Reading Goin in Reading Coming Out

 
hophead
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Post by hophead » Mon. Jun. 09, 2008 5:48 pm

I bough some Reading coal about 2 weeks ago and did some measuring today with my tub of ashes. The tubs were each 7/8 full. The coal goin in weighs 55 lbs and the one coming out is 40. It looks almost black enough to throw back in the barrel. Is it legal to sell something this bad? It seems to hold a fire and throws decent heat when it's burning. I'm sure that's not the way to measure ash but this stuff is pretty heavy and black in the can.


 
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CoalHeat
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Post by CoalHeat » Mon. Jun. 09, 2008 6:29 pm

It looks almost black enough to throw back in the barrel.
Hi Hop,

I'll tread lightly here, other members may have comments I'm sure.

From what I have read here and from personal experience what you are finding in your ash pan is the same as everyone else who has used Reading coal.

Reading is into selling reclaimed/refuse coal big time. What you are finding in your ash pan looks like coal but doesn't burn like coal. You can try sifting some of it out of the ashes and placing it back on the fire, chances are it still won't burn.

From eia.doe.gov website:
Refuse Bank: A repository for waste material generated by the coal cleaning process.

Refuse Mine: A surface mine where coal is recovered from previously mined coal. It may also be known as a silt bank, culm bank, refuse bank, slurry dam, or dredge operation.
Some of this coal has been exposed to the elements for many decades, it's "lost it's luster".
Some of the coal wasn't that great to begin with.

Try some Blaschak in bags or consider a trip to coal country to pick up the good deep-mined coal at Superior or UAE Harmony.

Coal quality varies greatly, and will have a huge effect on the performance of your coal burner. If you are buying poor quality coal and only half of it burns you are dumping your hard earned cash on the ash pile!
STOKER ASH.jpg

The ash pan from my Alaska when I was burning refuse coal. Lots of unburned pieces.

.JPG | 23.9KB | STOKER ASH.jpg

 
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Devil505
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Post by Devil505 » Mon. Jun. 09, 2008 7:16 pm

Reading Coal is garbage! (if that's all you can get.....sell your coal stove)

 
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billw
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Post by billw » Mon. Jun. 09, 2008 9:00 pm

Is Reading Coal Company reprocessing old culm banks?

 
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Post by Matthaus » Mon. Jun. 09, 2008 9:23 pm

Devil5052 wrote:Reading Coal is garbage! (if that's all you can get.....sell your coal stove)
Now now Devil, everyone deserves a chance to foist off their reclaimed culm banks ... er.. um I mean sell their coal. :lol:

 
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Post by watkinsdr » Mon. Jun. 09, 2008 9:37 pm

Actually, I had the same problem with Blaschak rice last winter too. Very often I'd find significant amounts of unburned coal in my ashes. The little black chunks still wouldn't burn when fed through the stove a second time. Could this be black slate? :?: :?:

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Tue. Jun. 10, 2008 12:52 am

It may actually be some very dense high quality coal, as I explained in previous threads its entirely possible. Depends on your stove but try turning the air up and decreasing the feed rate.

As for whether it's refuse coal that is possible too but I really have no idea.

First of all I'm not a lawyer so the following comments are not to be taken as legal advice, consult a real attorney for that. While on this topic I'm going to warn everyone about making claims against a product if you don't have proof. Commenting on your personal experience of burning a certain brand of coal is within your rights. On the other hand categorically stating something like its "refuse coal" when you have no proof is something I would suggest you refrain from posting . FYI any listing of processors that process refuse coal is not proof the refuse coal is making into the consumer product. Many companies process refuse coal because there is money in it, doesn't necessarily mean it's making into the consumer product. Most of that is used in co-gen plants. If a company decides to sue someone for libel or slanderous comments it will be you they come after not me. You are responsible for the information you post, keep that in mind. Carry on.


 
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Post by CoalHeat » Tue. Jun. 10, 2008 6:57 am

Understood, Richard. That's why I said I was going to "tread lightly" and I said Reading was "into selling refuse coal" :D

Consider this the source of the suggestion that Reading is processing refuse coal:
**Broken Link(s) Removed**Agreed, there is no proof it is being sold to the homeowner.

I will state from my own experience that the Reading bagged coal I have burned in my stoves does not perform as well as other brands of coal I have used. I have no proof that the Reading coal I purchased was refuse coal.

 
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Post by hophead » Tue. Jun. 10, 2008 7:49 am

Perhaps my stoker needs some adjustment but I've never had this much black before. Like I said before it holds a fire and seems to burn pretty hot.

 
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Post by Richard S. » Tue. Jun. 10, 2008 12:19 pm

You may have to adjust depending on the different burning characteristics of the coal, all coal is not created equal and minor adjustments may be required for different brands. Can't hurt to give it a try.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Jun. 10, 2008 1:38 pm

I got a few bags of Blaschak last winter that gave me a lot of black, unburned or partially burned pieces of coal in the ash. I picked them out and threw them back in when I had the stove burning hot and they seemed to burn the second time. I guess some pieces just need a higher temperature to burn completely. I have never tried Reading coal so I can't comment on its characteristics.

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Tue. Jun. 10, 2008 2:24 pm

Richard S. wrote:and minor adjustments may be required for different brands.
Just to add you may have to make minor adjustments to get an optimal burn from year to year if you're getting it delivered in bulk. since you have a EFM I PM'd stoker-man, he'll be able o give you better advice. I know you want to be careful with the adjustments on them as you don't want the coal burning down into the worm.

See this thread: Pictures of a Burned Pipe and Worm Due to Improper Feed/Air

 
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Post by stoker-man » Tue. Jun. 10, 2008 3:53 pm

Here is a picture of coal being sorted. The stream on the right is good coal, the middle is rock and coal mix, and the left is rock. The rock still has a BTU rating of about 5.000 BTUs and is used in the co-gen plant, but not useful for a stoker.

It's a really interesting process of sorting a pile of mixed black material. A cement mixer type of device is filled with water and an iron product is added to bring the specific gravity of the water to a certain level. At that point, coal will float, rock will sink, and the mixed rock and coal that has to be redone comes out of the middle chute.

Notice how much alike it all looks. You obviously have alot of rock or otherwise junk coal in your bin. I get this question all the time: Why is some of my "coal" not burning. I use logic with them by saying that if the entire coal pot is glowing red and yet "coal" is coming out in the ash, it must not be coal. If it glows red and doesn't turn to ash, it couldn't have been coal.

Where is coal berner when you need him, with his encyclopedic knowledge of coal?

I would switch to another source for my coal.

You can call me anytime at 610 965 9041

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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Tue. Jun. 10, 2008 4:12 pm

stoker-man wrote:A cement mixer type of device is filled with water and an iron product is added to bring the specific gravity of the water to a certain level.
It's called a Menzies Cone and the iron product is Magnetite. ;)

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=pphhs ... ayType=1&m

 
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Post by LsFarm » Tue. Jun. 10, 2008 4:13 pm

Hello Hop,, did you change any of your settings with the new coal?? What are your current feed and air settings..

And, what was the source of your previous coal?? Did it burn 95% to ash, and leave only a few black pieces??

I had pretty poor luck with Reading coal as well..

I'd buy some known good coal,, UAE or Superior and give it a try,, and compare.. Superior and UAE burn to 99% ash in my underfed 'Big Bertha' boiler.. only a few dark pieces in a whole ashpan.

Greg L

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