OWB vs Stoker coal consumption

 
CAL
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Post by CAL » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 8:13 pm

Hello all! I have been enjoying reading the valuable knowledge shared on this site. As the title states I'm looking at replacing My Central boiler (classic) OWB with a stoker, leaning toward the new DS model. I will have many questions before this is through but I wanted to start with coal consumption.

Will I likely burn the same amount of coal in tons as cords of wood burned? What have others who have converted experienced? I currently use 10-15 cords

I plan to install the stoker in a well insulated dedicated building 25' closer than my current owb.


 
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StokerDon
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Post by StokerDon » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 8:58 pm

Welcome Cal.

The question of how much you will burn has more to do with what and how much you are heating. A coal stoker boiler is an "on demand" system. Unlike wood burning units, the fire goes down to noth'in until it is called for.

The new DS stoker boiler looks pretty awesome!

By the way, you will use more because your boiler will be heating the ground and all the radiant heat off the boiler will go into your boiler building. That's the cost of a remote install.

-Don

 
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windyhill4.2
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Post by windyhill4.2 » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 9:09 pm

I went from 30 cords of firewood in a OWB to 22 tons of coal in my EFM520.

The DS boiler looks very interestingly designed & we have yet to have an install of any on this forum. Looking forward to seeing one in action.

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 9:10 pm

Cal, the type of wood and moisture content is a big variable, but 66% the qty wood should get you close.

e.g. 15 cords to 10 tons of coal.

 
CAL
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Post by CAL » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 9:29 pm

Thanks for the quick replies. I will keep you up to date as the project progress's.

Plan to have a coal bin large enough to fit a triaxel load inside the building. (I'm tired of loading!)

Next stop Gordanville to meet Ben.

 
Dave 1234
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Post by Dave 1234 » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 10:16 pm

Cal , We did a change-out this year for a buddy of mine. He is heating two homes and DHW. We went with 2 EFM 520's piped as one. His wood cosuption was about 35- 40 cord of oak a year. As of now its looking like he will burn 12-15 ton of coal.
Hope this helps you.

Dave

 
miner1979570
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Post by miner1979570 » Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 10:20 pm

CAL wrote:
Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 9:29 pm
Thanks for the quick replies. I will keep you up to date as the project progress's.

Plan to have a coal bin large enough to fit a triaxel load inside the building. (I'm tired of loading!)

Next stop Gordanville to meet Ben.
I cringed reading that lol. I got buckwheat about 4 weeks ago at superior prep and it’s horrible. The coal is so soft it crushes in the auger that only half the coal burns cause of all the fines. Was getting from hazelton shaft and never had a issue but got talked into this garbage, so glad it’s was only 5 ton. Guess I am trying to say if you do get a whole tri axle load make sure it’s high quality good coal or major headaches will follow


 
CAL
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Post by CAL » Fri. Feb. 02, 2018 8:31 am

Dave, I've been following your thread (as well as windyhill) part of my inspiration for this project.

Miner; I still need to work out details of this bin. Was planning on buying coal from Lehigh.

Brings up a question to all; does anthracite coal vary that much per load? If it does no wonder coal fell out of favor!

 
Dave 1234
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Post by Dave 1234 » Fri. Feb. 02, 2018 8:43 am

Cal , so far I don't think we needed to have both boilers to replace the OWB. That said, they were very affordable and great insurance . Paul lit both boilers for 2 weeks in the cold snap, but def not out of need for more BTU's. I just wanted to see how well they worked as a pair.

His only complaint so far is that he has nothing to do now.

Dave

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Fri. Feb. 02, 2018 8:46 am

Brings up a question to all; does anthracite coal vary that much per load? If it does no wonder coal fell out of favor!
I have seen it vary in ash content, and slightly in the way it burns, but out of 9 TT loads I have never gotten coal that I found unacceptable. It has ranged from good to excellent. I think if you buy from a reputable supplier and have good coal equipment you will be fine.

 
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cArNaGe
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Post by cArNaGe » Fri. Feb. 02, 2018 7:38 pm

I had a Heatmor 200ss and would go through 3-4 triaxles of mixed hardwood a year (20-24 cord?). I now burn between 12-16 ton year.

 
miner1979570
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Post by miner1979570 » Fri. Feb. 02, 2018 10:38 pm

CAL wrote:
Fri. Feb. 02, 2018 8:31 am
Dave, I've been following your thread (as well as windyhill) part of my inspiration for this project.

Miner; I still need to work out details of this bin. Was planning on buying coal from Lehigh.

Brings up a question to all; does anthracite coal vary that much per load? If it does no wonder coal fell out of favor!
Well it seriously depends on suppliers. I was in the industry for over 20 years as both a miner of the stuff (underground and surface) and at a prep plant. New miners develop new jobs sites and the coal mined can be different every where. Hazelton shaft is owed and operated by Atlantic carbon group I believe. They’re strip mining the mammoth vein and it’s some of the hardest, cleanest coal I have seen to date. Lehigh should have quality coal. I started using hazelton shaft and won’t go anywhere else now. I live in coal country superior prep is 15 minuets from me. Kimmel coal, lenig washery and prep and Sherman prep might be 25 minuets from my house but I drive over a hour one way for coal.

 
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oliver power
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Post by oliver power » Sat. Feb. 03, 2018 8:26 am

For comparison; At the time I switched to coal heat, I burnt about one face-cord of wood per week in a well insulated little house. Then switched to coal. I would go through one 55 gallon barrel of coal per week.

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Sat. Feb. 03, 2018 8:30 am

miner1979570 wrote:
Thu. Feb. 01, 2018 10:20 pm
I cringed reading that lol. I got buckwheat about 4 weeks ago at superior prep and it’s horrible. The coal is so soft it crushes in the auger that only half the coal burns cause of all the fines. Was getting from hazelton shaft and never had a issue but got talked into this garbage, so glad it’s was only 5 ton. Guess I am trying to say if you do get a whole tri axle load make sure it’s high quality good coal or major headaches will follow
Perhaps you auger setup is part of the problem as well. Pitted feed pipe, too much auger into the coal, etc. I have heard of others complaining about fines from Superior, but never that the coal was so soft it broke in the auger. Just something to keep in mind when you get ready to refresh that GJ stoker.

With that said, the coal from the Hazelton area is definitely very hard.

 
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Post by coaledsweat » Sat. Feb. 03, 2018 10:46 am

oliver power wrote:
Sat. Feb. 03, 2018 8:26 am
For comparison; At the time I switched to coal heat, I burnt about one face-cord of wood per week in a well insulated little house. Then switched to coal. I would go through one 55 gallon barrel of coal per week.
That's 400#, not bad for a week.


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