Coalcage®

[CompairHolman]

Another " must have " Chandlery product is doing the rounds amounts boaters, they reckon it saves fuel but as usual there is no real explanation why it would. All I can see it doing is preventing ash build up on the grate and making the fuel burn faster by exposing it to the air draft, not really an improvement in my opinion. 

 

At least they are not claiming its magnetic and creates free energy. 

http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=233449296136&category=175755&pm=1&ds=0&t=1577702847000&ver=0&cspheader=1

[bizzard]

It would need to be a perfect fit in the fire box with no gaps at the sides or rear or the draught up through the fire bars will just by pass the coals and the fire will go out, that's if you ever manage to light it. Air will always take the easiest path. you can't blame it.

[LadyG]

Fair enough, but maybe someone with a large stove who only uses coal type fuel would use one.

I use empty tins to adjust capacity of my stove and keep coals together.

Edited January 1, 2020 by LadyG

[bizzard]

Just now, LadyG said:

Fair enough, but maybe someone with a large stove who only uses coal type fuel would use one.

It wouldn't make any difference. The updraught will still by pass the coals around the sides unless its a perfect fit.

[bizzard]

Try this experiment LadyG. Get your stove going, glowing nice and red. With the poker poke and riddle a hole in the middle of the coals so you can see the fire bars. Close the door, turn up the lower bottom air control as much as you like, the fire will die out quickly as the air whistles through the hole missing the coals and away up the flu pipe.

Edited January 1, 2020 by bizzard

[LadyG]

seeing is believing   1 min 50 to skip waffle ...

 

[pearley]

Looks to big to go into a Boatman Stove.

[LadyG]

14 minutes ago, pearley said:

Looks to big to go into a Boatman Stove.

I think the Boatman is small, so no need for one.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

11 hours ago, CompairHolman said:

Another " must have " Chandlery product is doing the rounds amounts boaters, they reckon it saves fuel but as usual there is no real explanation why it would. All I can see it doing is preventing ash build up on the grate and making the fuel burn faster by exposing it to the air draft, not really an improvement in my opinion. 

 

At least they are not claiming its magnetic and creates free energy. 

http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=233449296136&category=175755&pm=1&ds=0&t=1577702847000&ver=0&cspheader=1

I'm going to start selling quartz crystals to stick on the ends of ecofan blades and dynamically realign the stoves chakras as they spin. Will save you a fortune in fuel, prevent the glass from getting covered in soot, keep the black "lead" shiny and stop the flue pipe getting clagged up.

 

Jen

[MtB]

 

I notice the lady says as they unpack it, it's made from stainless steel so its indestructable. Every day is a skool day!

 

 

[GUMPY]

Might work in a morso with the circular riddling grate, however it does nothing that a couple of bricks one either side of the firebox wouldn't do cheaper.

Certainly wouldn't work (for the reasons stated by biz) in a stove with a grate that's bigger than it is.

 

 

[MtB]

8 minutes ago, Loddon said:

Might work in a morso with the circular riddling grate, however it does nothing that a couple of bricks one either side of the firebox wouldn't do cheaper.

Certainly wouldn't work (for the reasons stated by biz) in a stove with a grate that's bigger than it is.

 

 

 

On my old Squirrel, I reckon if I added the amount of coal he added in the video, mine would have nearly gone out too overnight, just as his had with the coalcage. 

 

If I banked up the Squirrel properly and closed it down yes it would use loads more coal but it would also stay alight for a good 48 hours with no further attention. This coalcage just about stays alight for about 10 hours, from the timings mentioned in the video. 

 

I wonder how much the coalcage costs. Although the link in the OP is to an ebay description, I can't find the actual listing it should be attached to. Not even by properly searching ebay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2020 by Mike the Boilerman
speelling

[frangar]

All it seems to do is reduce the amount of fuel you can load...surely the advantage of a squirrel is you can bank it up & leave it ticking over....this just means it takes less fuel so burns for less time...I don’t think it would last that long either if you used it every day. 
 

ive got the coal inserts Fitted on mine but as others say a couple of bricks work well to keep the coal over the grate. 

3 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I wonder how much the coalcage costs. Although the link in the OP is to an ebay description, I can't find the actual listing it should be attached to. Not even by properly searching ebay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

£21.95 according to a picture on their Facebook page 

[dor]

I'm assuming that the OP's post is basically advertising for a product they are involved with.

I can't see what the benefit is here.  OK so you burn less coal, but you get less heat.  If you want more heat you need to burn more coal and this must limit it.  I would think it is very awkward trying to top the coal up in most NB stoves.

If you want less heat, then you just close the stove down to the level you want.  As MTB says, with a Squirrel or similar you can get up to 48 hours burning with a well damped-down stove.

[MtB]

8 minutes ago, frangar said:

£21.95 according to a picture on their Facebook page 

 

So how does one buy it, I find myself wondering....

 

As the bloke makes such a thing out of being a tightarse, presumably he refuses to pay ebay selling fees which is why it's not listed on there. 

 

And why does the woman seem to think being such a tightarse is a good thing? Sure living with a bloke so tight-fisted he counts the pieces of coal he puts in the stove, must be a right PITA!

 

 

[frangar]

9 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

So how does one buy it, I find myself wondering....

 

As the bloke makes such a thing out of being a tightarse, presumably he refuses to pay ebay selling fees which is why it's not listed on there. 

 

And why does the woman seem to think being such a tightarse is a good thing? Sure living with a bloke so tight-fisted he counts the pieces of coal he puts in the stove, must be a right PITA!

 

 

The picture I found was from a shop in stone which apparently is the first stockist. 
 

https://www.facebook.com/coalcage/

 

I love a gadget but as they say...I’m out! 
 

Edited January 2, 2020 by frangar

[tree monkey]

I can see the advantage for keeping in a small spring or early autumn fire but when it's cold, proper winter cold you need a proper amount of coal.

As been said above similar can be achieved with a few bricks

[LadyG]

17 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

So how does one buy it, I find myself wondering....

 

As the bloke makes such a thing out of being a tightarse, presumably he refuses to pay ebay selling fees which is why it's not listed on there. 

 

And why does the woman seem to think being such a tightarse is a good thing? Sure living with a bloke so tight-fisted he counts the pieces of coal he puts in the stove, must be a right PITA!

 

 

omg, I sometimes count the pieces of coal, only so I can get a handle on when next to prime. Twelve pieces on average, will keep it going four hours, give or take. I need to count how many are in one bag to make full use of this data.

Edited January 2, 2020 by LadyG

[Taslim]

1 hour ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

I'm going to start selling quartz crystals to stick on the ends of ecofan blades and dynamically realign the stoves chakras as they spin. Will save you a fortune in fuel, prevent the glass from getting covered in soot, keep the black "lead" shiny and stop the flue pipe getting clagged up.

 

Jen

What colour? Could be just what I'm looking for!?

[CompairHolman]

The thing is spot welded together, I can't see that lasting very long even if it is stainless, its basically going to be sitting at bright forging temperature while its in use, those welds will give up the fight I reckon.

[Mike Tee]

42 minutes ago, LadyG said:

omg, I sometimes count the pieces of coal, only so I can get a handle on when next to prime. Twelve pieces on average, will keep it going four hours, give or take. I need to count how many are in one bag to make full use of this data.

weigh one piece, weigh a bag, simple division will give the answer...................

[Jen-in-Wellies]

42 minutes ago, Taslim said:

What colour? Could be just what I'm looking for!?

White - Helps the ecofan distribute positive energy as well as heat around the boat.

Blue - Transfers more heat to your back boiler.

Red - The most heat output for any given amount of fuel.

Green - Lets green wood burn as well as seasoned timber.

Yellow - Lets the stove stay in overnight longer.

Orange - For a medium burn.

Brown - Especially selected for Squirrel stoves due to their resemblance to nuts.

Pink - Tied to the ecofan blades with unicorn hair.

Purple - Stuck to the ecofan blades with unicorn poo.

Gray - For very boring clone narrowboats.

Black - Keeps the stove black black for longest.

[Taslim]

4 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

White - Helps the ecofan distribute positive energy as well as heat around the boat.

Blue - Transfers more heat to your back boiler.

Red - The most heat output for any given amount of fuel.

Green - Lets green wood burn as well as seasoned timber.

Yellow - Lets the stove stay in overnight longer.

Orange - For a medium burn.

Brown - Especially selected for Squirrel stoves due to their resemblance to nuts.

Pink - Tied to the ecofan blades with unicorn hair.

Purple - Stuck to the ecofan blades with unicorn poo.

Gray - For very boring clone narrowboats.

Black - Keeps the stove black black for longest.

A Green one, I think. Should reduce tar in the stove pipe!   What colour for broken pallets & will it get rid of nails??

[WotEver]

4 minutes ago, Taslim said:

What colour for broken pallets & will it get rid of nails?

To get rid of nails you only need the bare Ecofan. It generates so much heat that the nails simply melt into a neat little pile in the centre of the ash pan. 

[MtB]

1 hour ago, WotEver said:

To get rid of nails you only need the bare Ecofan. It generates so much heat that the nails simply melt into a neat little pile in the centre of the ash pan. 

 

Point of Order M'Lud...

 

An Ecofan doesn't generate heat. 

 

(Unless you turn the blades yourself and work it backwards, that is.)