Anthracite: How do you get it to burn ...

[Jim Batty]

Down to the last sack of Ovals, and a half bag of Anthracite I never got on with back in November. With any luck (today's beautiful!) I won't need any more.

 

Basically, I have tried to fire up Anthracite 'from scratch' (fire starters beneath good amount of kindling with Anthracite on top) to no avail. Even sprinkling Anthracite over an already deep and hot bed of red glowing Homefire Ovals doesn't seem to get it to burn. It just remains there after the fire's gone out as black, glassy chunks of stone.

 

What's the trick? What is this stuff?

[bigste]

You wanna burn anthracite? It's too dear to burn!

[nb Innisfree]

Down to the last sack of Ovals, and a half bag of Anthracite I never got on with back in November. With any luck (today's beautiful!) I won't need any more.

 

Basically, I have tried to fire up Anthracite 'from scratch' (fire starters beneath good amount of kindling with Anthracite on top) to no avail. Even sprinkling Anthracite over an already deep and hot bed of red glowing Homefire Ovals doesn't seem to get it to burn. It just remains there after the fire's gone out as black, glassy chunks of stone.

 

What's the trick? What is this stuff?

We have had great succes mixing it with Excel, as the weather gets colder increase the percentage of anthracite.

[bizzard]

Anthracite is really a high heat output furnace fuel and needs to be burnt more brightly and fiercely with much more bottom air than other stuff. It won't really just tickover gently without going out. Once its shut down to a dull red you'll probably have trouble reviving it. Its best to mix it with something free'er burning.

[kris88]

It's too warm to be burning a fire, haven't had one in for a week or so

Regards kris

[Up-Side-Down]

Anthracite is really a high heat output furnace fuel and needs to be burnt more brightly and fiercely with much more bottom air than other stuff. It won't really just tickover gently without going out. Once its shut down to a dull red you'll probably have trouble reviving it. Its best to mix it with something free'er burning.

Used to know a vet once whose party trick was to ignite 'bottom air.' He once made the mistake of doing it in a cow house that had just been freshly strawed down and nearly had the whole lot on fire. Somehow I don't think that this particular flatulent milker was over impressed.

[Chris Pink]

Down to the last sack of Ovals, and a half bag of Anthracite I never got on with back in November. With any luck (today's beautiful!) I won't need any more.

 

Basically, I have tried to fire up Anthracite 'from scratch' (fire starters beneath good amount of kindling with Anthracite on top) to no avail. Even sprinkling Anthracite over an already deep and hot bed of red glowing Homefire Ovals doesn't seem to get it to burn. It just remains there after the fire's gone out as black, glassy chunks of stone.

 

What's the trick? What is this stuff?

It's great. I use it almost exclusively now. Best bet is to get a good fire going first, wood or ovals, put the anthracite on, when you put some more on, riddle it hard, more the better, not like ovals. Unlike Bizzard I find that glowing anthracite will keep going but it's easier if you bung some dry wood on first, there's still a lot of heat left in it.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I didn't get on with it either.

Seemed I had to have a very hot fire to keep it going. Couldn't get it to stay in on a low draft.

 

I ended up mixing in it with other stuff to finish the bag off.

[Jim Batty]

Right, thanks all. I'll: get a good fire going; make sure that's red, red hot; dot the anthracite around on it; really open the bottom draft; and pray. Not sure I could handle all that heat tonight!

[Grace and Favour]

Anthracite burns wonderfully well on an established fire-bed - but it does need a good updraft/bottom air.

We use it all winter (3 anthracite to 1 Excel (or similar))

 

Wonderful stuff - - and we've even got the hang of keeping it in 12 hours through the night (in our Morso Squirrel)

[dmr]

We got some of this and it lead to a major domestic dispute. Gillie said throw it away but I said there must be some way to make it burn.

Gillie was correct!

Homefire ovals might be expensive but worth every penny!

 

...........Dave

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

The best thing to do with anthracite is throw it at troublesome children.

[the grinch]

i used to use a lot of it mixed with 25% wood and it was good

[mattlad]

Somewhere on t'internet I've seen a picture of a house built out of anthracite........

[Grace and Favour]

Somewhere on t'internet I've seen a picture of a house built out of anthracite........

Was it in Newcastle?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

( )

[Bee]

I had some of that once, called it safety coal, never did manage to set light to it.

[Mike Tee]

Was it in Newcastle?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

( )

No, Coalville

[Grace and Favour]

No, Coalville

Ah - Less-ter burn

[George94]

Anthracite is almost pure carbon, and creates more heat and less ash than any other coal. It's therefore good value for money. However, it has to burn hot, so it's great when you need a really hot fire, but hopeless if you try to turn the heat down,

 

Don't throw it away, just add it to another fuel when you need lots of heat. And always start the fire with something else; anthracite is a pig to light.

[Mike Tee]

Ah - Less-ter burn

I supose it could have been Burnham