Looking to Burn Stove Coal

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celloreiter
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Posts: 6
Joined: Tue. Jul. 12, 2022 5:10 pm
Location: Maine
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby
Coal Size/Type: Nut
Other Heating: Buderus #2 Oil Furnace/Baseboards

Post by celloreiter » Thu. Jul. 14, 2022 8:47 pm

Hello all! I have a full size Chubby top-vent heating roughly a 1500sqft [1/3 upstairs and 2/3 downstairs] portion of my house.

I'm looking for a stove that can burn stove coal efficiently, and something that can run for 24hours without tending to replace the Chubby. Considering a Harmon Mk 1, but don't know how well it will burn large lump stove coal size.

Preferably not something HUGE that will use a lot of coal and sweat me out of the house.

Any suggestions?

 
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warminmn
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Posts: 8108
Joined: Tue. Feb. 08, 2011 5:59 pm
Location: Land of 11,842 lakes
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Junior, Efel Nestor Martin, Riteway 37
Coal Size/Type: nut and stove anthracite, lignite
Other Heating: Wood and wear a wool shirt

Post by warminmn » Thu. Jul. 14, 2022 9:07 pm

Why just this specific size anthracite? Nut size anthracite is better for slower burns. Nut is smaller.

Lots of us using anthraciite "can" burn 24 hours without tending but the stoves operate better on 12 hr tendings.

Large stoves do not mean roasting in your home with anthracite. They can be idled very low. To the point of putting out no heat if thats what is needed.

 
hank2
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Posts: 846
Joined: Sat. Dec. 10, 2011 4:07 pm
Location: Berks County
Hand Fed Coal Stove: DS Machine 1400 WH ciculator; 1880's small cannon in reserve
Coal Size/Type: Nut
Other Heating: small New Yorker oil fired boiler; mostly used for domestic HW

Post by hank2 » Thu. Jul. 14, 2022 11:38 pm

I'd fully agree! For real mega heat output for the coldest days, stove size can help. If it's a larger stove. Nut is best for covering all levels of burning. All the bulk "nut" I have gotten the past 5 years has had a lot of stove sized in it. Even some egg. Some years it was the majority of the mix. I use a hopper fed and the stove doesn't gravity feed so great with stove.

In milder running, I suppose that my stove tending could go 24 hrs on harder coal. With the typical coal quality and ash content, more or less 12 hour tending works for me. In harder running times, it's a necessity. Hopper will be empty or close to it and ash bucket will be full on shake down. My stove does the job, but it's a size smaller than ideal for what I'm doing.

DS Machine makes a number of hand fired stoves, some pretty big. The circulator model like I have has been discontinued for the second time although there are still a few on dealer's floors. They're known for idling down pretty well if you need to and not overpowering the room it's in.


 
celloreiter
New Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue. Jul. 12, 2022 5:10 pm
Location: Maine
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby
Coal Size/Type: Nut
Other Heating: Buderus #2 Oil Furnace/Baseboards

Post by celloreiter » Fri. Jul. 15, 2022 1:39 am

I'm interested in the big chunks because I have 4 tons available at $299 each. Everthying else is sold out or selling $460 per ton.

 
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warminmn
Member
Posts: 8108
Joined: Tue. Feb. 08, 2011 5:59 pm
Location: Land of 11,842 lakes
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Junior, Efel Nestor Martin, Riteway 37
Coal Size/Type: nut and stove anthracite, lignite
Other Heating: Wood and wear a wool shirt

Post by warminmn » Fri. Jul. 15, 2022 8:27 am

Thats a really good reason! I enjoyed watching stove size burn as it looks like a real nice charcoal fire.

It might work in your Chubby how it is or by sprinkling some pea coal or even ash on top to slow the air down a little. Maybe call Larry at Chubby Stoves and ask him his thoughts on it.

Other than that, most decent sized stoves would work but might not work with a hopper installed if they have one The 24 hr thing could be problematic long term though.

 
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Sunny Boy
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Posts: 25559
Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 1:40 pm
Location: Central NY
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Anthracite Industrial, domestic hot water heater
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood range 208, # 6 base heater, 2 Modern Oak 118.
Coal Size/Type: Nuts !
Other Heating: Oil &electric plenum furnace

Post by Sunny Boy » Fri. Jul. 15, 2022 9:03 am

By weight, stove coal is about 10 percent less when in the same space as nut coal. A few years back, in a thread about magazines, I ran tests and measured the weight of coal to fill 5-gallon pail with nut - and the same pail with stove. Do a search using "magazine" and you may find that thread.

Does it burn hotter, yes because of the larger air spaces around the chunks offer less resistance to air flow. But with 10% less weight in the same stove it will have to be refueled sooner when run at the same heat output as nut size. It all comes down to fuel density within the stove. In my range filled with just nut size, it will easily burn for 12-14 hours. Switch to all stove size and I had to refuel about every 10-11 hours because of less fuel density in the firebox.

Nut size and the grates meant for it is so common in stoves - including antiques- because for over 100 years of coal use it is the best compromise between firebed "breathability", and fuel density for longer burns.

Then there is the problem of stove size feeding well in some magazines that are narrow. Jammed up the magazine on my Glenwood #6. Had to use a metal rod to poke and break the jams loose.

Paul

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