how big is too big???

went and got some Bitt today it wasnt what i was expecting, BUT its around 100 miles one way and i was out, (first time buying from these people) so what do you think of the selection i got the coke can is for reference

excellent sizes! Too big is when you can't lift them or they won't fit through the door of your stove.

Berlin wrote:excellent sizes! Too big is when you can't lift them or they won't fit through the door of your stove.

are you kidding??? HOW would i go about burning them like that? they will fit through the door but i dont know how to burn them thanks

Beautiful! I'd cleave the one on the right once, but the others would go straight into the stove. I hope you don't mind a couple or 4 questions.......

Where did you get it?
How many fines did you bring home?
Did you hand pick or did they load it for you?
How much was it a ton?

Stephen in Soky wrote:Beautiful! I'd cleave the one on the right once, but the others would go straight into the stove. I hope you don't mind a couple or 4 questions.......

Where did you get it?
How many fines did you bring home?
Did you hand pick or did they load it for you?
How much was it a ton?

east Tennessee (small trucking company)
Fines?
they loaded it
120.00 ton

how do i get them to burn? just throw them in the fire? i only burnt small articulate (sp)

Tnguy wrote:went and got some Bitt today it wasnt what i was expecting

Curious to know what you expected? Those sizes are in the normal range for lump coal. I personally wouldn't do anything to the large lump....it's ready for the furnace as is IMO.
I would recommend loading at least 3 lumps at a time (depending on firebox size) when reloading the furnace. One very large lump usually won't burn well all by itself.
I have lump coal right now that 3-4 times bigger in size than the biggest in your photo
Have you ever burned soft coal in your furnace before?

rockwood wrote:

Tnguy wrote:went and got some Bitt today it wasnt what i was expecting

Curious to know what you expected? Those sizes are in the normal range for lump coal. I personally wouldn't do anything to the large lump....it's ready for the furnace as is IMO.
I would recommend loading at least 3 lumps at a time (depending on firebox size) when reloading the furnace. One very large lump usually won't burn well all by itself.
I have lump coal right now that 3-4 times bigger in size than the biggest in your photo
Have you ever burned soft coal in your furnace before?

well i was expecting 2-3" size ive never burnt any coal but 3 bags of Anthracite and thats it, so im learning the hard way

bituminous doesn't burn like anthracite, so forget anything you've learned about the "right size" of anthracite for your stove. the larger lumps will burn longer and more controllable with less shoveling and general "playing around". you build a small wood fire and start adding lumps of coal placing them randomly around the fire until you have a loose "pile" of ignited coal in the firebox.

thanks, yall

ive got a good fire going and plenty of heat BUT im getting a LOT of yellowish smoke out of the chimney and i cant close the MPD because it smokes back through the draft hole and leaks through the joints in the pipe

with bit coal you'll get smoke untill the fire settles down a bit and the first round of volitiles has burned off. Get RID of the pipe damper, it will act as a soot catcher in the pipe and cause it to clogg. you don't need it. Allow more air over the fire and less air below to reduce some of the smoke; control the heat with the underfire (below the grate) air, less is better to prevent the fuelbed from becoming too hot leading to the coal producing gasses faster than your stove can efficiently burn them. To periodically get rid of soot in the pipe and the stove, open the ashpan door and burn it very hot for a few minuites (only do this when there is no orange flames; the coal bed should be well-burnt and glowing red); don't do this if you've previously burned wood or you might end up with a chimney fire (the wood creosote). With your large firebox you might be able to "bank" the fuel charge. push the glowing burned coal to the back of the firebox and load the new lumps of coal in the valley just created in the very front of the firebox. Banking may not be necessary, once you get an established fuelbed, tossing 4-5 large lumps at a time in your furnace should suffice with only a grey/light black haze leaving the stack (after you figure out the air settings).

How long has the fire been going? Are there flames? What's the stove temp? Do you have any over fire air?

Bit and sub bit smoke a ton if there not burning good and hot. When ever I load my stove I get a decent amount of smoke, until it gets going then I have none.

murphyslaw wrote:How long has the fire been going? Are there flames? What's the stove temp? Do you have any over fire air?

Bit and sub bit smoke a ton if there not burning good and hot. When ever I load my stove I get a decent amount of smoke, until it gets going then I have none.

fire was burning about 3-4 hours But i think i added to much too soon

there is flames

dont have a thermometer (yet)

i didnt have any because it was puffing smoke out of that draft

its doing better today less smoke not too much heat

thanks

Thanks for all the Help

I just spent 2 weeks re-learning how to burn coal with some KY bit. Once I got it figured out, it burnt real nice, hot and long. I filled the house with smoke a few times, but once I figured it out, 90% of the time I could keep all the smoke going up the chimney. In my stove, it wasn't easy to burn since it was desinged for anthracite, but taking the advice from the Bit burners on here, I was able to get it to work well. Even if the stove wasn't cooperating all the time.

My keys to success, patience, hotter fire than I was used to, lots of over fire air, and 2 stage burning (first 30 minutes to light up the volitiales - heavy smoke, and the second stage, setting the air for a long burn without overheating it)

oros35 wrote:I just spent 2 weeks re-learning how to burn coal with some KY bit. Once I got it figured out, it burnt real nice, hot and long. I filled the house with smoke a few times, but once I figured it out, 90% of the time I could keep all the smoke going up the chimney. In my stove, it wasn't easy to burn since it was desinged for anthracite, but taking the advice from the Bit burners on here, I was able to get it to work well. Even if the stove wasn't cooperating all the time.

My keys to success, patience, hotter fire than I was used to, lots of over fire air, and 2 stage burning (first 30 minutes to burn off the volitiales - heavy smoke, and the second stage, setting the air for a long burn without overheating it)

thanks

i have one advantage.... my furnace is outside