How Much Are You Using? Mid Season Update.
This is my first year burning, so far I used up almost 5 tons from October 1st - 100% coal derived heat and hot water. I probably wasted a full ton before I got the boiler dialed in and the barometric damper adjusted properly. My tonnage calculations are off from what I expected due to the fact that the house is 10 degrees warmer than last year. We decided it's worth the extra money to be warm, with propane it wasn't an affordable option.
- CoalHeat
- Member
- Posts: 8862
- Joined: Sat. Feb. 10, 2007 9:48 pm
- Location: Stillwater, New Jersey
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1959 EFM 350
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Magnafire Mark I
- Baseburners & Antiques: Sears Signal Oak 15 & Andes Kitchen Range
- Coal Size/Type: Rice and Chestnut
- Other Heating: Fisher Fireplace Insert
My total purchases this season to date is 2.7 ton, including whatever coal I have on hand, about 450 lbs.
- SMITTY
- Member
- Posts: 12496
- Joined: Sun. Dec. 11, 2005 12:43 pm
- Location: West-Central Mass
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520 Highboy
- Coal Size/Type: Rice / Blaschak anthracite
- Other Heating: Oil fired Burnham boiler
I bought 3-3/4 tons this year, & had 11 fifty-# bags left from a 4-ton buy last season. I still burn about one 50# bag every 24 hrs. Sometimes varies by a 1/4 bag or so when I crank it up on the weekend. I'm sure that'll go up quite a bit if I end up buying a Harman SF-250, but I'll be warmer!
Just like the Harley -- it gets about 40 M.P.G., but, after cams, a big-bore kit & fatter jetting, it may get 20MPG -- but I'll get where I'm going MUCH FASTER
Just like the Harley -- it gets about 40 M.P.G., but, after cams, a big-bore kit & fatter jetting, it may get 20MPG -- but I'll get where I'm going MUCH FASTER
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- Member
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Fri. Dec. 23, 2005 9:29 pm
- Location: Boothwyn, Pa
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska Cast Consol 3 w/ coaltrol
I had 2 3/4 tons when we fired up the stove in october. There is about 1 ton left. Dropping the temperature back two degrees at night time saves a good bit of coal. Holding 72 degrees during the day time.
George
George
- CoalHeat
- Member
- Posts: 8862
- Joined: Sat. Feb. 10, 2007 9:48 pm
- Location: Stillwater, New Jersey
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1959 EFM 350
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Magnafire Mark I
- Baseburners & Antiques: Sears Signal Oak 15 & Andes Kitchen Range
- Coal Size/Type: Rice and Chestnut
- Other Heating: Fisher Fireplace Insert
My usage will increase with 2 stoves running 24/7, I don't think it will double, the Alaska will allow the Harman to burn less.
- WNY
- Member
- Posts: 6307
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 14, 2005 8:40 am
- Location: Cuba, NY
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90K, Leisure Line Hyfire I
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
- Contact:
Had 4.75 Ton delivered, around 2 ton? left....hope we have enough ??
That is using no Natural Gas or supplemental heat.!!
If not, have to order more....and build another slightly larger bin for next year and get a bit more.
That is using no Natural Gas or supplemental heat.!!
If not, have to order more....and build another slightly larger bin for next year and get a bit more.
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- Member
- Posts: 1037
- Joined: Sat. Oct. 28, 2006 9:24 am
- Location: Hustonville, Ky
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Legacy SF-270
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 503
- Coal Size/Type: Stoker/Bit, Pea or Nut Anthracite
I started the Channing Oct 27th so far I have burned 87 bags for a total of 3,440lbs @ $5.00 a bag = $435.00, which is what one months gas bill would have been to only keep the house at 68*.
That's about 97 day's, less than a bag a day! Not bad......
BK
That's about 97 day's, less than a bag a day! Not bad......
BK
I have used around 2 tons so far since october. I could tell you exactly but my log book is in the basement and I don't feel like going to get it.We keep the house at 72 except for the evenings and the weekends when we keep it at 73. The most that I have burned in a single day was 82 pounds and that was the day my wife was standing in front of the stove and she said "I think my legs are going to melt".
- LsFarm
- Member
- Posts: 7383
- Joined: Sun. Nov. 20, 2005 8:02 pm
- Location: Michigan
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Self-built 'Big Bertha' SS Boiler
- Baseburners & Antiques: Keystone 11, Art Garland
I had planned on keeping very close track of my coal used, but with all my AA Boiler 'growing pains', I reburnt a lot of ash with high percentages of unburnt coal in the other boiler, and certainly with all the challenges, did not keep up with the number of 5 gallon buckets of coal that I dumped in the hopper..
So I have to guesstimate...From looking at the shrinkage of the piles of coal... I'm going to say I've burnt around 5 tons since the first part of November...Not bad considering the amount of propane I would have burnt to keep the house and shop at the same temperature..
Even if I'm off by a ton or two, say I've burnt 7 tons, at $200/ton delivered, I've spent $1400 so far this season... I would have spent that in one 30 day period keeping the house at 60* instead of 70, and the shop at 35* instead of 45*.
So I'd say even being extravagant with heat use, coal costs me 1/3 or 1/4 what propane would.
Greg L
So I have to guesstimate...From looking at the shrinkage of the piles of coal... I'm going to say I've burnt around 5 tons since the first part of November...Not bad considering the amount of propane I would have burnt to keep the house and shop at the same temperature..
Even if I'm off by a ton or two, say I've burnt 7 tons, at $200/ton delivered, I've spent $1400 so far this season... I would have spent that in one 30 day period keeping the house at 60* instead of 70, and the shop at 35* instead of 45*.
So I'd say even being extravagant with heat use, coal costs me 1/3 or 1/4 what propane would.
Greg L
- av8r
- Member
- Posts: 1164
- Joined: Thu. Dec. 06, 2007 12:07 pm
- Location: Near Owego, NY
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Leisure Line Hearth with twin turbos (sounds like it)
7 weeks almost to the day and I've burned about 900 pounds so far. Roughly 128 pounds a week. Less than $70 a month to heat the house to 71 to 73 on the weekends vs 65-67 with oil and spending $300 a month last winter. I'd say I'm pretty happy so far with da coal.
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- Member
- Posts: 2681
- Joined: Fri. Jan. 26, 2007 9:55 pm
- Location: Birdsboro PA.
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 350
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: reading allegheny stoker
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: alaska kodiak stoker 1986. 1987 triburner, 1987 crane diamond
- Coal Size/Type: rice
i'd say were up to 11-13 tons so far.......lost exact track on the number of times we have gone for coal....we use about a ton a month of nut and 3 tons of buckwheat a month when it's really cold out
- Dutchman
- Member
- Posts: 119
- Joined: Sun. Apr. 01, 2007 8:01 pm
- Location: Berks County, PA
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Harman Magnum
- Coal Size/Type: rice/anthracite
We lit up the week before Halloween, and got the bin topped up about 2 weeks ago. 2 tons was the first delivery in the new bin, 3 tons this time. I might make it, depends on whether the weather goes deep-freeze or not.
Sometimes I cheat on the weekends and light the ol' woodstove up in the LR for supplemental. Firewood for me is free but for chainsaw gas, except I have to remember to heave a log in every hour or so, that's why I wanted the coal stove, because it can babysit itself during the day when no one's here. 1st floor set to and holding around 71-72 on coal, never allowed it over 63 on oil alone. We all like the bedrooms cool, so what comes up the stairs is good enough.
I bought a grand total of 150 gallons of oil "just in case", won't need any next year...
Sometimes I cheat on the weekends and light the ol' woodstove up in the LR for supplemental. Firewood for me is free but for chainsaw gas, except I have to remember to heave a log in every hour or so, that's why I wanted the coal stove, because it can babysit itself during the day when no one's here. 1st floor set to and holding around 71-72 on coal, never allowed it over 63 on oil alone. We all like the bedrooms cool, so what comes up the stairs is good enough.
I bought a grand total of 150 gallons of oil "just in case", won't need any next year...
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- New Member
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Sat. Dec. 29, 2007 1:13 am
- Location: Bloomsbury, NJ
If the winter stays this warm I will burn 4 ton or less. Used about 2 tons of pea so far. So lets see It cost me $720 for my 4 tons this year and I keep the house like an incubater for the wife. I think we can grow palm trees in the house
My Buddy Kev he uses Propane to heat his house. He just got a fill up today and it was for about a month and a half $1500. And winter ain't over.
My Buddy Kev he uses Propane to heat his house. He just got a fill up today and it was for about a month and a half $1500. And winter ain't over.
- Yanche
- Member
- Posts: 3026
- Joined: Fri. Dec. 23, 2005 12:45 pm
- Location: Sykesville, Maryland
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Alternate Heating Systems S-130
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Pea
Since late October 3.5 tons. Still have 3 tons left. Thermostat set to 72 degrees all the time plus heating domestic hot water.