Kentucky bit...is it worth trying?

Burning through my first ton of anthracite in the hitzer 82fa and I’m happy, except for the coal price. I’m in western PA and there is a local mining outfit, Thompson Brothers, that sells “Kentucky” bit coal . They don’t sell anthracite and call the Kentucky their hard coal. I’d like to try it out. It’s over a hundred less a ton than anthracite. Any opinions on the Kentucky bit? Will the 82fa burn it successfully? My main concern is soot. If my house, decks, yard is going to be covered in black soot then I’ll pay the extra for the anthracite. Last time I tried bit in my old stove it covered everything with soot...everything. I’m not sure what grade it was but it was pretty dirty. Happy New Year to you all.

Stay with Ant .jack

Your Hitzer can burn bituminous coal, but the amount of soot will depend on proper firing technique and the characteristics of the coal. Ask the guys at Thompson what they think.

Kentucky coal can be very good - I would not be afraid to try a small quantity of it.

I would certainly try. Start with 1/2 or a ton .. running only bit.

Rob R. wrote: ↑

Sun. Jan. 01, 2023 9:51 am

Your Hitzer can burn bituminous coal, but the amount of soot will depend on proper firing technique and the characteristics of the coal. Ask the guys at Thompson what they think.

Kentucky coal can be very good - I would not be afraid to try a small quantity of it.

I live in KY (which has long been the top coal producer until the stuff out West came along), but apparently it all goes down the Ohio and Mississippi--and beyond. I wrote to my Senator McConnell (who is waste-deep in coal shares in his portfolio) about how to get some, but he never replied. Most people in Congress have staff to answer all letters, however uselessly.

My Vigilant 2 came from the factory ready for bit coal, so to burn anthracite all you do is remove an air-restricting plate under the firebox and attach the warning sign in front to burn anthracite only. It would give much too much air to bit coal without that adapter.

charlesosborne2002 wrote: ↑

Mon. Jan. 02, 2023 7:47 pm

SNIP I wrote to my Senator McConnell (who is waste-deep in coal shares in his portfolio) about how to get some, but he never replied. Most people in Congress have staff to answer all letters, however uselessly.

Never be shy to knock on the senator's house .. I've never had any of them turn me away.

davidmcbeth3 wrote: ↑

Thu. Jan. 05, 2023 12:19 am

Never be shy to knock on the senator's house .. I've never had any of them turn me away.

Well, now, that never occurred to me. Do you hobnob with them much?

I would not want to divert to political preferences, but discussing McConnell is still discussing coal, yes? He doesn't get black lung from owning shares, but still... there is a sulfurish air about him.

The practical problem today is that since hardly anybody in America uses coal at home, compared to gas, electric, and vodka, it is therefore not sold on every corner anymore, like weed or stolen goods. The fact that it is quite heavy is itself an issue. If trucks could burn it, it would be more accessible.

Nazi Germany made Ersatz oil products Kohleverflüssigung from coal--apparently not cost-effective today. The day the Brits bombed out the Luftwaffe synthetic fuel plant, Speer wrote in his diary, "The war is lost." (Even so, they ran out of planes before they ran out of fuel.) But even today, losing a war does not seem to end it.

charlesosborne2002 wrote: ↑

Thu. Jan. 05, 2023 8:52 am

Well, now, that never occurred to me. Do you hobnob with them much?

SNIP

Well, if I call a representive's office and ask for a call back from the senator or rep. and they don't call back..I go over to their house of nearby or near a route I was traveling anyways.

Knock knock knock.

Did you know for much of history of US .. the # of citizens per representative was 3000. Now its like 70K. The system is a sham.