 sq ft ugly split foyer (through one floor then through the attic and roof using the safest triple wall or better stack I can find). I plan to find a stove rated for heating more than 1200sq ft 'cause, as most American things, the ratings aren't accurate.

If I can have all of the above, cost isn't an option because this deregulation stuff schedules this winter's heating bills well into the $400's/month; something's gotta give (I have 2 kids, new wife, another on the way plus supporting impoverished in-laws overseas).

I've been paging through this site and many others but can't seem to find (even on Google) high efficiency COAL/wood stove (since there's no info about wood stoves that accept coal--(really just a coal stove that accepts wood)!

I'm surprised there aren't more posts (perhaps there are, if you could direct me) about coal/wood stoves with secondary burn?





(Thanks for the reply...I hit enter before finishing-It didn't make sense so I removed that part).

Hey, thanks! I really appreciate it!

I'll look into that and see what it says; I like having as many options as possible (and if it's an efficient wood burner, I don't have to get a whole new stove if I don't burn coal). Funny they say manufactured by the Amish (don't they know the real Amish use horses and buggies and don't exactly weld)? I think they mean manufactured by Mennonites ) -wait, maybe they mean Amish as in race, not religion...

It's too bad they don't make all these fancy stoves thick cast iron anymore where it wouldn't matter if you used coal.

Hmmmm-I can't find prices anywhere!

Hahahahahah! They're only 11 miles from me! I think I'll drive over tomorrow and chat!

It would be great if I could hook up water to the system and do away with all this electric crap! Electric prices are astronomical (it's not like anything in the production of electricity changed to cause the tripling of the price) but that's another gripe entirely!

So looking at other posts on the web, looks like under a grand! They're saying over 80% efficiency. I saw some youtube videos where they're using these things to furnace the house and hot water, etc.

Thank you again SOOOO MUCH for your response! I don't think you know how much you helped me!

So, I've visited their factory twice (once just this morning). I'd like a larger glass in it but they even took me back to the machinist guys in the back to see what they could fabricate and the conclusion was that it would take a bit more money to add an inch to the window (I suppose I could find a higher one but not wider, but why bother; I just need a stove).

The stoves are incredibly efficient with something like 87%. Add coal to it and the round and round secondary burn makes this a heat retainer with a LOT less heat up the stack. Just using a coal stove without the secondary burn (for the sake of where the hot air goes before escaping), I don't know why they're all not doing it.

I like how simple and accessible everything is (replacing bricks, the pan, etc). The ash pan is about 3x larger and deeper than the largest I've seen. They have a new model being tested they tease you with (it's sitting in the storeroom but it's not for sale or in production yet). That one is 1700, the energy max is 18 or 1900 (I lost consciousness so I don't remember).

I wish I had access to some thick sheet metal and parts (you can watch em making them in the back) to make my own (but not enough time, skill or toys). They're sold out, always are and back ordered for the one's they have until next month. I asked why doesn't he hire more people and he said larger businesses fail (at least that was his fear). I told him Apple didn't seem too bad off (hahaha)! So what they make is what they make and they're not expanding or anything. Clearly this is the best I've seen. I went to other dealers and they gave me this "It's either a wood or coal but you can't do both...". I pointed at their most efficient and said that would work if they didn't use ladyboy thickness metal.

Anyways, I'm sold on this; looking for triple wall pipe now and will be cutting my house within the week (unless I get it online).

Thanks again for the suggestion! I'm amazed at these stoves! I just wish the larger viewing glass one was in production (it's not EPA tested yet; they sold 20 to dealers awaiting reports before they make 50 more for their second trial before testing and production).

I'm buying the water hookup and tank to get hot water out of it, too. The heck if I'm gonna pay these electric companies four hundred anything this winter! I also put an ad in craigslist and found a guy with "more wood than you can handle" willing to pay me to remove it (some is cut and split)! I'm gonna drop about 4 more massive trees, cut them up and bring them home so other than the installation and purchase, truly free heat and hot water this winter

Thanks again for your suggestion! This forum is great; storing wood (as suggested).

The energy max110 (and all their wood/coal stoves that they currently sell) are EPA approved. The other model I've been talking about (not sure what the name of it is, but it's not for sale yet) 75 is not.

You can find models here and there from dealers in nearby states. Seems neither the dealers or the factory have all the models out at once. They don't really advertise but they've got stuff on their little showroom floor and describe the difference, or show you in the factory one on a crate or being made (if it's not on the floor). It's an old fashioned hardware shop looking place with what looks like two big pole barns out back with welders and crates full of stoves. They're back ordered a month. The energy-max is basically like any of the others; looks like a coal stove but with a small window and is lengthened to accommodate wood. Only thing I don't like is it's not also a top feeder (for coal). I'm assuming the "110" is the BTU's. The 75 isn't EPA approved which is one of a couple reasons they're not selling. They had a firebrick cracking issue with a new model some years ago and they had to recall them all and install thicker bricks (people would throw the wood in, brick would crack and fall out, then it got too hot and some warped). Replaced with double thickness bricks to handle pile driving wood loading.

The interior shaker grates are extremely thick (like a good inch or so) and the shell is very thick steel with some cast iron parts. Everything is easy to access (like the brick holder L beam that fits right in and they all pop straight out for replacement/maintenance. I should bring my camera and post pictures. I asked them if they fooled around on the web and they said they didn't (I mentioned this website).

The 110 has something ridiculous like 87% efficiency. Air intake in the back is temperature controlled to give constant heat (mechanical thermostat run by a heat sensing coil to a little chain onto the carbon fiber (it looks like) flap.

Anyway, it's a well made beast that should do everything I want. People who have them say they burn both coal and wood perfectly. Burn time on wood is 8-12 hours depending on how you burn and coal is 24 hours+ or - depending on how you burn (shake at least twice). All the competitors say you can't find a stove that does both well (with today's technology, why not?). Just beef up a good design secondary burn stove, add a coal shaker grate, double thickness of everything and it will do both! It's not rocket science, especially to coal stoves. The forums I've seen with the DSM's all have rave reviews for those who use the wood/coal stoves Not a single unhappy camper which sold me. If you had the time, thick metal and skill, I'm sure you could make one "do both very well"; route the gasses around once before leaving, add 1/4" metal slide door to shut off the direct chimney flow, force the air around the hot box once between the walls, ad a super deep ash pan, mechanical thermostat/air control and you've got a stove that does both very well.

I only wish the burn window was bigger and maybe a top feeder chute. Other than that, it's a nice hunk of metal. There are two air knobs that are bolted shut (they'd function if you wanted but the back vent is what you need to use to get the air circulation proper for max efficiency unless you'd like it as a fireplace not concerned with max efficiency. So they paint the knobs silver for the "looks like a stove" appeal. That's it for the pretty factor but then again, these things are made to work like the workhorses that pull their buggies and plow their fields.