Wood Burning Add On Furnance (Price of Wood)

[Theowegian]

Neat!
Have you thought about a corn burning furnace?

Here's one I thought was really good and I have considered this one myself because it is UL listed and would fit right into place as a replacement wood furnace ...

Corn Burning Furnace.com

dwight

 

[Scrounger]

Dwight

I thought about crn but really dont know of any places to buy it around me in PA. I can get coal for less than $100 a ton, but corn is another story. Maybe Tractor Supply sells it, I'm not sure. I like the design of the corn burner link. It didn't say anything about the fan being thermostat controlled and if the corn feed is controlled by the thermastat like most of the coal stoker stoves.

 

[IslandTractor]

I've done both and if I did it again I would definitely choose coal over wood, especially if I lived in PA! My heater was a stand alone wood stove type (Vermot Castings Resolute), not an automatic furnace.

Regarding a coal bin. I don't have photos but I can describe how I built a simple one that worked pretty well. I'd first say that if you can, use pea size coal. It is easier to work with and start. Second point is to make sure you never have to shovel coal "up" into a bucket. Design the bin so you just rake it out into a bucket on the floor.

To build a coal bin, I used 4x4 sheets of 1/2 inch plywood, a few pieces of 2x3 lumber and a fist full of drywall screws. A 4x4x4 box holds about a ton or ton and a half as I recall. I placed the bin on a base of cinder blocks under a basement window so the coal truck could unload directly into the bin. The bin was about a foot off the ground. That is important so you can put a transport bucket on the floor and slide it underneath the edge to scoop the coal into. It took more time to go to the lumber yard than it did to put the thing together and it served me well for the several years it was in service.

The only tricky design element is providing a way to conveniently get the coal out of the bottom/side without allowing coal to flow out onto the floor. To do this I built a simple interior roofed tunnel that I cannot find the words to describe technically. (I'll send you a PM to get in touch if you'd like to hear exactly how I built it). This "tunnel" had a top and two side walls but was open at the side of the bin and about two feet inside the bin. The roof of the tunnel directs the coal immediately above the opening at the base back to the middle of the bin to keep coal from flowing out of the opening. It needs to be sized to allow coal to flow almost to the edge by gravity which meant that I could fill a bucket almost passively (I'd just reach with a shovel/rake into this little antechamber/vestibule and pull coal out into the bucket. As I pulled coal out an equal amount would, by gravity, replace what I'd removed etc. This system was pretty efficient and kept the coal from flowing out to the floor.

A "back of the envelope" drawing of the coal bin is attached.

 

[Theowegian]

Well, it seems that since you have a good supply of coal readily available to you, coal is a better choice than wood and way better than corn (esp due to availability).

Hehehe. I live in kansas. There is corn EVERYWHERE in this area. We have ethanol plants that are located real close to us and those plants use gazillions amounts of corn. Heck, I was thinking of converting my one acre sweet corn patch to field corn and burning the 1-200 bushels that I would grown myself. (I already have a corn planter, disc, cultivator, etc needed to plant and harvest corn). I'll tell you a secret. Folks here have excellent trees found in fencerows or brush piles that they willingly GIVE away...hardwoods, no less. For example, hedge, hickory, ash and oak. So for me, wood or corn are perfect heating materials. And I wouldnt even know where to get coal here...

Isn't it kind of an anachronism (something out of it's time) that COAL is a good alternative to modern electricity or gas to heat our homes?....Who'd-a-thunk-it? Your grandpappy would get a good chuckle out of us modern dudes, using coal for heat....!!!

dwight
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My recommendation: Go with a coal burning, hot air furnace. See if you can find one classified as an "add-on-furnace" and you'll be in business. If I were in your shoes, that is what Id do!

 

[JSUnlimited]

Scrounger,

Sorry I did not chime in earlier. I've been burning wood now for over a month and the gas furnance has not ran at all. Until I get the next gas bill, I won't be able to run the numbers and see where I'm going to be saving. Wood around here is anywhere from 70 to 125 a cord seasoned, split and delivered. Fortunately I have not had to buy yet. As far as the physical labor, I don't mind it at all.

I was wondering though about using coal supplemental to the wood but have never burned coal before.....anyone have experience with coal and burning it?

 

[IslandTractor]

Coal burns more evenly than wood. I think it is more dense energy wise as well so for a given weight you get more BTUs. It's a bit harder to start but much easier to keep going. Most often you start a wood fire then add coal. Once the coal is going it is controlled just by adjusting the damper (like wood). You can load up enough at once to last 12 hrs easily. Shake it down after 12 hrs and add another bucket. Clean out ashes about every two to three days or so. Some stoves accept both coal and wood.

 

[tilleym]

I have installed an ouside wood furnace next to the home, ducted cold air from the basement, hot air plenum to the living area, works better than imagined, have some free wood sources, etc. Coal question: my Clayton stove also is designed for coal, been researching it, seems like Anthrcite coal is the best BTU, Bituminus is what most power plants use and is not as high in BTU, etc. I'm in northern Michigan, have checked online for Antracite Coal prices.. .places in PA, getting prices of $1200 delivered for two palets that total 5000 lbs. ( each 50, 50lb bags) For the other posters in PA, Scrounger, etc.. do give me some local coal prices on antracite there, I just might make a truck run and get a load myself.

 

[JSUnlimited]

tilleym,

I too have the Clayton #1600 furnace designed for wood/coal use but mine is in the basement.

I was looking to load it up with coal before bed so that I can get a full night of burning.

 

[Scrounger]

I can pick up in Pittston PA for less than $100 a ton. I paid $90 a ton for a three ton load for my brother -in - law. Ping me off line and I can give you the contact information.

 

[uhmgawa]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Isn't it kind of an anachronism (something out of it's time) that COAL is a good alternative to modern electricity or gas to heat our homes?....Who'd-a-thunk-it? Your grandpappy would get a good chuckle out of us modern dudes, using coal for heat...)</font>

Unsure whether it is an anachronism or a cyclical trend.

I was born and raised in NE PA where at that time heating
with coal was quite common. Case in point, my grandfather
worked as a coal miner.

My parents heated with coal until the opportunity to switch
to natural gas arose. Gone was the behemoth coal furnace and
dedicated room sized coal bin. Heating the home from that
point became automatic and was removed as a chore within
daily life.

I myself have tossed around the idea of heating with wood as I
have more wood than I can give away. Even dismissing the
up front conversion/equipment costs it is the daily maintenance
which nixes the idea. It is so much easier to spend a fraction of
the time consumed by the would be daily "heating work" instead
at one's primary employment and use the spoils to fund
automatic heating.

I don't mean to suggest in the grand scheme of things this is
assured to be the best choice. But rather it is simply a practical
concession to life in these times.