Burning coal

[dnw64]

First of all, yes - a coal fire needs to be started with wood. Unless maybe you're a magician...

Secondly, agreed - coal needs air under the fire, wood - above.

I've had two wood/coal stoves. Only burned coal in one. I think the one I burned coal in was more suited to wood. I burned mostly wood (it was "free") but I ran a few bags of coal through during colder weather to keep it going overnight without having to load it.

The one I haven't burned coal in is more suited to coal. To compensate for that, I put some 3/8" thick pieces of steel on the grates, to keep the wood coals falling down prematurely.

Thirdly, I don't recall the definition of the size coal my stove was designed for - maybe "chestnut"? Anyways, it was all but impossible to "shovel" a load in. It was like trying to move 2" stone with a shovel (and remember, it comes in a bag...).

 

[Doofy]

My King-O-Heat coal stove was an upright, barrel-shaped beast. Loaded just fine with a coal bucket.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

When I saw the instructions for lighting the coal, it said to get a good pile of " kindling" going to start the coals...so I figured why couldn't you just burn a few chunks of wood for a quick fire to just take a chill off. I definately like the idea of the metal plate on the grate. I have some 3/8 " plate I'll cut to fit. Did you raise it at all or just leave it down on the bottom? When it gets really cold, I'll just take it out then go to coal for the longer burn times.

I really like Lou's idea of the matchlight charcoal to start it up...sounds really easy!

 

[dnw64]

I definately like the idea of the metal plate on the grate. I have some 3/8 " plate I'll cut to fit. Did you raise it at all or just leave it down on the bottom?

I laid the steel right on the shaker grate. I used three pieces about 4" wide, leaving maybe a half inch of space between. This allows some air from the bottom to get the fire going, and also a place for the ash to fall down into the ash tray (I do have to operate the shaker to get the ash to fall down through).

 

[LouNY]

When I saw the instructions for lighting the coal, it said to get a good pile of " kindling" going to start the coals...so I figured why couldn't you just burn a few chunks of wood for a quick fire to just take a chill off. I definately like the idea of the metal plate on the grate. I have some 3/8 " plate I'll cut to fit. Did you raise it at all or just leave it down on the bottom? When it gets really cold, I'll just take it out then go to coal for the longer burn times.

I really like Lou's idea of the matchlight charcoal to start it up...sounds really easy!

Morning,
A question for you what do you have for coal in New Mexico?
Is it hard coal, anthracite, or is it soft coal Bituminous or soft coal.
All my experience in home heating is hard coal, I know that a lot of coal from Wyoming that got
rail cared south was soft coal.
I don't know of any coal being mined in the NM area, although there is coal there.
Much of the gas in the 4 corners area was coal gas. I was involved with that a bit 25 or so years ago.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Morning,
A question for you what do you have for coal in New Mexico?
Is it hard coal, anthracite, or is it soft coal Bituminous or soft coal.
All my experience in home heating is hard coal, I know that a lot of coal from Wyoming that got
rail cared south was soft coal.
I don't know of any coal being mined in the NM area, although there is coal there.
Much of the gas in the 4 corners area was coal gas. I was involved with that a bit 25 or so years ago.

No coal is currently being mined here that I am aware of. We are not far from an old mining town called "Madrid". There are still large piles of coal all around the area. I believe it is anthracite, due to it being very shiny and hard. Nothing available commercially however.

Being the coal stove is essentially to be used as a backup heat source for the brief cold snaps, I was planning on ordering a pallet of bagged anthracite coal through TSC. I was told it comes out of WV or PA.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Oh, and yes, they are still bringing in coal to the power plants in the Four Corners area by rail car. There's a big push to close that plant down due to " pollution "

 

[HEC]

When I saw the instructions for lighting the coal, it said to get a good pile of " kindling" going to start the coals...so I figured why couldn't you just burn a few chunks of wood for a quick fire to just take a chill off. I definately like the idea of the metal plate on the grate. I have some 3/8 " plate I'll cut to fit. Did you raise it at all or just leave it down on the bottom? When it gets really cold, I'll just take it out then go to coal for the longer burn times.

I really like Lou's idea of the matchlight charcoal to start it up...sounds really easy!

I use the matchlight charcoal also , but also use some of the same stuff that is used for starting pellet stoves . I put a good amount on the charcoal and it starts right up as my bag of matchlight is getting old and didn't start as easily as it did when new .

 

[Doofy]

I use the matchlight charcoal also , but also use some of the same stuff that is used for starting pellet stoves . I put a good amount on the charcoal and it starts right up as my bag of matchlight is getting old and didn't start as easily as it did when new .

Buying matchlight charcoal seems a little expensive when kindling is basically free. Perhaps your coal is harder to get started then ours was. Our coal was a soft subbituminous and lit off fairly easily.

 

[oosik]

Doofy - I remember there was a place north of Anchorage - I think it was on the old Fairbanks Hwy. Years before we were there - the story goes - some hunters "accidentally" lit an exposed coal seam and it was still burning in '72 when I was hunting in that area. It must have been soft coal also - the smoke stunk real bad. We would gather and use "beach coal" when we went spring clam digging down at Clam Gulch & Ninilchick. It burned but you did not want to stand in the smoke.

 

[LouNY]

Buying matchlight charcoal seems a little expensive when kindling is basically free. Perhaps your coal is harder to get started then ours was. Our coal was a soft subbituminous and lit off fairly easily.

It would be if you where lighting it off repeatedly, I have only lite mine once this year.
Unless something happens to were it goes out, I usually only lite it once or twice in a heating season.
If I was only using coal once in awhile I would just shovel or pour it on top of a hot wood fire.
And yes I am using hard coal, anthracite.

 

[Diggin It]

Doofy - I remember there was a place north of Anchorage - I think it was on the old Fairbanks Hwy. Years before we were there - the story goes - some hunters "accidentally" lit an exposed coal seam and it was still burning in '72 when I was hunting in that area. It must have been soft coal also - the smoke stunk real bad.

"Centralia is a borough and near-ghost town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its population has dwindled from more than 1,000 residents in 1980 to 63 by 1990, to only seven in 2013, a result of the coal mine fire which has been burning beneath the borough since 1962."

Centralia, Pennsylvania - Wikipedia

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Doofy - I remember there was a place north of Anchorage - I think it was on the old Fairbanks Hwy. Years before we were there - the story goes - some hunters "accidentally" lit an exposed coal seam and it was still burning in '72 when I was hunting in that area. It must have been soft coal also - the smoke stunk real bad. We would gather and use "beach coal" when we went spring clam digging down at Clam Gulch & Ninilchick. It burned but you did not want to stand in the smoke.

I was in Healy and there was a seam of coal burning there. The smoke was coming out of a cliff wall and you could see the coal seam.

I took a LOT of clams out of Clam Gulch, and clams and salmon out of Polly Creek too.

SR

 

[Doofy]

It would be if you where lighting it off repeatedly, I have only lite mine once this year.
Unless something happens to were it goes out, I usually only lite it once or twice in a heating season.
If I was only using coal once in awhile I would just shovel or pour it on top of a hot wood fire.
And yes I am using hard coal, anthracite.

That makes sense then. My friends used Usibelli coal from Healy and it was grey and dull looking. The coal from the Buffalo Mine near Sutton was black and shiny and burned well.

 

[HEC]

Buying matchlight charcoal seems a little expensive when kindling is basically free. Perhaps your coal is harder to get started then ours was. Our coal was a soft subbituminous and lit off fairly easily.

I only use a couple cup fulls to get mine started and boiler will usually keep going all winter . I use a small gas generator when we have a power outage .

 

[Doofy]

I only use a couple cup fulls to get mine started and boiler will usually keep going all winter . I use a small gas generator when we have a power outage .

I really miss coal. No good hardwoods to burn so a wood fire only lasts for a couple hours and is a constant struggle to keep stoked and going. A wood fire needs constant attention and heaven forbid, you need to be gone for a couple of days.

Heating oil is my main source with propane and wood as backup. Also, keep the 2,000 watt Honda generator gassed up, warm and ready. Life is Good!

 

[HEC]

I really miss coal. No good hardwoods to burn so a wood fire only lasts for a couple hours and is a constant struggle to keep stoked and going. A wood fire needs constant attention and heaven forbid, you need to be gone for a couple of days.

Heating oil is my main source with propane and wood as backup. Also, keep the 2,000 watt Honda generator gassed up, warm and ready. Life is Good!

As I was getting older the wood thing was just to much work for me to do anymore , and I never knew if I was even going to be able to get a load of log length delivered for various reasons here in my area as of late . With coal it's so much easier , 5 or 10 mins. once every day or two depending on how cold it is . I must admit I loved burning wood when I was able to do so . Yes you are right ( Life is Good )

 

[Doofy]

As I was getting older the wood thing was just to much work for me to do anymore , and I never knew if I was even going to be able to get a load of log length delivered for various reasons here in my area as of late . With coal it's so much easier , 5 or 10 mins. once every day or two depending on how cold it is . I must admit I loved burning wood when I was able to do so . Yes you are right ( Life is Good )

You are absolutely right about wood gathering or even purchasing being a royal pain. I am surrounded by easily obtained firewood and yet I can gather and process enough willow and spruce just cleaning up around the house. Been actively trying to become more "Firewise" by getting rid of brush and trees that are to close. If I didn't have such a cosy WoodStove, I would switch back to coal in a heartbeat.