Burning cheap coal in my Hearthstone wood stove

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stoker-man
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Posts: 2071
Joined: Mon. Nov. 19, 2007 9:33 pm
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: 1981 efm wcb-24 in use 365 days a year
Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/Chestnut
Other Heating: Hearthstone wood stove

Post by stoker-man » Sun. Nov. 13, 2022 6:49 pm

My local coal yard had alot of unusable coal. It was in the corners of the old concrete structures, mixed with dirt, sticks, and concrete pieces and stone that had spalled off the ancient structures. He said he could drive 40+ miles to a breaker and they would buy it as scrap for $25/ton and resift it. I said I'd buy it all for that price, especially since the current price is $350/ton. It was a mixture of nut all the way down to dirt.

He also sifts his new coal and all the fines fall into a pile which he also wanted to get rid of. I took that too. 

Here is the coal supply.
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My wood stove, a Hearthstone 2, was designed to burn wood and chestnut coal, with a grate setup.

My wood burning grate was burned out after 40 years of abuse and even chestnut coal would fall through. The replacement grate was unavailable and sold for $320.

I bought this style of french drain cover and cut 2 covers to lay into the spot where the old grate was removed. The grates were $75 apiece last year.
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I start a small wood fire using a few pieces of pallet wood and then add a few shovels to both sides of center so as not to smother the wood. Once the fire is burning, move the coal to the center.  After establishing a coal fire, I scratch the bottom of the pile and add coal only.

I fabricated a rake using rebar to get to the back of the firebox so i can rake over the grates and the ashes fall through.  I only use the rake in the morning after the coal has burned out.
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Eventually, the firebox has a layer of clinkers and large rocks that don't burn anymore and the get shoveled out and the process begins anew.  I always keep a thin layer of spent coal to cover the grates to protect them from glowing coal.

Here is the ash
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The chimney for the Hearthstone has enough draft that I can easily burn this tiny sized coal easily into the 50s. Currently, the temps are in the 40s and this is the fire without any fan stoking it.
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stoker-man
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Posts: 2071
Joined: Mon. Nov. 19, 2007 9:33 pm
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: 1981 efm wcb-24 in use 365 days a year
Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/Chestnut
Other Heating: Hearthstone wood stove

Post by stoker-man » Mon. Jan. 09, 2023 9:27 am

Update. The ungraded coal is the best thing I ever bought. It burns great using the iron grates and should burn great in any under-the-grate air supply stove.

I just bought some spare grates from TDS Trench Drain Supply (Polycast DG0675HD) for $50 apiece.

 
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ShawnLiNy
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Joined: Fri. Nov. 30, 2018 12:28 am
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Waterford
Coal Size/Type: Nut

Post by ShawnLiNy » Mon. Jan. 09, 2023 9:48 am

stoker-man wrote:
Mon. Jan. 09, 2023 9:27 am
Update. The ungraded coal is the best thing I ever bought. It burns great using the iron grates and should burn great in any under-the-grate air supply stove.

I just bought some spare grates from TDS Trench Drain Supply (Polycast DG0675HD) for $50 apiece.
your in good shape with extra grates on hand ( I get most of my my coal for just removing it ( I’ve easily burned a yard a dirt /pebbles over 12 years f free stuff) it all burns and will produce heat if added on existing coals )


 
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stoker-man
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Posts: 2071
Joined: Mon. Nov. 19, 2007 9:33 pm
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: 1981 efm wcb-24 in use 365 days a year
Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/Chestnut
Other Heating: Hearthstone wood stove

Post by stoker-man » Mon. Jan. 09, 2023 9:27 pm

Yes and at $35 a ton compared to $350, I'll take it. I don't have any free coal locally

 
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davidmcbeth3
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Coal Size/Type: nut/pea/anthra

Post by davidmcbeth3 » Mon. Jan. 09, 2023 10:02 pm

Sounds like the start of a country music hit !

Burning cheap coal in my Hearthstone wood stove..
So she left me

 
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ShawnLiNy
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Posts: 618
Joined: Fri. Nov. 30, 2018 12:28 am
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Waterford
Coal Size/Type: Nut

Post by ShawnLiNy » Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 1:00 pm

davidmcbeth3 wrote:
Mon. Jan. 09, 2023 10:02 pm
Sounds like the start of a country music hit !

Burning cheap coal in my Hearthstone wood stove..
So she left me
and took the prize hound 😩


 
nut
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Location: NEPA
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Glacier Bay
Coal Size/Type: nut
Other Heating: electric

Post by nut » Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 1:18 pm

Burned down my house. More whiskey.

 
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davidmcbeth3
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Coal Size/Type: nut/pea/anthra

Post by davidmcbeth3 » Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 3:21 pm

An' a-moving into her sister's trailer tomorroooow

 
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stoker-man
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Posts: 2071
Joined: Mon. Nov. 19, 2007 9:33 pm
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: 1981 efm wcb-24 in use 365 days a year
Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/Chestnut
Other Heating: Hearthstone wood stove

Post by stoker-man » Wed. May. 24, 2023 5:20 pm

So after a full season of burning culm coal, I can say that in a wood stove, using the grates shown above, that it is fantastic. Even using the powder coal shown in the picture.

I store the coal in 4" round tubes which are 24" long. The cheap ductwork tubes you can buy at Home Despot. Two tubes, added before bed, easily burn hot for 8 hours.

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Hoytman
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Location: swOH near a little town where the homes are mobile and the cars aren’t
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 354
Coal Size/Type: nut coal
Other Heating: electric, wood, oil

Post by Hoytman » Sat. May. 27, 2023 11:42 am

Sounds like you worked it out and can stay warm. Thumbs up!!👍

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