How Does This Burn/Ash Look to You?

Another newbie looking for some more sets of eyes. These are 2 pics of my first dump of ash from about 300 pounds of coal. I find what seems to me to be a lot of unburned coal in the ash. Nearly all the black you see is partially burned coal. I can break it open to reveal shiny, black coal. Does this look like what I should expect for a stoker? I have no idea so I'm looking for you guys to assist.

Thanks

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Here are pics of my ash. I think coal quality has a lot to do with it.

Thanks, Gambler. Does the color of your pictures as posted look close to the color of the ash as you see it with your eye?

I've been told that I'm buying my coal from about the best place locally that I can. He is the only one locally that posts the data sheets from the mine or breaker (not sure which one provides these) I had burned 150 pounds of another retailer's coal first and the ashes looked very similar, but the first coal left a much heavier deposit on the glass, less fly ash in the stove but more ash in the pan per hopper. This coal leaves a lighter deposit on the glass, less ash in the pan but more fly ash in the stove I don't know what if any correlation there is between quality and fly ash, but I thought I had read on here that someone posted that coal with a lower ash content would often create more fly ash?

Yes the pics look just like the ash
color. This particular coal has about 16% ash content. When I bought the coal back in October I asked the guy at the coal yard where it was from and all that he would tell me was that it was from eastern Pa.
No SH^t, Where did I think it was from. He would not reveal his source. He said that his source would not sell to another supplier within 50 miles of him. This coal seems to burn well but I just wish it was a lower ash content.

Here's a few pics of my ash bucket I just took out. My stove burns about 20# per day heating the basement and part of the upstairs, so it's not running real hard. What appears to be unburnt coal looks to be shale, etc. for the most part, but there are a few bits of unburnt in there that usually sneak down the sides of the grate.

Chris:

Your's appears to be more like mine. Those darker colored pieces look a lot like what I see. I've taken a few of those and cracked them open to reveal shiny, black which I assume is unburned coal. Maybe this is just the nature of the beast. I honestly don't know what else you'd adjust to change this. I'm burning about 20-30 pounds a day depending on outside temps so, like you, I'm idling a lot it seems. Maybe that's part of it? Dunno...

My exeprience tells me that it is unbrunt coal. However, this problem can be due to a low quality coal.
Coal from mines near Hegins, tremont area are more bituminous in nature.
the good stuff is from the anthracite region. Blaschocks, and mines near Mahanoy City, Mt Carmel PA, and the stuff from south tamaqua wasnt too bad years ago. I now burn from mt carmel and it is really good stuff.
And only 150.00 a ton for rice!!!

looks like a lot of unburnt coal to me, it's hard when the stove is just idling as you'll get that but during periods of full burn if it still looks the same then increase the combustion air for a more complete burn.

e.alleg wrote:looks like a lot of unburnt coal to me, it's hard when the stove is just idling as you'll get that but during periods of full burn if it still looks the same then increase the combustion air for a more complete burn.

I don't have any way to increase the combustion air on the Leisure Line Hearth model. It runs wide open all the time.

I wondered if it's mainly due to the stove idling so much. We're coming into colder weather and I'll take note of the ash when the stove is running harder to see if there is a difference. I'll probably get a few bags of coal from a few different sources as well to see how they burn.

Thanks

Av8r, I burn Blasak and my ash looks Identical, I too am idling along. I did notice on a few times when I was burning it hotter it "seemed" to be lighter in color as well, I thought the darker clickers were just shale or other impurties.

Ed.A wrote:Av8r, I burn Blasak and my ash looks Identical, I too am idling along. I did notice on a few times when I was burning it hotter it "seemed" to be lighter in color as well, I thought the darker clickers were just shale or other impurties.

Hmmm...take a few of the dark ones you have and crack them open. I can do mine in my hand. I'd be curious if yours are shiny black inside.

av8r wrote:Hmmm...take a few of the dark ones you have and crack them open. I can do mine in my hand. I'd be curious if yours are shiny black inside.

This had better not turn into another inneudo thread like another one did a few months back.

Yes actually, but all the black colored pieces are only slivers. I wonder if I seperated them from the ash and try a burn? That would settle it. Like I said, I never gave it much thought...... until you just mentioned it. It's always something.

the only stove here that idles is the alaska......i guess you gotta fiddle with the stokers just right to get a perfect burn.....our hand fed stove is mostly powder, the chunks break up to powder..... and we are burning local coal.....i am told earl mixes his coal, deep mined and stripped mined coal....best stuff we have gotten, and with us being able to see the breaker from the shop, it doesent make sense to go anywhere else

I have noticed this year, my second year of heating with coal that I am putting as much coal into the hopper as I did last year, but only taking out the ash bucker every three days instead of every two days. I have not noticed any increase or decrease in fly ash. The ash looks more completely burned than it did last year also. Don’t know why..
Gary

MrP57 wrote:I have noticed this year, my second year of heating with coal that I am putting as much coal into the hopper as I did last year, but only taking out the ash bucker every three days instead of every two days. I have not noticed any increase or decrease in fly ash. The ash looks more completely burned than it did last year also. Don’t know why..
Gary

Same coal?