Bad Experience Burning Bituminous in Hitzer

smokeyCityTeacher · Post by **smokeyCityTeacher** » Mon. Dec. 07, 2009 6:23 pm

I ran out of Anthracite (reading 50# bags) over the weekend so a friend who has several tons of Bituminous piled in front of her shop told me to take a couple garbage cans of it for my stove.
Although I know that bituminous is dirtier I though it would not hurt to burn a couple 100 # of free coal.

What a mistake. I am now burning some hardwood at high temp to purge the terrible soot stink from the stove and basement.
A wave of brown sulphur stench rolls out every time I poke the fire. I had forgotten just how awful this stuff is to deal with.
A thick layer of oily crust is stuck all over the inside and gumming up on all the seals.

The big pieces melted into a bubbling g foam sludge which baked onto the walls and window.
It was only after I burned it for 2 days and poked it and shoveled out the clinkers by hand that I finally got it to a pile of glowing orange chunks.
Even then it stunk.

Did I just get some particularly bad Bit or is it always this smokey and greasy ?

WNY · Post by **WNY** » Mon. Dec. 07, 2009 6:26 pm

OOps...

bksaun · Post by **bksaun** » Mon. Dec. 07, 2009 7:45 pm

Bituminous varies a LOT! Some is quite clean and some is like burning tar. I burned ky bit stoker size in my MKIII last year and it was dirty compared to anthracite but nothing like what you have experienced, heated over the fire air would improve it a lot, but more trouble than it is worth.

Hopefully a few good loads of anthracite nut or larger will burn all that stuff off.

Bk

Berlin · Post by **Berlin** » Tue. Dec. 08, 2009 1:21 pm

sounds like some crappy coal. clinkers = low fusion temp, melting together while burning = very high coke button. also, you have to know how to fire bituminous correctly- esp. for the particular appliance. just like when you first started using anthracite, you can't just throw it in there.

smokeyCityTeacher · Post by **smokeyCityTeacher** » Tue. Dec. 08, 2009 2:50 pm

Berlin wrote:sounds like some crappy coal. clinkers = low fusion temp, melting together while burning = very high coke button. also, you have to know how to fire bituminous correctly- esp. for the particular appliance. just like when you first started using anthracite, you can't just throw it in there.

Don't know anything about proper way to use Bit. After this experience I would not use it even if was free.
I know there is a proper way to use any kind of fuel but for now hardwood and anthracite are the only fuel I use.

009to090 · Post by **009to090** » Tue. Dec. 08, 2009 2:54 pm

smokeyCityTeacher wrote:Don't know anything about proper way to use Bit. After this experience I would not use it even if was free.

If it were free, I'd learn how to burn it

smokeyCityTeacher · Post by **smokeyCityTeacher** » Tue. Dec. 08, 2009 4:49 pm

DVC500 at last wrote:
smokeyCityTeacher wrote:Don't know anything about proper way to use Bit. After this experience I would not use it even if was free.
If it were free, I'd learn how to burn it

I guess I've just been spoiled by anthracite.

rockwood · Post by **rockwood** » Fri. Dec. 11, 2009 11:26 pm

Berlin wrote:know how to fire bituminous correctly- esp. for the particular appliance

Berlin is right but I must say I've never had anything like "bubbling foam sludge" when burning soft coal...so I wouldn't rule out burning soft coal just because you got some bad coal. From the way you explained how this coal burns I'm wondering if it's cannel coal. I've never burned cannel coal but from what I've read you can't burn it in a stove, it's got to be burned in a fireplace/open fire because of all the volatiles. Members Duengeon master and Berlin I think have burned cannel coal so you could PM them about it.
If I lived in your area I would come get some of that coal just to see what it does

....If Duengeon master lives near you I bet he would come get that coal if you don't want it

.

Josh H · Post by **Josh H** » Sat. Dec. 12, 2009 5:04 am

Bituminous Definitely has a learning curve. With that being said, I burn it 24/7- 240 days a year in my Hitzer which is the center piece of the main living area. No smell is ever in my house, visitors think I burn wood and have never noticed a smell inside. The key is learning when and how to load and tend which should only need done every 12 hours on the coldest days. If you had brown sulfur rolling out it was because the door was opened to close to the last time you loaded it.
Good luck, Josh

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Sat. Dec. 12, 2009 5:30 am

Ewwwww, what a yucky experience that was! At least you didn't have a puff back & paint the room soot black!
Josh....he's got it going. Right stove, right know how, only choice for him so he's learned. I agree though, if anthracite is a choice, it's the only choice.

Berlin · Post by **Berlin** » Sat. Dec. 12, 2009 12:54 pm

anthracite's a choice for me and many in the buffalo area, I prefer to burn bit, and the majority of people I let try "good" bituminous prefer it, even at the similar prices. More heat, less ash and much easier to start/stop a fire. just like anything else if you take the time to learn how to burn it properly (it takes me about fifteen minuites to show people how to burn it-so we're not talking a huge commitment here) have a decent quaility of fuel, and a stove that's designed at least somewhat decently, there won't be any problems and you'll enjoy the experience.