Poll: What Size of Anthracite Coal Do You Primarily Burn?

For those of you burning anthracite, what size of coal do you primarily burn?

Egg
0
No votes
Stove
2
2%
Nut
31
38%
Pea
13
16%
Buckwheat
7
9%
Rice
27
33%
Other
2
2%
 
Total votes: 82

 
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lsayre
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Posts: 21781
Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
Location: Ohio
Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75

Post by lsayre » Sat. Feb. 15, 2014 2:27 pm

My first guess is going to be that about 40% burn nut, 40% burn rice, and 5 to 10% burn pea, buck, and/or stove, but let the poll tell us the real story.


 
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freetown fred
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Location: Freetown,NY 13803
Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut

Post by freetown fred » Sat. Feb. 15, 2014 3:14 pm

OK, I hit other which deserves an explanation---for 5 seasons I've burnt nothing but NUT--this season, fellow FORUM member fastcat, turned me onto a couple pails of NUT/STOVE mix--which is what I'm burning this season--I'm sold & that mix will continue to be my primary--thanx again George:)

 
rberq
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Joined: Mon. Apr. 16, 2007 9:34 pm
Location: Central Maine
Hand Fed Coal Stove: DS Machine 1300 with hopper
Coal Size/Type: Blaschak Anthracite Nut
Other Heating: Oil hot water radiators (fuel oil); propane

Post by rberq » Sat. Feb. 15, 2014 3:45 pm

I like stove size. Surprisingly, it burned better in my little Harman Mark I than it does in my larger DS Machine. The problem is that it binds up at the bottom of the hopper and doesn't flow out properly into the firebox. Also because the hopper is narrower at the bottom than the top, stove can wedge together and refuse to drop into the firebox at all. The other problem with stove is that the bigger chunks keep it from packing together, so by my estimation a small firebox holds about 15 percent less by weight compared to nut; 15 percent less coal means 15 percent shorter burn time, which can be significant when you are off at work for the day. Instead of a comfortable 12 hours in the Harman, stove coal only gave me a comfortable 10 hours.
Last edited by rberq on Sun. Feb. 16, 2014 9:15 am, edited 2 times in total.

 
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Keepaeyeonit
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Posts: 1679
Joined: Wed. Mar. 24, 2010 7:18 pm
Location: Northeast Ohio.( Grand river wine country )
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood #8
Coal Size/Type: Nut & stove
Other Heating: 49 year old oil furnace, and finally a new heat pump

Post by Keepaeyeonit » Sat. Feb. 15, 2014 9:26 pm

I have tried pea in my Hitzer but it doesn't like it to good,I burn all nut now but would like to try stove or a mix of nut/stove but stove is not readily available by me. Keepaeyeonit

 
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ShawninNY
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Location: Suffolk County , New York

Post by ShawninNY » Sat. Feb. 15, 2014 9:47 pm

Nut , really happy with latest delivery of Reading bulk from Bethlehem coal on Long Island nut very clean some stove sized pieces mixed in . Shawn

 
kweis
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Post by kweis » Sat. Feb. 15, 2014 10:13 pm

My stove only holds about #10 so can't get enough nut in there to hold a fire more than 4 hours or so. With pea will go about 7 hours. Only problem is bridging. Going to try a mix of pea and nut and look for better burning.

 
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joeq
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Location: Northern CT
Hand Fed Coal Stove: G111, Southard Robertson

Post by joeq » Sun. Feb. 16, 2014 12:23 am

rberq wrote: The problem is that it binds up at the bottom of the hopper and doesn't flow out properly into the firebox. Also because the hopper is narrower at the bottom than the top, stove can wedge together and refuse to drop into the firebox at all.
I've had the same dilemma trying nut in my pea stove. Even a 50/50 mix of nut/pea, clogs my hopper.
However, my hopper is distorted from the heat. Next season, I'm gunna improve this, and maybe try mixing again.


 
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mkline
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Posts: 217
Joined: Fri. Sep. 04, 2009 6:27 pm
Location: Lewisburg,PA
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Alaska Kodiak x 2...Old and New
Coal Size/Type: Nut and Stove/Anthracite

Post by mkline » Sun. Feb. 16, 2014 12:41 am

I burn all stove when I can get it ,but like Fred it's usually a mix of stove and nut.I can get a more complete burn with just burning stove,especially in my old Kodiak.I rarely have any unburt pieces in the ash,plus I seem to be able to control it better.

Mike

 
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freetown fred
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Posts: 30292
Joined: Thu. Dec. 31, 2009 12:33 pm
Location: Freetown,NY 13803
Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut

Post by freetown fred » Sun. Feb. 16, 2014 7:11 am

Totally agree with mk, I've never had a problem with the NUT/STOVE mix going through my hopper. Just sayin:) PS--if anything, LONGER burn times

 
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joeq
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Post by joeq » Sun. Feb. 16, 2014 8:41 am

So what you guys are saying is "bigger is better?" :D

 
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Lightning
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Location: Olean, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite

Post by Lightning » Sun. Feb. 16, 2014 8:50 am

It depends on the burn yer looking for. During warm weather the pea size is easier to burn low and slow and will keep a nice steady even burn that way. During cold weather the stove size is easier to burn hot and fast for good heat production.

 
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lsayre
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Posts: 21781
Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
Location: Ohio
Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75

Post by lsayre » Sun. Feb. 16, 2014 9:17 am

Lightning wrote:It depends on the burn yer looking for. During warm weather the pea size is easier to burn low and slow and will keep a nice steady even burn that way. During cold weather the stove size is easier to burn hot and fast for good heat production.
The poll question was phrased to avoid such confusion and complexity. The key word in the poll question is "primarily". if greater than 50% of the coal you burn for a year is nut, then I would figure that primarily you burn nut.

 
rberq
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Posts: 6442
Joined: Mon. Apr. 16, 2007 9:34 pm
Location: Central Maine
Hand Fed Coal Stove: DS Machine 1300 with hopper
Coal Size/Type: Blaschak Anthracite Nut
Other Heating: Oil hot water radiators (fuel oil); propane

Post by rberq » Sun. Feb. 16, 2014 9:26 am

Lightning wrote:It depends on the burn yer looking for. During warm weather the pea size is easier to burn low and slow and will keep a nice steady even burn that way. During cold weather the stove size is easier to burn hot and fast for good heat production.
Must be a difference in stoves. I tried some pea this year when it was extra cold, and I found opening up the air inlet resulted in a very hot fire very fast -- I assumed it was due to more surface area relative to mass. My pea problem came with shaking down the ashes; I seemed to get more unburned coal in the ash pan, again due to the smaller pieces.
mkline wrote:I can get a more complete burn with just burning stove
Yes, I also found that to be true. But again with my stove, stove coal had the other problems. Nut seems to be the compromise that works.

 
rberq
Member
Posts: 6442
Joined: Mon. Apr. 16, 2007 9:34 pm
Location: Central Maine
Hand Fed Coal Stove: DS Machine 1300 with hopper
Coal Size/Type: Blaschak Anthracite Nut
Other Heating: Oil hot water radiators (fuel oil); propane

Post by rberq » Sun. Feb. 16, 2014 9:29 am

lsayre wrote:The poll question was phrased to avoid such confusion and complexity. The key word in the poll question is "primarily".
Ha! You're a Democrat after all! Trying to cut off debate and go right to a vote! :P :D :lol:

 
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lsayre
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Posts: 21781
Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
Location: Ohio
Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75

Post by lsayre » Sun. Feb. 16, 2014 9:38 am

rberq wrote:Ha! You're a Democrat after all! Trying to cut off debate and go right to a vote! :P :D :lol:
Occasionally Libertarians dance with the Democrats, and occasionally they dance with the Republicans, but mostly they dance with fellow Libertarians, or if none are to be found they dance alone. As an example, Rand Paul seems to be doing a lot of dancing alone these days.


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