# Good bye to EPA stove!!



## corey21 (Nov 11, 2014)

The mag is gone im not sad to see it go.

New stove drafts and runs great and simple operation!


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## BrotherBart (Nov 11, 2014)

Whatever blows your skirt up.


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## CenterTree (Nov 11, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> Whatever blows your skirt up.


Well, he* is *happy with the draft.


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## WiscWoody (Nov 11, 2014)

corey21 said:


> The mag is gone im not sad to see it go.
> 
> New stove drafts and runs great and simple operation!


So... Are you saying goodbye, like... I've sent you on your way, out to the scrap heap? I guess I would'nt now what a Mag is either.... It's like...woosh, right over my head! I am from the north ya know.... But I did make it to the 8th grade!


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## tarzan (Nov 11, 2014)

corey21 said:


> The mag is gone im not sad to see it go.
> 
> New stove drafts and runs great and simple operation!



Please, do tell


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## BrotherBart (Nov 11, 2014)

WiscWoody said:


> I guess I would'nt now what a Mag is either...



 US Stove Magnolia.

I am starting to wonder about that stove. Three people here that have gone back to their old stoves had the Mag.


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## corey21 (Nov 11, 2014)

WiscWoody said:


> So... Are you saying goodbye, like... I've sent you on your way, out to the scrap heap? I guess I would'nt now what a Mag is either.... It's like...woosh, right over my head! I am from the north ya know.... But I did make it to the 8th grade!


I sent it too my shop.

The new stove may burn more wood but i dont mind. Just never could get to like the Magnolia


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## corey21 (Nov 11, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> US Stove Magnolia.
> 
> I am starting to wonder about that stove. Three people here that have gone back to their old stoves had the Mag.



it is junk dont really want it at all  but i donated my wondercoal out in the shop to a friend in need.


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## webby3650 (Nov 11, 2014)

An old saying comes to mind: You get what you pay for. It's a low end stove, I wouldn't expect too much out of it.


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## begreen (Nov 11, 2014)

There are several good low end stoves in roughly the same price range with happy owners. For some reason this one doesn't seem to be making the cut.


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## WiscWoody (Nov 11, 2014)

I did a search on the Magnolia and I see it wasn't a favorite.


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## BrotherBart (Nov 11, 2014)

Next person that hates one please send it to me. I want to take one for a test drive. I can't believe the thing is all that bad. I have looked at them on the show room floor and it ought to be a decent heater.


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## pen (Nov 11, 2014)

One of the guys I often cut wood with has heated his house for years with his, with no complaints.  

Not sure what is going on with them.  Can't remember enough about other complaints to recall if there is a common denominator or not.


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## tarzan (Nov 11, 2014)

The friend that I mentioned giving my moisture meter to in another thread was a new wood burner with a magnolia. He told me that most of his splits (measured right) were at 24%mc and wouldn't burn. 

I gave him some 18% cherry that he said didn't do much better. 

Last I heard he was mixing kiln dried and bio bricks. 

He was a friend from work and I lost touch with him after that.


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## WiscWoody (Nov 11, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> Next person that hates one please send it to me. I want to take one for a test drive. I can't believe the thing is all that bad. I have looked at them on the show room floor and it ought to be a decent heater.


Here is something I found on the site.

The thing I noticed when I looked at one a couple of years ago is that the steel baffle was welded in and not replaceable.
BrotherBart, Nov 6, 2010ReportBookmark
#2LikeReply

I have a not-so-great Drolet Eastwood 1800. I can replace the secondary's and the refractory above and of course the fire bricks. Do I have a Magnolia in disguise? ...agh


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## corey21 (Nov 11, 2014)

tarzan said:


> The friend that I mentioned giving my moisture meter to in another thread was a new wood burner with a magnolia. He told me that most of his splits (measured right) were at 24%mc and wouldn't burn.
> 
> I gave him some 18% cherry that he said didn't do much better.
> 
> ...


Bout the only thing that stove is good for is trash burning


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## bholler (Nov 11, 2014)

it is not exactly fair to lump all epa stoves in with one low end model.  Or even all low end stoves in with that one poor example


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## corey21 (Nov 11, 2014)

begreen said:


> There are several good low end stoves in roughly the same price range with happy owners. For some reason this one doesn't seem to be making the cut.


My new buck stove is great burn one year old red oak with no problems


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## BrotherBart (Nov 11, 2014)

Give us a pic of this magic heater.


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## corey21 (Nov 11, 2014)

Need to build a hearth when it was installed that was the biggest pad

You can really pack the wood in it


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## bholler (Nov 11, 2014)

In my experience with those they are creosote factories clean often my friend especially with wet wood


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## corey21 (Nov 11, 2014)

bholler said:


> In my experience with those they are creosote factories clean often my friend especially with wet wood


Yeah I know what u mean. But my flue hit 800 easy and cruises at around 400 with heat waves out the chimney once cruising.


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## bholler (Nov 11, 2014)

800 stack temp?  Wow that is hot


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## BrotherBart (Nov 11, 2014)

His five year adventure ends. He had the Mag since 2009.


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## corey21 (Nov 11, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> His five year adventure ends. He had the Mag since 2009.


Yeah the Mag is finally gone


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## Dieselhead (Nov 11, 2014)

Carol Brady called, her house is getting cold and she wants her stove back  but hey I hope it works better for you then your last lemon!


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## Hogwildz (Nov 12, 2014)

corey21 said:


> My new buck stove is great burn one year old red oak with no problems


Now that's something to boast about.
Good luck with that.
Nice looking suitcase you have there.


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## blades (Nov 12, 2014)

Not a fan of USS equipment based on the the low end furnace I have in basement and many feed backs on the company over the years. They are in no way related Drolet which is a Division of SBI out of Canada. USS mostly is all chicom mfg- which pretty much defines the problem/s right there.


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## corey21 (Nov 18, 2014)

Had to start using my pipe damper to hold more heat in.


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## corey21 (Nov 24, 2014)

Ok im am finding out im losing a lot of heat out the chimney is it a bad idea to use my pipe damper all the time? Especially when im running about 700 on the probe do i close it some and leave it till reload or the fire gets low.


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## Hogwildz (Nov 24, 2014)

This comes with using a pre-EPA stove. You can try using the damper more, but you may build more creo in the stack. Best to keep an eye on it.
Your wanting the best of both pre EPA & EPA stoves, and usually, you can't have it both ways.


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## bholler (Nov 24, 2014)

Yeah you will have that all you can do is close the damper down but make sure your thermometer is above the damper and you still have enough temp there.  And yes it will increase creosote but that is what happens when you go to an old style stove


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## claydogg84 (Nov 24, 2014)

corey21 said:


> Need to build a hearth when it was installed that was the biggest pad
> 
> You can really pack the wood in it



Good lord, is that thing in your living space!?!?


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## corey21 (Nov 24, 2014)

Hogwildz said:


> This comes with using a pre-EPA stove. You can try using the damper more, but you may build more creo in the stack. Best to keep an eye on it.
> Your wanting the best of both pre EPA & EPA stoves, and usually, you can't have it both ways.





bholler said:


> Yeah you will have that all you can do is close the damper down but make sure your thermometer is above the damper and you still have enough temp there.  And yes it will increase creosote but that is what happens when you go to an old style stove


Thank you all for the help. I like this pre EPA stove a heck a lot better then my last EPA stove this stove has not givin me any real problems at all. The creo with the damper being used i could see problem down the road there if used improperly but my probe is above the damper so i just need to experiment some.



claydogg84 said:


> Good lord, is that thing in your living space!?!?


Yeah in my living room. its a big stove but i love it. Its a heavy duty stove only weighs 460 pounds.


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## Hogwildz (Nov 24, 2014)

Might as well top it off with a Magicheat add on....


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## Huntindog1 (Nov 24, 2014)

Corey21

*Gone to the dark side, you have.  Hmmmmmm.
*
As Yoda would say


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## MarylandGuy (Nov 24, 2014)

corey21 said:


> I like this pre EPA stove a heck a lot better then my last EPA stove this stove has not givin me any real problems at all.


 
With all due respect, as bholler suggested, you sound kind of silly lumping your old cheap EPA approved stove with all EPA stoves. That's like getting rid of an old Datsun that gave you issues and blaming all Japanese cars.  Had you bought a Toyota or a Lexus in the first place, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

In a few months you are going to post how your "new" stove eats lots of wood and caused a chimney fire. 

Do yourself a favor and start scanning Craigslist for a decent, used modern stove. You will never look back.


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## Huntindog1 (Nov 24, 2014)

Here ya go Hogwildz


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## begreen (Nov 24, 2014)

corey21 said:


> Yeah in my living room. its a big stove but i love it. Its a heavy duty stove only weighs 460 pounds.


I'll see that 460# and raise it 15 lbs. with an Englander 30NC or  should I really up the ante with 125 lbs for the Alderlea T6.


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## corey21 (Nov 24, 2014)

MarylandGuy said:


> With all due respect, as bholler suggested, you sound kind of silly lumping your old cheap EPA approved stove with all EPA stoves. That's like getting rid of an old Datsun that gave you issues and blaming all Japanese cars.  Had you bought a Toyota or a Lexus in the first place, we wouldn't be having this discussion.
> 
> In a few months you are going to post how your "new" stove eats lots of wood and caused a chimney fire.
> 
> Do yourself a favor and start scanning Craigslist for a decent, used modern stove. You will never look back.


I understand what your saying and I did not mean all epa stoves I just hated the one I had. I done great with the wondercoal back in 2009. These type of stove suit me better


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## Simonkenton (Nov 24, 2014)

I am with Corey. I am a Troglodyte, a cave-dweller. DNA testing shows that I am 3.1 percent Neanderthal.
I like the old pre EPA stoves!  I had a 1988 VC Resolute that was a fantastic stove, wish I still had it. It burned dry wood, green wood, it didn't care. Easy to light.

I am such a Troglodyte that, 30 years ago, I had a Sotz 55 gallon double drum stove and I loved it! What a huge fire box!
I have 3 chain saws, and a pickup truck, I can get all the wood I need for free. Chopping firewood is good exercise.

Alas, modern times have caught up with me. The fiancee hates the look of the Sotz. 
Women. Go figure.
Next year I will be getting a Jotul Oslo, and will build a solar powered wood shed so that I can get my firewood down to the low humidity that these EPA stoves demand.


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## bholler (Nov 24, 2014)

Simonkenton said:


> so that I can get my firewood down to the low humidity that these EPA stoves demand



I am sorry but wet wood burns just as bad in old stoves as it does in new ones i really dont see where everyone gets that idea.  Water doesn't burn so no matter what the stove if your wood is wet you are wasting tons of btus to drive that moisture out and dumping a ton of crap into the chimney at the same time


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## MarylandGuy (Nov 24, 2014)

That's funny, the things we do for woman.


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## corey21 (Nov 24, 2014)

bholler said:


> I am sorry but wet wood burns just as bad in old stoves as it does in new ones i really dont see where everyone gets that idea.  Water doesn't burn so no matter what the stove if your wood is wet you are wasting tons of btus to drive that moisture out and dumping a ton of crap into the chimney at the same time


Old stoves are much more forgiving then epa stoves are when it comes to wet wood.


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## BrotherBart (Nov 24, 2014)

Different smoke for different folk.


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## Simonkenton (Nov 24, 2014)

Yes! The old VC Resolute would burn green wood fine. I had one stack of green, fresh cut and split oak, and one stack of dry oak, one year old.
I always lit the stove with dry wood. If it was really cold I burned only dry wood.
But, this was central Georgia, not northern Minnesota. On a typical 30 degree January night, I would load that Resolute up with the green wood and it would hold fire all night long. Yes I lost heat by the drying of the wood in the stove, but it put out sufficient heat, and it kept coals for 8 hours, good enough for me.
I didn't have bad problems with creosote and only swept the pipe once a year.

But, here is the oldy but goodie of the old time stoves. The classic Sotz double drum.






Rated at 250,000 BTU! What a champ!
The fire box is 32 inches long, and the door is 11 x 11 inches. Get a good bed of coals in there, you could get a 15 hour burn easily.
Pictured to the right is the smaller Sotz, with the round door. I also had one of those for 3 years, made it with a 30 gallon pressure tank from a home water well. That was also a great stove, huge firebox.

ps I don't understand why the fiancee hates the Sotz, it looks beautiful to me. Very practical.


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## corey21 (Nov 24, 2014)

Simonkenton said:


> Yes! The old VC Resolute would burn green wood fine. I had one stack of green, fresh cut and split oak, and one stack of dry oak, one year old.
> I always lit the stove with dry wood. If it was really cold I burned only dry wood.
> But, this was central Georgia, not northern Minnesota. On a typical 30 degree January night, I would load that Resolute up with the green wood and it would hold fire all night long. Yes I lost heat by the drying of the wood in the stove, but it put out sufficient heat, and it kept coals for 8 hours, good enough for me.
> I didn't have bad problems with creosote and only swept the pipe once a year.
> ...


About the same way this stove does and back in 09 with the wondercoal we were out of power for 2 weeks due to a huge wet snow. I run out wood and cut up a red oak a huge one that had fell during the snow and threw some in the fire that day. No big issues came from that .


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## BrotherBart (Nov 24, 2014)

Guy I worked with in the eighties has a barrel stove in the basement that came with the house he bought. It had the smaller door frame. He was shoving big wood in it one night and got his arms stuck against the side of the door from. The log was between in hands. Emergency room time with major burns on both arms.

I had one in the basement myself for a few years in the eighties. Finally drug if you, cut doors in both ends of the top barrel, put racks in it and made a major meat smoker out of it.


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## Simonkenton (Nov 24, 2014)

Brother Bart! You are an old time Sotz double drum owner!
Admit it, you loved that stove.


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## corey21 (Nov 24, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> Guy I worked with in the eighties has a barrel stove in the basement that came with the house he bought. It had the smaller door frame. He was shoving big wood in it one night and got his arms stuck against the side of the door from. The log was between in hands. Emergency room time with major burns on both arms.
> 
> I had one in the basement myself for a few years in the eighties. Finally drug if you, cut doors in both ends of the top barrel, put racks in it and made a major meat smoker out of it.


That sounds painful ouch


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## Huntindog1 (Nov 25, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> Different smoke for different folk.


BB I always knew you were smoking something


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## Seasoned Oak (Nov 25, 2014)

Those barrel stoves put out a lot of heat for the amount of wood thats consumed ,especially if you have the double decker. Got to load em often though. I use that style heater in a garage or workshop or basement if its a concrete or other non combustable floor.Edit: Sure smells better than a kerosene heater and so much cheaper than propane


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## BradleyW (Nov 25, 2014)

Simonkenton said:


> Next year I will be getting a Jotul Oslo, and will build a solar powered wood shed so that I can get my firewood down to the low humidity that these EPA stoves demand.



Get the F55. Nice big firebox, easy 10-12 hour burns. I don't know why they even make the Oslo anymore. I'm afraid if you get the Oslo you might be dissatisfied and come on the forum wishing for a pre-EPA stove.


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## dougand3 (Nov 25, 2014)

Hogwildz said:


> Might as well top it off with a Magicheat add on....


I was wondering when that was coming. Where's Pook when you need him...


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## corey21 (Nov 26, 2014)

Loaded a 40 pound bag of anthracite coal 11 hours ago wow I'm really wondering how many days it will go the way its burng wow.


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## bholler (Nov 26, 2014)

corey21 said:


> Loaded a 40 pound bag of anthracite coal 11 hours ago wow I'm really wondering how many days it will go the way its burng wow.



They actually are pretty good coal stoves that is what i would be burning it i had that beast. From what i have seen they work way better for coal than wood.   Do you have a barometric damper on it now for coal?  if not get one it is dangerous without one. And what liner do you have it hooked to?


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## corey21 (Nov 26, 2014)

bholler said:


> They actually are pretty good coal stoves that is what i would be burning it i had that beast. From what i have seen they work way better for coal than wood.   Do you have a barometric damper on it now for coal?  if not get one it is dangerous without one. And what liner do you have it hooked to?


Stainless steel liner but no baro damper.


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## bholler (Nov 27, 2014)

corey21 said:


> Stainless steel liner but no baro damper.


Yeah what kind of stainless?  Coal will eat allot of ss and if you are burning coal you need a baro but you need to pull it when you burn wood of you will have a gooey mess in your chimney.  More than normal with one of those


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## corey21 (Nov 28, 2014)

bholler said:


> Yeah what kind of stainless?  Coal will eat allot of ss and if you are burning coal you need a baro but you need to pull it when you burn wood of you will have a gooey mess in your chimney.  More than normal with one of those


Its a UL listed stainless steel factory built chimney burnt a lot of soft coal in 09 with the first coal burner.

But about the baro nothing like feeding room air in to a roaring chimney fire no thanks. ill stay with my manual pipe damper.


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## bholler (Nov 28, 2014)

corey21 said:


> But about the baro nothing like feeding room air in to a roaring chimney fire no thanks. ill stay with my manual pipe damper.



You need a baro to keep that coal fire from over drawing and seriously over heating the stove they are recommended for all coal stoves but i agree with you about baro dampers on wood they should never be there.  We always have our customers pull the damper and put a cap on when they burn wood. I have seen lots of coal stoves destroyed when they over drew because of no baro.  And as long as your chimney is 316 ti it should be good but if it is a wood chimney with 304 liner you could be in trouble pretty quick.


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## bholler (Nov 28, 2014)

NOTE: A draft reading of ..025 W.C. is suggested for proper burning of this unit when
using bituminous coal as fuel. When using anthracite coal, this draft reading is a
minimum reading.

This is out of bucks manual the only way i know of to maintain a specific draft which is what they want is to use a baro damper.  Any other Method will allow the draft to fluctuate allot.  If you are burning soft coal it wont over fire as easily as it does here with hard coal but it can still easily happen.  I am only trying to make your install as safe as possible for you not trying to give you a hard time about it.


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## corey21 (Nov 28, 2014)

bholler said:


> You need a baro to keep that coal fire from over drawing and seriously over heating the stove they are recommended for all coal stoves but i agree with you about baro dampers on wood they should never be there.  We always have our customers pull the damper and put a cap on when they burn wood. I have seen lots of coal stoves destroyed when they over drew because of no baro.  And as long as your chimney is 316 ti it should be good but if it is a wood chimney with 304 liner you could be in trouble pretty quick.


I understand what your saying when my chimney was install it was with my first stove the wondercoal back in 2009. Now the baro I have read a lot of bad things about it.


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## bholler (Nov 28, 2014)

corey21 said:


> Now the baro I have read a lot of bad things about it.


On wood absolutely i would never put one on a wood stove and try to get customers to take them off when ever i see them on one but you really should have one on for coal that is one of the problems with combo units


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## corey21 (Nov 28, 2014)

bholler said:


> NOTE: A draft reading of ..025 W.C. is suggested for proper burning of this unit when
> using bituminous coal as fuel. When using anthracite coal, this draft reading is a
> minimum reading.
> 
> This is out of bucks manual the only way i know of to maintain a specific draft which is what they want is to use a baro damper.  Any other Method will allow the draft to fluctuate allot.  If you are burning soft coal it wont over fire as easily as it does here with hard coal but it can still easily happen.  I am only trying to make your install as safe as possible for you not trying to give you a hard time about it.


Also I burn more wood then coal. The baro would be a pain. Plus all the bad things I have heard of with those. my MPD does the job.


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## bholler (Nov 28, 2014)

corey21 said:


> Plus all the bad things I have heard of with those. my MPD does the job



How does a mpd stabilize the draft and hold it constant through out the burn cycle and through outside temp fluctuations.  That is why on combo units we install a baro and give them a cap to put in place of the flapper when they burn wood.  If you dont want to listen that is fine but it is dangerous to burn coal without a baro i am sorry but you are right it is also dangerous to burn wood with one in.


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## coaly (Nov 28, 2014)

corey21 said:


> Also I burn more wood then coal. The baro would be a pain. Plus all the bad things I have heard of with those. my MPD does the job.


Please enlighten us on the bad things you've heard about them when installed on a coal stove.


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