Coal in a multiburner.
Discussion
Did our first burn of coal yesterday after 2 seasons of wood.I was expecting it to peel the paint off the walls but seemed to be about the same as controlled softwood burn temp wise.
This morning loads of gritty brown ash. Is this a sign of not burning hot enough.
Do you shut the buttom air feed on a smokeless coal burn or just y leave it open.
Any other tips.
Cheers.
This morning loads of gritty brown ash. Is this a sign of not burning hot enough.
Do you shut the buttom air feed on a smokeless coal burn or just y leave it open.
Any other tips.
Cheers.
PhilboSE said:
You should get a lot more heat out of coal/coalalike. Amount of ash depends on what kind of coal you're burning; housecoal generates more than things like Wildfire.
I use wood for show and coal for go. Use one of the other - don't mix.
Why not mix? I find adding a bit of coal evens out the heat and makes the fire lower maintenance. I use wood for show and coal for go. Use one of the other - don't mix.
I was told if you’re getting red/brown ash after coal it’s because there’s heavy clay content, cheap coal.
I burn wood 95% of the time but on a cold night I chuck a shovel full of coal on the hot embers before I go to bed and it pumps out heat all night. Someone told me if you want to slow it down take a shovel of wood ash and throw it on top. Although I’ve never tried it and find coal burns slow enough in mine. If there’s a good bed of ash it will still be glowing 24 hours later.
I burn wood 95% of the time but on a cold night I chuck a shovel full of coal on the hot embers before I go to bed and it pumps out heat all night. Someone told me if you want to slow it down take a shovel of wood ash and throw it on top. Although I’ve never tried it and find coal burns slow enough in mine. If there’s a good bed of ash it will still be glowing 24 hours later.
A proper coal fire with a decent draft is a fierce thing. My parents have an open fire with a weird underdraft thing which goes outside. When the draft is open, it is literally like a forge fire. They have a back boiler on it and it will have 20ish radiators roasting hot no problem. It will go through a 25kg bag of coal in a night if you keep feeding it. In comparison my two wood burning stoves seem a bit tame, but they're a whole lot more efficient.
LeadFarmer said:
Mixing can be harmful I've heard. The moisture in the wood mixes with the burn f rom the coal producing acid, which can then eat away your stainless steel chimney liner.
Coal needs air from below, wood needs air from above.
+1. In addition, a raging fire isn't always the best way forward. Gentle heat over a long period is often more efficient. Also there's very little ash from kiln dried logs when burned efficiently, whereas coal will always leave plenty of ash that can't even be put on your flower beds.Coal needs air from below, wood needs air from above.
bernhund said:
+1. In addition, a raging fire isn't always the best way forward. Gentle heat over a long period is often more efficient. Also there's very little ash from kiln dried logs when burned efficiently, whereas coal will always leave plenty of ash that can't even be put on your flower beds.
Our ash pan gets emptied once a week, very little ash off the coal we use.I burn waste wood bricks in my multifuel stove, which I buy in half-tonne loads (although I may have to review my choice as the price has risen rapidly and they’re starting to look very expensive indeed).
Whenever I want the fire to have a bit more ‘sustain’, I throw a handful of smokeless coals on as well. I don’t worry about mixing the two fuels because the wood bricks are exceedingly dry. The smokeless coal helps to maintain a bit more heat when the wood bricks die down, and the next bricks light more quickly when I refuel.
Perhaps one day I’ll try emptying out the ash completely and run the stove entirely on smokeless coal.
Whenever I want the fire to have a bit more ‘sustain’, I throw a handful of smokeless coals on as well. I don’t worry about mixing the two fuels because the wood bricks are exceedingly dry. The smokeless coal helps to maintain a bit more heat when the wood bricks die down, and the next bricks light more quickly when I refuel.
Perhaps one day I’ll try emptying out the ash completely and run the stove entirely on smokeless coal.
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