stoker

I am new to coal. I have a chance to get stoker coal?? bit that has been washed and screened they said. It is to burn cleaner than lump?? I have a harman dual fuel sf160 boiler with 6 inch stack. How good is it to burner stoker?? have anth now and not happy with this type. didnt burn good. Regular limp coal was having me clean my stack once aweek.Coming from souther ohio. I live near cleveland.

Stoker Coal...like the name means...sized for burning in a stoker-fed unit w/ forced draft in a small compact burn-pot w/ tuyers. Will not burn well when in a big mass over a large grate...may even fall through the grate because of it's smaller size.

Others will soon weigh in on this with more.

Stick with your lump coal, stoker won't burn in your boiler.

Greg L

stoker will likely be worse, the bigger the lump the cleaner and smoother the burn with bit coal. Some bit coals make more smoke and soot than others; try a different supplier of lump bituminous coal, maybe you will find better stuff. you could try building a hot fire (leave the ashpan open with a bed of red coals) to blow/burn the soot out every day or every other day, then you won't have to clean it as much. Either way, a 6" stack is too small. if you had an 8" or larger stack size cleaning wouldn't be an issue, the soot would periodically fall off and never build up to be a problem. 6" just clogs right up with some coals.