Coal in multi log burner

gletley

Is it possible to burn coal in a log burner, we would like to burn logs only, but they are becoming very expensive £70 for a low trailer load, it would be useful if we could use a bit of coal, but what would the effect be on the stove, it is cast iron and an insert.

smcqis

Is it multi fuel insert? Do you have a middle grate?

welda

I was thinking same, burn coal & logs, took advise from the experts here.

Coal will clog up chimney/liner more than say a solid smokless fuel, which in turn means more £££'s to spend on a sweep.

I use "surefire ovoids" they are not cheap, that said tho, say I fire up at 17.00 hours, small bucket, similar size to what I use to wash car, I use slightly less than a bucket per night, real positive for me is, I come down stair at 7am, ecofan is still birling away, stove still chucking out heat.

Case of experimenting to see what works with your stove better?

Regards.

highrisklowreturn

Can anyone answer what happens if you remove the grate and ash pan and just burn from the bottom of the stove up? This would give more space to burn wood and coal and surely therefore greater heat?

Williwoodburner

Hi Highrisk,
in answer to your question, you can remove the grate on lots of multifuel stoves, then what you have is a woodburner.
When we eventually replaced our old stove, that was one of the reasons I chose the replacement, it gave us the option to burn the black stuff if ever we (very unlikely) run out of wood.
If you do remove the grate, let the ash build up to form a good thick bed, only remove a bit when you really have to as this helps the stove work better when woodburning.
PS you will probably have to put a small nut and bolt through the hole where the riddling rod went through so air doesnt get into the firebox that way.

regards

willie.

:money:

suki1964

highrisklowreturn wrote: »

Can anyone answer what happens if you remove the grate and ash pan and just burn from the bottom of the stove up? This would give more space to burn wood and coal and surely therefore greater heat?

as willow says you will have a wood burner

I dont know if Im talking rubbish but I would think that without a grate you wont be getting the best heat from the smokeless as that needs air in from the bottom

Also Im thinking that as smokeless burns hotter then wood you will soon buckle the bottom of your stove??

smcqis

Do you have to remove the grate to burn wood?

suki1964

smcqis wrote: »

Do you have to remove the grate to burn wood?

No

But wood burns best on a bed of ash and draws air from the top of the stove and coal needs to draw air from underneath which is why a grate is required

If you are burning wood on a grate then you are going to get too much air at it and it will burn fast.

Either remove the grate or let the ash build up enough to cover it

However if you do that then you cant use coal as well as your grate will melt

You stove supplier/installer should have helped in all this

gletley

smcqis wrote: »

Is it multi fuel insert? Do you have a middle grate?

Yes there is a middle grate over the ash tray.

highrisklowreturn

One question: Why does my stove book tell me I can't use coke products when burning coal? I was talking to someone recently saying he is using coked coal - like calco in NI - and the heat is terrific. He also uses something called superheat. I would be interested in trying these and seeing if they are better ie hotter than Esse. Is coked coal forbidden because it burns too hot and melts the grate?

Also this fellow says he can get his fire roaring within 30 mins - mine takes about 2 hours with anthracite. How to do it so quick?

Greenfires

Quite a few coke products are made from byproducts from oil refining processes and burn hot enough to damage the stove. As well as burning through the bars you could warp other parts of the stove.

Anthracite is not the easiest of fuels to burn in a stove - probably more suited to steam engines with a forced draught. We only burn wood here, and using briquettes our stove is well up to temperature within 30 minutes no bother at all.

Cheers,

Andy