# Batteries, potato skins, eggshells



## BoilerMan (Mar 17, 2013)

Ok, now to clarify I'm not going to do any of this as I don't have any creosote issues, and I do a yearly cleaning and it's not really needed.

So, I've heared through varrious people about these three things (all three from different people) being thrown in on hot coals and they somehow "clean the chimney".  It there any merrit to any of them.  Obviously the battery one would be the worst idea not to mention toxic I'd think, old timer swore by throwing in a couple of AAs in once a month of so............

The curious george in me wants to know if there is any merrit, and what the science is behind any such thing. 

I want to say it again, I ain't doing any of these, just curious.  The knowledge bank on Hearth will know was all I'm thinking.

TS


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## mtarbert (Mar 17, 2013)

You can burn garbage in your stove if you want but, I find a regular sprinkle of T.S.P. on hot coals keeps a chimney clean as a whistle.


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## ScotO (Mar 17, 2013)

Just burn good, seasoned wood........and you won't ever have any need to throw ANYTHING else in your stove.
A brush down the chimney in the fall (to make sure no birds got in there), middle of winter, and again in the spring........


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## red oak (Mar 17, 2013)

Not sure, but I feed 2 out of those 3 things to my chickens....


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## ScotO (Mar 17, 2013)

red oak said:


> Not sure, but I feed 2 out of those 3 things to my chickens....


Duracells or Energizers??


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## BoilerMan (Mar 17, 2013)

Scotty Overkill said:


> Duracells or Energizers??


 
Eveready, they are cheaper I think, the one with the cat and 9 lives should be good for the chickens.


BTW, the disclaimer:  I don't burn any of these things nor ever will.

TS


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## ArsenalDon (Mar 18, 2013)

Chickens dig eggshells? Wow...easy feeding


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## nate379 (Mar 18, 2013)

Batteries sound like a great way to burn the house down actually!

I was burning trash today and someone threw some batteries in there (normally that junk gets sorted out).  I about ducked for cover when the first one blew and went flying into the air.


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## Woody Stover (Mar 18, 2013)

Don Williams said:


> Chickens dig eggshells? Wow...easy feeding


That's what you call 'recycling.' BIL said the chickens were eating an egg occasionally...maybe they were after the shells. 


nate379 said:


> I was burning trash today and someone threw some batteries in there (normally that junk gets sorted out). I about ducked for cover when the first one blew and went flying into the air.


Maybe that's how they clean the chimney....they _blow_ all the crap outta there!


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## blacktail (Mar 18, 2013)

No way I'd put batteries in my stove. If I had potato skins, I'd probably throw them in, only because I think they're gross and wouldn't eat them. Egg shells go in my compost. 
Instead of wive's tales for chimney care, I just run my Sooteater up the chimney twice a year. Takes 10 minutes.


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## nate379 (Mar 18, 2013)

Woody Stover said:


> That's what you call 'recycling.' BIL said the chickens were eating an egg occasionally...maybe they were after the shells.
> 
> Maybe that's how they clean the chimney....they _blow_ all the crap outta there!



Haha!  Reminds me of an "accident" my Dad had, probably 20 years ago now.  They burned the paper trash in the stove and he had thrown the bathroom trash to light the stove (snot rags, q tips, etc).
Well we here a BOOM that shoot the house.  Dad comes up from the basement all full of shave cream.  My mom had threw a can in the trash and it exploded.  Blew the stove door open as my Dad was sitting in front if the stove.
Funny now, but at the time he was pissed!


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## nate379 (Mar 18, 2013)

Well I can't edit (won't allow me on my phone) so excuse the auto correct spelling.


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## loadstarken (Mar 18, 2013)

I have a good friend that swears by throwing all of his aluminum cans into the fire.


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## Ralphie Boy (Mar 18, 2013)

Don Williams said:


> Chickens dig eggshells?


 
Isn't that something like  cannibalism??


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## JP11 (Mar 18, 2013)

I admit.. the burn before I cleaned my turbs.. I put a potato in the secondary chamber for the burn.

I didn't really see any difference.  MAYBE the ash was a bit lighter and easier to remove.. but not much.

JP


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## red oak (Mar 18, 2013)

Scotty Overkill said:


> Duracells or Energizers??


 
Either.  Gives the chickens lots of energy BUT makes the eggs taste gross!


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## red oak (Mar 18, 2013)

Ralphie Boy said:


> Isn't that something like cannibalism??


 
Yeah, they'll actually eat entire eggs if they need calcium.  That's why you crumble the shells up, so they don't get in the habit of pecking whole ones.  Oyster shells actually work much better though.  Many times chickens aren't exactly nice to each other!


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## velvetfoot (Mar 18, 2013)

And...from Econoburns boiler operating tips, http://www.econoburn.com/images/PDF-Covers/Econoburn_Boiler_Operating_Tips.pdf

Burning potatoes in the lower chamber can help free up sticky turbulators. Just
place 2 or 3 decent sized potatoes on the refractory below the gasification nozzle
in the bottom chamber and operate the boiler normally. In a few hours, depending
how much your boiler gasifies, your sticky turbulators should free up. Your best
bet is to burn them over night.


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## firefighterjake (Mar 18, 2013)

I wouldn't mind baking a whole potato in the stove . . . not so sure about just the skins though . . . or anything else for that matter. Guess I'll just be a little wild and crazy and defy convention by burning well seasoned wood and running the chimney brush through the chimney to keep it clean.


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## JP11 (Mar 18, 2013)

Jake.. I threw in a whole one that was "around the bend" anyway.  It sure was burnt, and very light the next day.

If I had to take a guess... the stuff that came off the heat transfer tubes was a bit lighter and fluffier...  I had beat up my metal brush on a drill bit.. and used my nylon one instead.  Cleaned up in the same 10 minutes or so.

JP


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## velvetfoot (Mar 18, 2013)

JP11 said:


> Jake.. I threw in a whole one that was "around the bend" anyway.  It sure was burnt, and very light the next day.
> 
> If I had to take a guess... the stuff that came off the heat transfer tubes was a bit lighter and fluffier...  I had beat up my metal brush on a drill bit.. and used my nylon one instead.  Cleaned up in the same 10 minutes or so.
> 
> JP


Jeez, I missed your potatoe comment. Sorry.


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## Seasoned Oak (Mar 18, 2013)

I stack my junk mail under the wood before i light the stove,helps get the stove going and get rid of mail that may be used for identity theft.


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## DanCorcoran (Mar 18, 2013)

Just to keep this thread on track, I scrub unpeeled potatoes with a vegetable brush before baking, then eat the whole thing, skin and all.  My Irish roots I guess, but there is fiber in the skin.


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## Shane N (Mar 18, 2013)

DanCorcoran said:


> Just to keep this thread on track, I scrub unpeeled potatoes with a vegetable brush before baking, then eat the whole thing, skin and all. My Irish roots I guess, but there is fiber in the skin.


 

I rinse my potatoes off by hand (no brushes) and leave the skin on as well. More fiber (skin + random grit I didn't get off when rinsing  )


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## Backwoods Savage (Mar 18, 2013)

Taylor Sutherland said:


> Ok, now to clarify I'm not going to do any of this as I don't have any creosote issues, and I do a yearly cleaning and it's not really needed.
> 
> So, I've heared through varrious people about these three things (all three from different people) being thrown in on hot coals and they somehow "clean the chimney". It there any merrit to any of them. Obviously the battery one would be the worst idea not to mention toxic I'd think, old timer swore by throwing in a couple of AAs in once a month of so............
> 
> ...


 

I recall many, many moons ago when The Mother Earth News had an article or two about this. If I remember right they were really big on the potato skins.

Someone else beat me to it but I was going to say you forgot the aluminum cans. Just crumble one up and throw it in the stove.....   I'll stick to burning dry wood.


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## firefighterjake (Mar 18, 2013)

DanCorcoran said:


> Just to keep this thread on track, I scrub unpeeled potatoes with a vegetable brush before baking, then eat the whole thing, skin and all. My Irish roots I guess, but there is fiber in the skin.


 
Hand scrub before baking . . . and when we do a New England dinner, pot roast, etc. we always leave the peelings on the carrots and potatoes . . . less work, more flavorful.


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## Gark (Mar 18, 2013)

Haven't heard of those things doing any real good for creosote, but the saved eggshells are good to plant under tomatoes to help prevent BER (blossom end rot).


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## ArsenalDon (Mar 18, 2013)

DanCorcoran said:


> Just to keep this thread on track, I scrub unpeeled potatoes with a vegetable brush before baking, then eat the whole thing, skin and all. My Irish roots I guess, but there is fiber in the skin.


The skin is maybe my favorite part


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## Lumber-Jack (Mar 19, 2013)

They say that eating potato skins is healthy and helps keep your arteries clean, perhaps it works the same way for your chimneys  
Problem is, if I put all my potato skins in the wood stove I'll have to start using my chimney brush on my arteries, and that doesn't sound like fun to me.


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## Defiant (Mar 19, 2013)

Love to eat the skins 
Potatoes are a versatile carbohydrate source that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The tuber is a low calorie food high in vitamin C, vitamin B and beneficial iron. But it's not just the meat of the potato; potato skins are high in fiber and other vital nutrients.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/442807-the-benefits-of-eating-potato-skins/#ixzz2NzviLh8B


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## Salharmonic (Apr 23, 2013)

mtarbert said:


> You can burn garbage in your stove if you want but, I find a regular sprinkle of T.S.P. on hot coals keeps a chimney clean as a whistle.


What is TSP?


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## JP11 (Apr 23, 2013)

A cleaner.. something something phosphate.


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## Salharmonic (Apr 23, 2013)

any idea where one would find this? Is there a brand name? Thanks....


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## BrotherBart (Apr 23, 2013)

Any hardware store.

Trisodium Phosphate.


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## Salharmonic (Apr 23, 2013)

BrotherBart said:


> Any hardware store.
> 
> Trisodium Phosphate.


Thanks


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