Anthracite Vs Bituminous ?
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- New Member
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Tue. Dec. 21, 2021 7:51 am
- Location: South central WV
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Glen wood Gold Medal
Hi. Love this site. So much experience.
New to coal burning. I remember my dad working the coal furnace when I was a kid. I recently acquired a refurbished Glenwood Gold Medal cook stove with a small firebox for wood/coal on left and gas burners on right.
I’m grid tied but planning for . . . the worst. I have a radiant floor heat propane boiler which is great. Keeps the 2500 sq ft log house cozy. But propane is 3.50/Gal. And in an emergency, I may not be able to get delivery. I have 70 acres of forest so plenty of wood if I wanted to cut, chop, and cure all year. But available in an emergency.
I’ve been testing anthracite nut coal from tractor supply with some success. Lost the fire a couple of times. Small fire box needs attention 3-4 times a day versus twice like most larger systems. I also got a floss poker to clean out ash which seems to help. Last time, I’ve been able to keep the fire. Although, not easy to floss: I’m on the floor on my back looking into the ash bin and working as best as I can. This will get old as I get older.
Couple of questions from the great brain trust on this site.
1. The grates are 2 rotary triangles. Do I need to completely turn the grates to clean clinkers and ash? I’m afraid I’ll lose all the hot coals if I do.
2. Looking for advice on bit vs anthracite. I live about an hour from the WV mines and could get 2 tons of bit in my dump trailer. From what I’ve read from other comments, I could use bit albeit smoky and less efficient.
3. If anyone has experience with this model, I’d love to talk to learn more about operating. There are two vents on the side of the fire box - large vents below grate and a smaller set above the coals. And there is a vent behind the gas burners which I think is way to add room air directly to flue to slow air pull through the firebox.
Please help this newbie.
New to coal burning. I remember my dad working the coal furnace when I was a kid. I recently acquired a refurbished Glenwood Gold Medal cook stove with a small firebox for wood/coal on left and gas burners on right.
I’m grid tied but planning for . . . the worst. I have a radiant floor heat propane boiler which is great. Keeps the 2500 sq ft log house cozy. But propane is 3.50/Gal. And in an emergency, I may not be able to get delivery. I have 70 acres of forest so plenty of wood if I wanted to cut, chop, and cure all year. But available in an emergency.
I’ve been testing anthracite nut coal from tractor supply with some success. Lost the fire a couple of times. Small fire box needs attention 3-4 times a day versus twice like most larger systems. I also got a floss poker to clean out ash which seems to help. Last time, I’ve been able to keep the fire. Although, not easy to floss: I’m on the floor on my back looking into the ash bin and working as best as I can. This will get old as I get older.
Couple of questions from the great brain trust on this site.
1. The grates are 2 rotary triangles. Do I need to completely turn the grates to clean clinkers and ash? I’m afraid I’ll lose all the hot coals if I do.
2. Looking for advice on bit vs anthracite. I live about an hour from the WV mines and could get 2 tons of bit in my dump trailer. From what I’ve read from other comments, I could use bit albeit smoky and less efficient.
3. If anyone has experience with this model, I’d love to talk to learn more about operating. There are two vents on the side of the fire box - large vents below grate and a smaller set above the coals. And there is a vent behind the gas burners which I think is way to add room air directly to flue to slow air pull through the firebox.
Please help this newbie.
- freetown fred
- Member
- Posts: 30293
- Joined: Thu. Dec. 31, 2009 12:33 pm
- Location: Freetown,NY 13803
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
- Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut
Damn G, if that pix is your set-up---I'm IMPRESSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There's some cook stove guys on here that will help with your questions-- again---IMPRESSED!!
- 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
Wow, me too! Thats the prettiest setup Ive ever seen with a stove.
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- New Member
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Tue. May. 03, 2022 1:29 pm
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: A cookstove of some kind in the future
- Other Heating: Currently a Quadrafire 1200 pellet stove
That's a beautiful stove and set-up! We're trying to figure out if a Glenwood with a gas sidecar would work for us to cook on and heat with. Do you use just that stove to cook on? I'm wanting to completely replace my regular kitchen stove with it, but not sure yet how that would work out, especially with baking in the summertime.
We can get propane too, but also not sure if it would be available in emergency situations so similar line of thinking; we want to try coal but also be able to burn wood if it comes down to it. Good to know the coal from Tractor Supply at least worked for you, That's one of the only two places I can get Anthracite from here in Idaho, but I can get bit by the ton for really cheap.
Last edited by PlanelyFlyin on Fri. May. 06, 2022 11:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Sunny Boy
- Member
- 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
If you want to know more about living with a Glenwood coal range with a gas side car, member Dana (D.Lapan) uses one. You can pm him with any questions you have.
BTW, he also restores and sells parlor stoves and ranges. Here's his website.
https://www.lapansantiquestoves.com/
Paul
BTW, he also restores and sells parlor stoves and ranges. Here's his website.
https://www.lapansantiquestoves.com/
Paul
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- New Member
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Tue. Dec. 21, 2021 7:51 am
- Location: South central WV
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Glen wood Gold Medal
Planelyflyin, I heat the house and cook with it. Looking forward to my second season albeit ways to control heat - way too hot last winter. Lol. I’m currently looking for bulk anthra coal purchase. 2 tons of coal way cheaper than feeding my floor radiant heat propane boiler.
I noticed your login. I fly too. Next year I plan to open an Air BnB flyin opportunity in the old farm house in hollar.
I noticed your login. I fly too. Next year I plan to open an Air BnB flyin opportunity in the old farm house in hollar.
- franpipeman
- Member
- Posts: 689
- Joined: Fri. Jan. 11, 2008 4:27 pm
- Location: Wernersville pa
- Stoker Coal Boiler: efm 520 stoker fitzgibbons pressure vessel
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: harman, russo
- Coal Size/Type: rice
- Other Heating: alpine propane condensing boiler radiant floor
i dont live that far from the mines (30 miles) and i paid 342 per ton delivered i dont think coal offers a great price saving right now, especially when you calculated the different efficiency of the two fuels propane can be over 90 and coal likely 70 Percent
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- New Member
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Tue. Dec. 21, 2021 7:51 am
- Location: South central WV
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Glen wood Gold Medal
I don’t know pipeman, it costs over $800 to fill the propane tank once. I’ll get 3-4 tops off during the winter. I’ll spend over $2000 for propane. I’ll get the coal.