Oiled Coal

Hello I'm new here and have been reading this fourm for some time and I have found alot of very usefull information.

I have a few questions that I could not find while searching the forums though.

What is the purpose of oiling pea, nut or stove coal?

Is is bad to burn it in a hand fired stove like my Vgilant II ?

I found a supply of oiled pea coal I would like to try but not sure about what it will do to my stove and pipe.

Thanks

Welcome.

Smaller sizes of coal like stoker coal (some call it slack coal or furnace coal) or pea/nut sized coal, are oil treated to help control dust. These smaller sizes of oil treated coals are best suited to be burned in automated auger feed type furnaces. For hand fired stoves, lump coal would be what I recommend. Lump coal can have quite a range as far as size goes, it can be as small as 2-3 inches all the way up to a foot or more in diameter. I have never heard of a coal dealer oil treating stove sized coal because there aren't problems with dust with the larger sizes of coal. In my experience, small sizes of bituminous (soft coal) are a challenge to burn in a hand fired stove. With Lump coal you will find it is easier to control the burn.
Oil treated coal won't harm a stove or stove pipe because the oil on the coal is a small amount.

Thanks Rockwood for the reply.

I just started a fire tonite with some lump coal the I broke down to stove size. First snow of the season. The Vigilant II recommends pea or nut sized, hence the question about oiled pea coal. Juat wanted to check before I drive 180 miles to pick up 3 tons.

Again thanks

The requirements for pea or nut sized coal ONLY apply to anthracite. If you're burning bit coal you want the largest sizes available.

Berlin would you please elaborate on that? Why would I not use pea or nut bit coal and use large lump? Just as confused now as I was before.

I highly recommend using oiled coal, even if it's just for your last couple of fires for the season. Burning oiled coal is great for the stove and piping by providing a small source of rust inhibitor.

the larger sizes of bit/subbit coal tend to burn with more control and for a longer period of time. The larger lumps release their volatiles more slowly and lead to a more stable burn. With anthracite the larger sizes tend to do just the opposite.