After 33 Years of Exclusively Wood Heating, I'm Trying Coal
- stoker-man
- Verified Business Rep.
- Posts: 2071
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 19, 2007 9:33 pm
- Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: 1981 efm wcb-24 in use 365 days a year
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/Chestnut
- Other Heating: Hearthstone wood stove
It's been a great month. No more hauling a cartload of wood per day from the shed. I still have about 400 pounds left and have a new ton sitting in the trailer because I like it so much. Looks like 2 tons will handle the worst part of the Winter.
- Rob R.
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 18004
- Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
- Location: Chazy, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr
I had a feeling you wouldn't stop at one ton. Anthracite provides a very clean, long lasting burn in hand-feds that were designed to burn it.
Have you noticed any creosote peeling from the inside of the boiler? If it wasn't clean when you started it should brush out easily now; same goes for the chimney.
-Rob
Have you noticed any creosote peeling from the inside of the boiler? If it wasn't clean when you started it should brush out easily now; same goes for the chimney.
-Rob
- stoker-man
- Verified Business Rep.
- Posts: 2071
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 19, 2007 9:33 pm
- Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: 1981 efm wcb-24 in use 365 days a year
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/Chestnut
- Other Heating: Hearthstone wood stove
Loving my coal. Went 6 weeks on the first ton.
My cousin was whining on facebook about their January $400+ electric bill (all electric homes and some with heatpump) and a bunch of other facebookers were about the same dollar amount or higher. I felt guilty telling them that my heat and electric bill came to $220 with a 72 degree house. They cooled down quickly after ranting, when they sat down in their 63 degree living rooms.
My cousin was whining on facebook about their January $400+ electric bill (all electric homes and some with heatpump) and a bunch of other facebookers were about the same dollar amount or higher. I felt guilty telling them that my heat and electric bill came to $220 with a 72 degree house. They cooled down quickly after ranting, when they sat down in their 63 degree living rooms.
- whistlenut
- Member
- Posts: 3548
- Joined: Sat. Mar. 17, 2007 6:29 pm
- Location: Central NH, Concord area
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AA130's,260's, AHS130&260's,EFM900,GJ & V-Wert
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Franks,Itasca 415,Jensen, NYer 130,Van Wert
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Alaska, EFM, Keystoker, Yellow Flame
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska, Keystoker-2,Leisure Line
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Alaska, Gibraltar, Keystone,Vc Vigilant 2
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Ford, Jensen, NYer, Van Wert,
- Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwoods
- Coal Size/Type: Barley, Buck, Rice ,Nut, Stove
- Other Heating: Oil HWBB
.............Yet with all the success stories, folks are skeptical UNTIL they try it. I show them hand fed boilers, radiant stokers. stoker boilers and even a hot air stoker......still they go home to a wood stove, pellet stove...a couple with wood fired hot air furnaces...and then those who coughed up 11K or more for the outdoor wood boilers. Locally I saw two log trucks delivering green hardwood....then 4 hrs later, 3 people working on the pile, cutting, splitting, loading it into the bucket of a nice Kubota, and off to the wood boiler. I'm placing the moisture content at about 43 percent........
I did stop to talk to them about their new Central Boiler.....latest and greatest...energy efficient....labor saving......blah, blah, blah.........................$12,700 with the install, piping, wiring and a wood shed beside the boiler.......and it was 5 degrees at 4 pm.
I did stop to talk to them about their new Central Boiler.....latest and greatest...energy efficient....labor saving......blah, blah, blah.........................$12,700 with the install, piping, wiring and a wood shed beside the boiler.......and it was 5 degrees at 4 pm.
- rockwood
- Member
- Posts: 1381
- Joined: Sun. Sep. 21, 2008 7:37 pm
- Location: Utah
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Stokermatic
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Rockwood Stoveworks Circulator
- Baseburners & Antiques: Malleable/Monarch Range
- Coal Size/Type: Lump and stoker + Blaschak-stove size
I do the same thing.2001Sierra wrote:Here is my coal bin. I tow it behind my lawn tractor to the woods in the off season.
I use my old Ford tractor (w/forks) to move coal and wood bins back to the edge of my property for the summer....I've never been a fan of permanent outdoor coal bins near the house.
- 2001Sierra
- Member
- Posts: 2211
- Joined: Wed. May. 20, 2009 8:09 am
- Location: Wynantskill NY, 10 miles from Albany
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90 Chimney vent
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
- Other Heating: Buderus Oil Boiler 3115-34
Sorry for not monitoring your questions, I guess I am a stoker slacker!! Yes that is a coal scuttle that the coal falls into. I then simply carry the scuttles into the house and pour them into the hopper. I do not have to fight with trying to pour the bags into the scuttles, and as most know rice coal spills like pepper. I like to keep everything neat. I also despise fighting with frozen bags in the middle of winter. I can fill two scuttles in less than a minute. As the bin empties I rake the coal to the blast gate until I have time to refill it, hopefully on a reasonable sunny winter day. I get almost 3 weeks out of the 800 lb capacity, when burning hard.
- stoker-man
- Verified Business Rep.
- Posts: 2071
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 19, 2007 9:33 pm
- Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: 1981 efm wcb-24 in use 365 days a year
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/Chestnut
- Other Heating: Hearthstone wood stove
I don't know if you're asking me, but here are some pictures of my wagon. I used all scrap steel from other projects. The frame is 2 x 4 sq. tubing from shelving. The pneumatic wheels are rated for 800#. The center of gravity is a little forward, but the air space afforded by the bucket balances a full load perfectly. It's a prototype, so I made a good guess. The cart holds about 600# and the handlebar is removable by loosening two bolts and pulling it out. The total construction is welded and the boards in front and back are removable for easy shoveling. I'd say that one cart lasts 10 days.
Attachments
- stoker-man
- Verified Business Rep.
- Posts: 2071
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 19, 2007 9:33 pm
- Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: 1981 efm wcb-24 in use 365 days a year
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/Chestnut
- Other Heating: Hearthstone wood stove
Well, the party is over. I'll be out of coal tomorrow morning and it's back to wood again. Two tons lasted from Dec. 5th until Feb. 26th which is 12 weeks. I'm doing this again next year.
- 2001Sierra
- Member
- Posts: 2211
- Joined: Wed. May. 20, 2009 8:09 am
- Location: Wynantskill NY, 10 miles from Albany
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90 Chimney vent
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
- Other Heating: Buderus Oil Boiler 3115-34
Skirt Coal is a man's fuel. Sorry Lisa, and others I am sure to offend. I couldn't help myself
- CoalHeat
- Member
- Posts: 8862
- Joined: Sat. Feb. 10, 2007 9:48 pm
- Location: Stillwater, New Jersey
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1959 EFM 350
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Magnafire Mark I
- Baseburners & Antiques: Sears Signal Oak 15 & Andes Kitchen Range
- Coal Size/Type: Rice and Chestnut
- Other Heating: Fisher Fireplace Insert
Um...buy more coal...I'll be out of coal tomorrow morning and it's back to wood again.
- stoker-man
- Verified Business Rep.
- Posts: 2071
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 19, 2007 9:33 pm
- Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: 1981 efm wcb-24 in use 365 days a year
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/Chestnut
- Other Heating: Hearthstone wood stove
No, another ton would sit around here all Summer. In another month, I won't need the boiler for heat anymore. The wood stove will take over for heat and the boiler will be used only for domestic hot water.
- CoalHeat
- Member
- Posts: 8862
- Joined: Sat. Feb. 10, 2007 9:48 pm
- Location: Stillwater, New Jersey
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1959 EFM 350
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Magnafire Mark I
- Baseburners & Antiques: Sears Signal Oak 15 & Andes Kitchen Range
- Coal Size/Type: Rice and Chestnut
- Other Heating: Fisher Fireplace Insert
I see.
- Scottscoaled
- Member
- Posts: 2812
- Joined: Tue. Jan. 08, 2008 9:51 pm
- Location: Malta N.Y.
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520, 700, Van Wert 800 GJ 61,53
- Baseburners & Antiques: Magic Stewart 16, times 2!
- Coal Size/Type: Lots of buck
- Other Heating: Slant Fin electric boiler backup
DF 520
- coal berner
- Member
- Posts: 3600
- Joined: Tue. Jan. 09, 2007 12:44 am
- Location: Pottsville PA. Schuylkill County PA. The Hart Of Anthracite Coal Country.
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1986 Electric Furnace Man 520 DF
You no coal does to have a shelf life and it is able to heat hot water in a boiler to make DHW in the Summer timestoker-man wrote:No, another ton would sit around here all Summer. In another month, I won't need the boiler for heat anymore. The wood stove will take over for heat and the boiler will be used only for domestic hot water.