solid fuel

elastic

I have a Coalbrookdale Severn multifuel heater with boiler. This is essentially a room heater with attached pump to feed radiators. I usually burn wood briquettes as they are clean and stack tidily but have recently not found them warm enough. This particular fire does not burn anthracite at all well, but manages fine with any of the manufactured fuels. I was wondering if anyone can tell me anything about Welsh Steam Coal? It is listed as suitable, but so is anthracite! Would steam coal be any different in burning experience? I can't seam to find any information about it!

Greenfires

Sounds more like a chimney or stove problem to me given that you said you usually burn wood briquettes. I'm assuming that you're "usually" happy with them? Some briquettes are better than others, but all of them are very consistent, and they're unlikely to have changed, which makes me think the problem is probably elsewhere. Have you had the stove swept recently? Boiler stoves are a lot harder on the chimney than a dry stove as the boiler takes so much heat out of the firebox.

elastic

The chimney was cleaned ready for winter, as was the fire. I have never found wood briquettes really warm enough, but prefer them for ease of use. I think I have been less happy lately as the weather has been so cold and I am so tender! The family don't seem to have as much of a problem as i do!
I think one of the problems with the fire is that it only has one air inlet, on the bottom of one side, and this doesn't seem very efficient. Others seem to have found the same.

elastic

I should add that the air inlet is below the fire bed/grate!

suki1964

Go try the anthracite again

Open up the vent fully till the fuel is all red and flaming, then close down to near enough fully closed The stove should keep glowing hot for hours. Just add small amounts of new fuel every couple of hours. If there is more black then red, open the vents

muckybutt

^^^ ditto ^^^