Can you burn bbq charcoal on an open fire?

surfsister

Hi guys given up on the waxy pinecones so now wonder if I can burn bbq charcoal on the fire the brickettes? They are only 72p per 5kg at sainsbirys and coal is £9 for 25kg plus delivery, so would save some.

Has anyone tried this and would it make extra soot or fumes?

Ta

Andy_Davies

surfsister wrote: »

Hi guys given up on the waxy pinecones so now wonder if I can burn bbq charcoal on the fire the brickettes? They are only 72p per 5kg at sainsbirys and coal is £9 for 25kg plus delivery, so would save some.

Has anyone tried this and would it make extra soot or fumes?

I'm pretty sure this is a quick way of getting carbon monoxide poisoning.

Andy

spinningsheep

how so?? any fumes that are created by the charcoal would be expelled up the chimney as with any other solid fuel, and as for the CO2 issue, if that were true, BBQ season would wipe out thousands every year!!:p

nesssie1702

Yes, but BBQs are held outside, so CO (carbon monoxide) poisoning isn't an issue. However it is, in a confined space like a living room

John_3:16

This must be a wind up up I fail to see how this is any differant to wood or coal on the fire. I would say go for it but mix it with whatever else you burn

maxheadroom

Ignore the rubbish about CO poisoning any carbon containing fuel burnt with an inadequate supply of oxygen will produce carbon monoxide be it coal, coke, gas, wood or charcoal so its not an issue if you already safely burn coal.

Charcoal will be fine but has a lower energy density than coal meaning that you need to burn more of it to get the same heat output, but with those price differentials then it may work out cheaper.

A._Badger

It's an interesting idea at those prices and, as for soot and fumes it would produce a great deal less than coal - that's one of the reasons charcoal is used for cooking food.

I agree with the other commenters, incidentally, the business about carbon monoxide is rubbish. If you can safely burn coal and wood you can equally safely burn charcoal.

Snow_Dog

What a good call.

I'm off to B&Q to see if they have an end of season bulk offer on BBQ charcoal.

Andy_Davies

Stick "burning charcoal indoors" into any good search engine and see what advice comes out from official sources e.g. http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733793495

Burning charcoal indoors appears to be a popular way of committing suicide in some parts of the world.

John_3:16

I would think you get the same info from burning wood or coal indoors?

Yet I burn wood with no problem. it too gives off poison gases.

A._Badger

I think you will find the HPA is assuming an idiot would like a barbecue in their kitchen. In other words, not in a fire basket with a chimney above it.