Using Excel Coal with Stovax Multifuel stove

[Michael Siggers]

Hi

 

Hoping anyone can help as I am in desparate need to help using Excel coal in my stovax multifuel stove.

The stove has been dismantled and cleaned,  chimney cleaned, all vents cleaned and opened.

 

I have tried using a piece of the fire logs from poundland as a fire starter with the Excel coal, bit I absolutely can not get the coal to light.

 

The coal has been stored indoors and is dry.

 

The coal only gets orange hot and then goes out after an hour.

 

Absolutely desperate as it's either something wrong with the stove or the coal.

 

Mike

[MtB]

Which model of Stovax? There are loads of them, all different.

 

"Orange hot" though, suggests it is lighting really well and simply running out of fuel. Have you tried putting more on? 

 

 

[bizzard]

Plenty of kindling, bottom vent fully open, door slightly ajar, when kindling is well alight feed coal on, cover all over with coal any part missed, called ''A black hole'' draft from below will blow through it, missing the coals and it will die out.  If that fails use a hair dryer as bellows through the bottom vent with door closed.

[PCSB]

If its getting orange hot, sounds like it is burning. Make sure the bottom vent is open to get it going and maybe it just needs more fuel adding as MtB above suggests.

[Michael Siggers]

7 hours ago, MtB said:

Which model of Stovax? There are loads of them, all different.

 

"Orange hot" though, suggests it is lighting really well and simply running out of fuel. Have you tried putting more on? 

 

 

Hi

 

It's a Stockton 3.

 

Tried putting more on and just does not take.

[tree monkey]

41 minutes ago, Michael Siggers said:

Hi

 

It's a Stockton 3.

 

Tried putting more on and just does not take.

They advertise it as a multifuel but has it been modified in some way to turn it into a proper wood stove, in effect remove the coal/multifuel grill and replaced it with a wood burning grill

[Peanut]

A fire requires heat, fuel and air, your fuel is on fire and creating heat. Either there is insufficient fuel or air. You can put more fuel on if the fire has burnt down. There are two air controls on your fire, you can open them to allow more air to the fire.  That will only work if the fire can draw air in.  You may need to riddle the fire to clear ashes from the bottom, and empty the ash pan, and place the ash outside. If the fire still does not draw, then the chimney may be obstructed. This should be cleaned at least once a year. Does it get warm, and then hot, when the fire is lit?  Maybe it is partly blocked or poorly installed. The hot air going up the chimney needs to be replaced, you need an unobstructed vent from outside into the boat to supply fresh air for the stove. Otherwise, it won't work.

Having done all that, and you still can't get the fire to draw, and your fuel is good, then you may need to get someone else to look at it.

 

https://www.stovax.com/download/Technical Documents/1. Stoves/Traditional/Wood & Multi-fuel/Stockton/Stockton ECO Range User Instructions.pdf

[magnetman]

I had trouble with a fire once due to being moored near tall buildings. There was a downdraft of air. Killed the fire. 

 

Does the flue get hot during the process of lighting the fire?

 

Never burnt Excel myself as I can't stand the smell of it.

 

 

 

 

 

It seems to me that you need more kindling and get the fire really hot before adding coal. 

[n-baj]

Hello, I’ve been burning excel with a stovax 3, make sure both air flow controls is to the LEFT as that’s open (circled red).

 

I also leave the door ajar for a good 30+ minutes when starting to get it going. When there’s flames coming off the briquettes then it’s well established then I leave the top vent fully open to the left and control the burn rate with the bottom vent.
 

After keeping it in overnight to get it going again I put the door ajar with vents fully open and griddle the ash away and wait until whatever is left is glowing red then I add more in, leaving vents and door ajar for at least 30 minutes to get it going. I find if I just add a load of briquettes when they’re glowing and it doesn’t get the air then it just goes out.

 

you’ll get into your own system and routine with what’s best for you.

 

also does yours have a griddle knob (circled blue)? If it doesn’t then it’s not the multi fuel version.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

They've clearly changed the formulation to make Excel a "safety" coal. I'm suffering from a batch of "safety" firelighters at the moment that are nearly incapable of actually lighting a fire. They've burnt out again, without lighting anything else just now. Will have to try again.

Sorry, no help for the OP, I just wanted to vent my frustration!

@Peanut has given a good list of things to try to complete the fire triangle.

[Tony Brooks]

Look at what the fuel sits on. If it has slots or holes in it then it should burn solid fuels, if it is just a solid piece of steel/iron then it won't burn solid fuels. Wood usually burns best on a bed of ash and just top air, solid fuel needs bottom air and no ash - hence the slots in the grate and a riddle mechanism.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Michael Siggers said:

Hi

 

It's a Stockton 3.

 

Tried putting more on and just does not take.

 

Ok thanks. 

 

I've an idea. I have a Stovax Stockton 8 in my hovel and I can't get on with it either. I find it runs away, gets blistering hot and burns everything I put in it in a couple of hours. It will not turn down low and tick over for long periods like a Squirrel of a Boatman stove will. 

 

Inspecting it very carefully I found the baffle underneath in the "closed" position is not actually closed at all, and an air hole remains by design. Late last winter I sealed it up with heat resistantant silicone which gave a slight improvement but not as good as I expected. I'm wondering if your Stockon 3 has a similar 'feature' designed to prevent it being turned down really low. 

 

I gather running stoves low is a Bad Thing as it increases the particle pollution they emit. 

 

 

[Cheshire cat]

I think the air hole you describe Mike is one of the mods necessary to get a pass ticket in order for the stove to be approved for use in smokeless zones.

 

 

[magnetman]

https://www.castfireplaces.co.uk/stoves/bargain-defra-approved/

 

 

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Cheshire cat said:

I think the air hole you describe Mike is one of the mods necessary to get a pass ticket in order for the stove to be approved for use in smokeless zones.

 

Yes thanks, I'd got that far. 

 

What I haven't managed to do yet is find the second hole which must also exist, as blocking up the first didn't really fix the problem!
 

 

[magnetman]

There might be a preheater secondary air inlet inside a double skin of some sort. 

Preheated. 

[MtB]

but getting back to the OP's problem. I'm wondering if his stove also has such a mod, which might explain why his initial lighting burns orange hot.

 

 

[magnetman]

"The coal only gets orange hot and then goes out after an hour." 

 

"can not get the coal to light"

 

This bit is odd. The coal is obviously burning. Someone else asked how many pieces are there in the fire at s time and it is a good question. 

 

Maybe there is a misunderstanding around how briquetted anthracite or petcoke based fuel works. It doesn't produce a yellow flame like real coal or wood. 

 

 

[tosher]

1 hour ago, n-baj said:

Hello, I’ve been burning excel with a stovax 3, make sure both air flow controls is to the LEFT as that’s open (circled red).

 

I also leave the door ajar for a good 30+ minutes when starting to get it going. When there’s flames coming off the briquettes then it’s well established then I leave the top vent fully open to the left and control the burn rate with the bottom vent.
 

After keeping it in overnight to get it going again I put the door ajar with vents fully open and griddle the ash away and wait until whatever is left is glowing red then I add more in, leaving vents and door ajar for at least 30 minutes to get it going. I find if I just add a load of briquettes when they’re glowing and it doesn’t get the air then it just goes out.

 

you’ll get into your own system and routine with what’s best for you.

 

also does yours have a griddle knob (circled blue)? If it doesn’t then it’s not the multi fuel version.

This is exactly what I do on my Stocton  4 but when it was new 17 years ago the top air vent above the door was assembled incorrectly at the factory  and it would not burn very well. The manufacturer sent out a man who assembled it correctly and problem solved.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, magnetman said:

"The coal only gets orange hot and then goes out after an hour." 

 

"can not get the coal to light"

 

This bit is odd. The coal is obviously burning. Someone else asked how many pieces are there in the fire at s time and it is a good question. 

 

Maybe there is a misunderstanding around how briquetted anthracite or petcoke based fuel works. It doesn't produce a yellow flame like real coal or wood. 

 

Yes I can't get coal such as Exell to light directly either. 

 

I put quite a bit of kindling in the grate and light that with a firelighter. Door is shut and and ash pan vents open.

 

Once the kindling is burning well I add four or five lumps of Excell or whatever on top of the burning kindling and shut the door again for ten minutes or so then once it is obviously alight, I add more. Perhaps another six or ten lumps. Then after another say ten mins fill the grate up with as much exell as will fit and close the bottom vents up. My squirrel would then tick over for about 24 hours like that. Much longer even if I really rammed it full.

 

 

 

 

[magnetman]

Also too much cold air from below can be a problem if the fire is not very hot because it cools the firebox. 

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

FWIW Red is made by the same company as Excel, but is a little cheaper. The listed constituents are the same, but the makers refused to provide me with definitive percentages, claiming that they alter it depending upon the feed stock. I wonder if they have cocked up the mixture. Both seem to burn as well as the other and provide similar heat.

 

I find both light as readily (Hunter Heron stove) with a firelighter on the old coals and a few sticks of kindling on top, then Red/Excel. I would suggest that anyone trials Red.

[magnetman]

There are two different products called Excel on the Defra list. 

 

 

Oxbow Excel Briquettes 

 

Aimcor Excel Briquettes

 

 

Fuel name	Oxbow Excel Briquettes
Manufacturer	Oxbow Coal Limited, Southern Way, Immingham Dock, Immingham, North Eat Lincolnshire, DN40 2NX, United Kingdom
(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
(b)	are produced at ambient temperature by a process involving roll-pressing and cold curing
(c)	are unmarked square pillow shaped briquettes
(d)	have an average weight per briquette of 100 grams
(e)	have a sulphur content not exceeding 1.9% of the total weight.

 

 

Fuel name	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-setting resin binder (as to the remaining weight)
(b)	were manufactured from those constituents by a process involving roll-pressing
(c)	are unmarked pillow-shaped briquettes
(d)	have an average weight of 73 grams per briquette
(e)	have a sulphur content not exceeding 2% of the total weight.

[Tony Brooks]

I was talking about Oxbow at Ingham, but I note both companies use Oxbow in their names. Without going into Companies House, I think the Aimcor is now just a subsidiary or a second manufacturing plant. It may be to do with local loyalties to Aimcor. It would be interesting what name and company was on the OP's fuel bags.

[magnetman]

The two products have different ingredients. One is petcoke/athracite and the other is petcoke/ LV coal/ coke. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also a way to tell the difference is by weight. 100g v 73g.