Savings

We are looking at purchasing a S130 for our heating future and the wife needs to be sold on the project. We have a 2600 sqft home and curently heat with propane and a hand fired forced air coal stove at about 50% eff. and need to know about how much we could expect to save?

USE THE FUEL COMPARISION CALCULATOR AT THE TOP OF THE FORUM. If you know how much oil or gas you use currently, it will estimate how much coal.

Also, is Coal available in your area? How much per ton? Do you have a place to store it, etc....

Also, it's hard to say how much you will use, every home is different, etc.....

If you currently have forced air, will you be converting to hot water baseboards or radiant, or will you be using a radiator to transfer the heat from the Coal Gun into your forced air systems plenum?

we would be heating our hot water in waterheater and using a radiator in furnace and forced air.

I used an oil-fired forced hot water system for years, The boiler also heated my domestic hot water (DHW). On average, I was burning about 1000 gallons(at $3.00 ++ per gallon) of oil per year. Since switching to an S130 starting in the fall of 2008, I have been burning about 6 1/2 tons (at an average of $220 per ton) of coal per year. I have run the S130 through the summer, but I have found that it's better for me to shut it down during the hottest months (I use an electric water heater during that time).

All this being said, I have saved, conservatively, about $1500 per year on coal, compared to oil. The total investment in the boiler (installed) was $9000 for a new boiler, so in 2 more years the boiler will have paid for itself.

I no longer get a panic attack when I hear the oil truck coming, and I don't worry about my fuel dollars supporting "unfriendly" countries. Balanced against this is the extra work that is inevitable with a solid fuel applience. You'll have to think it through, but I am very happy with my decision.

We spent $4500.00 last year in fuel oil (ouch!). Bought the stove in October for $2300.00 installed. Bought 5 tons of nut for $1205.00 delivered. Have not turned the oil heat on yet! Thermostat last winter set at 64 degrees (brrrrrrrr!) This winter the house has been 70 degrees! We do use fuel oil for domestic hot water (for now). Taking that into account we should break even in one heating season for the cost of the stove and coal! YeeeeeHaaaaw! Next year and beyond will be all gravy!

Redshooter wrote:We are looking at purchasing a S130 for our heating future and the wife needs to be sold on the project. We have a 2600 sqft home and curently heat with propane and a hand fired forced air coal stove at about 50% eff. and need to know about how much we could expect to save?

Without knowing what your local propane and coal prices are it is impossible to come up with a dollar figure. In my area it is easy to save 60% with coal compared to propane, but it might not be the same in your area.

Propane 2.30 coal 230 ton and including the basement we are right obout 4000 sq ft. And we are currently burning about 4.5 tons and 500 gallons of propane to supplement coal and heat water.

You should save about 50%.

Redshooter wrote:Propane 2.30 coal 230 ton and including the basement we are right about 4000 sq ft. And we are currently burning about 4.5 tons and 500 gallons of propane to supplement coal and heat water.

What is the BTU input rating of your propane furnace, and what is its percentage of efficiency?

If your propane furnace is one of those condensing units at 95% efficiency, then my initial guess is that it will require about 2.5 tons of coal to get rid of the remaining 500 gallons of propane that you are burning.

500 gal. x $2.30 = $1,150 for the propane
2.5 x $230 = $575 for the coal that will be needed to replace it
difference = $575 saved (or 50% for this portion of your demand)

I would also assume that the efficiency gain of the S130 over your hand fired unit would be on the order of 20%.

Putting it all together:

4.5 tons coal becomes 3.6 tons coal if the S130 is 20% more efficient then your current hand fired. [4.5 x 80% = 3.6]
3.6 tons + 2.5 tons = 6.1 tons of coal needed annually
Total new heat bill = 6.1 x $230 = $1,403

Total old heat bill = 4.5 x $230 + 500 x $2.30 = $2,185 annually

Total savings annually = $2,185 - $1,403 = $782

Sounds like you are thinking about adding a boiler to an air duct system.

The initial investment in boilers increases the payback time, but in my opinion improves.
1. Temperature control, i.e. you can add a register to your bathroom.
2. Allows for expansion
3. Can heat water effectivly during the heating season.

Central coal heat can be a problem when you are on vacation.

A stoker stove may be the best ecominical solution, but it is different for all.

I like my boiler and my hydronic heating system.