electric charcoal lighters

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gardener
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Post by gardener » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 1:36 pm

Has anyone tried to use a handheld electric charcoal igniter to start an anthracite or bituminous coal fire?
any success with these?
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 2:05 pm

I use a heat gun to ignite that woody lump charcoal underneath some anthracite. Works awesome!

 
nut
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Post by nut » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 2:52 pm

I still get a newspaper so newspapers and a match for me.

 
Donb
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Post by Donb » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 3:00 pm

The post office keeps me supplied with the weekly sales flyers from supermarkets etc. Ya can’t stop the darned things from arriving so I ignite my kindling with them…..while smiling.
Don


 
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davidmcbeth3
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 3:52 pm

Just toss 1/2 gal. of accelerant into the firebox and problem solved !

https://i.postimg.cc/Y0D521dW/problemsolved.gif

 
gardener
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Post by gardener » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 4:12 pm

Thanks everyone, perhaps I should have been more specific.
I don't have any trouble starting coal fires, I was just curious if anyone has used any of these igniters or heat gun (as Lightning suggested) to start a coal fire without any other type of combustible (like charcoal).

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 4:18 pm

gardener wrote:
Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 4:12 pm
I was just curious if anyone has used any of these igniters or heat gun (as Lightning suggested) to start a coal fire without any other type of combustible (like charcoal).
I've tried using a torch and a heat gun to light anthracite.. It didn't work. You need need something that will burn extremely hot for a period of time to get the anthy hot enough to go on its own. I don't think its reasonably possible without a heat source like wood kindling or charcoal.

 
waytomany?s
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Post by waytomany?s » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 4:39 pm

Lightning wrote:
Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 4:18 pm
I've tried using a torch and a heat gun to light anthracite.. It didn't work. You need need something that will burn extremely hot for a period of time to get the anthy hot enough to go on its own. I don't think its reasonably possible without a heat source like wood kindling or charcoal.
I'd say challenge accepted, but I'm already lit and will definitely forget before I have to light up again. :D


 
ColdHouse
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Post by ColdHouse » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 4:45 pm

Try using a magnifying glass and the sun's rays. That oughta work!
I only light my stoves once in the fall so I don't mind using wood.

 
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Post by Hoytman » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 6:51 pm

I use two quart pineapple juice cans. I fill one with lump charcoal.

The other I cut the bottom and top out of it. Then I took an old bottle opener and used the pointed end to make holes on the bottom sides of the can. Then I place this can in the stove and use the other can to fill it. Then I light the charcoal with a match and a piece of fat wood through a bottom hole and give it about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile the fire is starting I fill the bottom of the stove with coal and pack it around the can. As soon as the charcoal flame comes out the top of the can I reach in with a pair of pliers and remove the can leaving the burning charcoal behind. Then I scoot Coal up against the burning charcoal.

I begin to pile a small amount of coal on top of the burning charcoal. As it ignited I add more charcoal…another layer and so on. By the 3-4th layer I cover the burning charcoal with coal and the fire spreads throughout the firebox.

It’s really easy. Faster than loading the stove with a large load of wood and then waiting an hour or more for hot embers to add coal to.

Doing it this way I can be up and running in 20-25 minutes. I love it.

 
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nepacoal
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Post by nepacoal » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 7:11 pm

My hand fed boiler was big enough that I just used a Webber charcoal starter with lump charcoal. Put a 1 to 2 inch layer of nut, lay the loaded charcoal starter on top and light it off. Once the charcoal lit I poured out the coals and started layering nut. I could get 80 to 100 pounds of coal going in 30 to 45 minutes.

 
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davidmcbeth3
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 7:16 pm

gardener wrote:
Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 4:12 pm
Thanks everyone, perhaps I should have been more specific.
I don't have any trouble starting coal fires, I was just curious if anyone has used any of these igniters or heat gun (as Lightning suggested) to start a coal fire without any other type of combustible (like charcoal).
send me one and i'll check

 
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Post by Hootyburra » Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 9:30 pm

I've used a heat gun once or twice, melted the gun in the process. Map gas works great but probably isn't very economical. The coal starters with the fuse from Alaskan on rt11 work the best from what I've tried over the years.

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