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Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Mon. Jan. 13, 2014 5:14 pm
by buffalo bob
Hambden Bob wrote:He's got no insulated walls,concrete block with some possible cold air coming in through cracked or broken mortar joints(50's Constructed) and chances are good that windows and doors are adding to huge heat-loss. The housecap insulation is probably fair at best,and could display with icicle formation and a clear roof-not holding snow. Toss in the 76* interior heating call and I figure he's not out of the Ballpark. Also factor in air movement of the heated product. Someone asked him how hot the basement is. He's got some decisions to make,especially at 76*. Thank God The Mrs. is Happy ! I wouldn't want to have been him on Oil !
uninsulated block...there is ur answer...
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Mon. Jan. 13, 2014 8:49 pm
by mdrelyea
The thermostat should be hooked up. It's standard equipment that comes with the furnace. Take a look at the list of standard features
http://www.alaskastove.com/model-140-dual.html.
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Mon. Jan. 13, 2014 11:07 pm
by Pauliewog
I'm also burning a dual feeder 140 heating approximately 4000 sf in northeastern Pa.
Built our house in 1973 4 " insulation in walls and ceiling.
Burning coal since 1975 and average 7 ton per year. About 600 sf at 80 degrees.2500 sf at 74 degrees and 1000 sf bedroom areas at 70 degrees.
Our coal consumption so far this season is about 3 ton. The past few weeks been running both burners at just about minimum and thermostat feeder not quite half .
Other than the last really cold spell I have the thermostat programmed to set the temp back 2 degrees from midnight to 6 am
With the thermostat it is rare to have a 2 degree fluctuation. I have excellent draft and the Barometric Damper maintains a consistent -3 to -4
I have the Alaska thermostat package that came with the furnace. I strongly recommend the thermostat option. Look into the Coaltrol thermostat package .
It would be a good idea to post some pictures of your setup. As suggested above flue and over fire readings with one and with both burners running should really be checked.
Paul
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Tue. Jan. 14, 2014 7:05 am
by LiftedAWDAstro
I don't think his consumption is high for how he is heating his home. No insulation, 76+ degrees and no thermostat for control. I would bet you could save a ton of coal literally just by installing and using a thermostat for a couple degrees of setback at night. If you get a smart thermostat, it will start heating the house before you get up and it will adjust based on how fast the house warms up.
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Tue. Jan. 14, 2014 8:53 am
by McGiever
RS7 wrote:
My exterior walls are uninsulated, attic however is insulated, no kids, stove is in basement.
I am using rice coal (as per Alaska's recommendation and plan to continue burning rice) purchased my coal from Walter Hendricks (Hilltown, PA) where they deliver and place in my coal bin. Before burning coal, I burnt oil (forced hot air furnace). I will have to look at my receipts to determine the quantity of oil I went through but I do know I was spending about $1800-$1900 a year for oil in 2010-2011.
One last thing.. Currently my stove is not attached to a thermostat because I read and told that "its a waste of time" to do so and not worth the money for the thermostat. Do you guys have anything to say about this? Do you agree or disagree? So currently, I manually adjust my blower thermostat and combustion feed rate to reach the temp I want.
Strange that you have concerns about how much coal you're using and then doubt the usefulness of a thermostat which does control the amount of coal used.
The price tag on this is less than $25.00
http://www.pexsupply.com/Honeywell-T87K1007-Round ... -4908000-p
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Thu. Jan. 16, 2014 4:06 pm
by RS7
I purchased the unit used. The man used it for three years and this is my sec yr. So around 5 yrs old.
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Thu. Jan. 16, 2014 4:10 pm
by kstills
Pauliewog wrote:I'm also burning a dual feeder 140 heating approximately 4000 sf in northeastern Pa.
Built our house in 1973 4 " insulation in walls and ceiling.
Burning coal since 1975 and average 7 ton per year. About 600 sf at 80 degrees.2500 sf at 74 degrees and 1000 sf bedroom areas at 70 degrees.
Our coal consumption so far this season is about 3 ton. The past few weeks been running both burners at just about minimum and thermostat feeder not quite half .
Other than the last really cold spell I have the thermostat programmed to set the temp back 2 degrees from midnight to 6 am
With the thermostat it is rare to have a 2 degree fluctuation. I have excellent draft and the Barometric Damper maintains a consistent -3 to -4
I have the Alaska thermostat package that came with the furnace. I strongly recommend the thermostat option. Look into the Coaltrol thermostat package .
It would be a good idea to post some pictures of your setup. As suggested above flue and over fire readings with one and with both burners running should really be checked.
Paul
Indoor beach?
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Thu. Jan. 16, 2014 8:25 pm
by RS7
So to answer prior questions about oil usage, in 2011 I went through 660 gal of oil with my house at about 70. So far this year I have gone through 3 ton.
I should have done it before now but I will get a thermostat and see how that works. I will follow up with the results. Thanks for the help everyone.
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Thu. Jan. 16, 2014 8:45 pm
by RS7
lsayre wrote:For grins I'm going to guess that you used about 640 gallons of heating oil per year, and you kept your T-Stats at 68 degrees back then.
If it requires about 2.5% more energy per degree to keep your home one degree warmer, and you are now at 76 degrees, that is 8 degrees warmer x 2.5% per degree, or 20% more energy demand.
1.20 x 640 = 768 gallons of heating oil to annually keep the home at 76 degrees vs. 640 gallons to keep it at 68 degrees.
Add another 10% simply because this winter is colder than the past couple years, and you are at 768 x 1.1 = 845 gallons of heating oil estimated to keep your home at 76 degrees this winter.
Most believe that about 160 gallons of #2 heating oil is the equivalent of 1 ton of anthracite, but I believe that in the real world it is closer to 140 gallons.
Putting it all together:
845/140 = 6 tons of coal for this winter season
If you feel that you are on target to consume 7.5 tons, that indeed seems high. My reasoning is that 6 tons would be more appropriate.
But if you were consuming 800 gallons of oil annually back then, then 7.5 tons of coal is spot on for this year and for 76 degrees vs. 68 degrees.
Your spot on, I am on pase to burn 6 ton and when I burnt oil I used 660 gal
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Fri. Jan. 17, 2014 4:16 am
by Lightning
RS7 wrote:Your spot on, I am on pase to burn 6 ton and when I burnt oil I used 660 gal
Cool, this implies your appliance is running up to par, sounds like you might consider tightening the house up and adding insulation..
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Fri. Jan. 17, 2014 4:47 am
by dcrane
I burned at least 600 gallons of oil last season with thermostat at 68, im now looking at temps at 70-72 and think im going to be at about 2 tons for this year (plus 100 gallons of oil)
Lets say I pay $350 per ton coal, I pay 3.85 per gallon oil... Larry... throw that together for me please
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Fri. Jan. 17, 2014 9:04 am
by freetown fred
Here's what I threw together--get a REAL stove & heat completely with coal-- oh well, I guess $1500.00 isn't but a drop in the bucket in Ma.--
couldn't help myself dc
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Fri. Jan. 17, 2014 11:07 am
by Rob R.
freetown fred wrote:Here's what I threw together--get a REAL stove & heat completely with coal-- oh well, I guess $1500.00 isn't but a drop in the bucket in Ma.--
couldn't help myself dc
Perhaps he heats domestic hot water with an oil unit.
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Fri. Jan. 17, 2014 12:24 pm
by PelletstoCoal
I live in northeast pa and use approx. 3.0-3.5 tons rice from Oct thru April. Older home (1930) with blown in insulation at about 1700 sf. Downstairs is kept at 70-72(except room w stove 75-76), upstairs 62-64. I love coal, my gas bill has not exceeded $100 yet. Hot water and cooking use gas.
Frank
Re: Coal Usage
Posted: Fri. Jan. 17, 2014 12:28 pm
by Pauliewog
kstills wrote:[quote=
Indoor beach?
Nope .... Not yet but ya got me thinking.
Some of us old people get a chill .... and I'll be dammed if I will put on a sweater when I burn Anthracite