Hot Air Jacket Vs Anthraking!

EarthWindandFire · Post by **EarthWindandFire** » Mon. Feb. 07, 2011 4:26 pm

I have been waiting for the new boilers and furnaces from Leisure Line for 2011 and I have not been disappointed!

However, the release of a furnace has added some complexity to my decision.

I was originally going to get a Pocono or Hyfire and add a hot air jacket.

What would a purpose-designed furnace provide that a Pocono or Hyfire with a hot air jacket not provide?

Coalfire · Post by **Coalfire** » Mon. Feb. 07, 2011 5:46 pm

More heat going where you want

Flyer5 · Post by **Flyer5** » Mon. Feb. 07, 2011 6:15 pm

Another thing that you may or may not consider is cost . I cannot give a exact price on the Anthra King 110 or 220 ,the final development has just been completed and am still working on that . Because of the complexity and labor and parts involved they will be more money than the Hyfire and Pocono, they are still in line with other furnaces of other brands. The other thing to consider is the efficiency of the furnace vs the stoves although the stoves are good the furnace is better 1 because of the heat exchanger the other is the fan size and jacket . I can say we have run a lot of coal between the 2 units and they work extremely well . The Pocono and Hyfire are good if you want some more heat in the basement as well. If that is the case you wont gain a lot with the furnace. I guess that will just be a matter of choice at that point. Either way you will still have a short return on investment considering where oil prices look like they are heading again unfortunatly. Thanks, Dave

WNY · Post by **WNY** » Mon. Feb. 07, 2011 6:55 pm

I would say go with what they are designed for. A Furnace, in the basement connected to your ductwork. A Stove, normally in your living area.

I had to modify my Hyfire with homemade heat jacket with and extra blower to move the heat upstairs and make it work properly, it still won't get it to 70+, but maintains 65 without too much problem. I would probably gone with a furnace type coal stoker if I had the chance. But will be putting in a boiler, due to the layout of the house. (Plus got a good deal on a coal boiler)

EarthWindandFire · Post by **EarthWindandFire** » Thu. Feb. 10, 2011 7:49 pm

I looked at the Leisure Line website a few times before asking this question.

Does the 110k furnace have a dhw coil as an option or just the stoves and boilers?

EarthWindandFire · Post by **EarthWindandFire** » Fri. Apr. 22, 2011 12:12 pm

Hi Dave and Matt!

Any news or updates about the Anthraking?

Has the DOE and UL testing been completed and have they given you official results?

Can't wait to see one in person!

coalnewbie · Post by **coalnewbie** » Fri. Apr. 22, 2011 4:29 pm

In this environment you either evolve or die. Anthraking is an evolution and I can't wait to get one fired up. Oil is a goner (at least for me on my budget), firewood getting scarce as will pellets be when people wake up and try to fill their oil tanks. In NYS you can't truck firewood more than 50 miles or the DEC will fine you big time. Solar, wind, geothermal.... stop it I will bust a rib laughing... hi Fred, I hope you are still digging fella - 8" in a day was a poor effort

. The major problem facing most people in the NE is energy - OK, you NEPA boys will be OK. There will be more major population shifts from ME, NH and upper NYS. It's simple no energy, no industry, no jobs but in Berwick there are better and better stoves. Let's pray our stove makers make it BIG time. I have a local ag business than has to run under cover all year down the road from me. They are going (or have already gone) bankrupt due to heating costs (HO). I can buy them, heat with anthracite and make money and turn things around. As I said evolve or die. There must be a thousand businesses around here in that situation. In Berwick they have the American spirit we need to follow.

As Fred says - when you feel like dying - don't.

Flyer5 · Post by **Flyer5** » Wed. Apr. 27, 2011 2:34 pm

EarthWindandFire wrote:Hi Dave and Matt!

Any news or updates about the Anthraking?

Has the DOE and UL testing been completed and have they given you official results?

Can't wait to see one in person!

Testing was set back a little due to time constraints and waiting for final parts . The ones we have out in the field have performed very well so far so I expect no problems with the testing just the testing process takes a lot of time for set up . Sorry for the delay but soon . You are welcome anytime to come see them . Thanks ,Dave

Matthaus · Post by **Matthaus** » Sat. Apr. 30, 2011 2:44 pm

One thing to add to Dave's post, there is no "official" DOE AFUE testing spec for solid fuels. I have been working with Pete Axeman at AA to derive a makeshift test using the guidelines that he has to follow on the oil boilers. Having said that there are some simple tests to perform Govt sanctioned or not that are a good comparison basis, measure the flue gas temp relative to the amount of heat output.

As we evolve the thought process in this area and complete some actual testing, a full disclosure will be made to all of you folks. To date we suspect that the AnthraKings are in the 87 to 90% range based on flue temps and hot air out put volume and temperature.

more to follow...........

EarthWindandFire · Post by **EarthWindandFire** » Tue. Jul. 05, 2011 2:50 pm

For my future reference, and anyone else researching furnaces, I am posting a price comparison between the Hyfire II and the Anthraking 110btu furnace.

Hyfire II list price: $ 3,276.00
Hot air jacket with 12" duct fan list price: $ 406.00

Anthraking 110 Furnace list price: $ 3,535.00

Based on the above pricing, the Anthraking is well priced and a relative value among coal furnaces.

coalnewbie · Post by **coalnewbie** » Tue. Jul. 05, 2011 5:10 pm

Good value is always great but the capital cost of a stove (any of them) is such a small part of a complex equation. Simply put, I hope my AnthraKing will save me burning 1000 gall of HO from Sept to May. So if oil stays where it is the capital cost of buying and installing is paid in one year. So whether the stove cost me $3500 or $3200 does not matter as long as you can scrape up the cash of course. So for MY APPLICATION (and no the CapsLock key is not stuck) the AnthraKing is King. Key points - efficiency, controlabiity through the coal trol (I hated 104F spring days even with the windowstats going) and cheap and quick to install. Most importantly with the brilliantly integrated squirel cage fan it quietly delivers the heat where I need it. Sorry hydronics boys, with copper at $4 a pound I am not listening, this is the one for me. Of course, a real bitchen winter has the habit of changing a lot of our views on a lot of things. - we will see. Spring could come and see me wimpering back to the board for guidance on the installation of a hydronic system. I'm installed and ready to go - so let's bring it on, just not yet a while - summer at last is fun.

Post by **Rob R.** » Wed. Jul. 06, 2011 6:26 am

Is there a difference in the hopper capacity between the Hyfire and the Anthraking? Larger ash tub?

coalnewbie wrote: Sorry hydronics boys, with copper at $4 a pound I am not listening, this is the one for me. Of course, a real bitchen winter has the habit of changing a lot of our views on a lot of things. - we will see. Spring could come and see me wimpering back to the board for guidance on the installation of a hydronic system. I'm installed and ready to go - so let's bring it on, just not yet a while - summer at last is fun.

I think you will stay warm with this beast of a furnace, but since you opened the door about hydronics...just how much pipe do you think is required to add on a second boiler? Everyone's home layout is different, but I spent about $300 on copper, fittings, ball valves, etc. If I had the patience to thread black iron it would have been less. Not one leak, no filters, no dust blown around, and lots of hot water. My method is just one out of many possibilities, but it works great for me.

coalnewbie · Post by **coalnewbie** » Wed. Jul. 06, 2011 8:05 am

Mark, seems like you have a good situation. I am on a steep hill and the oil furnace is in a 1870 deep sub basement where the oil CH goes (I think they used to hide slaves there -and you think I am joking) .Two problems, one I would have to run coal down there either manually or have a hopper system and that happens to be every tough for me logistically. You would need to widen the stairs and with 18" walls that would be tough. Second, I even can't imagine even getting the ashes out in the winter with one bad leg and being 66. However, in the old garage on the first floor half way down the hill I can easily handle things with Bobcats, Caterpillars etc. The house is Victorian with 6x8" hand hewn on 8" centers insulated with horse hair. So the AnthraKing is backed into a 5 ton A/C system that feeds the ground floor. It's already there with an extra 14" air intake now ( you need 14" for best air flow at 1800cfm (quiet) , all bought and paid for. So I installed the AnthraKing in two hours start to finish (powervent). As I rebuilt the house I opened up everywhere for convection heating and the Pocos last winter did very well - NO HO burned and I was toasty warm. Lastly, a total hydronic system in a 7000' house would be a EFM 700 or 900 hence 8x12 or 12x12 flu. This does not work on my 55' beautiful brick chimney and a block chimney would look like a pigs ear. So you see I always preface the statements with MY APPLICATION. The cost would be astronomic, I looked into it and it would screw up the living arrangements. This system works incredibly well and anyway I do not believe in coupled systems there is no logic in it FOR ME but that is another long post. Hey, you guys anybody from this board is welcome to come over for a beer (Fred, that's one beer only) and critique my install. I always love to learn.

Flyer5 · Post by **Flyer5** » Wed. Jul. 06, 2011 12:51 pm

UPDATE ::: Furnaces are scheduled for testing for UL July 11th. Should only be a week or so for completion . I will be happy when this is over.

coalnewbie · Post by **coalnewbie** » Wed. Jul. 06, 2011 1:16 pm

Reminds me of any bureaucratic organization. The University of Nebraska started a good service about 50 years ago testing real (not manufacturer imagined) tractor performance output. It grew and grew and became more and more expensive with less and less testing and now the cost is astronomic. So nobody bothers except Deere and the administration has to find a new way to pay for the lear jet.Deere pays for it my making any Deere tractor more than a few years old obsolete and so you can't get parts and you need a new tractor. I don't expect you to comment Dave.