Pea Coal Vs. Chestnut Coal Vs. Stove Coal

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gblass1
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Post by gblass1 » Sat. Dec. 19, 2009 5:07 pm

Hi All

This is my first year burning coal and I'm already hooked. I was wondering if there is any difference in heat value in the different sizes of coal ? Form reading the forum it seems like a lot of guys try to burn the smallest coal possible and I was just wondering if there was some benefit. It would seem that a ton of coal is a ton of coal regardless of size since it's sold by weight not volume.

I got 2 ton of nut to try but until I get my new chimney up I was gonna try stove coal to help with the poor draft in my old chimney.

Thanks

George


 
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gerard
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Post by gerard » Sat. Dec. 19, 2009 6:05 pm

When burning in a bed arrangement, where the combustion air comes up through the bed, larger chunks allow more air through and hence burn hotter, putting out more BTU's per hour. While both sizes hold the same amount of energy and ultimately will put out the same amount of heat, nut will put it out quicker than pea and stove quicker than nut. (I verfied this in my stove, I've used pea and nut. Pea burned nice and long but did not put out as high a temperature as the nut did. I now use only nut though using pea early and late in the season would be ok when my demand isn't that high. Mid winter on -0 days pea wouldn't keep up with demand)
Last edited by gerard on Sat. Apr. 01, 2017 2:29 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Removed quote from removed post

 
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Duengeon master
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Post by Duengeon master » Sat. Dec. 19, 2009 8:24 pm

Stove coal will burn better with lower draft than nut. I would experiment with both before making a commitment. Don't experiment like Al Gore and global warming, use real numbers. :bang:

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Sat. Dec. 19, 2009 8:35 pm

As per above you'll get faster burn with larger sizes, if for example you lived in very windy area pea coal is probably your best bet because you can control it better. You can also mix them which is called range coal, most of my customers that used pea or nut exclusively once trying that kept it. I've also had customers that would get something like 4 ton of nut and get one ton of pea or even smaller sizes like rice. I'd shoot the one ton over into one corner of the bin and they use that at night to cover the fire. Quick tip: you can also do that with ash. ;) On a final note Stove coal is usually more.

--------edit-------------
Moved this and stickied it in the hand fired forum as it's pretty common question. There was a few posts removed to get the right information on top.

 
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Duengeon master
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Post by Duengeon master » Sat. Dec. 19, 2009 8:45 pm

Hey Rich, I got 3 tons of pea last summer for free. :clap: :up: It burns well but, now that it is getting colder I had to mix some nut in for more heat. What is a good ratio of range as I don't have much nut left until I can make a coal run. :gee:

 
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Post by rouxzy » Sun. Dec. 20, 2009 9:12 am

I get the same results as Dungeon master. I've used all three sizes and get a better, hotter, and more complete burn with the stove size. But, every stove and condition is different so do as I did. Get some of each and experiment with it until you find out which one or combination of works best for you.
Tom

 
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NosmoKng
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Post by NosmoKng » Sun. Dec. 20, 2009 12:09 pm

I find pea is explosive in my stove. Have to be very careful in turning dial up and down. Mixed nut in and changed the whole character of the burn - gentle blue flames. I guess pea is too dense a blanket and smolders till gases burst forth into flames. Right now doing one hopper of pea and one of nut and am well satisfied. Does Blaschek carry stove size? Like to try it.


 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Sun. Dec. 20, 2009 12:35 pm

Duengeon master wrote: What is a good ratio of range as I don't have much nut left until I can make a coal run. :gee:
I'd assume that would vary, When I delivered it I'd mix it 50/50 but some people that were burning for many years would request more nut and less pea.
NosmoKng wrote:Does Blaschek carry stove size? Like to try it.
Stove isn't available from a lot of places because there isn't a lot of demand for it, I don't know if Blaschak offers it. In bulk it's usually $10+ more per ton.

 
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gblass1
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Post by gblass1 » Sun. Dec. 20, 2009 1:30 pm

NosmoKng wrote:I find pea is explosive in my stove. Have to be very careful in turning dial up and down. Mixed nut in and changed the whole character of the burn - gentle blue flames. I guess pea is too dense a blanket and smolders till gases burst forth into flames. Right now doing one hopper of pea and one of nut and am well satisfied. Does Blaschek carry stove size? Like to try it.
Yes Blaschak has stove size, I just got 10 bags of it.

George

 
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Post by gitrdonecoal » Mon. Dec. 21, 2009 1:09 pm

the one time I bought coal (cause I usualy just shovel it out of a basement and into mine for free lol) I got both nut and coal. nut in bag, cause I didnt realize yet that bulk was easier for me, and bulk stove. at least at geer in Alexander its the same price, doesnt mean thats the same everywhere. burned the stove coal and wow the heat. I got free range, nut and stove, right now im burning. burns good. tried pea once, didnt work as good. but I got a better chimney now, gonna experiment

 
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Post by ctcoalwoman » Mon. Dec. 21, 2009 5:54 pm

I have a ton at least of old coal in my basement, I believe it's stove coal, some of it is as big as my fist(a womans fist) and some pieces small. I would like to use it in my franco belge 10.1475 but I am afraid it will burn too hot. I have the hopper on the smallest setting and still nearly overfired it once. The coal in the hopper starts to catch fire. also, my son was slosing the door and 2 of the glass panels broke. I have ordered new but put a thick piece of copper on their place but don't think I'm getting good heat like before. It must be leaky through the door a bit. Does that mean most of my heat is going up the chimney?

 
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Post by Cyber36 » Tue. Dec. 22, 2009 1:16 pm

I use whatever my stove mfg. tells me to................ :roll:

 
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Post by cntbill » Wed. Dec. 23, 2009 12:46 pm

Cyber36 wrote:I use whatever my stove mfg. tells me to................ :roll:
I have a VC Vigilant 1 with the coal conversion kit installed. From what I have read either Pea or Chestnut can be used by setting the hopper/magazine throat accordingly. There is also two other settings but no info on what size that would be, maybe stove?

I have been using pea, going about 12+ hrs. on a full hopper, stove running at an average 400*- 425* measured at the suggested spot (from what I read on another thread).

So since instructions have either pea or nut and I try nut, from what I am reading above am I correct to understand that the stove will run hotter, but the run time shorter, as in my case shorter than 12 hrs.?

Also one other thing I am wondering is how much higher than what I am running now would be overheating? Did run it for a bit at 450* though but I set it down a little thinking I could conserver some coal.

Thanks,

Bill...

 
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Post by NosmoKng » Mon. Dec. 28, 2009 7:46 am

I don't understand all this hotter/colder based on size issue. THe only thing that happens is the amount of air needed to produce a given temperature. You still control the heat, turn the air down if it's burning hotter. That's the only difference I notice. THe big difference is response time. Finer coal is slower because air cn't gt through the bed as well.

 
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Post by VigIIPeaBurner » Mon. Dec. 28, 2009 10:44 am

Keeping it simple, burning Coal @ X BTU/Lb + Air @ X Lbs/Hr = X-BTU/Hr. Not accounting for individual efficiency issues**
NosmoKng wrote:I don't understand all this hotter/colder based on size issue. THe only thing that happens is the amount of air needed to produce a given temperature. You still control the heat, turn the air down if it's burning hotter. That's the only difference I notice. THe big difference is response time. Finer coal is slower because air cn't gt through the bed as well.
Agreed. Each stove-chimney(draft) combination will react differently. The differences after changing coal size might be large or small but it will be different. The velocity of the combustion gasses that allow for heat exchange to happen is altered and will effect the rate of heat output **.

Explained another way, the pea vs larger issue can be compared to using a manual pipe damper (MPD). (That's story is on another thread)
  • An MPD restricts the chimney's draft in the pipe above the stove slowing down the combustion gas velocity and allowing an increase in efficiencies**
  • Using pea acts in a similar way by restricting air flow (draft) at the grate/fire box level instead of a few feet up in the pipe as an MPD does. It slows down combustion gas velocity via the smaller more convoluted air passages through the coal bed.
  • Here is an extreme example. Throw alot of sand or ash on a coal fire. The small air pathways restrict the air flow (draft) so much that it falls below the rate needed to support combustion.


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