AGA solid fuel cooker
gill
present, Aga turned off, no instructions!)
Does anyone know what fuel it uses - I think some sort of anthracite but are
there different types?
Also the books I have read say solid fuel Agas should be serviced once a
year by a specialist - my husband says this is a waste of money as there is
nothing to go wrong, it will just need a bit of cleaning - is he right?
TIA
Gill
harrogate
" gill" <gala...@TAKEAWAYbrigghouse.co.uk> wrote in message
news:aghij4$617$1...@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk...
Find the model number - probably inside the lower single door (i.e. not the
oven side) then ring Aga at Telford (01952-642000) and they will probably
send you a guide f.o.c.
As for servicing, I think I probably agree with hubby. Ours is gas and all
it needs is to remove the burner once a year and clean out the dust. I would
guess yours is very similar in its way.
A tip: you have to live with an Aga - treat it as a member of the family and
it will reward you many times over. If you have never cooked with an Aga it
is VERY different from any other type of cooking. Get a copy of one of Mary
Berry's Aga cookbooks, read, and digest. Once you have got the hang of it
fell free to experiment, but until then stick to what she says and you won't
go far wrong.
By the way, the oven can be very hot, so you need good quality (thick)
cookware, you don't need to use the Aga kettle (aluminium) - any good
quality with a thick/heavy base will do - ours is by Khoon-Rikor and it cost
about a third less than the Aga.
Look around the area and find your nearest Aga shop. You will find they have
'training' evenings either free or for a very small fee to show new owners
how to cook with/on an Aga - well worth the time.
--
Woody
Graeme
<gala...@TAKEAWAYbrigghouse.co.uk> writes
>We are about to move to a house which has an Aga. (House is empty at
>present, Aga turned off, no instructions!)
Congratulations :-)
>
>Does anyone know what fuel it uses - I think some sort of anthracite but are
>there different types?
Indeed - look for a coal merchant in Yellow Pages. The merchant should
be able to advise you. Our stove is a Wellstood (Esse) which isn't
dissimilar to an Aga, and we burn 'Taybright' which seems to provide
plenty of heat.
>
>Also the books I have read say solid fuel Agas should be serviced once a
>year by a specialist - my husband says this is a waste of money as there is
>nothing to go wrong, it will just need a bit of cleaning - is he right?
Probably, although you might want to have the chimney swept. I serviced
our stove - easy when cold. The hot plates lift off ours (they're cast
iron, and heavy), revealing all the internal airways. A good clean with
a vacuum cleaner worked wonders - it hadn't been cleaned for years,
mainly because the previous owners of the house didn't like it, and
didn't run it properly. Since then, the various airways have pretty
well kept themselves clear, by the force of the hot air going through
them.
Are you fairly happy about lighting it, and getting it going? If you
need any general tips, just shout. We inherited ours less than two
years ago, and absolutely *love* it.
--
Graeme
Hertford
Peter Parry
<gala...@TAKEAWAYbrigghouse.co.uk> wrote:
>We are about to move to a house which has an Aga.
You poor things. With luck you will also find a proper cooker in the
kitchen.
>Does anyone know what fuel it uses - I think some sort of anthracite but are
>there different types?
The originals were anthracite but many have been converted to oil,
gas or even, for some unfathomable reason, electric.
Fortunately the world is full of people with more money than sense so
they sell quite well second hand and it won't be too difficult to get
rid of it.
>Also the books I have read say solid fuel Agas should be serviced once a
>year by a specialist - my husband says this is a waste of money as there is
>nothing to go wrong,
There is very little in them but they have a well deserved reputation
for being temperamental. Most Aga owners are on first names terms
with "their" (they always like to claim ownership for some reason)
particular fitter. Aga fitters tend to arrive in Range Rovers which
is one reason the Aga is the culinary equivalent of owning an ocean
racing yacht - impractical, expensive uncomfortable and unreliable.
They are also pretty awful cookers.
For the sake of brevity I will now summarise the ensuing conversation
between Andy and me "Oh no they are not" "are to" "aren't" "are"
[repeat until bored :-) ]
--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/
Dave Liquorice
> Does anyone know what fuel it uses ...
Coal probably, I don't think Agas are offically multifuel (ie you
shouldn't burn wood, peat etc). It could be oil...
> - I think some sort of anthracite but are
> there different types?
> Also the books I have read say solid fuel Agas should be serviced
> once a year by a specialist - my husband says this is a waste of
> money as there is nothing to go wrong, it will just need a bit of
> cleaning - is he right?
Ah but it's the age old saying "£5 for the thump, £95 for knowing
where to thump it". I suspect that there is probably enough collective
(and contradictory!) knowledge in here to help you through.
--
Cheers new...@howhill.com
Dave. Remove "spam" for valid email.
Andy Hall
"Peter Parry" <pe...@wpp.ltd.uk> wrote in message
news:8m1piuo7hbsii3cha...@4ax.com...
No point, Peter. We already had the debate and IIRC came to the conclusion
that it was
most practical to agree to differ :-)
.andy
Still enjoying his Aga after 2 years of use, and some of the best cooking
ever. Says he tucking into a late
night slice of toast... :-)
The Natural Philosopher
> On Wed, 10 Jul 2002 16:02:47 +0100, gill wrote:
>
>
>>Does anyone know what fuel it uses ...
>>
>
> Coal probably, I don't think Agas are offically multifuel (ie you
> shouldn't burn wood, peat etc). It could be oil...
>
Not ordinary coal. That is too tarry and sooty. There are propietray
fuels like 'phurnacite' (sp?) which seem to be compressed low tar coal
dust...dry steam cola or anthracite is the best - low ash, low sulphur,
low tar.
>
>>- I think some sort of anthracite but are
>>there different types?
>>
>
>>Also the books I have read say solid fuel Agas should be serviced
>>once a year by a specialist - my husband says this is a waste of
>>money as there is nothing to go wrong, it will just need a bit of
>>cleaning - is he right?
>>
>
> Ah but it's the age old saying "Ł5 for the thump, Ł95 for knowing
> where to thump it". I suspect that there is probably enough collective
> (and contradictory!) knowledge in here to help you through.
Wel... your flue *may* need cleaning a bit - bt with decent coal it
takes a long time to soot up.
Basically with the solid fuellers its really a question of removing
accumulated soot etc.
Over a period of (many() years teh plaste will lose their faltness, and
thinsg get a bit less efficient...but most solid fuellers go on for ages
with no attention AFAICR.
>
>
Dave Liquorice
> Not ordinary coal. That is too tarry and sooty.
Your telling me, we inherited some coal with this place it is
'orrible. You can see the tar boiling up out of it as it first burns
and the soot. If the build up on the back of the open fire is anything
to go buy a 4" flue would be 3" in less than a week.
Once we have finished this rubbish I'll be buying a few cwt of
anthracite. When I was little the only heating was from the coal fire
in the living room (with back boiler) I don't remember anything like
the soot build up. Have to ask my Dad what we used to burn, I suspect
it would have been anthracite.
> dry steam cola
Is that like an Ice Beer?
Peter Parry
<new...@howhill.com> wrote:
>Have to ask my Dad what we used to burn, I suspect
>it would have been anthracite.
Probably Welsh coal.
The Natural Philosopher
> On Fri, 12 Jul 2002 16:07:36 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>
>
>>Not ordinary coal. That is too tarry and sooty.
>>
>
> Your telling me, we inherited some coal with this place it is
> 'orrible. You can see the tar boiling up out of it as it first burns
> and the soot. If the build up on the back of the open fire is anything
> to go buy a 4" flue would be 3" in less than a week.
Ok. For open fire work you need a tarry sort of coal, since anthracite
will only burn with a fiorced draught.
The chimneys don't get so sooted up, since the heaveier fractions
condense earlier at higher temps. The fire back will burn itself clean
if the fire gets hot enough.
The critical soot era of a fire is 5-6ft abobve the hearth, where its
cool enough for combustible tars to condense, and hot enough so they
haven';t condensed already. This is where chimney foires start, from
vast personal experienece. Wood is about 10 times as tarry and sooty as
coal. Sweep every year or more with a wood fire - coal fires can do
several years if not used that regularly.
>
> Once we have finished this rubbish I'll be buying a few cwt of
> anthracite. When I was little the only heating was from the coal fire
> in the living room (with back boiler) I don't remember anything like
> the soot build up. Have to ask my Dad what we used to burn, I suspect
> it would have been anthracite.
>
It will be almost impossible to light without bellows etc, and may not
burn successfully. Mix a little n with the rapid catching #'house coal'
sort and you will get better results.
Best is to ask local coal merchant what he has, and recommends.
>
>>dry steam cola
>>
>
> Is that like an Ice Beer?
>
Not really :-)
>
Dave Liquorice
> Ok. For open fire work you need a tarry sort of coal, since
> anthracite will only burn with a fiorced draught.
No problem with lack of forced draught most days in this grate. Baxi
Burnall with the air inlet fed from outside on the exposed side of the
house. Reducing the airflow is normally the problem even with the
damper plate fully closed.
> Wood is about 10 times as tarry and sooty as coal. Sweep every year
> or more with a wood fire - coal fires can do several years if not
> used that regularly.
We have burnt wood and coal, wood produces very little on the far back
(approx 2' from the grate) this coal will leave a good 1/2" of soot
within 5 or 6 fires after that it starts to burn off...
What it's like further up is another matter... I've got a brush and
rods and have asked SWMBO to make the cloth but haven't got it yet.
> It will be almost impossible to light without bellows etc, and may
> not burn successfully.
See above about no problem with draught. B-)
> Best is to ask local coal merchant what he has, and recommends.
I wonder what the stuff that comes out of the local mines is like...
Ayle Colliery, Barhaugh Colliery, Clarghyll Drift. Looking at the
Durham Mining Museum seems that Anthracite is quite common or Steam
Coal (whatever that is). Might as well try and support the local mine
jaxxf...@gmail.com
many thanks in anticipation
Jacs
Graham.
you are buying.
--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%
spuorg...@gowanhill.com
> Jacs, after 15 years perhaps it's the same Aga in Jill's house that
> you are buying.
Owain
Graham.
wrote:
and is the place of choice to go if you need a CRT television or VHS
recorder.
--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%
Muddymike
with a solid fuel Aga for 22 years. STWNFI decided to get rid but misses
it so much she now wants one again!
Bad points.
Expensive to run.
Needs filling and emptying twice daily.
Creates a lot of dust when emptying.
Oven temperature can crash at inconvenient time and takes hours to build
back up.
You cant smell anything in the ovens.
Good points
Permanently warm kitchen.
No need for electric kettle, toaster, oven or hob.
You cant smell anything in the ovens.
Mike
Graeme
Muddymike <ne...@mattishall.org.uk> writes
>I doubt you will hear back from Gill but if its of any help we lived
>with a solid fuel Aga for 22 years. STWNFI decided to get rid but
>misses it so much she now wants one again!
Stanley range, rather than Aga, and we still miss it, 15 years later.
I will say, though, that we still have an open fire which we also love
BUT, as the years pass, I am wondering quite how long I will be happy
lugging hods of solid fuel around. OK today, but after another five or
ten years?
--
Graeme
Handsome Jack
virtually every one also has an electric cooker as well. The Aga is just
so inconvenient for so many things.
--
Jack
The Natural Philosopher
> Don't have one, but parents had one a great many years ago. AIUI they
> are very inefficient, so wasteful of heat and expensive to run.
Not that bad really
> Solid-fuel ones are best fueled with anthracite, as you say.
> Anthracite is a very low-ash coal, almost pure carbon
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthracite . It may also be called
> 'steam coal', as it was extensively used in steam locomotives because
> of its low ash content, back in the days when we had
> locomotives-for-MEN pulling trains :-).
No. Staem coal is a different grade from anthracite. Solid fuel Agas can
be fuelled with any decent grade coal or coal substitute like the
briquettes made from coal dust.
The sacks of anthracite
> delivered by the coalman were labeled 'Lady Windsor',
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Windsor_Colliery
>
> Gas and oil-fired AGAs are also available, I believe, and also
> conversions from coal-fired to either of the above. Saves having to
> provide a coal store, having to carry in hods of coal and cleaning out
> the ash.
Oil fired conversions are not hard to do.
It certainly is a lot less messy, though annual or bi annual servicing
is still necessary as the burner feed line cokes up - especially with
modern grades of fuel
Of course laying in the oil lines and fire valves is not trivial
--
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as
foolish, and by the rulers as useful.
(Seneca the Younger, 65 AD)
damdu...@yahoo.co.uk
>Solid-fuel ones are best fueled with anthracite, as you say.
>Anthracite is a very low-ash coal, almost pure carbon
>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthracite . It may also be called
>'steam coal', as it was extensively used in steam locomotives
value, often regarded as the next grade down. Our coal merchant still
stocks some as well as anthracite as there are quite a large number
of Traction engine and Steam roller owners around here.
G.Harman
Graeme
<Ja...@nowhere.com> writes
cooker, but that cooker was only used when the range was shut down for
cleaning, in the summer.
Not sure about the claims of wasted heat. Wasted in the sense that part
of the heat was not actually cooking anything, but that extra heat kept
our hot water hot, and meant the house was never cold. The flue ran up
through the centre of the house, and kept the chill off.
Our son was a baby then, and putting all those countless cloths and baby
grows around the range meant that drying was quick and easy.
Cooking was a pleasure. A range functions much like a slow cooker in
that casseroles and the like could be kept going almost forever without
spoiling. Baked apples were a dream. Daily attention was minimal - I
added fuel first thing in the morning and at night, removing ash at the
same time. That was it. Wifey opened up the fire before cooking late
afternoon, and closed afterwards, the range doing no more than ticking
over 20+ hours a day.
The range was fairly ancient when we bought the house, and I suspect had
been used by clueless owners. The water tank eventually cracked, so the
water heating side was disconnected, and the water tank filled with dry
sand. ISTR a discussion here about that, 15 or 16 years ago.
Things like ranges and open fires are not for everyone, but those like
us who love them would not be without them.
--
Graeme
harry
Later,oil fired ones came along and then gas.
They won't burn wood.
They all cost a fortune to run due to very poor efficiency.
Everyone that has one has a normal cooker at the side of it.
Apart from status/appearance, they have absolutely no benefits.
Apart from being virtually indestructable.
Your friends will think you're very posh/a Fanny Craddock.
If it's coal fired, you can clean it out yourself, there's full instructions in the book.
Be sure to buy a carbon monoxide alarm.
People have died.
Find out if anyone is selling coal locally. You will need lots (of anthracite, not your normal crap) and somewhere to store it. Be prepared to hump it about.
harry
Ash and dust everywhere.
Graham.
--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%
David
Designed to burn wood and peat as well as coal, coke etc.
Wonderful for the winter, kept the house warm and cooked really well,
heated the water.
The reason everyone had another cooker (and an immersion heater) was for
the middle of summer when it was just too hot to run a heating appliance
in the kitchen.
Ah, memories!
Then again, given the choice I would have gas fired cooking and central
heating every time (or electricity, or oil). Solid fuel is an experience
when young, but a right pain to keep going long term. If you are away in
the winter then you need someone else to come in and feed the fire.
Nicer just to have a thermostat and a continuous supply of fuel.
Cheers
Dave R
--
AMD FX-6300 in GA-990X-Gaming SLI-CF running Windows 7 Pro x64
---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus
S Viemeister
> Our Raeburn burned a lot more than coal.
> Designed to burn wood and peat as well as coal, coke etc.
>
> Wonderful for the winter, kept the house warm and cooked really well,
> heated the water.
>
for drying laundry.
> The reason everyone had another cooker (and an immersion heater) was for
> the middle of summer when it was just too hot to run a heating appliance
> in the kitchen.
>
The Rayburn is still sitting in the kitchen, looking picturesquely
rural, but it's been disconnected. We have a combi boiler (mounted
outside the utility room), a dual-fuel cooker, and the space once taken
up by the hot-water cylinder is now useful storage.
Makes life much easier, and has saved a fortune in fuel.
damdu...@yahoo.co.uk
>
>Our Raeburn burned a lot more than coal.
>
>Designed to burn wood and peat as well as coal, coke etc.
>
>Wonderful for the winter, kept the house warm and cooked really well,
>heated the water.
>
>The reason everyone had another cooker (and an immersion heater) was for
>the middle of summer when it was just too hot to run a heating appliance
>in the kitchen.
>
>Ah, memories!
Several almost frozen new born lambs were revived in its warming oven
and many gallons of milk scalded for clotted cream on the hotplate.
As we had a source of wood that was free apart from labour, time,
chainsaw, fuel and sundries it was reasonably economic to run, and at
the time of it's installation we still did not have mains electric so
options were limited anyway.It replaced a range dating from about
1910.
Those who may prefer an Aga cooker should note that an Aga isn't
normally designed to produce enough hot water to run radiators as
well as household hot water whereas a the correct Rayburn can .
We did have a small electric cooker for the odd occasion like high
summer which came with a selection switch so not all rings,oven ,grill
could be used together . This let it run of a 5 amp socket as the
generator was only about 1.5 kW.
Not unconnected with me leaving home and Dad losing free labour he
decided to convert it to oil firing which turned out to be a bit of a
disaster , never ran as well as when it was on solid fuel but the main
problem was his timing. He had it converted in August 73 and the Yom
Kippur war broke out in October and with it oil at throw away prices
so 18 months later a new solid fuel one was installed which did
service till the mid 2000's when humping solid fuel and ashes became
too much for my Mother now aged over 80 and widowed, and for 10 years
before though the wood was free Dad had to pay someone to gather and
process it as he got to old and weak to heft chainsaws around.
She had an oil fired boiler put in but the old solid stone walled
house never got quite as warm again so she moved to somewhere modern
and insulated.
Would I recommend one, only in certain circumstances such as a working
farm kitchen where it can regarded as an industrial appliance that can
be utilised. In Islington etc such things are fashion over function
for most.
G.Harman
caroliner...@gmail.com
> We are about to move to a house which has an Aga. (House is empty at
> present, Aga turned off, no instructions!)
>
> Does anyone know what fuel it uses - I think some sort of anthracite but are
> there different types?
>
> Also the books I have read say solid fuel Agas should be serviced once a
> year by a specialist - my husband says this is a waste of money as there is
> nothing to go wrong, it will just need a bit of cleaning - is he right?
>
> TIA
>
> Gill
Marland
> On Wednesday, July 10, 2002 at 4:02:47 PM UTC+1, gill wrote:
>> We are about to move to a house which has an Aga. (House is empty at
>> present, Aga turned off, no instructions!)
>>
>> Does anyone know what fuel it uses - I think some sort of anthracite but are
>> there different types?
>>
>> Also the books I have read say solid fuel Agas should be serviced once a
>> year by a specialist - my husband says this is a waste of money as there is
>> nothing to go wrong, it will just need a bit of cleaning - is he right?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Gill
>
> Wow, there's a lot of ignorance around when it comes to AgA and Rayburn
Snip something that looks like it was written for one of those Sunday
Newspaper lifestyle supplements.
When you're slightly "off-grid" or a rural-dweller, a solid fuel appliance
is king.
>
the question you supplied the answer
to was asked nearly 17 years ago.
They may just have used it in the meantime and worked things out for
themselves.
GH
Brian Gaff
Brian
--
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<caroliner...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:08e7dd97-d899-4e55...@googlegroups.com...
jamesandfe...@googlemail.com
Any one have any tips for unjamming a stuck fuel plug? The Aga is out.
Thanks!
The Natural Philosopher
> Hello,
>
> Any one have any tips for unjamming a stuck fuel plug? The Aga is out.
>
Been some time since I used one, is this the sort you fill by removing a
metal plug in a hot plate?
extra cooling on the plug might help: ice maybe or freeze spray if you
have some?
It may be possible to remove the whole hotplate and knock the plug out
from the back too
> Thanks!
>
--
Gun Control: The law that ensures that only criminals have guns.
Marland
> On 03/03/2020 11:54, jamesandfe...@googlemail.com wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> Any one have any tips for unjamming a stuck fuel plug? The Aga is out.
>>
> You mean you cannot fill it up with coke?
> Been some time since I used one, is this the sort you fill by removing a
> metal plug in a hot plate?
>
> extra cooling on the plug might help: ice maybe or freeze spray if you
> have some?
>
> It may be possible to remove the whole hotplate and knock the plug out
> from the back too
>
>
>> Thanks!
>>
>
>
really has an oil fuelled version
and CNBA to amend the header.
GH
The Natural Philosopher
> GH
>
--
A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on
its shoes.
David
wrote in message
news:8080a2df-60bb-4a6f...@googlegroups.com...
Hello,
Any one have any tips for unjamming a stuck fuel plug? The Aga is out.
Thanks!
My parents had a solid fuel Aga, and ISTR that they would occasionally have
the same problem, typically after the fire had gone out when we had been
away on holiday.
My mother had a gas poker which she used to light the fire, and simply
placing the lit gas poker in the grate via the ash box (sorry I can't
remember the exact name of it) and leaving it to warm up the hotplate - the
access plug would then come out quite easily.
I also remember that my mother would turn the fuel plug upside down while
the fire was being relit - but I can't remember why.
Hope this helps
Tim+
Tim
--
Please don't feed the trolls
Muddymike
> <jamesandfe...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> Any one have any tips for unjamming a stuck fuel plug? The Aga is out.
>>
>> Thanks!
Mike
quenti...@gmail.com
The Natural Philosopher
https://qafinds.com/?q=solid+fuel+aga+instruction+manual&spid=1oig8pgb5oafmr
may work or it may infect you with malware
--
“A leader is best When people barely know he exists. Of a good leader,
who talks little,When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,They will say,
“We did this ourselves.”
― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
Muddymike
>
myself.
Mike
ss
Aga Solid Fuel Deluxe
Cookers
Models C, CB, E
(1956-2001)
quenti...@gmail.com
Thanks The Natural Philosopher, ss and muddymike for your replies. I am in Kenya and have returned to the house I grew up in that has a 4 door (Model E?) charcoal burning AGA (which was abandoned for many years). I will need to do some work on it and re-learn how to run it at optimum efficiency. I found a copy of a booklet entitled "Aga Solid Fuel Deluxe Cookers Models C, CB, E (1956-2001)" but it does not give good instructions on recharging, vent control etc. If anyone can supply something a little more detailed I'd be truly grateful! The temperature gauge is missing (and probably the sensor) so I will need to find and install a new (?) or secondhand one. All the AGA tools are also missing.
ss
> I found a copy of a booklet entitled "Aga Solid Fuel Deluxe Cookers Models C, CB, E (1956-2001)"
charles
Chris Hogg <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> Surely charcoal wouldn't have been that easy to come by then,
> certainly not in the quantity required to keep an AGA going 24/7. I
> thought it was coke, or anthracite.
as I remember*, it was called "Phurnacite" - egg shaped pellets. Our only
needed filling twice a day. I'm sure in some rural areas that amount of
charcoal would hve been available.
* we had an AGA from 1964 until I rebuilt the kitchen in 1969. It wasn't
until I came to take it apart that I discovered why it never worked
properly. It hadn't been assembled correctly. ;-(
--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle
Tim+
high purity coal. I don’t know how easy this will be to find in Kenya.
Given the lack of demand these days, I think you might have difficulties.
I can’t see it working well with charcoal which has a much lower energy
density and would need very regular recharging.
If you can’t find a supplier of anthracite I would look for a kit to
convert it to oil if you’re very keen to keep it but the cost of that would
probably buy several conventional cookers!
Lucille Legge
As some of these posts are over 20 years old, this reply may not be useful; however we would have been extremely grate-ful (pardon the pun), for any information on our old 1955 AGA when we first inherited it. This response is for anyone in the unlikely position to have the misfortune of buying an old pile with an old solid fuelled AGA. AGA is a b'stard to start!!!!!!!
AGA will run on nothing else but COKE. This may be what you in Blighty call anthracite but it is black coal that has been super heated but not ignited to 1500 degrees Celsius in order to drive off the volatile fractions of gas and any sulphur or other unwanted impurities. It is a smokeless fuel and as such produces very little residue when burned at optimum high temperature. We use metallurgic grade that we buy from the steelworks in Whyalla, here on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. Coke has an ignition temperature of about 700 Celsius, so is very difficult to light, as you all know. When we ring our coke dealer, we expect the police to knock on our door and book us for procuring illegal drugs.
The only way we have been successful in lighting the blighter is by taking 'sickies' from work and setting up two fire cylinders outside in the wind. We make a mix of BBQ charcoal, fire lighters and small pieces of the coke. We light this and when it is lukewarm, we sit with it and feed it with slivers of wood until the fire has a cheery blaze. Then we get a gas weed-burner or a blowtorch and blast the bejingers out of it intermittently for an hour or so until it makes a particular roaring sound with enough energy for the coke to ignite. We also use the air compressor as a bellows but any bellows will work, even one of those cheap hand wound ones from eBay. When the canister content is red hot (hours later!!!!), it is carefully transported into the kitchen and poured in to the clean barrel of AGA. This is very important as the air must be able to pass freely through the grate always, or the fire chokes.
Next phase is that the air hole under the fire box is stuffed with a woollen cloth, the round plug on the top plate is turned over and the rectangular flue base plate is opened slightly. (a note on this here: our AGA had been converted to run unsuccessfully on oil in the 1970s and as well as having the oil burner installed, it had also had this flue sealed up. In order to clean the flue, we had to remove the old sealant and free this cover up, revealing an oily dusty sooty mess that was the legacy of the ill-burning heating oil. This has been a 4 year learning curve for the two of us as there was no useful information on the web at the time, and any that was there was for British AGA users. The AGA dealer in Australia is in Melbourne, which is 1400km away from Tumby Bay where our farm is, and the owner of that store advised me to sell the AGA for scrap metal, rather than resurrect it. He also advised me to buy a new one for $26, 000 plus installation costs. Not sure if there was an agenda here, however, I digress.
The next phase involves me lying on the kitchen floor with a hot air blower, poking slivers of kindling into the forks of the grate and blowing them white hot onto the bottom coals. I have used a blow torch for this too, however that nearly ended in disaster as the canister was faulty, I have nothing more to say on that subject, other than...............be very careful!!!!!! Some very nifty footwork of my husband Easy Iain, saved us from going up in smoke. I will never use a blowtorch like that again!
Once the bottom coals are glowing, one can arise from the floor and start babying the fire from above every 15 minutes with the blower. It will be slowly getting warmer and eventually you will see the mercury moves to the left on the thermometer. This is the acid test, so to speak and your job then, is to carefully and slowly add a scoop of coke every 15 minutes or so until the top layer is also glowing.
As you can imagine, the room will be covered in dust. Our coke is stored out in a huge basket cage made of reinforcing mesh, lined in shade-cloth. This is rinsed by a hose and the rain, to minimise dust. This has helped with the muck.
I apologise for the length of this missive, nonetheless, I hope some poor devil finds some useful hints here.
Lucille Legge
Lispon, South Australia
Tim+
> Hello Everyone,
> As some of these posts are over 20 years old, this reply may not be
> useful; however we would have been extremely grate-ful (pardon the pun),
> for any information on our old 1955 AGA when we first inherited it. This
> response is for anyone in the unlikely position to have the misfortune of
> buying an old pile with an old solid fuelled AGA. AGA is a b'stard to start!!!!!!!
> AGA will run on nothing else but COKE. This may be what you in Blighty call anthracite
to run on coke.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthracite
worst” option here. They can also be electrified.
Maybe a newer conversion kit would work?
Robin
> Lucille Legge <luck...@iinet.net.au> wrote:
>> Hello Everyone,
>> As some of these posts are over 20 years old, this reply may not be
>> useful; however we would have been extremely grate-ful (pardon the pun),
>> for any information on our old 1955 AGA when we first inherited it. This
>> response is for anyone in the unlikely position to have the misfortune of
>> buying an old pile with an old solid fuelled AGA. AGA is a b'stard to start!!!!!!!
>> AGA will run on nothing else but COKE. This may be what you in Blighty call anthracite
>
> No, coke isn’t anthracite. This is your problem. The Aga wasn’t designed
> to run on coke.
>
--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid
David
>> Hello Everyone,
>> As some of these posts are over 20 years old, this reply may not be
>> useful; however we would have been extremely grate-ful (pardon the pun),
>> for any information on our old 1955 AGA when we first inherited it. This
>> response is for anyone in the unlikely position to have the misfortune of
>> buying an old pile with an old solid fuelled AGA. AGA is a b'stard to start!!!!!!!
>> AGA will run on nothing else but COKE. This may be what you in Blighty call anthracite
>
> No, coke isn’t anthracite. This is your problem. The Aga wasn’t designed
> to run on coke.
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthracite
>
With coke it needed to be refuelled twice a day. With anthracite only
once a day. I recall that another suitable fuel was phurnacite although
I think this was in effect anthracite.
FYI they used to light it with a gas poker, although I can still
remember the original installer used charcoal and that was almost 70
years ago.
The one thing I recall about the lighting process is that the circular
caps in the hotplates needed to be inverted.
Hope this helps.
charles
compressed coal dust. Nothing like coke.
> --
--
from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4té
Robin
> In article <d82f6c5b-a04b-c0c0...@outlook.com>, Robin
> <r...@outlook.com> wrote:
>> On 28/06/2023 08:13, Tim+ wrote:
>>> Lucille Legge <luck...@iinet.net.au> wrote:
>>>> Hello Everyone, As some of these posts are over 20 years old, this
>>>> reply may not be useful; however we would have been extremely
>>>> grate-ful (pardon the pun), for any information on our old 1955 AGA
>>>> when we first inherited it. This response is for anyone in the
>>>> unlikely position to have the misfortune of buying an old pile with an
>>>> old solid fuelled AGA. AGA is a b'stard to start!!!!!!! AGA will run
>>>> on nothing else but COKE. This may be what you in Blighty call
>>>> anthracite
>>>
>>> No, coke isn‘t anthracite. This is your problem. The Aga wasn‘t
>>> designed to run on coke.
>>>
>
>> Coke was the recommended fuel for the AGA I lived with in the 1960s.
>
> We used "Phurnacite" - a compressed egg shaped block - seemingly just
> compressed coal dust. Nothing like coke.
>
I don't have the paperwork from the 1960s but my recollection is AGA
said coke, anthracite or Phurnacite and the installer recommended coke
as best combination of price and performance. Can't find a manual
online from quick look. Don't hold out a politician as authoritative
but FWIW:
"Mr. P. Noel-Baker
I am informed by the National Coal Board, who are the makers of
Phurnacite, that they are doubling the plant capacity for its
production, and that the new plant is expected to be ready early next
year. Coke, which is plentiful in most districts, is a suitable
alternative for nearly all cooking stoves, and I am advised that the Aga
cooker was designed to burn coke."
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1950-05-22/debates/f62fca8c-e4e6-4de5-8fb4-a9a049067b2f/Phurnacite(Supply)#
Andrew
> <luck...@iinet.net.au> wrote:
>
>> Hello Everyone,
>> As some of these posts are over 20 years old, this reply may not be useful; however we would have been extremely grate-ful (pardon the pun), for any information on our old 1955 AGA when we first inherited it. This response is for anyone in the unlikely position to have the misfortune of buying an old pile with an old solid fuelled AGA. AGA is a b'stard to start!!!!!!!
>
>
> If it's a bugger to start using coke, why not get it going with
> anthracite, and once it's going nicely, start to feed it with coke.
>
> One of the benefits of anthracite in general is that it's very low in
> ash, almost pure carbon in fact.
>
I believe the Royal Navy reserved much of the South Wales
anthracite for their dreadnoughts ?120 years ago
Marland
anthracite,
one of its characteristics is that it breaks into smaller pieces while
being burn’t in a furnace or firebox which is allows a greater air to
surface ratio and a quicker response if a demand for more steam
occurs.
Antracite while being of a higher calorific value is a fuel more suited
to slower use and is harder to
to get more to ignite quickly should a larger fire be required,
It is also cleaner so was more popular in domestic use, the Navy and the
Railways put up with the dust and ash of steam coal because it was a trade
off for its better burning qualities for their purposes but in the case of
the Navy the era of large coal burning ships was fairly short with
Churchill
as First Sea Lord deeming the switch to oil desirable before
WW1.
The company that eventually would became BP drawing from reserves in
Persia ,later Iran had a government majority shareholding to ensure oil
supplies for the Navy .
The Railways continued to be filthy until the mid 1960’s as it wasn’t
deemed to be politically and financially desirable post WW2 to replace
home produced coal with imported oil for a conversion
to Diesel traction.
GH
Vir Campestris
> FYI they used to light it with a gas poker, although I can still
> remember the original installer used charcoal and that was almost 70
> years ago.
Andy
David
<snip>
A little puzzled because we used to run our open fire on coke, and it was
straightforward to light.
That was a long time ago, though, when the gas supply was Town Gas made
from the volatile components in coal.
IIRC coke was what was left after the manufacture of Town Gas.
Cheers
Dave R
--
AMD FX-6300 in GA-990X-Gaming SLI-CF running Windows 7 Pro x64
Andrew
he had built in 1956. It connected to a nifty gas bayonet device
next to the fire.
Brian
the gas poker but you could used the “traditional” paper and stick method
people used for coal fires ( back then (the mid 60s) ‘everyone’ had coal
fires, central heating was a luxury and the Parkrays were just being fitted
to some houses).
Using sticks left soot on the glass so was frowned upon.
The Natural Philosopher
--
Microsoft : the best reason to go to Linux that ever existed.