Newbie With Plenty of ???

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Blufflaner
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Posts: 2
Joined: Mon. Feb. 10, 2014 2:20 pm
Other Heating: lp

Post by Blufflaner » Mon. Feb. 10, 2014 2:42 pm

'Hi all, New to this forum, and I'm not sure this is the correct way to post a question. We live in Wisconsin and heat our 2000 sq ft home with LP and thank goodness we purchased a tank full last summer. Our home is 22 years old and is fairly well insulated, it's a 2 story with full basement. Our 1000 gallon tank , filled to 80% , has always lasted us all winter long, so we have never spent more than aprox. $1000 per heating season, and keep the temp at 68 by day and 58 by night. We don't have any back up heat and this has always bothered me, and this lp deal has me thinking I need to put something in place. We have a cement block with clay flue lined chimney that has never been used, and we have lots of woods/trees, but we dairy farm and so we are always busy, and I am 52 years old, so cutting lots of wood is not in my future, but consider a modest amount that could supplement our current setup, or help in a power outage type deal. I never have thought about heating with coal until the last week, since reading more and finding a display VC Intrepid coal stove that is 7 years old, and has been fired for $1000. Locally I can buy But in stoker for $240 in bulk. Looking for suggestions on if this is a good stove and value, and things I may hate about burning coal at all, and specifically But. The VC would come with 500 pounds of Anthracite, so I can get my feet wet that way. Looking for ideas and input. Thanks for reading my post.

 
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kstone
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Posts: 95
Joined: Wed. Dec. 21, 2011 10:04 am
Location: plymouth mass
Baseburners & Antiques: Andes 14 crown
Coal Size/Type: nut

Post by kstone » Mon. Feb. 10, 2014 3:43 pm

First thing Hi welcome to the forum.

you live in the fine state of Wisconsin. very similar growing climate to massachusett you have some off the same cash crops ( cranberries) so im going to use some quick guesstimates

1, 2000 sq, feet = @ 60,000 BTU load an hour
2, propane has @ 92,000 BTU gallon
3 you consume roughly 800 or so gallons a season = 73,600,000 btus a year this is roughly 3 tons or so coal being anthracite or high grade bitmus
4 you have access to but stoker size = Bit stoker size you need to check with the bit guys think stoker might be on the small size for hand fired
5 you chimney is the preferred chimney for coal devices

Ok so id be looking for a hand fired stove at @ 14 to 18 inch round this is @ 60,000 to 95,000 BTU's
Where you are kinda in bit country look at some off the hot blast designs ( warm morning or florence there are more ) these designs also burn wood exception well

this will allow you to try coal and in a LP shortage or power outage to heat your house reasonably well and as a secondary heat source will save you tons off green backs over LP

I don't know if the vermont casting is rated for bit and think it on the small size for BTU out put ( guessing 30000 - 45000 BTU's )

hope this helps

 
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Horace
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Joined: Thu. Sep. 18, 2008 12:15 pm
Location: Central PA
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Harman ST8-VF8 / Frankenstove

Post by Horace » Mon. Feb. 10, 2014 7:06 pm

Welcome aboard!

I'll let others more educated than I in burning hand-fed stoves offer suggestions on the appliance that best serves your needs, but I think that you'll find that once you go with coal you'll pretty much forget about filling the LP tank.

Keep the questions coming.

 
Blufflaner
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Joined: Mon. Feb. 10, 2014 2:20 pm
Other Heating: lp

Post by Blufflaner » Mon. Feb. 10, 2014 9:42 pm

Thank you for the replies! New users to any site get to glean a lot of info from veterans, free for the taking.....a sincere thank you for the replies and the site. I will have to check and see if the VC can use Bit for starters, then look up the other stoves that were mentioned, and check out pricing and availability.

The local supply of Bit is new this winter, and simply happenstance, and he told me it was something like 3/4, to 2 1/2 inch material. The BTU test was high, something like 14, but that is about all I remember.

For the folks with in home stoves, how much smell is there to burning coal, and the bulk of it during the fill period, or is it a steady thing throughout the entire burn? Gotta keep the MRS. satisfied,
as she is the one that makes it a home!!

Truly, I see many members from the areas where coal is gleaned from, and none is mined near here, and I am completely new to the idea of home heating with coal, so I apologize for stupid questions, or for not asking the correct questions. I will spend some more time trying to get my arms around some gross details involving burning coal in-home, and hope more offer insight and particulars. Carry on!


 
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warminmn
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Joined: Tue. Feb. 08, 2011 5:59 pm
Location: Land of 11,842 lakes
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Junior, Efel Nestor Martin, Riteway 37
Coal Size/Type: nut and stove anthracite, lignite
Other Heating: Wood and wear a wool shirt

Post by warminmn » Mon. Feb. 10, 2014 9:53 pm

You have a supplier of anthracite in SW WI and one in SE MN that sell for a little over $300/ton this last year. I don't have the name of the WI one in front of me now, but the MN one is an Amish dealer I buy from.

I don't think the VC will burn Bituminus coal very well but Im sure someone will chime in.

There have been a couple decent coal stoves on craigslist lately in WI. A Harman Mark 2 for $300 that I think is still there in Milwaukee and a hopper Hitzer for $500 elsewhere that I thought about for a while. (Either could burn bit or anthracite coal or wood I think) Research on here a few days before taking the plunge as lots of options are out there. The anthracite will be a little cleaner to deal with and comes in bags.

 
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warminmn
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Posts: 8075
Joined: Tue. Feb. 08, 2011 5:59 pm
Location: Land of 11,842 lakes
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Junior, Efel Nestor Martin, Riteway 37
Coal Size/Type: nut and stove anthracite, lignite
Other Heating: Wood and wear a wool shirt

Post by warminmn » Mon. Feb. 10, 2014 10:00 pm

Your last reply came before my post so I'll add that there is little odor with the anthracite, only a little if any when loading. Much less mess than wood and less odor than wood too. you can smell it outside a little if downwind but no smoke at all with anthracite, and no soot, just ash. Bit is a different story.

I did buy some of the bit you are talking about for my Dad. It smells more than the anthracite and is small in size. it is good quality coal and I believe his test results.

I sent you a private message. there is a "new messages" thingy on the top of the page.

 
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dcrane
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Joined: Sun. Apr. 22, 2012 9:28 am
Location: Easton, Ma.
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane 404

Post by dcrane » Tue. Feb. 11, 2014 5:44 am

The VC Intrepid would not be a good choice to burn any kind of coal. You can find much better for less money if your intent is to search creigs list or ebay... Warm Morning, Hot Blast, Etc.
Even as a wood burner I would NOT recommend the Intrepid (again...their is better for longer burn times, more durability and less $$$).
Others can chime in on good Bit burning coal stoves...

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