converting wood to coal how?

[dkf5]

we currently have a shenandoah wood stove from approx. 1980. can it be converted to burn coal? I know they made some models to burn either. Not ours. Just wondering if it was possible and how. Thanks. Donna

 

[savageactor7]

We had both those Shenandoah's, my advice is don't bother with the coal. If you want to burn coal, and I happen to think that's a good move, just get a coal stove. I don't mean to be harsh but that's the way it is. Coal is a great long lasting heat but it can be tricky. We'd be burning if we didn't have all this free wood so easy to harvest.

 

[dkf5]

how tricky is coal? never used before.

 

[webbie]

Do you know which model of Shenendoah?
Some of them were designed to convert to coal....but even then, the fireboxes are really too big for efficient use of the hard coal that we tend to use in New England the Northeast.

There is quite a bit of reading on the site about coal - check out the articles and QA, etc.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/choose_coal/

 

[Peter B.]

You need _strong_ draft, an under fire air intake, and a grate able to clear 'hard' ash and unburnt coal bits without jamming.

Anthracite coal (what you're likely to find in your neck of the woods) likes a deep bed of fuel... not just a few chunks thrown in on a wood fire.

These folks have (most of) the answers...

http://www.nepadigital.com/bb/forum-55.html

Good Luck.

Peter B.

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[dkf5]

Thank you so much you have been really helpful. I would really like to try coal this year. We have plenty of wood so if it doesn't go well with the coal then back to wood. Thanks again to all. Donna

 

[bjkjoseph]

its also very dirty.