Need Advice on Burning Coal in a Tent Stove

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Westerner
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Post by Westerner » Mon. Sep. 28, 2009 1:59 pm

I live out west and I've only actually seen a real life piece of coal a couple times. After you stop laughing, I have a couple questions.
I bought a wall tent recently and burned wood in the stove on my first trip. We had to add wood 3 or 4 times during the night. Temps at night 15-30 deg.
So, I heard coal will burn much longer and I thought I'd give it a try. I'll be using bit coal. I have a cylinder shaped stove with a coal grate and MPD.

I've read "how to light a coal fire", but I would love to hear from anyone who has experience doing this.
Can I get a fire to last all night AND keep us warm in a 12' x 12' tent?
Tips?
Words of warning?

Thanks!

 
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Freddy
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Post by Freddy » Mon. Sep. 28, 2009 2:30 pm

I don't know anything about burning Bituminous, other than it's dirty compared to anthracite. The reason I'm even writing is to ask what you are using for a chimney. The one thing when burning coal is that it produces carbon monoxide. It is extremely important that it be vented so fumes do not, can not, accumulate in the house (tent).

 
Westerner
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Post by Westerner » Mon. Sep. 28, 2009 2:47 pm

The tent and stove were designed together. The stove has a 5 inch chimney that extends about two feet above the peak of the tent for a total of about 9-10 feet high. The tent has plenty of ventilation. Unless I'm mistaken, wood fires produce CO also.

Thanks for the warning!


 
franco b
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Post by franco b » Mon. Sep. 28, 2009 3:56 pm

Yes the coal will last much longer. Bit coal will release a lot of gas when heated but not as much as wood. Given enough heat and air it will burn clean, so start with a good hot wood fire and gradually add coal until the stove is full. How long it will last will depend on the depth of the coal bed. I would leave the damper open until you gain experience. Try it before your next trip.

Richard

 
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Scottscoaled
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Post by Scottscoaled » Mon. Sep. 28, 2009 10:53 pm

I would make sure that the burning coal doesn't contact the metal sides of your stove. The thin metal will easily melt thru because of the extremely high combustion temps of the coal. :)

 
Westerner
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Post by Westerner » Mon. Sep. 28, 2009 11:00 pm

The stove is made of 12 gauge steel. The manufacturer says it will burn wood or coal. It's plenty thick.
Keep those tips comin! Thanks.


 
NOPEC
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Post by NOPEC » Tue. Oct. 13, 2009 12:42 pm

you're planning to pack in coal on a camping trip? last time I checked, there was firewood available in the woods where one tends to camp. bituminous won't burn any longer than hardwood and requires a lot of poking to break it up when the tar cooks out and welds it together. it also will put an awful layer of soot & ash all over everything within the fallout radius of the chimney. I burn anthracite and wood in my Harman sf260. bituminous was nothing but trouble.

 
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Berlin
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Post by Berlin » Tue. Oct. 13, 2009 1:15 pm

bituminous coal will burn longer than hardwood, even subbituminous. Western bituminous (and much eastern bituminous) has a low cokebutton and thus will not fuse together in the middle of burning.

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