Anthraking - run don't walk

Drove to Berwick to look at an old stove, I don't get around much especially in your part of the country. Loved the town but the old stove was a bust and so of course thought I would go to see where my favorite stoves were made. It was about 65F and sunny and just perhaps I would meet the top man himself - Sir David. There he was looking hassled over a compressor or something but being the consummate gentleman he did not throw me out on my ear but offered to show me around. There in the corner was the latest prototype 110K Anthraking already fitted with a 14" air outlet and awaiting for some useless govt misfit to extract their digit (UL listing). It was the latest prototype (I assume final). The jacket was off and so you could see the way this thing was built - Americana at it's finest. As David is my second cousin twice removed (that's my story now and I am sticking to it) I suggested that he sell it to me for beta testing. NO he cried I can't do that it may not even be legal in PA. Well I replied that i very interesting but I am not in PA and how about a cash deal right now if you load it into my dually....... and you think Tom Clancy can develop a story.... HAHAHAHA... got it and as it was 55F this morning and raining like hell I lit it up and cranked it --- man oh man what a machine... perfect for my application. YOU can keep your baseburners, Hitzers, EFMs, etc,et THIS is the stove for me and for a thousand reasons. Will supply photos when the UL listing is official and I install it into my house and in my stumbling way try to review it objectively. Of course, I would never install it in my basement now as if I had a house fire they would not pay out...... hehehehehehehehe.

FABULOUS - the Chinese will never copy this one. Get in line guys.

Sounds outstanding my friend--bottom line--if it works for you, it's gotta be great. Looking fwd to pix--

coalnewbie wrote: YOU can keep your baseburners, Hitzers, EFMs, etc,et

That is good to know. If I thought you were coming to get my EFM I would have to prepare for a showdown in the coal room.

Are you planning to replace one of your current stoves with the "Anthraking" or will it be an additional source of heat?

EFM I would have to prepare for a showdown in the coal room

Coal stoves are like cars, different strokes for different folks - or - there is an ass for every seat. That is the neat thing about coal there is many ways of doing things. Now you are asking about configuration plans and is this additional heat? It would be great on this board to say I had calculated the heat loads exactly and this is the one. In truth, I am making it up as I go along like the rest of my life. Last winter saved me about $15,000 and that is a recurring saving, so if I bought an extra stove that I sell at 70% of what I bought it for - so what? However, I can tell you EFMs would not fit into my plans that does not mean I don't believe they are the Cadillac of hydronic heaters (they probably are) but think I have a better way - don't we all?

I completely agree that there are many ways to achieve economical & comfortable heating with anthracite. Hand fired, stoker, forced air, hot water, steam, etc...whatever fits your budget and your house is the "best way for you".

It would be great on this board to say I had calculated the heat loads exactly and this is the one. In truth, I am making it up as I go along like the rest of my life.

Same here. My approach was pretty crude compared to some of the boiler sizing threads that go on around here...I did a very conservative heat loss calculation, added 20%, then picked a boiler that could handle that load. I hooked it up, started at a modest feed rate, and increased the feed until the house was warm and there was enough hot water to fill the soaker tub.

Sometimes my technical knowledge amazes even me My heat calculations consisted of seeing the Hitzer 50-93 on craigs list--heading north for 2 hrs--saw it was about the same size as the old wood stove--bought it, set it up in the house & found it heated the house nicely you've been telling me you were genius since you were 17 and in all the yrs I've know you, I still don't know what you mean--that was in some song back when

Steely Dan - Reelin in the Years .... that's some great stuff right there!

Yeah I sized my stove with my wallet the first time. Bought the first stove - a Mark I - waaaay too small for this drafty place. Ran it until I saved enough on oil to buy the Mark III. The way I figured, if the Mark I could keep the house in the upper 50's in the dead of winter, then the 2 sizes bigger one should keep us nice & warm. Turns out I was right.

Truly scientific Revelations!!!
I just love it when folks call that have a new 'job specific high efficiency heating system' issue.
They call us after all the hype and salesmanship because the boiler runs waaaaayyyyy to often.
In the boileroom you see a tiny metal structure with a cover that looks like a BMW when you open the hood.
Computer controlled, VERY nice looking device in both fit and finish,,,,,but it runs to often seemingly all the time.
Perhaps it has a massive BTU output that modulates from 5K to 250K and is 96% efficient, depending upon outside air intake temps. ....or it is a space age oil boiler that looks like a 'mini Chernobyl'.
Takes a PhD in Chemical engineering, and a parallel degree in Electrical Engineering to understand the manual.....

Anyway, I saw the AnthraKing last week also, along with a handful of other machines in Berwick and it was an eye-opening experience. There are lots of toys there, stay tuned for more!
I like the KISS philosophy: Keep it simple, Stupid!

whistlenut wrote:Truly scientific Revelations!!!
I just love it when folks call that have a new 'job specific high efficiency heating system' issue.
They call us after all the hype and salesmanship because the boiler runs waaaaayyyyy to often.
In the boileroom you see a tiny metal structure with a cover that looks like a BMW when you open the hood.
Computer controlled, VERY nice looking device in both fit and finish,,,,,but it runs to often seemingly all the time.
Perhaps it has a massive BTU output that modulates from 5K to 250K and is 96% efficient, depending upon outside air intake temps. ....or it is a space age oil boiler that looks like a 'mini Chernobyl'.
Takes a PhD in Chemical engineering, and a parallel degree in Electrical Engineering to understand the manual.....

Anyway, I saw the AnthraKing last week also, along with a handful of other machines in Berwick and it was an eye-opening experience. There are lots of toys there, stay tuned for more!
I like the KISS philosophy: Keep it simple, Stupid!

You where busy last week first Ravine then Pottsville and then Berwick well you missed AA in South Williamsport and TD in Schuylkill Haven Also missed AHS outside of Harrisburg

coalnewbie wrote:Drove to Berwick to look at an old stove, I don't get around much especially in your part of the country. Loved the town but the old stove was a bust and so of course thought I would go to see where my favorite stoves were made. It was about 65F and sunny and just perhaps I would meet the top man himself - Sir David. There he was looking hassled over a compressor or something but being the consummate gentleman he did not throw me out on my ear but offered to show me around. There in the corner was the latest prototype 110K Anthraking already fitted with a 14" air outlet and awaiting for some useless govt misfit to extract their digit (UL listing). It was the latest prototype (I assume final). The jacket was off and so you could see the way this thing was built - Americana at it's finest. As David is my second cousin twice removed (that's my story now and I am sticking to it) I suggested that he sell it to me for beta testing. NO he cried I can't do that it may not even be legal in PA. Well I replied that i very interesting but I am not in PA and how about a cash deal right now if you load it into my dually....... and you think Tom Clancy can develop a story.... HAHAHAHA... got it and as it was 55F this morning and raining like hell I lit it up and cranked it --- man oh man what a machine... perfect for my application. YOU can keep your baseburners, Hitzers, EFMs, etc,et THIS is the stove for me and for a thousand reasons. Will supply photos when the UL listing is official and I install it into my house and in my stumbling way try to review it objectively. Of course, I would never install it in my basement now as if I had a house fire they would not pay out...... hehehehehehehehe.

FABULOUS - the Chinese will never copy this one. Get in line guys.

Well one must know first there is a big difference between a coal stove and a coal boiler or stoker stove furnace or hand fed furnace a EFM 350 is not a large boiler unit and the EFM WCF - 24 hot air furnace & EFM WCB-24 are even smaller unitst for a hand fed boiler & hot air furnace and a coal boiler will out perform any stove or stoker stove or stoker hot air furnace no matter what brand it is.

So let me review.

My alternative to anthracite is HO at 5x the cost and headed North but it is theoretically possible to burn it at 96% efficiency. My simple 1x burning cost appliance is 85% efficient (I would bet the AnthraKing is 90%+ but whatever). The NASA-like heating system costs me 10x more to buy and then I have to call Whistlenut to install it. When I call him he licks his lips first and reads the Jaguar car catalogue before coming over to install this beast. When it goes wrong only three people on the planet know how to fix it but you can't get them as it's winter and they are all on their private yachts cruising the Bahamas.

Where is my $4 Walmart calculator? I need to check the maths here.

..and coalberner we need to have a discussion about failure analysis and the imputed costs of installation and maintenance. The fact that water transfers heat better than air has been known for thousands of years but there are many other things to consider. The first thing to consider is that this is the Leisureline forum and a broken down old drunk trying to heat his home. A treatise on the relative merits of thermal transfer systems belongs elsewhere - yes?

now that's what we're talkin about!

Don't think that I'm a big fan of the 'NASA boilers and furnaces', I burn coal, perhaps more than I should, but I am amazed to see what people will pay to 'be green and 96% efficient.
Hell, a coal appliance is usually about 85% efficient with NO exotic controls and the most basic designs.
Efficiency and heat transfer are the keys, and trying to squeeze the last single BTU from a drop of oil is not my thing.
Jag? Bugatti or nothing. (I won't take folks money for those jobs, I'm more in the middle.) I was fortunate enough to get the 'coal bug' 40 years ago. Sure wish I had the forum back then.
The other day I found some old Kerosene prices from the late 50's. $.19/gallon, heating oil $.14/gallon.
That dates me badly, but the more things change the more they stay the same.


It's like going to a machine shop and seeing a technician from Japan in a squeaky clean white jump suit with a laptop and a bunch of leads 'adjusting and testing a million dollar CNC rig'. WOW!
I'm fine with embracing technology, but if I have a fuel that is affordable, consistent and available, that is my first criteria.

JC: I did stop at AHS in Chambersburg to see Ben Witmer and got a tour of the new 'digs' (very nice), TD &EFM after seeing Don at Keystoker, caught up with Matt DiRenzo and got the complete tour ahead of the M&G, Berwick and Williamsport, then a few points of interest. Sorry to have missed you, but enjoyed the conversation on the trip through. I'll schedule my time better next trip, always miss allot.

coalnewbie wrote:So let me review.

My alternative to anthracite is HO at 5x the cost and headed North but it is theoretically possible to burn it at 96% efficiency. My simple 1x burning cost appliance is 85% efficient (I would bet the AnthraKing is 90%+ but whatever). The NASA-like heating system costs me 10x more to buy and then I have to call Whistlenut to install it. When I call him he licks his lips first and reads the Jaguar car catalogue before coming over to install this beast. When it goes wrong only three people on the planet know how to fix it but you can't get them as it's winter and they are all on their private yachts cruising the Bahamas.

Where is my $4 Walmart calculator? I need to check the maths here.

..and coalberner we need to have a discussion about failure analysis and the imputed costs of installation and maintenance. The fact that water transfers heat better than air has been known for thousands of years but there are many other things to consider. The first thing to consider is that this is the Leisureline forum and a broken down old drunk trying to heat his home. A treatise on the relative merits of thermal transfer systems belongs elsewhere - yes?

I believe your the one that mentioned the other brands in your post first I realize what forum I am in If you would like to open another one up and talk more about the difference between a boiler stove and furnace I am more then willing to
talk to you and maybe Educate you on the subject . I was making a point that you can not compare a stove furnace or stoker stove to a boiler big difference between You where comparing your new LL hot air furnace to a Hitzer & EFM