Purchased a used Harman TLC 2000 wood/coal stove and can’t seem to get it to burn like my old Harman TL300 did. First thing first is I’m new to burning coal so I’m sure there’s a huge learning curve but after following the manufactures instructions several times I still can’t seem to maintain a flue pipe temp of more than 150 degrees ( I averaged 600 degrees with my TL300). The TLC2000 sits in an open floor plan basement with exposed floor joists. Had to reduce the flue pipe size from 6” to 5” because I couldn’t get a 6” SS liner down my existing terra cotta flue. Directly coming out of stove is a SS 6-5 reducer, 1 foot of black 5” pipe with damper, 5” 90 elbow, approx 24” of 5” black pipe thought terra cotta crock into SS clean out tee. In between the clean out tee and the top chimney cap is the SS flexible liner, which is completely encased in a mixture of masonry vermiculite and Portland cement. I did this to protect from flue fires and reduce creosote buildup. I’ve only been burning coal for the last few days and can’t seem to get it right. I’m burning chestnut size anthracite hard coal. For starters via the manufacture destructions I got a nice wood fire going to produce a good bed of hot coals, then closed both side air flow dampers and opened bottom ash pan damper. I also had to open the ash pan door to get it to fire really strong but closed it after a few minutes... didn’t want to over fire the stove. The flue pipe temp would rise to around 500-600 degrees but wouldn’t hold and maintain that temp... ultimately it dies down to around 150 degrees... I’ve tried leaving the ash pan damper fully open (completely to left) with flue pipe damper fully closed, then 3/4 closed, then fully open... same with ash pan damper except never fully closed and it seems to eventually die. Maybe I just haven’t found the right combo as far as ash pan damper level and flue pipe damper. The coal size and flue pipe damper is what the previous owner of the stove used. Any info would be much appreciated thanks in advance
I need to read the rest of your thread, but will address this now. Stop what you are doing and do some more research and ask more questions about burning anthracite over on coalpail dot com ... in the hand fired stove section. Great guys here, but better suited for discussion over there. There you will find guys with your exact stove to help you. Here’s another tip... You will get much cooler flue temps with coal than with wood. I can place my hand on the pipe and keep it there on a stove burning 300. All the heat stays in the stove because of a deep coal bed. That is, lots of unburned coal slowing the air going through burning coal below. 299F below
You’ve reduced the size of your chimney as well, so this will cut stove performance some as well. You will probably want/need to show some pictures of your chimney set-up here and the “other” forum I mentioned. What you have all seems confusing, at least the way you described it. Anthracite likes to get going and more coal piled on top in layers letting each layer burn the volatiles off before adding another layer all the way to heaping full. Your coal bed should be healing full when you are done. Be very careful of leaving an ash pan door open. You will burn your house down it will get so hot. Never walk away from a stove with an open ash pan door. Ash pan vents, or vents for under fire air supply should not need to be open but a sliver. Over the fire air, called secondary air can remain open a small amount as well. I’m not too familiar with your stove, but it’s a good one. Plenty of good and stove specific help on the “other” forum I mentioned. Another tip... Forget everything you know about burning wood and burning wood in this stove because anthracite is completely different.
No, it’s a Hitzer 354 “wood/coal”. Why I posted with examples for him: I was just giving examples of how my stove runs and how cool my pipe is compared to how he was running his, meaning; his stove is capable of the same. Much lower stove and pipe temps than when burning wood. He said he was new to burning coal and was wondering why his TLC 2000 was running such low pipe temps with coal than with his TL300 wood stove. If he is running the coal stove as he should be, a deep bed of unburned coal ( a full firebox) over the burning coal below, then his stove temps will be much lower and steady for hours and his pipe temps will be far lower and steady for hours as well. You may be aware, but others may not be aware... Harmon did make the TLC 2000 for a while, then sold their line of coal stoves to Alternate Heating Systems (AHS) under what is now the Legacy coal stoves line of stoves.
