coal size for pioneer

I have a leisure line pioneer and I can get some coal alot cheaper through a friend of mine. This coal is slightly smaller then rice coal. Would this be ok to use in the pioneer. I figure that even if your using rice coal there will be smaller pieces in the coal so what would be the difference if it all would be a bit smaller. Thanks in advance for any input on this.

I don't know what Jerry will recommend but the coal you are referring to is barley, I do have some customers that use it but it can be problem keeping it going if you're not running the stove a lot. Not sure how well it runs in his units.

Slightly off-topic, I have a few customers that burn year round. 3 of them all using the same losch boiler with barley. We had a stretch the one summer where temps got up around the high 90's for a few days and two of them called me to tell me there was something wrong with the coal... One even had me come to the house to show me pea coal burning fine to prove the barley was bad...

Its been running fine all winter so far. Not a problem at all with the burning. I did go through a feeder motor though, but I dont think it was because of the coal I've been using, I just think I got a bad motor. Hopefully anyway. No problem with burning too fast though. I'll see my friend that I get the coal from tomorrow night and will ask him if it is barley or something else.

ejh2205 wrote: No problem with burning too fast though..

The problem doesn't arise from it burning too fast but from burning too slow. It needs more air to maintain a fire over time and if it doesn't get the air it needs it goes out. This won't be a problem if you have a lot of demand for heat and may only be a problem when it gets warmer out and the stove doesn't run, however I'm not really familiar with the smaller stokers so this may not be a problem at all.

NEPAForum Admin wrote:

ejh2205 wrote: No problem with burning too fast though..

The problem doesn't arise from it burning too fast but from burning too slow. It needs more air to maintain a fire over time and if it doesn't get the air it needs it goes out. This won't be a problem if you have a lot of demand for heat and may only be a problem when it gets warmer out and the stove doesn't run, however I'm not really familiar with the smaller stokers so this may not be a problem at all.

This may be even less off a problem with the Leisure Line

The CoalTrol does not regulate the combustion air it runs wide open 24/7 not that I agree with it but in your case its a plus.


.

Hi ejh,
You could get away with burning a mix of about 30% barley with the rice. We do not recommend burning straight barley. The smaller pieces will get under the carpet that moves the coal onto the grate and shorten the motor life.
Thanks for your purchase,
Jerry LLS

We have burned smaller coal than rice and I found that the MAX setting needed to be increased about 5 points from the Leisure Line standard setting of 40 to about 45.

Jerry, I believe you saw the coal we were testing. I think you said it was smaller than rice, but larger than barley.

We burned a metric ton of it, and it was good coal and worked well.

I asked my friend that I got the coal from and he said it is bigger then barley but smaller then rice. Would that be ok to run through my Pioneer or would I have to mix that also?
Also the place I've been dealing with that I bought the stove off of hasn't been very good to me, so I would like to know if I can deal with the dealer direct instead of going through the place I bought it from? Thanks

ejh,
I think you will be alright with that coal. If you don't like your dealer, you can buy off of any Leisure Line dealer you like. We have a factory outlet that you are more then welcome to call for parts(570.788.3330). Also go on our web page to find other dealers in your area.

Thank You for all your help. I will be dealing with you direct from now on since I only live around 1/2 hour to 1 hour away.