wrote:

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.




As others have said, the normal fuel was anthracite grains which is a hard
high purity coal. I dont know how easy this will be to find in Kenya.
Given the lack of demand these days, I think you might have difficulties.
I cant see it working well with charcoal which has a much lower energy
density and would need very regular recharging.

If you cant find a supplier of anthracite I would look for a kit to
convert it to oil if youre very keen to keep it but the cost of that would
probably buy several conventional cookers!

Tim
--
Please don't feed the trolls