Smokeless coal in 10kg bags

[Mike Tee]

Does anybody have any suggestions  for coal in 10kg bags? Also, anybody tried Homefire Ecoal, Homefire Smokeless or Brazier? Only asking about these three as I have found a source that will deliver and they are at reasonable prices. 20kg and 25kg are getting a bit heavy to lump about! Normally I prefer either Phurnicite or Taybrite but as said, getting a bit heavy these days.

[Cheshire cat]

Brazier is poor with lots of cement ash. I shan't be buying any more.

[bizzard]

1 minute ago, Cheshire cat said:

Brazier is poor with lots of cement ash. I shan't be buying any more.

I find it quite good and does burn nice and hot, but it nust be really dry before using otherwise the cement ash and blocked flue. I dry mine first on this Meccano trivet.

[LadyG]

I've stuck with Excell, seems to be consistent.

I get it delivered to the boat, sometines on to it (small tip), 25kg, but I manage to keep it above floor level, and cut the bags so that coal then falls on to the floor, I think that would not work if I had a cratch.

[GUMPY]

Used E-coal for a couple of years it's good if a little bit ashley, easily stays in 12hrs in a hobbit stove. If I still had a boat stove would still be using it.

Before tgat I used Phurnicite so have never bothered with cheap tat 

 

[bizzard]

10 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

Used E-coal for a couple of years it's good if a little bit ashley, easily stays in 12hrs in a hobbit stove. If I still had a boat stove would still be using it.

Before tgat I used Phurnicite so have never bothered with cheap tat 

 

Years ago apart from house coal the mainstay was usually Phurnacite or Coalite, both good.

I get 10kg bags of either Braizier or Blaze from The Range or Wickes. Wickes £24 for three bags of either, I pick it up myself but both will deliver.

[peterboat]

I bought some crap from Lidl, it was for my front stove, it was rubbish all ash and no heat, after getting a load of hardwood off cuts, I put the remainder in the Rayburn which it nearly choked up! The anthracite I normally use produces a qtr of the ash and is cheaper, but it won't burn on the front stove

[magnetman]

56 minutes ago, bizzard said:

Years ago apart from house coal the mainstay was usually Phurnacite or Coalite, both good.

I get 10kg bags of either Braizier or Blaze from The Range or Wickes. Wickes £24 for three bags of either, I pick it up myself but both will deliver.

Cor is it that much now ! I remember not a long time ago it was £4 a bag at Wickes or B&M. 

 

Brazier is ok. Yes it wants to be dry. 

 

I like 10kg bags but have been spending more time at the country estate lately where there is firewood so have hardly burnt any coal products. In fact none on that Boat as I light the fire every morning. It was below freezing inside this morning. Lovely. 

 

Someone on here did mention they found 'Oxbow red' in 10kg bags but no idea where from. 

 

CPL online have the 10kg Brazier for sensible price delivered. 

 

 

CPL

 

https://www.coals2u.co.uk/brazier-smokeless-coal.html

 

 

As for coal give me Columbian doubles any day. Do like Columbian doubles especially on the inner city Boat ! 

 

Hot in the City hot in the City tonight! 

[dmr]

We get on really well with eCoal, one of the best coals we have ever used, plus it helps save the planet. However two neighbours, one house and one boat, really don't get on with it so it might be a bit stove dependant.

It does make a bit more ash than some.

As I get older I really the 10kg bags, especially when standing on the gunnel lifting them onto the roof. Only drawback is plastic consumption.

If you can get a trade account then Wickes are maybe the cheapest supplier (for less than 100) and will deliver for free

[pearley]

When we took a winter mooring in Salthouse Dock we ordered a pallet of Excel from the nearest coal merchant. That came in 10 kg bags. A lot of bags that had to be carried down the steps to the pontoons.

[Mike Tee]

Thanks for the responses - think I might be trying ecoal. For those that already use it, have a look at 'Homefire' web site, 10kg for £7.88 delivered providing you spend a minimum of £75 which is only 10 bags - that seems a really competitive price.

[booke23]

I've tried all three. Brazier is a bit rubbish and I wouldn't recommend. Very ashy and although cheap,, a false economy as you end up using more of it to get the same heat output of better coal. 

 

Homefire and ecoal are both good, in fact I'm using ecoal at the moment. Homefire is a bit hotter but more expensive. 

[rusty69]

Anyone know what the difference between homefire and homefire ovals is?

[magnetman]

14 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Anyone know what the difference between homefire and homefire ovals is?

Yes. 

 

Google defra smokeless they are all on the list with ingredients. 

 

From memory one of them has some bituminous coal in it. 

Fuel name	Homefire
Manufacturer	CPL Products, Immingham Briquetting Works, Immingham, North East Lincolnshire, DN40 2QR, United Kingdom
(a)	comprising anthracite (40 to 70% of the total weight), petroleum coke (20 to 45% of the total weight), bituminous coal (5 to 30% of the total weight), biomass char (0 to 10% of the total weight) and molasses/acid or an organic binder (as the remaining weight);

 

-------

 

Fuel name	Homefire Ovals (R)
Manufacturer	Coal Products Limited at Immingham Briquetting Works, Immingham, North East Lincolnshire
(a)	comprise anthracite fines (as to approximately 50 to 75% of the total weight), petroleum coke (as to approximately 20 to 45% of the total weight), bituminous coal (as to approximately 5 to 17% of the total weight) and an organic binder or, molasses and acid binder (as to the remaining weight)

 

 

 

So the hexagons may have more bit coal and some biomass char. 

[rusty69]

17 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Yes. 

 

Google defra smokeless they are all on the list with ingredients. 

 

From memory one of them has some bituminous coal in it. 

Fuel name	Homefire
Manufacturer	CPL Products, Immingham Briquetting Works, Immingham, North East Lincolnshire, DN40 2QR, United Kingdom
(a)	comprising anthracite (40 to 70% of the total weight), petroleum coke (20 to 45% of the total weight), bituminous coal (5 to 30% of the total weight), biomass char (0 to 10% of the total weight) and molasses/acid or an organic binder (as the remaining weight);

 

-------

 

Fuel name	Homefire Ovals (R)
Manufacturer	Coal Products Limited at Immingham Briquetting Works, Immingham, North East Lincolnshire
(a)	comprise anthracite fines (as to approximately 50 to 75% of the total weight), petroleum coke (as to approximately 20 to 45% of the total weight), bituminous coal (as to approximately 5 to 17% of the total weight) and an organic binder or, molasses and acid binder (as to the remaining weight)

 

 

 

So the hexagons may have more bit coal and some biomass char. 

Thank you. 

 

So, probably not a huge difference in performance. There presumably must be some difference though, or they wouldn't bother producing two products. 

[MtB]

9 hours ago, rusty69 said:

Thank you. 

 

So, probably not a huge difference in performance. There presumably must be some difference though, or they wouldn't bother producing two products. 

 

Yes but they might switch between making the two specifications depending on what and how much of each constituent they have in stock. If running low on say anthracite they might switch manufacturing to Homefire Ovals using the fines left over in the bottom of the (nearly empty) anthracite bunkers. When a fresh delivery of anthracite arrives they switch back to 'making' plain Homefire. 

 

 

 

 

[rusty69]

11 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Yes but they might switch between making the two specifications depending on what and how much of each constituent they have in stock. If running low on say anthracite they might switch manufacturing to Homefire Ovals using the fines left over in the bottom of the (nearly empty) anthracite bunkers. When a fresh delivery of anthracite arrives they switch back to 'making' plain Homefire. 

 

 

 

 

They can't do that, Shirley. How can I consistently know what I'm buying if they keep changing the recipe?

 

Imagine if Mr kipling did that. Then where would we be. 

[Tony Brooks]

3 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

They can't do that, Shirley. How can I consistently know what I'm buying if they keep changing the recipe?

 

Imagine if Mr kipling did that. Then where would we be. 

 

I think that you will find that Mr Kipling and all the other food manufacturers do alter the recipe and sometimes get it wrong. It is one way they keep profits up when the cost of taw materials rise - quiet aprt from shinkflation.

 

As for the solid fuel, the published official content data shows a fairly large tolerance in the quantities of each ingredient. It also seems that Homefire is not approved for smokeless zones, whereas Homefire Ovals is (according to the Homefire website.

[rusty69]

26 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I think that you will find that Mr Kipling and all the other food manufacturers do alter the recipe and sometimes get it wrong. It is one way they keep profits up when the cost of taw materials rise - quiet aprt from shinkflation.

 

As for the solid fuel, the published official content data shows a fairly large tolerance in the quantities of each ingredient. It also seems that Homefire is not approved for smokeless zones, whereas Homefire Ovals is (according to the Homefire website.

Now, I am confused. Not difficult, I must confess. Homefire is smokeless but not approved for smokeless zone?

 

The website says Homefire can be burnt in smokless zones.

Edited January 21 by rusty69

[Tony Brooks]

8 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Now, I am confussed. Not difficult, I must confess. Homefire is smokeless but not approved for smokeless zone?

 

The webste says Homefire can be burnt in smokless zones.

 

Sorry about that, I got the drop downs for Specification and  Description mixed up.  Yes, they both say OK for smokeless zones. 

 

I find the whole of Smokeless fuels confusing. I have been unable to get a definitive calorific value for Excel and Red and I am sure the others are much the same. Of all things, I would have thought the calorific value was the most important for consumers.

[magnetman]

1 hour ago, rusty69 said:

They can't do that, Shirley. How can I consistently know what I'm buying if they keep changing the recipe?

 

Imagine if Mr kipling did that. Then where would we be. 

 

 

It is Coal Products Limited not Exceedingly Good Coal Products Limited. 

 

Comparing them with a cake maker is exceedingly bad. 

 

45 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

Sorry about that, I got the drop downs for Specification and  Description mixed up.  Yes, they both say OK for smokeless zones. 

 

I find the whole of Smokeless fuels confusing. I have been unable to get a definitive calorific value for Excel and Red and I am sure the others are much the same. Of all things, I would have thought the calorific value was the most important for consumers.

 

CPL used to publish the calorific value on the website for their products but not sure about Oxbow or others. 

 

 

45 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

. Of all things, I would have thought the calorific value was the most important for consumers.

 

Oxbow Red 30,000 Kj/kg

 

 

https://www.fourseasonsfuel.co.uk/coal-household-and-boiler/oxbow-red-approved-by-hetas-and-defra-smokeless-coal-in-20kg-bags-5-0-P-166/

Little list here https://www.cwfuels.co.uk/knowledge/calorific-information/

(Columbian. welsh. multi smokeless, homefire, phurnacite) in that order from 27,000 to 32,810 Mj/Kg

 

 

Newburn 33,100

 

Burnwell blend 33,100

 

 

 

 

Oxbow Excel 32,000

 

https://www.fitzpatrick-fuels.co.uk/Excel-Smokeless-Fuel

Edited January 21 by magnetman

[MtB]

1 hour ago, rusty69 said:

They can't do that, Shirley. How can I consistently know what I'm buying if they keep changing the recipe?

 

 

Because of the name!

 

If you want coal made out of crunchy anthracrite, buy plain "Homefire". If you prefer it made out of anthracite dust, buy "Homefire Ovals"

 

 

[rusty69]

1 hour ago, magnetman said:

(Columbian. welsh. multi smokeless, homefire, phurnacite) in that order from 27,000 to 32,810 Mj/Kg

 

Do you mean KJ/Kg?  

Edited January 21 by rusty69

[magnetman]

Yes. 

Hopefully people didn't go and buy from the website thinking their coals were a thousand times better than anything else's ! 

[rusty69]

16 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Yes. 

Hopefully people didn't go and buy from the website thinking their coals were a thousand times better than anything else's ! 

I ordered a tonne