Solid fuel for room heaters

[Bob WorsleyParticipant @bobworsley31976]

We have a small room heater, about 2.5kW, which we first used last winter with the rise in electricity costs. This fuel, Maxibrite Ovals, must be 10-15 years old, ordered and never used. It is pre-packed in plastic bags, has been stored under cover.

This winter ordered Phurnacite. Again pre-packed, but it was noticeably soaking wet in the plastic bags. But with the fire in 24/7 and burning the same 8kg fuel per day there is about a doubling in the ash, the ash pan can’t contain the 24 hours burn, needs two ash pans full.

My question is, has anyone else noticed a similar increase in water content and ash content?

I have queried the Solid Fuel Advisory Service but so far been fobbed off.

It seems obvious to me that the water content takes heat to boil it off, and the increase in ash means there is less fuel to even burn.

 

[brickyParticipant @bricky]

Hi Bob ,I have noticed a difference in the smokless coal I burn.The ash I am getting is courser and the dust from it is far less .There are small particles of a white material that I notice in the ash .Before there was quite a lot of dust from the ash.

Frank

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Although all coal (real coal) comes from trees originally there is a difference in tree wood and how it burns even before a million years underground.
Ash – the wood from the ash tree – produces substantially more ash – the residue – than any other wood I have burned. I’d like to know which was named first or in reference to the other.

Once coal is pulverised and reconstituted to make furnace friendly uniform nuts there is the opportunity to adulterate it to varying degrees. It may well be that it is adjusted to meet a specific calorific value per ton set by some regulation, standard, or just profit margin.
Years ago we used to get ‘Coalite’ which was the stuff prepared for blast furnaces by heating to remove all the volatiles and sulphur.
I now reserve all my coal for my engine and only heart with wood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Our heater will only burn anthracite beans, there has been a definite decline in quality over the years.  More unburned miscellaneous minerals, though the same amount of very dusty ash. Anthracite is running out apparently, worldwide, and is a key component of most smokeless fuels I believe.

I’m surprised at the amount you need , 8kg a day for a 2.5kW stove?

[Bob Worsley]

On 30 November 2023 at 10:14 Bob Worsley Said:

This winter ordered Phurnacite. Again pre-packed, but it was noticeably soaking wet in the plastic bags.

Not to mention very expensive water and not very flammable!

Robert Butler

[Robert ButlerParticipant @robertbutler92161]

Edited

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Just another data point, our stove is a “Pither” (rare and obsolete) rated at IIRC 8kW max but probably runs at 5kW.  It takes one 8kg hod a day or maybe a bit less (as the one I just weighed was a bit fuller than normal).

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

IF it needs to be said, make sure that the flue does not leak.

You do not want to die of carbon monoxide posioning, nor suffocated by CO2.

And in a workshop, the water vapour will onmly encourage the rust fairy to vist!

Howard

[Author]

Posts