Still getting lots of coal buildup

[CowboyAndy]

I cleaned out the box the other day, leaving only 2" at the bottom. By yesterday afternoon, they were back up to the top of the bottom row of brick. My wife swears up and down she is letting the fire go to just coals before reloading, and is raking them forward. I even put foil over the barametric damper.

Any ideas?

 

[smokinj]

I cleaned out the box the other day, leaving only 2" at the bottom. By yesterday afternoon, they were back up to the top of the bottom row of brick. My wife swears up and down she is letting the fire go to just coals before reloading, and is raking them forward. I even put foil over the barametric damper.

Any ideas?

go a little longer between loads let the coals burn down a little longer before reload (after raking let it go another hour before you load again)

 

[CowboyAndy]

Only problem is when it gets down to coals, the firebox is an inferno, but its not heating up the exchanger, so the house gets cold!

Someone suggested a damper, but I am really nervous about one because this is an oil/wood combo and I wouldnt want the oil to come on with that damper partially closed.

 

[smokinj]

Only problem is when it gets down to coals, the firebox is an inferno, but its not heating up the exchanger, so the house gets cold!

Someone suggested a damper, but I am really nervous about one because this is an oil/wood combo and I wouldnt want the oil to come on with that damper partially closed.

yes i see the problem,is there anyway you can run two flews on that furance? (the oil side flew would be alot chepier to run)

 

[breamer999]

Burn softwood

 

[laynes69]

I let ours burn down. If you can't get the coals down and no heat, then use small splits. Using a few small splits on top will burn the coals down quicker, while putting heat in the home. Once burnt down then go with larger splits with a normal loadings. Try the few small splits, you'll be suprised.

 

[ManiacPD]

I tried to find a picture of it online and the one I found shows two doors, one to feed the wood and one to clean out the ashes...

At the risk of sounding like an idiot, I'd leave the ash door cracked so it sucks more air up through the wood. Our Memco only gets draft from the ashpan door and I've had to add some 1/8" thick steel plate to my grates to reduce air flow. The thing was hard to keep from overheating, and subsequently eating wood like crazy.

It takes lots of air from underneath to get the coals to burn down to nice powdery ash.

I see the blower that blows air over the fire, which would help for secondary burn. But if you don't have enough air under the fire and you've got just a bed of coals, blowing a bunch of air over the top of them won't help much IMO.