Coalpail.com Forum

Used the unit all season, The Alaska channing kept the house a constant 73 degrees.

Settings are Min 4 amd max 38.

This year
Burned 164 days
Burned 138 bag's rice=5520lbs
avg 33.6lbs/day
Coal-trol

Last year
Burned 150 day's
Burned 154 bags rice=6160lbs
avg 41.0lbs/day
original alaska manual controls, ( Coal-trol installed about the last 3 weeks of the season)

Thanks Neil and Paul.

No, I did not figure heating degree days, this is good enough for me.

BK

An 18% fuel savings! That's great news!



Thanks for tracking all that and posting.

Out of curiosity, how much did you pay per bag for the coal this year? I did a quick calc. Adjusting for the different burning season lengths and using a $5/bag price, I figured you saved around $139 in coal this year.

Also, when you said "original alaska controls" did you mean their manual controls or did you mean Alaska thermostat controls?

And just for the record and for those interested:
Lexington, KY Heating Degree Days
data from: ftp://ftp.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/htdocs/products/analy ... ly%20City/

09/06-03/07: 78, 365, 518, 717, 870, 1049, 414 = total 4011 heating degree days
09/07-03/08: 13, 167, 582, 770, 989, 852, 637 = total 4010 heating degree days

Didn't include April since they don't have data for it for this year yet and I didn't want to dig through weekly data. Regardless, they look like pretty even years in term of overall heating demand over that 7 month period. However, you posted that you heated for 164 days this year vs 150 last year. That means you only burned for around 5 to 5.5 months. Assuming you stopped around the same time each year (perhaps stopping a touch earlier last year), you can lop off the sept. and oct. months in each list and by doing so you end up with higher heating demand this year compared to last. So it was actually about 7% colder outside while using the Coal-trol this year compared to the prior year with the Alaska controls, meaning it netted even better than the 18% or so fuel savings in the average fuel use you measured.

The only thing that could screw up this glorious analysis (and I'm kicking myself for pushing my luck )... Did you keep the house at the same 73 degrees last year?

You are exactly right! $5.00 A bag for Blashack.

Also, when you said "original alaska controls" did you mean their manual controls or did you mean Alaska thermostat controls

Had the Alaska manual controls.

The only thing that could screw up this glorious analysis (and I'm kicking myself for pushing my luck )... Did you keep the house at the same 73 degrees last year?

Last year kept the house 70-75, hard to keep it steady though.

Like I said, I am very pleased thith the Coal-trol. I am gone over 24hrs or more to work, and it adjusts perfectly.

Thanks again.

BK

Great! Thanks for posting that two year comparison and we're happy you had such a good year with it.

Only used about 2 tons this year with the Coal-Trol! Started on Oct 1st. I did put in new windows but I know I saved at least 500$ on coal this year over last year. That Coal-Trol has paid for its self almost twice since install!!!!!!!!!!!Its better than sliced bread!! Thanks Paul and Neil for such a great product! Paul in upstate NY

Paul wrote: I did put in new windows

Should be noted I've seen drastic reduction in the amount of coal my customers have used when they have installed new windows. Generally a savings in the 30% range but I've seen it go as high as 50%. One customer dropped their usage to less than 40% with a combination of new windows and switching to a higher efficiency stove. Most people don't realize how much heat they are losing through old drafty windows, its a very significant amount.