Can I burn smokeless coal in. Woodburner?

kah22

It's been suggested By Suki1964 that I post here

I'm looking at a Varde Aura 11 wood burning stove. The design and price suite me perfectly

The problem it does say 'Wood burner' NOT Multi-burner. But two retailers that I've contacted say yes you can burn coal in it.

Posts that I've made on these Forums and elsewhere suggest that yes you can burn smokeless fuel in this stove but as Suki1964 suggested I should pop over hear and ask options of those involved in the industry.

I really would appreciate some advice
Kevin

Ectophile

Woodburners aren't designed to burn coal. That's why many stove manufacturers make both woodburners and multi-fuel stoves. The design of the base of the stove is different.

Coal (and smokeless briquettes) needs air circulating from underneath, which is why multi-fuel stoves have a grate at the bottom. Wood will burn fine with air coming from the sides and top, which is why they have solid bases (and are often cheaper).

A._Badger

As Ectophile says, the difference is in the air supply. Smokeless fuel will not burn properly without a draught from beneath, which means you need a grate. Ideally, that would be a rocking or 'locomotive' grate that allows you to clear it of clinker and ashes when in use.

Without knowing the stove in question (I've never heard of this brand) it's really impossible to say. Can you contact the importer/manuafacturer to ask?

kah22

I appreciate what you are saying, the bit that I don't understand is the grate.

The stove I'm looking at has a grate and dustpan and yet the manufacturer says Woodburner. http://www.vardestoves.com/stove/aura-11/

I'm wondering can this particular deal with smokeless fuel as well as wood and if it is only put in like that because it is Sweedish and they seem to be big into Woodburners. Or if it is just the manufacturer putting a limit on the guarantee

Greenfires

Hard to tell from the pictures on their website - but it kinda looks like it's a solid base with just a shaker grate in the middle of it. In which case it might be a bit marginal using smokeless. You'd be better with a grate that covers the whole base area if you really want to burn smokeless. Best bet is to stick with wood though - much nicer fuel!

kah22

For aesthetic purposes the stove I'm looking for is a pedestal type one. For practical purposes a multi burner. I've just come to realise, however, that there are few, if any, multi fuel pedestal type stoves on the market; certainly within my budget range max £1500 + installation etc.

Is there a reason for this, or am I just looking in the wrong place?

Kevin

Greenfires

They tend to be aimed at the "designer" end of the market I'd say - so prices tend to be higher as they can get away with it. Contura do quite a few pedestal models - an installer mate of mine reckons they're one of the best stoves on the market in terms of build quality and after sales service. But you pay for the quality. Traditionally the UK market has gone for more traditional stoves - but they've had an enormous amount of media coverage in "lifestyle" magazines and programmes in recent years, so the balance may change a bit.

Alycidon

I have had a Varde in my showroom and I would not recommend you try to burn solid fuel on it. Apart from the air supply needed under the fire issue already detailed above the ash pans on this style of stove are simply not big enough to handle the volume of ash given off every day by solid fuel.

Having looked at the Varde closely then I would advise that the Morso's are IMHO a far better stove but they are also woodburners only.

ACR Heat Products do have a stove of a similar style that is approved to burn solid fuel, it is the only one of this type that I am aware of. Not sure if it would suit you budget though.

80% of my customers want a multi fuel stove, yet almost without exception none of them intend to burn solid fuel within it. With central heating these days the need for long burns has passed, wood will give you far better flame patterns and be cleaner to handle.

A

kah22

Alycidon wrote: »

....80% of my customers want a multi fuel stove, yet almost without exception none of them intend to burn solid fuel within it. With central heating these days the need for long burns has passed, wood will give you far better flame patterns and be cleaner to handle

....A very good comment. I suppose people drift towards the multi burner so they can use solid fuel as a backup.

Stove_Spares

The Varde is a great stove and are part of the Contura group.

You would probably get a way with a few bits of smokeless fuel on it but I wouldn't recommend it.

The Scandinavians are set up for wood only and so are there stoves so I'd stick to that.

Great stoves though. Better value and more controllable than Morso stoves.

A._Badger

kah22 wrote: »

....A very good comment. I suppose people drift towards the multi burner so they can use solid fuel as a backup.

It's not just that.

Despite living in a heavily wooded part of the UK, the supply of decent quality wood in my area is unreliable and very expensive. I've been looking for a suitable supplier for the past seven or eight years and have never really found one.

As stoves move from being necessities and practical heating devices to mere lifestyle accessories, the supply of decent wood is going to get scarcer and scarcer. It makes perfect sense, therefore, to buy a versatile multifuel stove instead of a woodburner.

Comparisons with the heavily wooded Scandinavian market aren't really much help. They have more a lot more wood and a better supply chain.