Should I Consider Bit Coal at All?
Posted: Tue. Mar. 18, 2014 10:21 am
Good morning all... I've been spending more and more time in this bit coal subforum as well as doing my own research on bit. I'm not a coal burner yet but I think I have amassed plenty of knowledge about various stokers, stoves and coal knowledge in general where I feel that I could make a reasonably informed purchase. I'm living in a 2 family house at the moment that has NG so my heating needs are set for the time being. My gf and I intend to move into a new place at some point. We live in New England and the possibility of moving into a place with oil/propane is high and very probable. I don't want to pay oil/propane prices and I intend to install a coal burning heat source.
My situation is that the more I read about bit coal, the more I like it. Yes it is more finicky than anthracite and probably harder to find but the prices per ton I have been reading about are better than anthracite and it is something I would like to consider using.
I guess the purpose of this thread is to ask you guys if my vision for the future is indeed feasible. I live in NH and we can get anthracite here. Bit coal and specifically stoker sized bit coal (rice sized) is rare. There are several coal dealers that sell bit coal in "blacksmith" size which could be anywhere from pea to lump size. Later on down the road and if bit coal is something I can reliably burn, I would be willing to pay for a truck delivery for a bulk ton shipment if it meant total savings overall.
I am also considering an underfeed stoker such as EFM 520 which I have read is probably the best type of stoker if I were to experiment and choose bit coal as my heating fuel. I know that iron foreman and GJ stokers are also great for bit and in some cases expressly designed for bit. But I would need to get lucky on craigslist or find it somewhere used. For current consideration, I am only going to consider stokers available new on the market and the EFM seems like the only one that can burn bit coal. In the event that I can't go the stoker route, a warm morning stove purchased from craigslist is the plan.
Right now, I think my biggest problem is supply. If I can find a supplier, either local or afar and it is financially feasible then I would seriously consider bit coal. Another concern I have is the reliability of burning bit coal. All of my reading and "training" has been for anthracite. There are not too many bit coal instructionals out there. I would assume that if I can reliably learn to burn wood and anthracite, then bit is not too far off. I would need to learn how to manage clinkers. The last concern, but also important, is the ability to keep bit coal burning to a level that won't offend my neighbors and look like I'm polluting the neighborhood or creating a smell. I've found alot of misinformation about coal exists when I talk to people about it. They assume my chimney is going to be a big belching factory smokestack. I'd rather stay quiet about coal if I am burning it.
What do you guys think? Is it smart for me to consider bit coal? Or unrealistic? Am I too far from Pennsylvania to get good cheap bit coal for a stoker application? Or should I just stick with more expensive anthracite? Thanks...
My situation is that the more I read about bit coal, the more I like it. Yes it is more finicky than anthracite and probably harder to find but the prices per ton I have been reading about are better than anthracite and it is something I would like to consider using.
I guess the purpose of this thread is to ask you guys if my vision for the future is indeed feasible. I live in NH and we can get anthracite here. Bit coal and specifically stoker sized bit coal (rice sized) is rare. There are several coal dealers that sell bit coal in "blacksmith" size which could be anywhere from pea to lump size. Later on down the road and if bit coal is something I can reliably burn, I would be willing to pay for a truck delivery for a bulk ton shipment if it meant total savings overall.
I am also considering an underfeed stoker such as EFM 520 which I have read is probably the best type of stoker if I were to experiment and choose bit coal as my heating fuel. I know that iron foreman and GJ stokers are also great for bit and in some cases expressly designed for bit. But I would need to get lucky on craigslist or find it somewhere used. For current consideration, I am only going to consider stokers available new on the market and the EFM seems like the only one that can burn bit coal. In the event that I can't go the stoker route, a warm morning stove purchased from craigslist is the plan.
Right now, I think my biggest problem is supply. If I can find a supplier, either local or afar and it is financially feasible then I would seriously consider bit coal. Another concern I have is the reliability of burning bit coal. All of my reading and "training" has been for anthracite. There are not too many bit coal instructionals out there. I would assume that if I can reliably learn to burn wood and anthracite, then bit is not too far off. I would need to learn how to manage clinkers. The last concern, but also important, is the ability to keep bit coal burning to a level that won't offend my neighbors and look like I'm polluting the neighborhood or creating a smell. I've found alot of misinformation about coal exists when I talk to people about it. They assume my chimney is going to be a big belching factory smokestack. I'd rather stay quiet about coal if I am burning it.
What do you guys think? Is it smart for me to consider bit coal? Or unrealistic? Am I too far from Pennsylvania to get good cheap bit coal for a stoker application? Or should I just stick with more expensive anthracite? Thanks...