Size Matters

It’s amazing how different the burn characteristics of different sizes of coal are. Last night I was scraping the bottom of the bucket to get all of the coal out before going out to the bin and refilling it. Needless to say there was a lot of what I guess are called “fines” in the bottom of the bucket. These small pieces settled down between the normal “nut” sized chunks slowing down the air flow and produced a slow burning fire that stayed around 300 degrees even with the air feed open two full turns. I could open the ash door and the fire would slowly creep up to 350, but within a half a hour after shutting the door it settles back down to 260-300 degrees. Today with a load of “normal” sized nut coal, I am having no problem keeping the stove at 350+.

Would it be worth it to store these small bits separately for use in warm weather to slow the fire down so I don’t have to open all the windows in the house; or just make sure they are evenly mixed with the normal sized chunks for everyday use?

Welcome to the forum.

I had the same problem. I was burning nut coal but had to settle for half a ton of stove that was full of fines. Like you said, the fines will kill or slow the burn considerably. Do a search for screening fines. Lots of suggestions about filtering out the fines.

My stove coal comes with a lot of fines too and I normally use them as a "manual damper" on my fires. If you work with them, they can be an advantage. I can open my air inlet up and keep the bottom of the fire lively without worrying it will take off to meltdown mode. And they burn so you aren't losing anything.

You just have to be aware and make sure the fire is shaken well. They are typically fine enough that the fall down though easily if you are burning stove size. With nut, I find it plugs things up so I wouldn't try it there.

I sift the fines out of my coal and put them in the ash bucket. Then I take them to the dump where they are then used as landfill. Last time I burned a lot of fines I all but murdered my fire. It nearly took me 4 hours to get it back. So now, I don't even waste my time with them.

I had a few customers that would get rice for this. They'd get like 4 ton of nut and one ton of rice. I'd chute the rice into a corner of a bin.

Another way to do this is by spreading some ash across the top.

I burn nut... I save the fines and throw a small amount on the fire occasionally... I'm too cheap to throw out coal that will burn....

i use stove coal and the flames can get pretty high...I like throwing a shovel of fines on for fun...they can really ignite and fire up fast... but it stinks like something dead.... I use them to cool down a fire that is a bit out of hand...but mostly for fun...

Since almost everyone who has posted in this and other threads says they see a difference in burning different size coal, it must be true. I like to think that I am a fairly observant old bear, but... I cannot say I see any difference in burning pea or nut. With or without fines mixed in. I also find some wood spinters, twigs and when I sweep up coal spilled outside the bin, I get some saw dust mixed in. It all burns great at a slow steady pace.

Maybe burning wood for 30 years where wood varies so much by species and moisture content makes the subtle differeces in coal size seems like nothing to me

And this pretty much sums it up KISS

grizzly2 wrote:Since almost everyone who has posted in this and other threads says they see a difference in burning different size coal, it must be true. I like to think that I am a fairly observant old bear, but... I cannot say I see any difference in burning pea or nut. With or without fines mixed in. I also find some wood spinters, twigs and when I sweep up coal spilled outside the bin, I get some saw dust mixed in. It all burns great at a slow steady pace.

Maybe burning wood for 30 years where wood varies so much by species and moisture content makes the subtle differeces in coal size seems like nothing to me

I wouldn't say it's a HUGE difference, but if I ran the air intake on stove coal where I run it with pea, I'd have a molten puddle of iron on the floor in short order.

jpete wrote:I wouldn't say it's a HUGE difference, but if I ran the air intake on stove coal where I run it with pea, I'd have a molten puddle of iron on the floor in short order.

I would say that IS a HUGE differerence

If I get too many fines in mine it won't put the fire out but darn close, it will completely ruin my burn schedule. I have to give it more air to wake the fire up, but then once the fire burns and settles it then has too much air and is in danger of over firing.

grizzly2 wrote:

jpete wrote:I wouldn't say it's a HUGE difference, but if I ran the air intake on stove coal where I run it with pea, I'd have a molten puddle of iron on the floor in short order.

I would say that IS a HUGE differerence

That's the funny part because it's only the matter of less than a full turn on the air intake.

I've never used stove sized,but always use either nut or pea, and the powder at the bottom of the pail or any other small stuff goes in with the rest of it. My motto is "waste not..want not."

I keep a Tote full of Pea size on hand for slow low burns when the weather gets warmer or I want a slow fire ...just sprinkle a layer of Pea over the nut and the fire slows way down..as far as fines.... I use em as I get em ...whatever is in the bottom of the tote goes on the fire....I just sprinkle em on a little at a time an use em up...just cause they are small don't mean they wont burn!