New to Coal What to Expect??

I live in norhtern Maine and the use of coal is relativley new to home heating in our region of the country (thanks opec). I expect delivery of our Alaska Channning III next month and a couple of questions have come up from inquiring minds at work. If I burn 100 LBS of rice coal how many LBS of ash should that equal out to be and what do people gennerallly do with the ash generated. Alot of the ney sayers that burn pellets say that its 40% of the initial unburnt weight (doesn't sound right to me). Is it possible to heat domestic water with this sort of stove? Does anyone have any comments or advice on the Alaska Channning stove good bad or indifferent? Thanks for any responses and this site will be Definitely recomended to freinds of mine who are also switching to coal this year.

Coal is tested and given an ash value but that is in an ideal laboratory environment. In real life you can probably expect 20 pounds for every 100 lbs of coal but to tell you the truth I really never measure it... Roughly about 1/3 the volume. Both of these are lower for hand fired stoves because they do a much better job of completely burning the fuel.

As for getting rid of there is few threads regarding that, locally here the borough picks them up. some will mix with salt for cindering the roads. You can use it for fill, in your driveway etc. If you live in town contact your local garbage delivery person. The ash is considered clean fill so that is not an issue.

I don't know if the alaska channing can be used as DHW heater out of the box but if Alasak doesn't offer that option there are add-ons available from third parties.
Others have even made them...

Check this article for one idea on how to set it up: https://coalpail.com/coal-heating-encyclopedia/do ... water-coil

Welcome!

You can expect to be warm this winter and to also spend a lot less money doing so.

A-men on the money thang!! I figure that the stove will nearly pay for its self by this time next year. I have a mobile home and last winter (record 200+ inches of snowfall) we burnt 500 gals of oil. At todays prices you don't have to be a mathmatician to figure out those numbers.

In real life you can probably expect 20 pounds for every 100 lbs of coal

Note that I originally put per ton of coal. Was a brain fart, obviously it's going to be much more than 20 pounds per ton. 20 pounds per 100lbs of coal is actually a high estimate too.

That KB article is very helpful. I was actually wondering the same thing myself! I have a well and no check valves at all. I probably need to remedy that. thanks.

Actually yes you should, I believe if you have a city water line its in the building codes that you have to have one so if your pipes are contaminated you're not contamianting everyones supply. Hot water will expand and could force water in the wrong direction.

You will not regreat burning coal....trust me !!!!!!!! You will say " why didn"t I burn this before "

I have an Alaska Channing stove and love it. At the time I bought mine I knew nothing about burning coal and went with what the dealer suggested. I looked at a Keystoker and a Harman but I needed a smaller foot print and for a first floor install the Channing was perfect of us.

If I was you I would buy a degreaser and clean the inside of the stove and then buy POR-15 - 1400 degree paint and paint the inside of the stove, The fly ash is very acidic and will rust your stove and then the stell flakes off at the end of the season. Once it gets rusted it'll be impossible to use a high heat paint unless you sandblast the metal. You have one shot at it. I personally would like to see these stoves made from cast iron or to coat the inside of the stove with a material that doesn't rust. I would also use regular POR-15 on the hopper. If you have a direct vent don't let the hopper empty. I had a hopper fire on my Alaska because the coal level went down to low and the direct vent fan is always pulling at full force. The coal stays on the sides of the hopper but there is no coal on the bottom of the hopper which then allows for a draft and the fire follows the air to the coal on the sides of the hopper. I installed a barometric damper so if that ever happens again the stove can pull air form the room instead of the hopper. I also have a rheostat (made especially for the Alaska motor type) that allows me to adjust the direct vent blower. The blower is designed to be pulling full force at all times so it can handle the maximum amount of fumes that would be created with a large fire. However, if you are idling the stove or running it on low you don't need such a strong pull. This can cause a hopper fire and will waste fuel.