Getting Coal From Truck to Basement Bin

jonathanfry · Post by **jonathanfry** » Mon. Feb. 17, 2014 4:35 pm

I'm looking for help in getting my coal delivery to my basement bin in an easier manner. I used to have access to an auger that had a boxed end that set right under the rear opening on the dump truck, would feed the coal up to the end of the auger pipe where I'd have a piece of PVC sticking out the basement window and pointing into my bin. This worked like a dream, but now I no longer have access to the auger. After unloading 2.5 ton bulk, by hand, into bags and carrying it into the basement this weekend it's obvious I need a better way of doing this! I live in central Pennsylvania and need to figure out where I can get an auger, etc, etc? Can anyone help me out?

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Mon. Feb. 17, 2014 4:56 pm

Im in the same boat. This place is in Chambersburg, PA. I plan to check them out this summer for an auger. Where are you located? I'm in Harrisburg.

http://rydersupply.com

jonathanfry · Post by **jonathanfry** » Mon. Feb. 17, 2014 5:00 pm

I'm just north of Harrisburg in Duncannon. I have access to a 2 ton dump that I use to get coal up in Dornsife. Three 2 ton loads, so 6 ton, will heat my house and DHW for about 12 months... but unloading it now that I lost access to an auger is a total pain.

crazy4coal · Post by **crazy4coal** » Mon. Feb. 17, 2014 5:39 pm

Look around for a couple of treadmills and make a conveyer. you can find them for free, check craigslist.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Mon. Feb. 17, 2014 7:26 pm

Hmmmm,.....we both need an auger we'll each use once or twice a year, we live close to one another,.....see where I'm going with this???

How long an auger and what diameter do you need?

jschaefer7406 · Post by **jschaefer7406** » Mon. Feb. 17, 2014 7:29 pm

Hello all,

My coal bin is right below a basement window, so a simple chute does the trick. I bent one up using metal roofing, primitive but works rather well

.

Is it the hand shoveling that you guys are trying to avoid, or is there no hole to put a chute through?

Hope this helps,

Joe

kcarr · Post by **kcarr** » Mon. Feb. 17, 2014 7:39 pm

I'm in the same boat too. I have been looking for an auger mechanism or a conveyor belt to unload rice coal from a pick up and place in a coal bin on the same ground level, not to a basement bin...really cant find anything to do the job. There has to be something out there. Just have not found it yet..
Ken

jonathanfry · Post by **jonathanfry** » Mon. Feb. 17, 2014 8:24 pm

I don't think an elevator type will work for me because it's not a direct straight shot. The basement window I use is on the front side of the house and the truck can not get there directly in front of the window. Plus the bin isn't directly below the window, but is a few feet off to the side. I used the grain/utility auger from beside the house to over by the basement window where I would then stick a piece of PVC out through with an elbow on it to make the small but necessary bend (I think it's a 22.5 degree elbow).

Lu47Dan · Post by **Lu47Dan** » Mon. Feb. 17, 2014 8:40 pm

Jonathan, and C12, If you buy a transportable auger conveyor, make sure it has High Speed hubs, tires and wheels on it. I rebuilt one that did not and the bearings gave out at 40 miles of travel.
New hubs wheels and tires were more than the guy paid for the conveyor. He was using it to load his corn burner bin before he passed on.
Dan.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Mon. Feb. 17, 2014 8:44 pm

Those utility augers run horizontally as well. If I could get a hundred foot long flexible auger I'd be golden but I'm betting that would cost a fortune.

jonathanfry · Post by **jonathanfry** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 2:42 pm

A few hundred feet??

Well I was looking online last night and found Jet-Flow utility auger that looks to be exactly what I need, and has the exact attachment accessories I'd need for my application. The website claimed that Ryder Supply sold them so I called. Unfortunately the web isn't up to date and Ryder Supply informed me they haven't sold Jet-Flow for a number of years now... ugh...

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 2:50 pm

Someone here used a leaf blower and PVC pipe to get his rice from outside to his basement bin. I don't remember how far a run it was though or how efficient it was.

jonathanfry · Post by **jonathanfry** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 3:05 pm

Ok, now that's intriguing... but I can't seem to imagine how that would work and have enough power to move the coal, without the air escaping through where you were dropping the coal into a hopper out of the back of the truck? Or how powerful of a leaf blower that must be? Sure would be a nice cheap alternative though if it could work!

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 3:17 pm

Time to experiment!

I'm thinking 2" PVC with a Y fitting to direct the air flow toward the basement. Shovel into a hopper, coal drops into the 2" pipe via the Y, pushed by the air from the blower through the other Y fitting which is below the coal feed leg.

I know firsthand that using a 6hp shop vac to move coal from an outside bin to the inside hopper works and the leaf blower's should be able to generate at least as much airflow.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 3:47 pm

I don't particularly mind loading the hopper by hand,....a filling device would be nice, though. My gripe is that the only place they can dump the coal is 150 feet from the door to the boiler room. Down hill and around the corner of the house to the opposite end of the house. Lugging 2 buckets full of coal at a time to fill a 375 pound hopper gets old. I guess I'll have to build 2 bins. One to deliver the coal into and one to move the coal to just outside the boiler room. Rent a skid steer for half a day and be done with it. I suppose I could get a long enough flex auger to do the job but that would be well over $1000.00. Half day skid steer rental is $85.00. Full day, $150.00.