Anyone burning coal ?

[Cycledude]

For many years I have been curious about possibly burning coal in my wood stove but never found a place where I could buy some coal.
Until yesterday when I noticed someone selling coal on Facebook but it’s located over 100 miles from where I live, depending on what I learn from you folks I just might take a ride over there to buy some coal to see how well it does or doesn’t work.

 

[thompsoncustom]

kind of like you if they had it around here I would try it but these days getting it is the hard part

 

[Lee192233]

For many years I have been curious about possibly burning coal in my wood stove but never found a place where I could buy some coal.
Until yesterday when I noticed someone selling coal on Facebook but it’s located over 100 miles from where I live, depending on what I learn from you folks I just might take a ride over there to buy some coal to see how well it does or doesn’t work.

What kind of wood stove do you have? I burned coal in my Big Jack. I had to do modifications to make it work well.

 

[JRM]

Long term if your chimney isn't 316 the coal will eat your chimney. Most dedicated wood set ups are 304.

 

[Cycledude]

Long term if your chimney isn't 316 the coal will eat your chimney. Most dedicated wood set ups are 304.

What the heck is 316 or 304 ? I believe my chimney liner is made of clay, when I moved here over 30 years ago it was just brick so I bought the clay liner and installed it myself. Before installing the liner there was a problem with creosote sometimes building up inside chimney but there hasn’t been any trouble with creosote building up since I put the liner in.

 

[muddy42]

What the heck is 316 or 304 ? I believe my chimney liner is made of clay, when I moved here over 30 years ago it was just brick so I bought the clay liner and installed it myself. Before installing the liner there was a problem with creosote sometimes building up inside chimney but there hasn’t been any trouble with creosote building up since I put the liner in.

The person is referring to the design of metal flue liners and weather they are double skinned or single skinned. Good for you, there is nothing wrong with a clay liner if they don't leak into an upstairs room. I use several that have worked fine for 170 years. I hate it when stove installers refer to these open fires as "unlined" and try to pressure you into buying a stove and liner.

Coal is better burned on a multi-fuel stove, but even then real coal burns very hot and many will suggest using smokeless coal. When I didn't know better I warped the metal of a stove and damaged the vermiculite panels by burning coal.

 

[H-Ranch]

Long term if your chimney isn't 316 the coal will eat your chimney. Most dedicated wood set ups are 304.

What the heck is 316 or 304 ?

The person is referring to the design of metal flue liners and weather they are double skinned or single skinned.

316 and 304 refer to grades of stainless steel. It may be single, double, or triple wall - I don't know which types/designs are rated for coal in which specific applications. It doesn't apply to your clay liner, though I would want to verify that it is rated for coal burning as well. It seems to me that burning coal in a stove that is not intended for it involves some risk as mentioned.

 

[Cycledude]

When I was a kid my folks burned some coal mixed with wood one winter, Mom didn’t like it because of the coal dust, Dad was always saying not to put in to much coal because it could get to hot and ruin the furnace.

 

[SS396driver]

Was always told not to burn coal and wood together . It’s ok to use wood to start the fire and add coal to the wood coals . But burning together could cause damage from the sulfuric acid and moisture in the wood . Even well seasoned wood still has moisture .

I burned coal for about 5 years in the 90s . Had a duel fuel stove heat was very even and it was nice loading the stove twice a day with no fiddling in between . Had a King Coal stove really liked the unit .

 

[SS396driver]

I will most likely return to coal when getting cutting and splitting firewood is no longer an option for me .