# Mixing wood and coal



## javier (Sep 17, 2010)

Not sure if this is the correct forum but it seems to make sense. So this is our first year of burning and we don't have a ton of seasoned wood. A friend of mine, who seems to know everyone, has access to coal lumps. The way it sounds they may be coming free, so tough to pass up. I am wondering if there would be any ill effects to mixing coal with wood. I have a Clayton 1600m which states I can burn either or, but I am thinking if I had some lumps I could just throw them in there as needed. Seems I have read that they burn hot and long. Thanks for the info.


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 17, 2010)

If the stove states you can burn either it does not seem that it would do any harm. Sort of reminds me when I was a young lad we had a stove that could burn either and we did from time to time but we still preferred wood unless we were going to be away for some time. Then we'd throw some coal in to help hold the fire longer. I also remember whenever it got super cold we'd add some coal. But that stuff was dirty and we really were not that fond of it other than the ability to hold those fires.


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## vvvv (Sep 17, 2010)

http://nepacrossroads.com/    coal site
i think you'll want to put the coal on top of the wood & big chunks can explode i think......good lux


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## ROBERT F (Sep 17, 2010)

Any concerns with type of liner if any?  such as the coal causing faster breakdown of the liner due to the metals/gases released in burning?


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## ballibeg (Sep 17, 2010)

Advised not to here. Moisture in wood as burns combines with sulphur in coal giving sulpuric acid which eat metal, ie lined chimneys. My stove guy specifically told me not to do it.

Dave


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## Cowboy Billy (Sep 17, 2010)

I've been burning soft coal for a while. And I still burn some coal now. While I will start my coal fire with wood after that I don't mix them. The higher heat of the coal burning seems to make the wood burn up really fast. If I have been away for a few days for a good hot coal fire to warm the house back up. I do burn coal over nite because with my old wood furnace 7-8hrs is the longest I can get out of a wood fill. Where I can get 10-12 hr burn with coal. But about three years is the most I can get from the pipe from the stove to the chimney. And if you think cleaning a woodstove chimney is bad cleaning one with coal is horrible. Ya got fine black soot that gets everywhere and you can't wash it off your skin it just smears around. I did try some hard coal but it didn't work well in my stove so I only used one 50lb bag. 

Billy


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## ggans (Sep 18, 2010)

Burning coal is a whole different ball game, don't do it unless you know what your doing. See the nepacrossroads site.


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## javier (Sep 18, 2010)

Thanks for all the good advice everyone.  I think I'll absorb as much knowledge as I can off the Coal boards mentioned. That being said if I can score the coal for free I think its worth the added studying.  It would be nice for those needed longs burns and real cold nights, etc.  I'll keep everyone informed.


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## ggans (Sep 18, 2010)

Be advised burning coal and wood don't mix well, maybe Bit but thats another story...


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## Stephen in SoKY (Sep 22, 2010)

I burn bit and wood together constantly. Coal mainly for long overnight fires and run wood throughout the day. Anthracite is reputed to not burn well wiith wood at all. Be very careful, once you've burned coal, it's very hard to go back to cutting/splitting/stacking wood. I can buy a lot of BTU's for $100 with bit, but I still use wood as well.


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## lowroadacres (Sep 22, 2010)

When we had an Olsen CWF furnace the initials stood for Coal Wood Forced Air and we had the electric "head" on it as well.

We had access to large lump coal from a local power generating station and we could heat like crazy for not much money.

The one challenge we ended up with was that the grates, even though designed for coal, ended up warping.

Right now coal is a dirty word in our province but the BTU's one can get from it is amazing.  At the same time when one has the proper wood burning appliances installed and wood stored up there is no shortage of BTU's.


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## JustWood (Sep 22, 2010)

Stephen in SoKY said:
			
		

> I burn bit and wood together constantly. Coal mainly for long overnight fires and run wood throughout the day. Anthracite is reputed to not burn well wiith wood at all. Be very careful, once you've burned coal, it's very hard to go back to cutting/splitting/stacking wood. I can buy a lot of BTU's for $100 with bit, but I still use wood as well.



I do the same and agree 100%.
Start out with small amounts of coal and gradualLEE add more till you get the hang of it.
Couple tips when learning.
1 Coal needs air from underneath.
2  Add wood first with the coal in the middle or top.


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