Hello - New Here

I'm new here and wanted to introduce myself. I been spending sometime reading your post and I must say this site is wealth of knowledge.

Anyhow, I recently picked up a D.S. Stove - Basement#5 and its time to start considering what type of coal to start burning, Hard or Soft? I'm tired of purchasing oil and figured I have the time and means to start saving some money with the coal burning process. I really dont want to deal with wood so I am going full bore towards coal. Any advice with the type of coal to purchase - anyone know the quality of the stove I bought - I can burn either hard or soft coal I believe.

I appreciate any help and I can't wait for a long road of joining into discussions

Welcome, where do you live? you will want to burn anthracite if you can get it.. it's really good stuff.

I too am new to coal this year but in my limited experience with a DS stove I've been burning nut and find it is easily controlled, with a small learning curve to burning coal in the first place. Is this a basement stove or a boiler, reason I ask is I have a DS stove brochure in front of me and the largest size basement stove I see Is the #4 but there is a #5 boiler listed. Quite possible that all the models are not listed in this brochure, just curious. Anyway welcome and someone with more experience will chime in soon I'm sure.

I'll say one thing to newbes, learn how to light a coal fire and feed it, or it might go BOOM...

Bruce - Sorry but I did mean Basement #4 - my fault. I live in Rouhgly Western PA. About 65 Miles east of Pittsburgh. Obtaining antricite coal isn't a big deal - its currently $230 a ton here.

Lighting a fire - correct me if I'm wrong - I will start by making a wood fire and slowing add coal onto it. Slow process but once it's going all should be well.

There is another member on here with that exact stove, They are beasts and should last for many years. Good luck.

AlmostThere wrote:Bruce - Sorry but I did mean Basement #4 - my fault. I live in Rouhgly Western PA. About 65 Miles east of Pittsburgh. Obtaining antricite coal isn't a big deal - its currently $230 a ton here.

Lighting a fire - correct me if I'm wrong - I will start by making a wood fire and slowing add coal onto it. Slow process but once it's going all should be well.

Just keep an open flame at all times, add to the left then add to the right until the box is full. No flame could = Boom..

See the thread on how to light a coal fire, good info in there.

grumpy wrote:I'll say one thing to newbes, learn how to light a coal fire and feed it, or it might go BOOM...

Dont scare the newbies Grumpy!
Just keep a little air coming in over the fire to cut down on puff backs while your starting a new fire or refueling

Lightning wrote:

grumpy wrote:I'll say one thing to newbes, learn how to light a coal fire and feed it, or it might go BOOM...

Dont scare the newbies Grumpy!
Just keep a little air coming in over the fire to cut down on puff backs while your starting a new fire or refueling

Yeah, thats a good point.. Not trying to scare them, even if I was it's nothing compared to the fright there wife's will give them when the living room is covered in ash...

Okay I just talked to my uncle who use to burn coal years ago but hasn't in many many years. I told him the stove I have and he said I need to limit control to control the draft to keep the stove from getting to hot and melt everything out. I am not sure if this is needed but if it is I will get this item.

Do I need this or just burn the stove as is? Do I have to worry about hard coal burning to hot and melting anything and ruining my stove or is this yesteryear technology he is talking about?

AlmostThere wrote:Okay I just talked to my uncle who use to burn coal years ago but hasn't in many many years. I told him the stove I have and he said I need to limit control to control the draft to keep the stove from getting to hot and melt everything out. I am not sure if this is needed but if it is I will get this item.

Do I need this or just burn the stove as is? Do I have to worry about hard coal burning to hot and melting anything and ruining my stove or is this yesteryear technology he is talking about?

No.. Coal will burn plenty hot to turn your stove into a pile of melted iron. Not to confuse you any but check out the Do I need a Baro thread..

Burning coal is great but there are rules, One being don't ever walk away from the stove with the ash pan door open, like when your reloading..

Grumpy, I like your approach, too! I'd rather have them learn respect than get knocked on their a$$, and wonder why the drapes are all sooted up with fly ash.
As you state, ALWAYS allow some fresh air over the fire to help the volatiles escape before you reach the LEL of the fuel. True for all coal burning appliances. If it ever happens to you, the next bit of advice is to educate all the others....
It does make one hell of a bang!

Smoke and CO detectors......barometric damper.....all joints in piping with 3 screws.....DO NOT leave the fire alone the first time you light it. (CLOSE the ash door if you are leaving the area......DO NOT LEAVE IT UNATTENDED!
You control the output, and while that is a simple thing, if you think the fire can't run away, think again...experience is the best teacher, aside from the NEPA forum. Safety is no accident.....not just words, a good way to live, also.

...OR, you could get a stoker and it is like going from 1750 to 2000 in simplicity. Hand feds usually need no electricity....a valuable asset with no utility power!

Yes its yesterdays technology, with last milleniums coal. So unless the coal has changed a lot, in last 125 yrs or so you should be ok. Just use common sense, listen to what other say about managing the burn, and you'll be warm and happy.

Whoa, no man its just a matter of controlling how much air you let in under the fire.. More air feeding, more heat. Its not too complicated. Its just that coal reacts slowly so if you leave a lot of air feeding the fire, over a realively short period of time it could get dangerously hot. You gotta keep an eye on it for the first few weeks to get a grip on its characteristics. Expirience is the best teacher

He has a lot to learn, I am still a greenhorn and I have been burning for three years, but only a few fires a year. Even with all I have learned here, as he will also, it still takes hands on experience to learn, and all stoves and set up's are different. It's the learning curve..

They will do fine.. we all know the drill to burning coal for the first time... He/They should check out Will's videos...