Looking for some information on my antique Estate Heatrola gas stove

[sdnomad]

I have a Estate Stove Company Heatrola gas stove heater. Model 161-B.
The flue is open at the bottom. It looks to be cast that way, and I see no where there would have been a piece mounted to it. Is this correct?
Also, I do not know whether this is NG or propane. How can I tell?

 

[DAKSY]

The flue may be designed that way to act as a diffuser, similar to the design of gas water heaters.
If you can find a burner orifice or a pilot orifice (if it has either one), and you can size the nozzle hole,
that can be an indicator of the fuel it's set up for. NG orifices have larger diameter holes in them because
the incoming gas is under very low pressure.

 

[sdnomad]

The flue may be designed that way to act as a diffuser, similar to the design of gas water heaters.
If you can find a burner orifice or a pilot orifice (if it has either one), and you can size the nozzle hole,
that can be an indicator of the fuel it's set up for. NG orifices have larger diameter holes in them because
the incoming gas is under very low pressure.

I connected the heater to a 20lb propane bottle with a regulator and fired it up. This is how it looked. The flue worked well, I think. The top opening of the flue is where the heat went and there was no heat coming out of the bottom opening of the flue.

 

[DAKSY]

Is there a pilot or do you have to light the burner every time?

 

[sdnomad]

Is there a pilot or do you have to light the burner every time?

You have to light it everytime. There is a hole in the side that says light here.

 

[DAKSY]

OK. I saw that in the pic, but wasn't sure if it meant the pilot or the burner.
The only reason I ask is that you can tell by the pilot flame, if it's set up for NG & you try to burn LP.
The pilot will "candle" i.e. it'll turn up instead of burning straight horizontal.

 

[k0wtz]

so do this stove have a standing pilot?