Lehigh coal vs Reading coal

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 10:49 am

Mine was NUT C with the same problem. Just sayin!!


 
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Post by LehighanthraciteMatt » Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 10:51 am

The broker talked to the dealer in question. He said he had one complaint for a person about fines, he said he had another person tell him he had bridging. He said most of the other people said they prefer the coal to what he used to sell. He said that we shouldn't stress as you will never please everyone. He also said he still has Lehigh in his bin and will continue to due to what most of his customers commented to him.
Im sorry to hear you had an issue, and that is exactly why I am on this forum. If I wasnt here I would have never known that anyone had an issue.
If there is anything I can do let me know.
Thanks!

 
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Post by LehighanthraciteMatt » Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 10:53 am

freetown fred wrote:
Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 10:49 am
Mine was NUT C with the same problem. Just sayin!!
And did you take it back to your dealer and show him it? Again nothing can be addressed if nobody is aware.

 
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Post by freetown fred » Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 12:31 pm

Not worth the 2 hr. drive both ways Matt. I'll just stick with my Blaschak--no problems in 10 yrs.

 
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Post by LehighanthraciteMatt » Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 12:35 pm

freetown fred wrote:
Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 12:31 pm
Not worth the 2 hr. drive both ways Matt. I'll just stick with my Blaschak--no problems in 10 yrs.
:yes:

 
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 12:57 pm

Thanks for contacting them directly, Matt.

We'll have to see what is offered for buckwheat next time.

I know I'm not going to put that same mix in my coal bin again, it's been the opposite of a good experience.

Do you have any comments on the pics I posted? Is that considered normal and 'within spec' for Lehigh?

 
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Post by LehighanthraciteMatt » Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 1:06 pm

CoalisCoolxWarm wrote:
Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 12:57 pm
Thanks for contacting them directly, Matt.

We'll have to see what is offered for buckwheat next time.

I know I'm not going to put that same mix in my coal bin again, it's been the opposite of a good experience.

Do you have any comments on the pics I posted? Is that considered normal and 'within spec' for Lehigh?
The pics are always hard to tell, there seems to be more smaller pieces than I would expect directly from the breaker, however, there can be so many variables, breakage going into the truck, breakage when dumping, was the bin cleaned prior to dumping, is the loader crushing the coal, etc etc. As I stated there does seem to be more smaller pieces than I would expect to see from the breaker, but I dont see alot of fines.


 
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 3:04 pm

LehighanthraciteMatt wrote:
Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 1:06 pm
As I stated there does seem to be more smaller pieces than I would expect to see from the breaker, but I dont see alot of fines.
I appreciate your input. FYI 'fines' to me are anything 1/4 the minimum spec or less- based on usability.

If it is half the minimum size, it is too small and out of spec. Troublesome and not desirable.

But at 1/4 it is unusable without significant adjustments to the stoker and leads to feeding, performance, and other issues.

I think that's fair.

If you like, send me a piece of mesh at your minimum spec. I'll take a bucket and weigh it. Then I'll pour it through the mesh and remove anything out of spec (or within whatever tolerance you like) and weigh it again. Should be a decent measurement, right?

I can look for some mesh here, but this way you'd be in control of it. Probably more feasible to send me the mesh vs me mailing you a bucket of coal...at least not until CHRISTMAS where it is reportedly delivered to naughty people all over. LOL.

To be clear, it seems the inconsistent SIZE is the main issue and is a known cause of any of the issues I'm having with it. Get that fixed and we'd be off to the races :yes:

Also, so I understand, have you set this aside, or are you going to look into the inconsistent sizing?

I'd be happy to try it again once that problem is resolved.

 
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Post by LehighanthraciteMatt » Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 4:08 pm

CoalisCoolxWarm wrote:
Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 3:04 pm
I appreciate your input. FYI 'fines' to me are anything 1/4 the minimum spec or less- based on usability.

If it is half the minimum size, it is too small and out of spec. Troublesome and not desirable.

But at 1/4 it is unusable without significant adjustments to the stoker and leads to feeding, performance, and other issues.

I think that's fair.

If you like, send me a piece of mesh at your minimum spec. I'll take a bucket and weigh it. Then I'll pour it through the mesh and remove anything out of spec (or within whatever tolerance you like) and weigh it again. Should be a decent measurement, right?

I can look for some mesh here, but this way you'd be in control of it. Probably more feasible to send me the mesh vs me mailing you a bucket of coal...at least not until CHRISTMAS where it is reportedly delivered to naughty people all over. LOL.

To be clear, it seems the inconsistent SIZE is the main issue and is a known cause of any of the issues I'm having with it. Get that fixed and we'd be off to the races :yes:

Also, so I understand, have you set this aside, or are you going to look into the inconsistent sizing?

I'd be happy to try it again once that problem is resolved.
The standard bottom sized for Buckwheat is 5/16" round hole. However, it is allowable to have 15% of the product less than 5/16". As far as looking into inconsistant sizing we test our coal everyday in our lab and our sizing normally doesnt even get near the spec maximum undersized. We generally linger around 5% and sometimes see as low as 3% or as high as 11%.

 
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 4:17 pm

LehighanthraciteMatt wrote:
Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 4:08 pm
The standard bottom sized for Buckwheat is 5/16" round hole. However, it is allowable to have 15% of the product less than 5/16".
Sounds like I have a project for a quiet evening with nothing else to do (urban legend? LOL)

Thanks, Matt.

 
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Post by nepacoal » Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 4:32 pm

I have been using Lehigh buck for the first time this year and can't say enough good things about it. Perfect sizing and hardly any fines. I do live in coal country so I didn't have to deal with intermediate transport and the multiple handling steps involved... it came straight from the breaker into the truck and then into my basement. My boiler loves the stuff!!!

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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Tue. Mar. 19, 2019 4:46 pm

That is encouraging

 
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Mon. Nov. 25, 2019 12:51 pm

New heating season. We got a load of Reading coal this year. I didn't even clean out the stove pipes, just shoveled out any ashes laying in the bottom and lit a fire.

So far, perfect fires (compared to the problems we had with the other load).

Glad people are having luck with Lehigh, but my KA6 likes the Reading coal better. At least with my current setup and settings.

 
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Post by Qtown1835 » Mon. Nov. 25, 2019 6:24 pm

Good news. What issues were you having last year with the coal?

 
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Mon. Nov. 25, 2019 7:04 pm

Qtown1835 wrote:
Mon. Nov. 25, 2019 6:24 pm
Good news. What issues were you having last year with the coal?
I have some pics earlier in this thread. I think the troubles were mostly due to inconsistent sizing and fines in what was supposed to be Buckwheat. Probably says more about the batches than the quality of the coal.

Maybe it is better this year?

The Reading has always been rock solid sizes and quality. You know as coal burners, we are pretty stubborn against changes, LOL.

I'm glad the "fix" was this simple for my KA6. Returning to what I was using and no more problems is simply the confirmation that the problem wasn't some failure in my system. Last piece of the puzzle ;)

I guess others aren't having the same problem, which is good. Won't say I'll *never* try the Lehigh again, but for the foreseeable future, I'm sticking with the consistency and reliability of the Reading coal. Happily they are the same price this year, so Bonus!


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