Throwing in the towel on coal

[Dustycloud]

Well I think I'm done with coal. This furnace just won't burn it. If I block the rear firebox of my Clayton then it will burn it until the insulation get worn and needs replaced. Then I have to shut down and replace it every few days and I'm tired of crawling in the furnace. Just had a cold spell for a week and it was a nightmare to keep the thing running. I started just shoveling it in. Burns nice till volatiles burn off then the temp drops to 250 degrees on the flue and the furnace is wide open. I can not keep it warm enough in my house with out going down every 20 minutes and putting another shovel in. I'm tired, worn out and frustrated. I tried everything except for different coal. Almost burnt through 3.25 tons of it and will need to decide within 2 weeks whether to keep coal or get wood or bio bricks to hold me over for the winter because I have enough coal to maybe get me 2 weeks yet. I quit trying to burn it through the night aswell. It either goes out or there's nothing left and I'm already stuffing it as full as I dare. So I started banking it over and running the expensive oil furnace through the night. Right now I have hot coals clear to the top of the fire brick and its 250 on the flue. This sucks really bad.

[Dfmihm]

I recall you and I talking in another post, correct me if I’m wrong but…..

Does this have anything to do with the Somerset washed nut coal?

I’m struggling too this year, but also this is my first winter on coal in probably 13 years so I’m on a heck of a learning curve. Guys in here have been helpful though!

[Rob R.]

I would look for some good firewood. It will be tough to find anything dry at this time of year, but you won’t know until you look.

[carlherrnstein]

If I block the rear firebox of my Clayton then it will burn it until the insulation get worn and needs replaced. Then I have to shut down and replace it every few days and I'm tired of crawling in the furnace.

What are you blocking? An overfire vent?

What insulation are you replacing?

[Dustycloud]

I recall you and I talking in another post, correct me if I’m wrong but…..

Does this have anything to do with the Somerset washed nut coal?

I’m struggling too this year, but also this is my first winter on coal in probably 13 years so I’m on a heck of a learning curve. Guys in here have been helpful though!

Yes, I called and found some local company selling stuff I believed mined not to far from me. He said it was good coal, he also said it was only 1.5" washed nut coal. This maybe to small, I had trouble burning coal thus small before.

[Dustycloud]

I would look for some good firewood. It will be tough to find anything dry at this time of year, but you won’t know until you look.

Tried, 400.00 a cord.

[Dustycloud]

What are you blocking? An overfire vent?

What insulation are you replacing?

The Clayton has overfire air in the rear of the firebox. It has a slot above the rear liner along with 3 horizontal hole spanning the with of the rear liner. I put insulation blocking the slot between the rear liner and firebox. I leave the 3 holes open. Burns decent that way but I'm done crawling in the darn thing every 5 days to dig out the insulation because it degrades and starts to fall and block the 3 holes. It also has an overfire air on the front between the ash door and load door along with an additional overfire air I added in the door.

[Dfmihm]

Dusty

I started running a mix this last truck load, it was a blend: 2 buckets of Indiana nut and 1 bucket of bit stoker coal. Only problem I’m having is it’s doesn’t last super long but I’m doing some damper work now to try to get more out of it. Burns good though! Don’t give up on it. That goo from Somerset wouldn’t do squat unless I added wood with it. Trust me, that stuff made me rethink the whole solid fuel game.

[Dustycloud]

Dusty

I started running a mix this last truck load, it was a blend: 2 buckets of Indiana nut and 1 bucket of bit stoker coal. Only problem I’m having is it’s doesn’t last super long but I’m doing some damper work now to try to get more out of it. Burns good though! Don’t give up on it. That goo from Somerset wouldn’t do squat unless I added wood with it. Trust me, that stuff made me rethink the whole solid fuel game.

Yea it's terrible. It will burn good and hot for about 20 mins or so then withing an hour the flu is 250 degrees. I might made a trip today and get some PBS coal.

[carlherrnstein]

I put insulation blocking the slot between the rear liner and firebox. I leave the 3 holes open. Burns decent that way but I'm done crawling in the darn thing every 5 days to dig out the insulation because it degrades and starts to fall and block the 3 holes.

I bet that if you plugged them with something a more durable it would be fine. Can you get furnace cement locally? You might be able to just butter over the holes.

[Rob R.]

Tried, 400.00 a cord.

that is rough! Any dead standing ash trees around?

Do you have any other options besides the Clayton?

[Dustycloud]

I bet that if you plugged them with something a more durable it would be fine. Can you get furnace cement locally? You might be able to just butter over the holes.

I can't completely block the holes, I tried that before and it takes forever to get a good fire going. Stays smokey for quiet a long time. The gap in the back and the holes I believe are too big to smear furnace cement in.

[Dustycloud]

that is rough! Any dead standing ash trees around?

Do you have any other options besides the Clayton?

No trees I can cut down or use. I have a oil furnace I been using when I go to bed. I have had that tank filled twice this year so far. Total cost for oil almost 1,600.00. I do not want to get anymore this year. Tomorrow is going to be a high of 10 and I bet I'll be shoveling coal every 20 mins again. I might just let it burn out and say heck with it. We have a snow storm upon us and roads were too bad to go try a few buckets of new coal. Only other option is bio brick things from the local tractor supply. I did find a guy that has cordwood but can't get any till next weekend. He wants a much more reasonable rate, almost to good to be true and it prob is.

[waytomany?s]

Eh, go look at it at least. He might just want it gone. Or it could be pine. That would burn the same as that coal. Not trying to be difficult but do you know how to identify wood and how dry it is?

[Dustycloud]

Eh, go look at it at least. He might just want it gone. Or it could be pine. That would burn the same as that coal. Not trying to be difficult but do you know how to identify wood and how dry it is?

Not really but it's for sure not pine. My dad does. He is getting old but I could prob coax him out from hibernation with a hot coffee. I do know what pine looks like though.