I have two questions, 1 I’m seeing in Fisher manuals that they claim coal can be burned in the stoves. Has anyone here burnt coal in their fishers? And 2. Best draft wheel position for long over night burns? I’m assuming all the way shut is a no no? I’ve been closing the knobs and then turning them 1/4 or 1/2 of a turn. What do you recommend?
Coal and draft knobs
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Coal can only be burnt in the coalbear. No other fishers will work to burn coal they are wood stoves only. As far as knob adjustments go there is no set answer. Every stove is going to need different things on different chimneys with different wood etc. Watch your temps and figure it out.
Strength of draft, in your chimney, and the moisture content of your wood will determine air inlet adjustment.
I have an All Nighter and with a strong draft with properly seasoned wood, I am able to close one inlet knob while leaving the other ''cracked'' open an 1/8''. this is after establishing a good bed of coals. Put a fresh load in and let it get going a bit before slowing intake air. I usually let my flue temp reach 400-450*. It'll still climb a bit more before leveling off at about 500. This is measured with a magnetic thermometer.
I have an All Nighter and with a strong draft with properly seasoned wood, I am able to close one inlet knob while leaving the other ''cracked'' open an 1/8''. this is after establishing a good bed of coals. Put a fresh load in and let it get going a bit before slowing intake air. I usually let my flue temp reach 400-450*. It'll still climb a bit more before leveling off at about 500. This is measured with a magnetic thermometer.
Ok,I’m assuming the manuals for other fisher models made a mistake when stating coal can be burnt? In another online forum I saw Coaly from this forum comment about burning coal in a fisher as well. How would I find out if fisher made a mistake or people made the mistake? Thanks
Wisco Shepherd
Feeling the Heat
Yes. Here is coal advice from the Goldilocks, mama, hahah, and papa bear. And then a pic of the sticker on a baby bear stove where a person is asking about burning coal and the a pic of a comment from Coaly. Along with these when I did a google search on burning coal in fisher stoves I found a lot who do. So I was confused. Unless when the manuals for these stoves is talking about ONLY the fisher coal stove? But if that’s the case why put instructions on coal burning in manual for a Goldilocks k baby, mama, and papa bear?
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But coal will not burn without air coming up through the fire bed of the coal. I suppose you could use a coal basket in a fisher to elevate the fire and let air flow through it. But why? It's a wood stove
I’m not advocating it. I’m simply saying that Fisher was marketing and backing it up in thier manuals that coal was also an option. Obviously when burned differently such as up off the floor and in a grate. Therefor a fisher could be used to burn coal. And after some searching online I find there are plenty who did and do.
As far as “why” that’s pretty obvious. Longer burns being the major one, the option to have something that will burn all evening, night, and into the morning is pretty nice. Allows for more sleep. So, if it can be done, people do it, and the stove manufacturer states it an be done, why not?
If it’s really a super bad idea than it appears Fisher made a big mistake even recommending it.
If it worked well why did they make the coal bear? Why didn't they sell a coal basket to make it actually work? I really can't imagine it being very practical without a real shaker grate system
The only way I could see coal burning in a fisher is if it were some high quality bituminous lump being thrown in on top of a good fire and only at night to keep it going through the night. I just can't see a fisher burning coal only other then the coal bear.
Bituminous needs air from above to help burn off the volatile smoke. In a regular fisher it will need a flame from the wood to help ignite and burn the smoke.
Anthracite needs air from below to maintain itself. There's no way a fisher other then the coal bear will burn Anthracite. The coal basket was likely for bituminous coal. Franklin stoves had a similar basket for bituminous coal.
Bituminous needs air from above to help burn off the volatile smoke. In a regular fisher it will need a flame from the wood to help ignite and burn the smoke.
Anthracite needs air from below to maintain itself. There's no way a fisher other then the coal bear will burn Anthracite. The coal basket was likely for bituminous coal. Franklin stoves had a similar basket for bituminous coal.
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