A primer on coal types and brands

[Andrew Denny]

Can anyone point me towards a primer on the different types and brands of coal available? 

Starting from first principles - what is the difference between different types of coat, e.g. 'house coal', anthracite, etc, and the different brands available, and ways of buying/using them. 

It would be much appreciated. I'm a drip-feed diesel stove guy, and I need to get up to speed on coal. 

Many thanks 

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by Andrew Denny
typo, changed 'coat' to 'coal'

[magnetman]

This .gov site gives ingredients of all approved smokeless coal products. 

 

It takes a while to get through as each product has an individual data sheet.

 

Not sure if anyone has collated all the data into one place. 

https://smokecontrol.defra.gov.uk/fuels.php?country=england

 

If you are moving from diesel to coal fire on a canal boat you would probably be looking at about 4 or 5 commonly available fuels.

 

Homefire 

Brazier

Taybrite

Excel

Supertherm

 

There are others but these seem popular. 

 

Excel seems to be one of the favourites  but I dislike it due to the awful smell. 

 

Homefire is my favourite product. 

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by magnetman

[pearley]

Never noticed a smell with Excel

[MoominPapa]

3 minutes ago, pearley said:

Never noticed a smell with Excel

I don't normally, but the last few bags smell like cat pee, both before and during combustion.

 

MP.

 

[Alan de Enfield]

I thought this thread was going to be about Army practices and which primer to use on which type of coal prior to painting it.

 

Disappointed from Y felinhelli

Edited February 27, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[magnetman]

22 minutes ago, pearley said:

Never noticed a smell with Excel

One of my neighbours used to burn it and it smelled like burning plastic. 

 

Of course as they had a baby I suppose it's possible they were burning the disposable nappies as well !! 

 

I thought as it had a pet coke content ie oil based product that was why it was smelly. 

 

I mean from outside not in the boat. 

 

It was very nasty and I have had the same smoke off other boats with bags of excel on top.  As I like plenty of air in my boats I am prone to suffering from other people's smoke output. 

 

I think there were two different types of excel one with more pet coke than the other. 

Edited February 27, 2020 by magnetman

[magnetman]

Just located a pdf with all details in one place but it is a few years old so may not be fully up to date. 

 

https://www.fullyswept.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/smokecontrolareas_authorised_fuels_england_20170323101342.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjZvPHOifLnAhUMYcAKHU1WD4IQFjAFegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw0ESv5ysnxGVMFYT60BNdzI

 

(Link downloads a text PDF document)

 

 

It's going to be interesting to see how this list changes over time due to the recent trend towards pushing for lower emissions.

 

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by magnetman

[Tony Brooks]

I burned .Excel in the stove at home until this season and I agree the flue gasses have a distinct and to my mind a not very pleasant pong. However this year I am burning Red from the same maker and the gasses smell more as I would expect them to but Red is not approved for smoke free zones where as Excel is. I have not noticed any significant solid fuel smoke form the flue.

[BWM]

If you contact a coal producer (not supplier), i have found them to be very informative and keen to talk about their products. 

  It's hard to go wrong with homefire as it is the most consistent brand, you will find others such as excel, stoveglow, supertherm vary from season to season; i don't know if it is made under licence or some sculduggery takes place but definitely inconsistent in my experience. There is quite a difference in heat output and amount of ash between brands and expensive isn't always best, we have used one this year called Newburn that is excellent value. Would be worth buying a selection of types and try them out but save anthracite until last, it can be so hard to light that it would make a viable alternative to a fire blanket!

[tree monkey]

2 minutes ago, BWM said:

but save anthracite until last, it can be so hard to light that it would make a viable alternative to a fire blanket!

Until you give the fire just a little too much air and then it becomes a furnace. 

[alan_fincher]

Beware of StoveGlow which used to be approved as smokeless, but for some years now no longer is., and specifically now says it is not on the bag.

 

I thought one of the things about Excel, (which I have never used), is that being a petcoke, it can burn much hotter and has a reater potential to damage grates.  I believe some stove manufacturers say it should not be used in their stoves.

[Tony Brooks]

4 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Beware of StoveGlow which used to be approved as smokeless, but for some years now no longer is., and specifically now says it is not on the bag.

 

I thought one of the things about Excel, (which I have never used), is that being a petcoke, it can burn much hotter and has a reater potential to damage grates.  I believe some stove manufacturers say it should not be used in their stoves.

It is  a blend of things, one being petcoke but when I checked with my stove manufacturer they said it was OK, what one should not do is burn neat petcoke for the reason you say. Judging by the feel of the Excel ash I suspect it had some fine sand in t to modify the petcoke's burning rate.

[magnetman]

There are indeed two products called "Excel". 

 

Excel+ briquettes
Manufacturer: Oxbow Coal B.V. at Newfield works,
Bishop Auckland, County Durham
a. comprise 65% to 70% petroleum coke and 25%
anthracite (both by weight) together with a cold setting
resin binder, hardener and low temperature stabiliser
as to the remaining weight
 

---

And

--+

 

Aimcor Excel briquettes
Manufacturer: Applied Industrial Materials UK Limited at
Newfield, County Durham, or manufactured by Oxbow
Carbon & Minerals UK Limited, Windsor House,
Cornwall Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire
a. comprise petroleum coke (as to approximately 60 to
75% of the total weight), low volatile coal and reactive
coke (as to approximately 20 to 25% of the total
weight) and cold-se@ing resin binder (as to the
remaining weight)

 

 

---

 

I believe the nasty smelling stuff was the Aimcor version. 

 

 

---

 

definitely room for some confusion there !!

 

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by magnetman