Jump to content

Coal cage


blackrose

Featured Posts

I've just bought one - it won't go into the fire (Salamander Hobbit) without removing the coal grate which is seized in place (came like that with the boat, also annoyingly the riddle grate is seized as well). So tomorrow is big hammer day on the coal grate - if I break it the coal cage then got expensive.

Any suggestions for freeing these items? Review on Coal Cage will appear when I get it into the fire!

 

eta - buy one direct £20 plus £4 for postage - for example Midland Swindlers will charge £28 plus£6.50 for postage.

https://www.coalcage.com/

Edited by Mike Tee
Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, Mike Tee said:

it won't go into the fire (Salamander Hobbit) without removing the coal grate

What purpose would one serve in a Hobbit?

The fire box on the Hobbit  is small anyway, well big enough to stay in overnight without wasting fuel.

As for the rigler I rarely use it, just use a poker with a bent end to move the fuel and ash about so the ash falls through.

The fuel I use produces no clinker just a powder ash so it all goes through the grate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I don't use one, but know people that swear by them. They might have some use at the season extremities I suppose, but nothing a couple of bricks couldn't replicate. 

 

Yes, I'm just thinking that if I've got to take it out of the stove after it's burned down to clean the grate then it's just more crap to mess about with and drop ash on the hearth. Also it seems like more hassle to put coal in the stove. I might ask a neighbour to borrow theirs for a night to see how it works in my stove before I buy one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Loddon said:

What purpose would one serve in a Hobbit?

The fire box on the Hobbit  is small anyway, well big enough to stay in overnight without wasting fuel.

As for the rigler I rarely use it, just use a poker with a bent end to move the fuel and ash about so the ash falls through.

The fuel I use produces no clinker just a powder ash so it all goes through the grate.

Same here, I never use the widdler. My best poker to date is a straightened out decorating roller. Nice handle and good long reach.It won't win any prizes in the aesthetics department though.

 

The only reason a hobbit would want a cage is to cut down on the purchase of the old coal Baggins.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Feeby100 said:

I found it rubbish and couple of other at my marina 

there just seating by the sheds 

but there plenty of good reviews so people are easily pleased or us lot are fussy 

dont give enough heat out with the small cage

 

Each stove has it's own peculiarities, and even the same stove can behave differently depending on the installation, flue & chimney. That's why when people on this forum swear by a particular type of coal I don't pay too much attention because while it might be the best thing they've ever burned in their stove it might not be in mine. I've tried enough types over the years. Likewise, I'm sure the people who rave about these coal cages aren't lying, but it doesn't mean it will work well in my stove.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

47 minutes ago, Mike Tee said:

Any suggestions for freeing these items?

Light fire, warm stove Then, get the stove going like a train for about 15 minutes, more if you can stand the heat.  You want the fire and assorted supports at least bright red, gusting yellow.  Then use the riddler to get that  moving and a  poker to lift/loosen the grate.

 

Beware of escaping hot bits.

 

 

  If that does not work, its brute force.

N

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Each stove has it's own peculiarities, and even the same stove can behave differently depending on the installation, flue & chimney. That's why when people on this forum swear by a particular type of coal I don't pay too much attention because while it might be the best thing they've ever burned in their stove it might not be in mine. I've tried enough types over the years. Likewise, I'm sure the people who rave about these coal cages aren't lying, but it doesn't mean it will work well in my stove.

I suspect it won't work well in yours. As I recall, you have a morso lion or something similar. I reckon a small fire in the centre of that wont radiate well, and a lot of the heat will go straight up the flue. Worth an experiment though if you can borrow a neighbours cage.

Edited by rusty69
Link to comment
Share on other sites

54 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I don't use one, but know people that swear by them. They might have some use at the season extremities I suppose, but nothing a couple of bricks couldn't replicate. 


yes, just a few bricks around the inside would do same wouldn’t it? 
and save £20-£30 by not buying the cage


what’s the purpose of a cage to simply use less coal? or do you use the same amount but pile it higher?
 


 

 

would one need an eco fan too for max benefit?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I suspect it won't work well in yours. As I recall, you have a morso lion or something similar. I reckon a small fire in the centre of that wont radiate well, and a lot of the heat will go straight up the flue. Worth an experiment though iof you can borrow a neighbours cage.

 

Panther! 🤣

 

Yes I think you're probably right 

1 minute ago, Goliath said:


yes, just a few bricks around the inside would do same wouldn’t it? 
and save £20-£30 by not buying the cage


what’s the purpose of a cage to simply use less coal? or do you use the same amount but pile it higher?
 


 

 

would one need an eco fan too for max benefit?

 

I think it's meant to concentrate the fire and use less coal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Goliath said:


yes, just a few bricks around the inside would do same wouldn’t it? 
and save £20-£30 by not buying the cage


what’s the purpose of a cage to simply use less coal? or do you use the same amount but pile it higher?
 


 

 

would one need an eco fan too for max benefit?

I thought the reason for their use is if you want a smaller fire on those days that aren't cold enough to justify filling the entire stove. Usually when the weather is warmer in autumn, and perhaps spring, or if you only visit your boat for short periods and don't want the stove in all day. Personally if I want to take the chill off, I will burn a bit of wood.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The idea is not to produce the same heat output from less fuel.  A coal cage maintains a smaller heat output but keeps the fire going , when, it otherwise would not.

 

Small fires, in large stoves are thermodynamically difficult.

  There needs to be a self-sustaining fire, but the heat lost from a small, cool,  fire is not easily replaced, and if  the fire is too cool, it goes out.

If the fire is run hotter, to sustain the heat, as well as the losses, it burns more fuel, then runs out of fuel and goes out.

 If the fire is given more fuel it becomes  bigger and then is not a small fire, at least for a while..

 

  Twiddle them air wheels gently!

 

N

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a marketing ploy to catch the gullible boaters who buy everything that appears in Waterways World, the claims they first made about patents, etc are never going to materialize. I was never convinced of the explanation of how I worked. 

 

I made one for nothing and tested it with counted out nuts of coal, a timer and temperature recorder and it found no benefit except stacking kindling and coal more neatly when lighting a fire, it did get more air to house coal when burning off the tar but house coal is no longer an option anymore. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, BEngo said:

The idea is not to produce the same heat output from less fuel.  A coal cage maintains a smaller heat output but keeps the fire going , when, it otherwise would not.

 

Small fires, in large stoves are thermodynamically difficult.

  There needs to be a self-sustaining fire, but the heat lost from a small, cool,  fire is not easily replaced, and if  the fire is too cool, it goes out.

If the fire is run hotter, to sustain the heat, as well as the losses, it burns more fuel, then runs out of fuel and goes out.

 If the fire is given more fuel it becomes  bigger and then is not a small fire, at least for a while..

 

  Twiddle them air wheels gently!

 

N

 

But if its not giving out sufficient heat, what is the point of keeping it going?

 

I smell snake oil.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, M_JG said:

 

But if its not giving out sufficient heat, what is the point of keeping it going?

 

I smell snake oil.

Because in late autumn, and spring,(especially in years like this with mild but damp conditions) you sometimes need the fire to keep going without the full capable output of the stove.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't think the idea was that it produced more heat just that it stayed in for longer with a given amount of coal than had that same coal been spread out on the grate.

 

Anyway lots of people seem to like them so I won't pass judgement until I've tried it. But I'm not paying until I've borrowed one and tested it overnight.

Edited by blackrose
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, matty40s said:

Because in late autumn, and spring,(especially in years like this with mild but damp conditions) you sometimes need the fire to keep going without the full capable output of the stove.

 

I guess it depends on the stove then.

 

I can control our Charnwood pretty well without the need for such a thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, matty40s said:

Because in late autumn, and spring,(especially in years like this with mild but damp conditions) you sometimes need the fire to keep going without the full capable output of the stove.

If it does this ^^^^ then it’s exactly what we want. It’s for the back cabin which just needs the edge of the cold taken off without having to go back and check it too often - we don’t need to have the temp in the low 20’s in there! I look forward to applying heat and hammer to the coal grate this morning, if nothing else that will keep me warm for a while.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.