Smoke gets in your eyes

[dogless]

We exclusively burn Oxbow Excel smokeless fuel.

 

It's not the cheapest but in our stove it's the best, produces plenty of heat, lasts absolutely ages, and produces very little ash.

 

It's a great smokeless fuel BUT ...

 

Why does it smoke like buggery for 30 minutes when you put fresh fuel on ?

 

It's not wet, there's no wood or firelighters involved, but it smokes for a period before settling down to be entirely smoke free.

 

Rog

[matty40s]

It will be damp inside.

Not only is it bagged and stored outside before it comes to you, if you store it outside in cratch or on roof, every cold night will create condensation inside the bag.

The only way of reducing this is to have de-bagged , ventilated storage inside the boat,(wicker style basket or wooden box with vents.

 

[LadyG]

5 minutes ago, matty40s said:

It will be damp inside.

Not only is it bagged and stored outside before it comes to you, if you store it outside in cratch or on roof, every cold night will create condensation inside the bag.

The only way of reducing this is to have de-bagged , ventilated storage inside the boat,(wicker style basket or wooden box with vents.

 

I usually buy from Ace Enegy. They store everything inside so it is dry when it arrives. The last lot i bought is another place (Valley Fuels), which i know has a huge shed. Their fuel is dry and logs are as described.

I keep logs indoors and the fuel can be put on the top of the stove to warm up before being put on the fire 

Edited April 7 by LadyG

[dogless]

That all makes sense, thank you 👍🏻

 

I've suggested we open bags and spread it around on the saloon carpet to dry it off and test the theory out.

 

But Jane's not very keen on the idea, so I'll just have to put up with 30 mins smoking.

 

Rog

Edited April 7 by dogless

[booke23]

I've experimented with lots of different smokeless coals in the stove at home and they all smoke to a degree until fully lit. Dampness seems to only have a small effect as I've burnt smokeless coal that has been in a bunker all summer and dry as a bone....it still smokes when first lit. 

 

In my experience smokeless coals with high petrocoke content tend to be more smokey until fully lit and I think Oxbow excel falls into this category.

[matty40s]

9 minutes ago, dogless said:

That all makes sense, thank you 👍🏻

 

I've suggested we open bags and spread it around on the saloon carpet to dry it off and test the theory out.

 

But Jane's not very keen on the idea, so I'll just have to put up with 30 mins smoking.

 

Rog

Perhaps buy a string bag rucksack,  and when you go off for your daily jogs, take half a sack with you on your back to dry off in the swiftly flowing wind....

[LadyG]

My stove is not great to light, so i try to keep it ticking over.

I use kindling and logs to get a bed of coals to co operate.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

14 minutes ago, dogless said:

That all makes sense, thank you 👍🏻

 

I've suggested we open bags and spread it around on the saloon carpet to dry it off and test the theory out.

 

But Jane's not very keen on the idea, so I'll just have to put up with 30 mins smoking.

 

Rog

If your boat has a shower tray, then that's  where you put the coal to dry off. No showering of course. Posher boaters have a bath tub, where larger quantities can be stored and dried simultaneously.

[dogless]

Good plan ... we have a bath so I could empty each sack in there to dry off.

 

Not sure how I'm going to sell the idea to Jane.

 

Rog

[Col_T]

Or maybe just open the bag, to allow any condensation / damp to dry off?

[dogless]

6 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Perhaps buy a string bag rucksack,  and when you go off for your daily jogs, take half a sack with you on your back to dry off in the swiftly flowing wind....

Great idea but sadly I can no longer run due to a failed knee and old age ... mind you I used to sweat like a turkey on a trampoline whilst running, so the drying out may not have happened anyway.

 

Rog

5 minutes ago, Col_T said:

Or maybe just open the bag, to allow any condensation / damp to dry off?

The last Excel we bought was at King's Bromley marina where it's all stored in a proper dry shed.

 

From there I placed it in the cratch so still dry.

 

I have to open the bag to fill the skuttle which is then stored by the fire in a very warm spot.

 

And still the fire smokes for 30 mins once placed on the stove.

 

Rog

[nicknorman]

1 hour ago, dogless said:

Great idea but sadly I can no longer run due to a failed knee and old age ... mind you I used to sweat like a turkey on a trampoline whilst running, so the drying out may not have happened anyway.

 

Rog

The last Excel we bought was at King's Bromley marina where it's all stored in a proper dry shed.

 

From there I placed it in the cratch so still dry.

 

I have to open the bag to fill the skuttle which is then stored by the fire in a very warm spot.

 

And still the fire smokes for 30 mins once placed on the stove.

 

Rog

 

Smokeless = Smokes Less. Not Absense of Smoke!

I find it better to put a little on at a time onto a still-hot stove, not a great load onto a nearly-out stove. More hassle but less smoke.

Edited April 7 by nicknorman

[haggis]

We use Excel too but don't have the problem you have. We keep the bags in the cratch but the coal still seems to get damp .we have a small coal scuttle which we keep beside the fire and we top it up when necessary. This way the coal is always dry and that seems to help.

[booke23]

11 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

 

Smokeless = Smokes Less. Not Absense of Smoke!

I find it better to put a little on at a time onto a still-hot stove, not a great load onto a nearly-out stove. More hassle but less smoke.

 

I find this technique works well too. 

[dogless]

It's a great idea but we tend to wander off exploring rather than staying to tend the fire.

 

The smokey 30 mins isn't that bad ... certainly as compared to the old days of boats burning coal. 😁

 

Rog

[5239]

55 minutes ago, dogless said:

It's a great idea but we tend to wander off exploring rather than staying to tend the fire.

yes, me too,

I generally explore the pub while the fire gets going and warms boat up for when I get back,

 

the smokey half hour ain’t too bad when countryfied but in the centre of town it can draw some looks off of folk,

joggers make a big deal over it, coughing and spluttering 😳

[magnetman]

It could be to do with how the briquettes are briquetted in the briquetting machine. 

 

 

[bizzard]

Homemade Meccano trivet to pre dry my Excel on.

[cuthound]

37 minutes ago, bizzard said:

Homemade Meccano trivet to pre dry my Excel on.

 

Is that a samosa gently warming up in the top right hand corner of your trivet?

[MtB]

I used to do the same as that nice Mr Blizzard, but without the Meccano.

 

Didn't make any difference though...

 

 

 

[Drayke]

3 hours ago, bizzard said:

Homemade Meccano trivet to pre dry my Excel on.

But if you do that it must create condensation inside the boat will it not?