Burning coal in a woodstove????

Thanks for all input.

David

Ps Use small bags to bring the coal into the house and throw it all into the stove, not to have coal dust in the living room, and get into cleaning troubles with your wife :-)

Thanks

Bill Russo

In researching it, what I've found is that coal apparently burns hotter, and is far more demanding of air flow, using a shaker grate and such. So apparently simply dumping a pile of coal will not work, or at least work right.

Ok, but what about using some coal or shelled corn, as a supliment to the wood in the woodstove? That's my own interest. As in build a wood fire, but put some coal on top of it. Maybe in a metal basket with a grate bottom.

The thing I like about coal is the long burn. I'd like to be better able to keep warmth going throug the night. The corn I like from a handy standpoint (I already use it as feed). Corn's also clean, but it does draw rats.

Without the right airflow, it will soot up & throw out black smoke.

Don't know about mixing it. Dad used to when coal was more common here, but our water jacket stove was built for it. Never burned corn, interested in the corn stoves. I burn a lot of corn cobs as 'tinder' to get the fire going. Whole ears might work ok, I would think shell corn would pool at the bottom & just roat, rather than burn right. I think shell corn also needs the right airflow to get a good clean fire?

--->Paul

There's a link at the bottom of this post. They want a small fortune for it, but the economic comparisons they post on $/BTU for different fuels are pretty convincing.

Looks like we should build some commercial-size
powerplants fuelled on shelled corn.

Link

-- bbott