Burning Coal in Kansas

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skip
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Post by skip » Tue. Dec. 24, 2013 2:54 pm

My wife and I are looking to install a dual fuel stove for heating our house. Have not decided on what kind yet. Currently have just a wood stove. A couple of friends in Iowa have coal stoves they use and I figured why not. They burn hard coal in base-burners. I have called around and I found I can get Bit coal for $65/ ton locally. The mine-foreman I talked to said the Bit coal they are in right now is currently about 10k BTU and 3% sulfur. Not sure how the 10k BTU breaks down, I figurer per unit of coal. Does this sound right?

I live in rural area so a little smoke and smell will not be a problem. I have wood but would like to heat the house with the stove full time and not restock the stove every few hours with wood. The winters are not as harsh as back East so I figure 2-tons would do me for almost two seasons.

Thoughts on this type of Bit coal?

Thanks

Skip Schupp

 
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Carbon12
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Post by Carbon12 » Tue. Dec. 24, 2013 2:57 pm

How many cords of wood do you burn a season?

 
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carlherrnstein
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Post by carlherrnstein » Tue. Dec. 24, 2013 3:42 pm

I would first see if you can get "stoker coal" anywhere. If you can then I would see if you can find a used stoker and put it under a hand fed furnace or find a stoker stove like a combustioneer, stokermatic, or firetender. IMO this is the best way to go because once you get it figured out you simply set the thermostat, add coal to the hopper, and remove the clinker/ash and there little to no smoke.

I you cant get "stoker coal" I think the best option would be a "hot blast stove" please note those are not the junk US stove company hotblast. They are old stoves built to burn bituminous coal.

 
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skip
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Post by skip » Tue. Dec. 24, 2013 3:49 pm

Well honestly I never have really counted. I just have been clearing out all the dead and or downed trees on my place. That has worked for 10 years. I figure about 2 and half cords per season. To buy good wood around here it would be about 100 to 125 a cord.


 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Tue. Dec. 24, 2013 3:56 pm

Damn skip, that's not much wood for a season--I went through 8 full cord with 2800 sq. 250 yr old farm house as tight as she'll get with post & beam! How big is your house & lay-out? Welcome to the Forum my friend & you & yours have a very Merry Christmas:)

 
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skip
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Post by skip » Tue. Dec. 24, 2013 3:59 pm

Will look into sources of "stoker coal". Well I have been reading on this site for a while and had figured an old Hot blast stove was the way to go.

I should also mention we live in an Earthbearm home. It is all one level and about 1800sq ft. The stove would be located in the living room, which is really just a part of one great big room with the kitchen and dinning room part of it. All the bedrooms are off the main room with no hallways. It is pretty efficient. I am really looking to have a constant source of heat throughout the whole season without having to restart a fire each morning or night when I get home.

 
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ONEDOLLAR
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Post by ONEDOLLAR » Tue. Dec. 24, 2013 4:28 pm

Skip

There is a mine not too far from you in OK. PHOENIX COAL is the firms name. Last I looked they did sell 50 lb bags.

A "WARM MORNING" brand of coal stove would be perfect for you. They are availble on places like craiglslist for less than $300 or so depending on the size.

Hope this helps and btw...... GO SOONERS!!!!!!!!

http://www.phoenixcoal.com/products.htm

 
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Duengeon master
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Post by Duengeon master » Tue. Dec. 24, 2013 6:15 pm

10k is 10,000 btu. I would recommend going with the Oklahoma coal that One Dollar sent a link to. 12,000 BTU is way more efficient than 10,000. also sulfur doesn't add any heat, so the lower sulfur means more carbon and more heat from every lump.


 
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Post by Berlin » Tue. Dec. 24, 2013 11:29 pm

well, DM, sulfur is 8000 BTU's /lb , so, it produces some heat... ;)

Give the local coal a try, you want the largest chunks you can get and you want a relatively big stove (this coal will clinker if you fire it too hot), like a big warm morning or DS machine type box stove w/ secondary air. you want 8" flue min. size (that coal will be sooty) and make sure you bank the fire side to side or front to back (do a search on here of your not sure what I mean, it's been talked about numerous times as the proper way to fire many bituminous coals).

 
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Post by Hambden Bob » Tue. Dec. 24, 2013 11:44 pm

"We're not in Kansas anymore,Toto"......Like Hell we're not,Dorothy! Thanx to Skip,we're now right in the thick of it! Good to have you aboard and Merry Christmas! Burning the Bit as a Newbie will be a lot easier for you 'cause you've taken the time to read,learn and sign up to get even more good advice and planning before wasting hard earned dollars. Take your time,get some coal to try and keep the feedback coming here. :up:

 
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Duengeon master
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Post by Duengeon master » Wed. Dec. 25, 2013 7:39 pm

Berlin wrote:well, DM, sulfur is 8000 BTU's /lb , so, it produces some heat... ;)
Wow!!! I never knew that? :oops:

 
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Post by Lightning » Wed. Dec. 25, 2013 10:51 pm

Duengeon master wrote:
Berlin wrote:well, DM, sulfur is 8000 BTU's /lb , so, it produces some heat... ;)
Wow!!! I never knew that? :oops:
Yes sir, sulfur unites with oxygen to make sulfur dioxide along with other compounds. Its the burnt match mixed with rotten egg smell in the coal exhaust... :D

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