After doing some internet research, I just discovered that what I thought was a wood stove is actually a Harman coal burning stove, and I happen to live near coal country and its pretty cheap per ton ($210... is that cheap?). Does anyone know the pro/cons of burning coal when it comes to creosote production, possibilities of runaway fires, burn duration, etc.?
Whoops, My Stove Burns Coal
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Copied and pasted from another thread....
1) a ton of coal (24M BTU) costing $220/ton is $ 9.2/M BTU
2) a ton of wood pellets (16M BTU) costing, say $200/ton is $12.5/M BTU
so coal is only about 73% of the cost of wood pellets. Coal would have to rise to $300 for them to be equal.
Original poster was castiron.
1) a ton of coal (24M BTU) costing $220/ton is $ 9.2/M BTU
2) a ton of wood pellets (16M BTU) costing, say $200/ton is $12.5/M BTU
so coal is only about 73% of the cost of wood pellets. Coal would have to rise to $300 for them to be equal.
Original poster was castiron.
$210 isn't cheap for coal, but at that price it still beats pellets.
Where are you from Professor? I might be able to point you at a better source of coal.
As far as producing creosote, well, frankly coal doesn't. Runaway fires aren't a problem either, although many (included myself) would recommend using a barometric damper to stabilize the heat output and help get even longer burns.
Which Harman coal stove do you have? The size of the firebox will dictate how long a burn you will get, but even the smallest of the Harman coal stoves (Mark I) will give honest 12 hour or better burns, with consistent, comfortable heat during the entire burn cycle.
If you haven't noticed, I do love coal.
Where are you from Professor? I might be able to point you at a better source of coal.
As far as producing creosote, well, frankly coal doesn't. Runaway fires aren't a problem either, although many (included myself) would recommend using a barometric damper to stabilize the heat output and help get even longer burns.
Which Harman coal stove do you have? The size of the firebox will dictate how long a burn you will get, but even the smallest of the Harman coal stoves (Mark I) will give honest 12 hour or better burns, with consistent, comfortable heat during the entire burn cycle.
If you haven't noticed, I do love coal.
Corie said:
I live near Reading, PA. Not too close to VA
Thanks for the feedback. My Harman is pretty big. I'd say two-two and half feet square (a Mark III?) with a shaker bottom and screw vent. The blower is on the lower back. How much coal do you think a full load would be?
I'm very new to this, if you couldn't tell...
EDIT: Before I forget... How do I start a coal fire????
Sorry prof. you're new here so I forgot that you don't know I'm from Milford (pike county). I know exactly where you are, but $210 a ton is high for the Reading area. That's for a bagged ton though, isn't it? You'll see the biggest savings if you buy bulk coal and build a storage bin.
It does sound like you have a Mk. 3, which is the largest of the coal stoves Harman makes. It should hold roughly 70lb - 80lbs of coal and you should be able to burn nearly 24 hours at a very low burn level although you'll find that loading one in the morning and once in the evening will be the best method.
A coal fire is started just like a wood fire - Use kindling wood and newspaper (or however you light a fire), and when its established, add finger sized and larger pieces of hardwood with the underfire air control open quite wide. You want to create a fairly HOT fire which gives you a nice even bed of wood coals. Once you have a good hot wood coal bed, you start adding coal, a little at a time, especially at the beginning. Try laying a single layer on the wood coals and wait for it to catch. You should have the spin damper on the ash pan door fully open at this point, but sometimes you might have to open the ash pan door to accelerate the process. Just be careful! Leave that door open too long and you'll damage the grates or Worse!
Once the first layer of coal is burning, add another layer, again giving it time to ignite fully. You'll be able to tell its catching because it will begin to glow red and there will be dancing blue flames at the top of the coal bed. Once you have a good solid base of glowing coal, you can probably fill the stove to capacity. Just keep throwing the coal in and use the flat side of a shovel to slope it from the front of the stove up to the top of the firebrick at the rear. Leave the ashpan door opening until you see some red at the top of the bed and then shut that ash pan door. You should see active blue flames dancing on the top of the coal bed and you should see some glowing red pieces of coal. Eventually the object is to have the entire coal bed burning evenly.
Then, once every 12 hours, opening the bottom air control and allow the fire to re-establish. Shake the grates with short, choppy strokes until just a few glowing red small embers fall through. Load fresh coal, leave the ash pan door open until the new load of coal catches and then reset your air control for the desired heat output level.
It does sound like you have a Mk. 3, which is the largest of the coal stoves Harman makes. It should hold roughly 70lb - 80lbs of coal and you should be able to burn nearly 24 hours at a very low burn level although you'll find that loading one in the morning and once in the evening will be the best method.
A coal fire is started just like a wood fire - Use kindling wood and newspaper (or however you light a fire), and when its established, add finger sized and larger pieces of hardwood with the underfire air control open quite wide. You want to create a fairly HOT fire which gives you a nice even bed of wood coals. Once you have a good hot wood coal bed, you start adding coal, a little at a time, especially at the beginning. Try laying a single layer on the wood coals and wait for it to catch. You should have the spin damper on the ash pan door fully open at this point, but sometimes you might have to open the ash pan door to accelerate the process. Just be careful! Leave that door open too long and you'll damage the grates or Worse!
Once the first layer of coal is burning, add another layer, again giving it time to ignite fully. You'll be able to tell its catching because it will begin to glow red and there will be dancing blue flames at the top of the coal bed. Once you have a good solid base of glowing coal, you can probably fill the stove to capacity. Just keep throwing the coal in and use the flat side of a shovel to slope it from the front of the stove up to the top of the firebrick at the rear. Leave the ashpan door opening until you see some red at the top of the bed and then shut that ash pan door. You should see active blue flames dancing on the top of the coal bed and you should see some glowing red pieces of coal. Eventually the object is to have the entire coal bed burning evenly.
Then, once every 12 hours, opening the bottom air control and allow the fire to re-establish. Shake the grates with short, choppy strokes until just a few glowing red small embers fall through. Load fresh coal, leave the ash pan door open until the new load of coal catches and then reset your air control for the desired heat output level.
Great explanation, Corie.
When I tried to burn coal, I got as far as building a nice wood fire and that was all she wrote. Do you know how hard it is to clean unburned coal out of a big boiler?
When I tried to burn coal, I got as far as building a nice wood fire and that was all she wrote. Do you know how hard it is to clean unburned coal out of a big boiler?
Corie, once I fill the stove and close the door and ashbin, how far in do I set the screw damper?
Thanks again!
EDIT: Also, do you recommend any commerical firestarters that would help in making a coal fire? And how much could I expect to pay per ton for unbagged, bulk coal?
Thanks again!
EDIT: Also, do you recommend any commerical firestarters that would help in making a coal fire? And how much could I expect to pay per ton for unbagged, bulk coal?
I was burning reading anthracite a few years back and paying 120 a ton for red ash. white ash anthracite burns hotter they claim but's harder to manage a fire, red ash is what you want especially if new. I think Reading anthracite, red ash, nut size coal here in south pa. sells for around 140 or so a ton now. I had a 3 ton heavy duty sturdy box built right under my basement window and the truck would shoot 3 ton into that box in about 15 minutes or so. I had a Baker coal stove, had to shovel the coal into it, it was easy good for a 12 hour burn when real cold, and a 24 hour burn if temp's were in the high 30s/40s.
As far as your draft question, you'll have to stay close to that stove for the first few days til you learn how far to spin out those draft controls. Some stoves have one, some have 2. Mine had 2. I think I had mine out one half turn each for a reasonable steady burn once the fire was going. If I wanted it real hot I'd turn 'em out a full turn each or so.
Coal takes some getting used to to burn. I'd build a big old wood fire in there and shovel a scoop of coal in on top when it was going real good, then shovel another scoop in a bit later. Had to watch it you know, put too much coal on top and it'll smother it all out. Try to leave a "hot spot" somewhere where theres always a wood flame coming up through and slowly build up your coal bed around that.
Eventually you gotta reload. Open the ash door was what I had to do on mine, let 'er get burnin good.
Then you gotta shake it after it's burned for a spell. You get used to doing that. Shake and watch the ash pan, when hot embers start falling then stop shaking. Make sure that coal is flaming, then start laying in your fresh coal for the next burn, a little at a time, not smothering the fire. Eventually you'll learn the feel of your shaker, and can tell when to stop shakin' without lookin in the bottom of the stove.
Any questions ask me, I'm an ex coal burnin' expert. Used to tell my wife.... "how hot you want it in here"?
Remember, sometimes coal will not look like its burning, you'll look in on it and it'll be glowing orange in the coal bed, but no flame in the stove box. Open the draft and it'll sometimes take a spell til it starts to burn with a flame, maybe 20 minutes or more on mine if I had 'er banked down good. Think slow to get going, not like wood, but once that coal starts crankin look out, she'll overfire in a heartbeat....
As far as your draft question, you'll have to stay close to that stove for the first few days til you learn how far to spin out those draft controls. Some stoves have one, some have 2. Mine had 2. I think I had mine out one half turn each for a reasonable steady burn once the fire was going. If I wanted it real hot I'd turn 'em out a full turn each or so.
Coal takes some getting used to to burn. I'd build a big old wood fire in there and shovel a scoop of coal in on top when it was going real good, then shovel another scoop in a bit later. Had to watch it you know, put too much coal on top and it'll smother it all out. Try to leave a "hot spot" somewhere where theres always a wood flame coming up through and slowly build up your coal bed around that.
Eventually you gotta reload. Open the ash door was what I had to do on mine, let 'er get burnin good.
Then you gotta shake it after it's burned for a spell. You get used to doing that. Shake and watch the ash pan, when hot embers start falling then stop shaking. Make sure that coal is flaming, then start laying in your fresh coal for the next burn, a little at a time, not smothering the fire. Eventually you'll learn the feel of your shaker, and can tell when to stop shakin' without lookin in the bottom of the stove.
Any questions ask me, I'm an ex coal burnin' expert. Used to tell my wife.... "how hot you want it in here"?
Remember, sometimes coal will not look like its burning, you'll look in on it and it'll be glowing orange in the coal bed, but no flame in the stove box. Open the draft and it'll sometimes take a spell til it starts to burn with a flame, maybe 20 minutes or more on mine if I had 'er banked down good. Think slow to get going, not like wood, but once that coal starts crankin look out, she'll overfire in a heartbeat....
Bituminous Coal in South East Ohio is going for $100 per ton, but that is in coal country.
I have seen it 2x to 3x this price in other areas.
Hope this is helpful....
GW
I have seen it 2x to 3x this price in other areas.
Hope this is helpful....
GW
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