First season; some questions

[cds50]

Last year I installed a Hitzer 354 stove. Being late in the season and no plan for stockpiling wood, I planned to burn hard coal. What a disaster! difficult to start, difficult to maintain, tons of ash and my wife would fight it all day when I was at work. We shut it down for Christmas and never lit it (on coal) again.
This season I'm burning wood... what a joy; things seem to be going well, but I have a few questions.

1. My dealer touted the stove as a coal or wood unit, but the manufacturer states it's for coal only. Whats the difference and should I be concerned? I read somewhere that it has something to do with sales in Canada?

2. With a new fire or a reload about the best I do for an extended burn is 4-5 hours. I must admit as a newcomer to burning wood, I'm fairly cautious about loading the firebox, typically loading 5-6 medium size splits angled up toward the back and extending only slightly above the firebrick. Does this sound right, should I expect longer burns, any suggestions?

3. Last question... The glass door is a devil to keep clean. Some burns do better than others, but each cycle leaves a light brown to sometimes (when my wife's tending) a blackish film. I find myself cleaning it often using hot soapy water, glass cleaner and sometimes a razor blade. After good ignition I do damper down, but always maintaining flame (not smoldering), until I'm down to a coal bed. Any thoughts on preventing or reducing the build up or a better way of cleaning the glass?

 

[webbie]

There is really no such thing as a coal and wood stove, something you might be finding out after the fact!

That is a coal stove. All stoves should be sold with hang tags today, as the EPA requires it. A properly engineered woodstove will burn much cleaner than a coal stove burning wood.
If you look at the makers web site:
http://www.hitzer.com/model354.html

it clearly say it is a coal stove.

So, you should be concerned if wood is going to be your primary fuel......the firebox is not big enough for long burns and it does not have the engineering to keep the glass clean. There is no real way to fix that particular problem.

Of course, it will burn wood. But it is, in theory, "illegal" to do so. That stove will work vastly better with hard coal.....so I am surprised to hear about your problems with it. Yes, coal has a learning curve, but once you get it down it is pretty easy.

Ideally, a stove like that might burn wood in the shoulder season and then coal in the coldest weather.

 

[cds50]

Not exactly what I was hoping to hear, but it all makes perfect sense. Thank you for the feedback!

 

[katwillny]

Wow, great to see a post from The Man Himself. CDS50, That is a great coal stove you have there, it may be in your best interest to get to know your stove and all of its potential. Coal does provide a great deal of BTU and at least here where i live, coal is relatively inexpensive. Im sure it is in great abbundance in your area of Western PA. Practice makes perfect.

 

[raybonz]

There is really no such thing as a coal and wood stove, something you might be finding out after the fact!

That is a coal stove. All stoves should be sold with hang tags today, as the EPA requires it. A properly engineered woodstove will burn much cleaner than a coal stove burning wood.
If you look at the makers web site:
http://www.hitzer.com/model354.html

it clearly say it is a coal stove.

So, you should be concerned if wood is going to be your primary fuel......the firebox is not big enough for long burns and it does not have the engineering to keep the glass clean. There is no real way to fix that particular problem.

Of course, it will burn wood. But it is, in theory, "illegal" to do so. That stove will work vastly better with hard coal.....so I am surprised to hear about your problems with it. Yes, coal has a learning curve, but once you get it down it is pretty easy.

Ideally, a stove like that might burn wood in the shoulder season and then coal in the coldest weather.

My stove was sold as combo stove and came with everything to convert it to coal however I have only used it for wood and have all the coal stuff stored in the cellar.. From what I can see the bottom air intake along with the shaker grates along with the sides to retain the burning coal constitute the coal burning capabilities of this stove.. Has anyone here ever burned coal in a CDW large convection I wonder? What would you say makes a coal stove a coal stove?

Ray