eznfrank
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 04:30 PM |
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OT - Advice required for using coal in a stove
I've got a woodburner in the living room at home, I say woodburner as that's all I put in it but when I bought it I got the coal grate
with it too.
I'm thinking of switching to using coal overnight just to add a bit of heat into the house and then re-fuelling in the mornings to keep it going
whilst I'm at work.
First question - Is leavign a lit stove a really bad idea (I do it all the time with the woodburner - obviously with the door closed)
Secondly, is there a bit of a knack to coal or is it just as easy as getting wood going
and finally, is it likely to cost me the earth to do this?
Thanks
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Peteff
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 04:34 PM |
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You need to open the grate under coal as opposed to closing it for wood. If you burn coal on a closed grate you will burn the bottom out if you get
enough air through to keep it going. Keeping it in all night is not a bad thing but it needs riddling before you stoke it up again in the morning.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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eznfrank
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 04:38 PM |
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At the moment I burn wood on a bed of ash - no grate. But I have got the grate which I was told was for coal. So if I clean it all out, put the
grate in, put the coal on that and open the vents it should be ok?
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02GF74
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 04:47 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by eznfrank
Secondly, is there a bit of a knack to coal or is it just as easy as getting wood going
and finally, is it likely to cost me the earth to do this?
I grew up with coal fired fire so have lit many a fire. The white block fire lighters are supposed to be able to start coal file but my experience was
to use dry wood, 2 cm square max as kindling.
put the wood on top of 1/2 a ligther block, the put coal on top. coal burns at higher temp to wood so you need more heat to get it going.
re: cost dunno - I went down to the woods last week and took back 2 volvos worth of wood. this was free, apart from pettrol to get there and back (
about 1 mile round trip).
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eznfrank
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 04:56 PM |
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I've always wondered about doing that, is it legal if it's just dead wood? At the moment I've got a 1 tonne bag full of wood in the
cellar so I'm ok just now but if I can get it for free!
[Edited on 7/1/10 by eznfrank]
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Peteff
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 04:57 PM |
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That's the plan, ours has a grid that opens and closes with a lever on the side and you can rattle the ash out with it as well. I burn wood now
but when I get coal or coke I move the lever to the open position. I start a fire with wood and paper, never got on with firelighters, then I add the
coal or coke gradually. Close the vent till the fire dies down then open it just a little to keep it in overnight, that's how ours works anyway.
You'll get the hang of it with experimenting. Free wood is always good, we collect it when possible as well and no-one ever said put it back
yet.
[Edited on 7/1/10 by Peteff]
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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BenB
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 04:58 PM |
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I'm burning a whole load of coal at the moment cos I'm working on our new home (doing a complete renovation) and our only heating is a
coal fire in the living room  bit chilly.
White firelighter with kindling on top in a wigwam shape, get that nice and roaring then pile a load of coal on top. Job done.
Letting it burn down isn't a problem but you'll find it doesn't burn for that long without a good prodding every now and again. I
tend to find my fire needs a bit of TLC every 2-3 hours (though I'm burning it straight on the hearth not in a fire basket which probably
doesn't help).
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zilspeed
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 04:59 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
quote:
Originally posted by eznfrank
Secondly, is there a bit of a knack to coal or is it just as easy as getting wood going
and finally, is it likely to cost me the earth to do this?
I grew up with coal fired fire so have lit many a fire. The white block fire lighters are supposed to be able to start coal file but my experience was
to use dry wood, 2 cm square max as kindling.
put the wood on top of 1/2 a ligther block, the put coal on top. coal burns at higher temp to wood so you need more heat to get it going.
re: cost dunno - I went down to the woods last week and took back 2 volvos worth of wood. this was free, apart from pettrol to get there and back (
about 1 mile round trip).
You must be some kind of soft southerner with this talk of firelighters and kindling.
Take one complete newspaper.
Loosely crunch up two sheets and place on the grate.
The rest of the newspaper, each sheet should be folded in on itself to creat tight paper twisted spills. The tighter the better.
Place these on the loose paper.
Place a shovel full of coal carefully on top.
Light the loose paper at the bottom.
Go and make breakfast and when you come back, you will have a lit fire.
If you need sticks or firelighters, you're a soft shandy drinking souther...... etc.
Note, for added effect, put the shovel up against the opening with a sheet of newspaper over it for the full
Bonanza effect.
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02GF74
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 05:05 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
quote:
Originally posted by eznfrank
Secondly, is there a bit of a knack to coal or is it just as easy as getting wood going
and finally, is it likely to cost me the earth to do this?
I grew up with coal fired fire so have lit many a fire. The white block fire lighters are supposed to be able to start coal file but my experience was
to use dry wood, 2 cm square max as kindling.
put the wood on top of 1/2 a ligther block, the put coal on top. coal burns at higher temp to wood so you need more heat to get it going.
re: cost dunno - I went down to the woods last week and took back 2 volvos worth of wood. this was free, apart from pettrol to get there and back (
about 1 mile round trip).
You must be some kind of soft southerner with this talk of firelighters and kindling.
Take one complete newspaper.
Loosely crunch up two sheets and place on the grate.
The rest of the newspaper, each sheet should be folded in on itself to creat tight paper twisted spills. The tighter the better.
Place these on the loose paper.
Place a shovel full of coal carefully on top.
Light the loose paper at the bottom.
Go and make breakfast and when you come back, you will have a lit fire.
If you need sticks or firelighters, you're a soft shandy drinking souther...... etc.
You some sort of northern intellectual origamist with your talk of newspapers and girlie paper folding? 
I use big axe to chop my wood.
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NS Dev
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 05:28 PM |
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it'll be fine, i burn coal when i am not in and wood when i am. The stove hasn't gone out for 3 weeks.
To be honest I actually burn coke not coal, as coal is filthy when you leave it on minimum air overnight, whereas as soon as coke is warm it is pretty
much smoke and grot free.
I pay £30 for 100kg of coke, no idea if that's a good price but the yard is a mile from my unit so convenient!
I also burn free wood, just chainsaw fuel and shogun fuel required! Got a car trailer load in October and not used it all yet, prob best part of a
tonne, prob enough to fill at least 4 "tonne bags"
Retro RWD is the way forward...........automotive fabrication, car restoration, sheetmetal work, engine conversion
retro car restoration and tuning
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 06:24 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by NS Dev
I also burn free wood, just chainsaw fuel and shogun fuel required! Got a car trailer load in October and not used it all yet, prob best part of a
tonne, prob enough to fill at least 4 "tonne bags"
I must read more carefully, I was trying to think why you might need a shotgun for collecting firewood 
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graememk
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 07:06 PM |
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i chuck everything and anything in mine, but mine is a multi stove.
i buy the instant lighting logs and cut them up and use a as super fire lighters no messing with paper and sticks.
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norfolkluego
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 08:00 PM |
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I'm with Zilspeed, twisted paper is the way to go, firelighters not needed. But being twixt North and South I would put dry kindling on top of
the paper, works without fail even with damp coal.
Anyway what do you need a fire for, haven't you heard of global warming (my Pajero obviously hasn't, it needed 4WD just to get up the
drive this morning, first time ever Mr Scientist)
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oldtimer
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 08:29 PM |
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Modern multi-fuel stoves are not really meant for overnight burning. The days of banking up a fire and leaving it smouldering should really be in the
past as it is very polluting. Nice bit of seasoned wood under 20% moisture content is the way to go. Clearview stoves are the way to go - made in
Shropshire, high efficiency, and a working life measured in decades.
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JoelP
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 08:48 PM |
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my dad's an eco terrorist, he burns literally all his rubbish, plastic and all. I berate him every time i go up, since he has no shortage of
free wood (lives opposite a big pine forest), but he thinks it better burnt.
I'd agree with the other mid north/south chap - newspaper, small wood then coal. And a match.
Would any of you chaps burn chipboard on your fires? Im thinking of swapping the gas fire for a real one, and burning all the waste wood from work.
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UncleFista
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 09:10 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
Would any of you chaps burn chipboard on your fires? Im thinking of swapping the gas fire for a real one, and burning all the waste wood from work.
I burn chipboard in my gas-bottle stove, it could have been designed for it.
I've burned wood and coal in it, but chipboard is the best compromise between heat/cost 
It doesn't burn so well in an open grate, but in a stove the heat is reflected back and results in a much more complete burn.
Do you know of a handy local supply of fuel then Joel ? 
Tony Bond / UncleFista
Love is like a snowmobile, speeding across the frozen tundra.
Which suddenly flips, pinning you underneath.
At night the ice-weasels come...
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zetec mike
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| posted on 7/1/10 at 11:29 PM |
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Mines a multifuel but I dont bother with coal as I have to pay for it, plenty of free wood, pallets burn well too. I've mastered the technique
for keeping it going overnight / at work. Load it with a decent log and open the air for about 5 mins to get it going nicely. Then put 5 or 6
handfulls of sawdust over top to damp down the flames, shut the air right down and it ticks over without smoking for up to 10 hrs. Mines been going
for 3 weeks now and I havent used any gas. I just sweep up the sawdust / chippings each time I have a woodcutting session and bag them up.
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JoelP
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| posted on 8/1/10 at 10:08 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by UncleFista
Do you know of a handy local supply of fuel then Joel ?
at full speed i produce about half a tonne a week! Do you need some?!
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UncleFista
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| posted on 8/1/10 at 01:06 PM |
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I'd love some Joel, but I reckon half a tonne's a bit much
Ta, Tony
Tony Bond / UncleFista
Love is like a snowmobile, speeding across the frozen tundra.
Which suddenly flips, pinning you underneath.
At night the ice-weasels come...
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NS Dev
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| posted on 8/1/10 at 02:06 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by zetec mike
Mines a multifuel but I dont bother with coal as I have to pay for it, plenty of free wood, pallets burn well too. I've mastered the technique
for keeping it going overnight / at work. Load it with a decent log and open the air for about 5 mins to get it going nicely. Then put 5 or 6
handfulls of sawdust over top to damp down the flames, shut the air right down and it ticks over without smoking for up to 10 hrs. Mines been going
for 3 weeks now and I havent used any gas. I just sweep up the sawdust / chippings each time I have a woodcutting session and bag them up.
will try this one!!
Retro RWD is the way forward...........automotive fabrication, car restoration, sheetmetal work, engine conversion
retro car restoration and tuning
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 8/1/10 at 03:37 PM |
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I hope that all of those who burn wood get their chimney swept regularly! It leaves tar and stuff up the flue, which can catch fire if you let it
build up. The tars can also leech through the bricks and mark your wallpaper if the chimney's a bit rustic.
In Austria, where many homes are heated by wood-burners, home owners have to get their chimneys swept once a month AND get a certificate stamped by
the sweep, otherwise their home insurance is null and void.
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JoelP
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| posted on 8/1/10 at 07:44 PM |
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bugger me, once a month must cost more than my yearly gas bill!
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 8/1/10 at 09:41 PM |
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I guess it won't cost too much if all your neighbours are having it done at the same time - one sweep can probably cover a whole village in a
day, so the cost won't be anywhere near as much as in this country.
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