How Much Are You Using? Mid Season Update.

 
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e.alleg
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Post by e.alleg » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 7:38 pm

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.


 
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CoalHeat
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Post by CoalHeat » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 7:43 pm

My total purchases this season to date is 2.7 ton, including whatever coal I have on hand, about 450 lbs.

 
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SMITTY
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Post by SMITTY » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 7:52 pm

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 :rockon:

 
George
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Post by George » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 7:59 pm

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

 
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CoalHeat
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Post by CoalHeat » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 8:03 pm

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.

 
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WNY
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Post by WNY » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 8:31 pm

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.

 
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Post by bksaun » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 8:37 pm

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


 
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gambler
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Post by gambler » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 8:39 pm

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". :lol:

 
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LsFarm
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Post by LsFarm » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 9:01 pm

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

 
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av8r
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Post by av8r » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 9:13 pm

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.

 
lincolnmania
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Post by lincolnmania » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 9:15 pm

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

 
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sparky
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Post by sparky » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 9:16 pm

Ran 7 ton into the cellar this fall.
I'd estimate I've used just about half of it since mid-October.

 
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Dutchman
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Post by Dutchman » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 9:17 pm

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...

 
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Post by winstonsmith » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 9:44 pm

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.

 
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Yanche
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Post by Yanche » Wed. Jan. 30, 2008 9:50 pm

Since late October 3.5 tons. Still have 3 tons left. Thermostat set to 72 degrees all the time plus heating domestic hot water.


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