Most efficient fuel for multi fuel stove?

Bradley157

We had a multi fuel stove fitted late winter last year and just burnt kiln dried wood on it for a month or so this year we will be using it properly to warm the house but what is the most efficient fuel to use? I got in touch with my local supplier and he gave me a price list and I haven't got a clue what's best to use:
House coal £10
Coke mix £11.50
Coke doubles £11.50
Nova £11.50
Mixed ovoids £13.50
Blue flame £13.00
Anthracite nuts £16.00
Anthracite peas and beans £14.00
All in 50kg

Any help will be much appreciated.

Bradley157

Should of also added wood kiln dried at various prices depends where I buy it from

alleycat`

Hi,

Typically I'd say that "coal type products" will give you a better value for money output over wood (especially at Kiln dried prices).


As a general rule:-


I'd look at what your stove manufacturer says you can actually burn in it.
There's a lot of "pet" coke products that many stoves will not tolerate long term.
Coal isn't recommended for mine (i'm in a smoke control zone so can't use it anyway). It may or may not be allowable on yours (either stove advice or area).

Anthracite will burn with good "heat" but i find it a snot to get going (so i only use it adhoc in something that's going well).

I have to use Smokeless Ovoids generally (and i'm limited locally to CPL so your quoted prices are a lot cheaper).

Biggest downside of "coal type" fuels is they're messy and require a full clean out more regularly than wood.

HTH

A._Badger

There is no easy answer here, every stove and even the same stove with different installations, might do better with one type of fuel than another. The best advice is to get some sample bags and choose whichever works best for you.

As alleycat says, bituminous coal ('house coal') isn't really suitable for most stoves and can't be used in smokeless zones in any case. Of the manufactured smokeless fuels, it's best to avoid those containing a lot of petcoke. He is also right that anthracite can be a beast to get started.


Personally, I buy one ton loads from coal merchants via eBay or off websites, makibg sure they are recognised brands as it is a lot cheaper. The downside is you have to be able to store a lot of bags of fuel.

loskie

TBH the most efficient is free wood that you will have gathered yourself. If that's not available maybe a stove is not for you. I reckon mains gas if available is the cheapest source of heat rather than buy logs or coal.
You don't say where you live but worth seeing if there is a woodfuel coop in your area or make friends/contacts with some local landowners or tree surgeons and get some logs.
I have two stoves and they are great but do take a bit of effort to source and manage a decent wood supply, you have to plan ahead a bit. But it is something I enjoy too so that's good.
I don't know much about fossil fuels but think coke and anthracite may burn too hot. Dig out your stove instructions to see what the manufacturer recommends.

YORKSHIRELASS

The golden rule with burning wood on your multi-fuel stove is that it must be dry (less than 20% moisture). It will always be cheaper to buy lower quality logs, store them and dry them yourself rather than buying kiln-dried. Of course that takes time and assumes you have storage space.

House coal is not suitable for stoves (because of the soot it produces) but we can burn smokeless fuel on ours. You dont have the concerns with making sure your wood is dry but you dont get the attractive flames as you do with logs. We find that logs are good for a quick blast of heat but smokeless fuels good for a slow burn.

It depends on how you use your stove too, I think it's difficult to quantify costs, you just have to experiment.

suki1964

I use a mix of smokeless and anthracite

I get the fire really going with the smokeless then cover with the anthracite and just close it down and it lasts for hours, maybe needing a small top up in the evening or a few logs

Anthony_C_Bell

Hi Bradley,


I've been using multifuel stove for several years now and find a mixture of dried hardwood and smokeless 'coalite' is best. I also use 'heatlogs, but sparingly as they burn very fiercely - if I want to rekindle a dying stove. Many log suppliers mix hard and soft wood and it is not alsways easy to tell the difference. Hardwood eg oak, ash are better because they burn longer, slower and hotter. I tend to mix size of logs and split them if necessary as smaller ones get going quicker. Smokeless coalite burns longer, but needs more air to keep it going. If you have stainless steel flue liners as I do, I'm told this fuel rots the liner.
cheers.

Anthony_C_Bell

PS Never use ordinary household coal as it contains loads of sulphur which mixes with water (most fuels contain some water even well dried wood), forming sulphuric acid which will rot your steel/iron stove not to mention the liner if you have one. Also in cities and town you will be in a smokeless zone so its illegal as well as anti-social. Get a stove thermometer wich clamps to the bottom of the flue or top of stove and has a temp zone indicated for optimum burning, producing less smoke and particulates. Stove owners are under pressure not to pump out particulates, a bit like diesel engines.