Burning smokeless fuel in a stove

muckybutt

mardatha wrote: »

I chuck the odd bit of wood in FF but the sweep told me you cant really mix both all the time as the throat needs changed for wood. I don't think its dangerous or anything, just that the fire can't draw properly for both at same time. I think wood needs a bit more draught than coal.

Nothing to do with the throat plate at all - that will be the same whether you burn wood or coal.

mardatha

So I dont need the other plate I got with the stove then? I kept it just in case. Can you tell me how we can use this as an open fire muckybutt.. in powercuts the pump obviously wont work so the water boils its head off and we have to run it off. If we got a couple bags of house coal, or anthracite, could we use as a normal open fire?
Haven't got a liner, this is an old house and has always been coal heated so its a brick chimney

muckybutt

If its a boiler stove then under no circumstances use it during a power cut.

You should have a radiator that is a heat sink, normally the first rad on the circuit above the stove or as close to the stove, it shouldn't have any trv's on it and should be large sized.

In the event of a power cut the heat sink will then dissipate the heat and gravity takes over to some degree to help get rid of the heat.

I would not advise using it as an open fire as you could well over fire it which would damage the stove.

As for the other plate - never heard of an extra one being supplied with a stove - what make of stove is it ? and what do the instructions say ?

Greenfires

It's not a cover plate for the grate is it - so you effectively have a solid bottom for burning wood on, and a grate for burning smokeless?

A dose of smokeless now and again won't do much harm - but be aware that if you have a liner aimed at woodburning (316 grade stainless), then regular use of smokeless (which would be better suited to a 904 grade liner) will shorten its life. I too have seen 304 grade liners sitting in pieces on top of the register plate after less than three years of smokeless use in a boiler stove.

Burning both together as main fuels (ie I'm not talking about the use of kindling to start a smokeless fire) is not great. As well as possible issues with the production of sulfurous acid, wood and smokeless should be treated differently. Wood is best on a bed of ash with air from above - smokeless is best on a clean grate with air from below - so you'll always be compromising one of them by using them together.

mardatha

Its a Parkray Cumbria, and the last one was a Charnwood something or other - but both came with two throats, one for wood and one for coal.
This fire burns 24/7 most of the year, and you can't keep putting out in a power cut, esp as most powercuts last 2-4 hours. We just let it burn really low. Yes the big hall radiator is the heat sink and always on.
I sort of wish we still had the old open fire, it was a lot easier to manage lol

muckybutt

Just been reading the instructions for your stove - what a pain in the bum that is having to change the throat plates !

A new one on me ! presumably then the thicker plate for bitumenous coal is because it has a high calorific value and would warp the other thinner plate, and no plate at all required for wood burning ....weird !

mardatha

Our sweep once told us we don't need a throat at all and he had taken his one out - so maybe its overkill, or down to personal choice lol. TY for all help xx

fireblade1974

Hi all, some advice pls. Im getting a multifuel stove next month - Dunsley Highlander 5 solo enviro-burn 5kw. All new flue liner etc, however im unsure which smokeless fuel to use ( smoke controlled area ). Id like the fuel to slumber/burn 24/7 once lit during the winter months. Ive been told about Pureheat and phurnacite is the best option? Also Realheat ...... Is it trial and error or has anyone any sound advice to point me the right way. Thanks again all

mardatha

I just get smokeless eggs from the coalman at £17.50 a bag I dono what kind they are.

fireblade1974

How long do they burn for? 10hrs + ....