Coal / solid state fuel bargains

paddy147 · 07-11-2012 7:21pm

jameshayes wrote: »

The logs in Aldi are 35% water content. Wasted my money buying a bag of them

Its actually moisture content.

Peterdalkey · 07-11-2012 7:28pm

paddy147 wrote: »

Its actually moisture content.

And moisture is............suspended water!

enricoh · 07-11-2012 7:36pm

in drogheda try king coal 5 bags delivered 70 yoyo and its excellent, at the border at culloville hoey fuels sell bags for 10 yoyo not as good but better than the 'house' crap. only pays to go up if your going up anyway or using the company cars juice!

paddyp · 07-11-2012 10:50pm

The bord na mona polish doubles I've burned for the last few years seem poorer quality this year the stuff is filthy.

I'm changing to Arigna Ecobrite its more expensive per kg but the calorific value is higher - 32MJ/kg versus 26-28MJ for polish coal so that offset the price a little.

I get ecobrite at connacht gold in athleague for 15.65 / 40kg its 15.90 in Wards roscommon so not worth the petrol to athleague if you're passing there.

The equivalent energy price to polish medium/large size coal is (28/32) x 15.65 = 13.69
Small size cheap polish coals are lower again 20-22MJ/kg so equivalent is (22/32) x 15.65 = 10.76
BNM Briquettes are 17.7-19MJ/kg so eqquivalent is (19/32) x 15.65 = 9.29

So you're really not saving much if anything buying the bituminous stuff, if you factor in sweeping the chimney twice as often you might be paying more if you're not a diyer.

Is harder to start burning needs more air but once its going the stove and glass stay spotless and the ash content is only 4%.

Should have listened to my neighbour 3 years ago when he recommended it.

[edit]It also keeps the fire overnight no problem, I had to use briquettes to keep the fire with the polish stuff. Doesn't block the grate either. I'm sure there are other equivalents

Dan82 · 07-11-2012 11:03pm

paddyp wrote: »

The bord na mona polish doubles I've burned for the last few years seem poorer quality this year the stuff is filthy.

I'm changing to Arigna Ecobrite its more expensive per kg but the calorific value is higher - 32MJ/kg versus 26-28MJ for polish coal so that offset the price a little.

I get ecobrite at connacht gold in athleague for 15.65 / 40kg its 15.90 in Wards roscommon so not worth the petrol to athleague if you're passing there.

The equivalent energy price to polish medium/large size coal is (28/32) x 15.65 = 13.69
Small size cheap polish coals are lower again 20-22MJ/kg so equivalent is (22/32) x 15.65 = 10.76

So you're really not saving much if anything buying the bituminous stuff, if you factor in sweeping the chimney twice as often you might be paying more if you're not a diyer.

Is harder to start burning needs more air but once its going the stove and glass stay spotless and the ash content is only 4%.

Should have listened to my neighbour 3 years ago when he recommended it.

Can i get this anywhere in Kildare or Dublin guys, its what im looking for, great coal

Gee_G · 08-11-2012 10:04am

deckycoop wrote: »

Rite well i.ll get myself a bag and tell you wat my result was

Its very good. We haVe an two open fires and a stove and use it regularly. Great for if you are going out for few hours, pack it up with this, it smolders for a few hours then lights up and giVes great heat out. Great for stove too. You wouldn't really use it for when you're planning to sit on front of fire as I said it just smolders for a while before starts throwing out any major heat

Zascar · 08-11-2012 3:39pm

Mates of mine have used http://firewooddublin.ie and happy with the service

paddyp · 08-11-2012 4:29pm

Dan82 wrote: »

Can i get this anywhere in Kildare or Dublin guys, its what im looking for, great coal

If you call them they'll tell you +353 7196 46002 definitely worth ringing around the suppliers it was between 16.70 and 15.65 in our area.

paddy147 · 08-11-2012 8:36pm

jameshayes wrote: »

The logs in Aldi are 35% water content. Wasted my money buying a bag of them

Where did you read this then?

casio4 · 08-11-2012 8:50pm

Zascar wrote: »

Mates of mine have used http://firewooddublin.ie and happy with the service

€12 for a 20kg bag of coal is dear

paddy147 · 08-11-2012 9:00pm

casio4 wrote: »

€12 for a 20kg bag of coal is dear

14 euro 50 cents for a 40kg bag of Polish Premium in most of the builders providers.;):)

jameshayes · 08-11-2012 9:07pm

paddy147 wrote: »

Where did you read this then?

my water content meter told me

paddy147 · 08-11-2012 9:14pm

jameshayes wrote: »

my water content meter told me

Thats fair enough.:)

I looked at a bag or Alio logs in Aldi today.

It didnt mention anything on them apart from being Irish logs and air dried.

The pallet of logs seemed very wet/damp to the touch,so maybe they had been left outdoors in the wet before being brought into the shop floor.

jameshayes · 10-11-2012 2:30pm

fella set up in the old cherry tree car park on the walkinstown roundabout selling 40kg bags for 17.50

I dont know if thats a bargain or not tho because i'm VERY new to buying coal - pic attached.

deckycoop · 10-11-2012 3:19pm

Place on the way into athlone selling polish doubles for 12.50... great value and good stuff...

paddyp · 10-11-2012 3:40pm

deckycoop wrote: »

Place on the way into athlone selling polish doubles for 12.50... great value and good stuff...

All road lead to 'lone :P which one would this be?

Blured · 10-11-2012 4:42pm

horse7 wrote: »

how much is the 40kg coal in the hardware in dunboyne?

Friend of mine works there, it's 15.50 for 40kgs of the good Bord Na Mona stuff and if you buy 5 bags you get a 40kg slack free with it

CottonMouth · 11-11-2012 12:26am

jameshayes wrote: »

The logs in Aldi are 35% water content. Wasted my money buying a bag of them

Me too, between 35% & 40% water content so stuck with two useless bags of them.
I cut trees a few months ago which already have a lower reading than that.

Aldi logs to be avoided.

zenit · 11-11-2012 12:42am

Aldi Heat Logs at €4.62 for a box of 10 at less than 10% moisture are very good. They work well in my stove but may not in an open fire.

dan.inc · 11-11-2012 10:44am

Any recommendations for Wicklow bargains?

JTPB · 11-11-2012 7:53pm

jameshayes wrote: »

The logs in Aldi are 35% water content. Wasted my money buying a bag of them

CottonMouth wrote: »

Me too, between 35% & 40% water content so stuck with two useless bags of them.
I cut trees a few months ago which already have a lower reading than that.

Aldi logs to be avoided.

Me too.
Bought these "Alio" wooden logs in Aldi in Parnell Street, Dublin 1. They simply would not light, with firelighters, even using those peat "instant fire" type firelogs as firelighters. They felt damp to the touch, as if they had been out in a long downpour a week previously.

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/special_buys3_24290.htm

seems to be a bad deal, hopefully they will have better wooden logs next year.

(BTW, their Alio coal fire packs, same brand, seemed fine. They were in a waterproof bag, though).

jameshayes · 12-11-2012 12:57pm

CottonMouth wrote: »

Me too, between 35% & 40% water content so stuck with two useless bags of them.
I cut trees a few months ago which already have a lower reading than that.

Aldi logs to be avoided.

Yeah same as me, cut down 2 trees a month ago and the logs from that are in and around 30% ffs!

finnharpsboy · 13-11-2012 6:43pm

ABS Building Supplies Bluebell selling 40kg bag black diamond smokeless coal for 13.50 a bag

seen their add here http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/heating/4173944

micky mouse · 13-11-2012 11:43pm

Can this be used in an open fire and does there be much embers left after it . How does it compare with polish coal

Aenaes · 14-11-2012 12:36am

finnharpsboy wrote: »

ABS Building Supplies Bluebell selling 40kg bag black diamond smokeless coal for 13.50 a bag

seen their add here http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/heating/4173944

People might want to note that these are nuggets/coal briquettes and not regular smokeless coal. Nuggets are cheaper but 13.50 does seem a good price, especially for Dublin.

micky mouse wrote: »

Can this be used in an open fire and does there be much embers left after it . How does it compare with polish coal

"Ecobrite is a compact, slow burning, smokeless fuel for cookers, stoves and room heaters." That's taken from Arigna Fuels website. I've never heard of anyone using it an open fire and I doubt it would burn well.

paddyp · 14-11-2012 1:52am

micky mouse wrote: »

Can this be used in an open fire and does there be much embers left after it . How does it compare with polish coal

Cosyglo is the open fire version of ecobrite.

paddyp · 14-11-2012 2:07am

finnharpsboy wrote: »

ABS Building Supplies Bluebell selling 40kg bag black diamond smokeless coal for 13.50 a bag

seen their add here http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/heating/4173944

Union nuggets are compressed lignite around the same energy as peat briquettes 19MJ/kg and lots of ash.

So that 13.50 is really about 20.00 compared with quality coal.

Daisy M · 14-11-2012 3:23pm

micky mouse wrote: »

Can this be used in an open fire and does there be much embers left after it . How does it compare with polish coal

It also says on the arigna site that it can be used in open fires but may not burn down completely. After a bit of experimenting we now start the fire with cozyglow and top it up with ecobrite this heats the backboiler much better than just cozyglow or eco brite on its own. We throw on a few briquettes towards the end of the night to burn away all the bits that would otherwise be left behind from the ecobrite.
I prefer this to polish coal, its a cleaner fuel and if you heap it up it burns for ages, doesnt spit or send huge flames up the chimney.
Last night put on fire at 7 and by 9, 8 rads, 3 of which are doubles, were pretty warm.

fulhamfan · 14-11-2012 10:04pm

Hi,
Getting fuel at decent price in Dublin is a pain. Found
http://kiltimonecofuels.com/products.html and ordered 5 x 1 ton logs in conjunction with my neighbor. Cost 62 per ton, delivery free and some eco logs and kindling thrown in. Logs dry as anything, great size as neither too big nor too small and it is 110 cheaper per ton than ones I saw locally in a mulch centre. Delivery free if u order over 100 euro and their service and fuel excellent:-))

paddyp · 15-11-2012 10:56pm

fulhamfan wrote: »

Hi,
Getting fuel at decent price in Dublin is a pain. Found
http://kiltimonecofuels.com/products.html and ordered 5 x 1 ton logs in conjunction with my neighbor. Cost 62 per ton, delivery free and some eco logs and kindling thrown in. Logs dry as anything, great size as neither too big nor too small and it is 110 cheaper per ton than ones I saw locally in a mulch centre. Delivery free if u order over 100 euro and their service and fuel excellent:-))

Ton bag = 1m3 bag.
1m3 bulk chopped logs on the other hand is more like 0.5m3 of timber.
Which would be 250kg - 350kg depending on the type of wood - willow to oak.
Air dried thats about 16MJ/kg.
Thats equal to 142kg - 200kg of quality polish coal 4-5 bags.

1m3 of stacked chopped logs is as much as 0.8m3 of timber.
Stacked logs would be equal to 227kg to 320kg or 6-8 bags of polish coal.

Explains the variance in price in most of these places.

Actually hadn't taken into account the spruces and cedar which are as little as little as 390kg/m3.

horse7 · 16-11-2012 9:17pm

W123-80's wrote: »

The Buy Lo store in the retail park on the Naas Road are selling 40kg bags of Bord Na Mona Coal for €11.99 per bag. (Same retail Park that has Homebase)

I just bought 2 bags. Can't comment on the quality yet, only after putting on a fire.!
They also had 40kg Black Diamond coal at €16.99, so not sure what the difference in quality is.

is that the royal liver centre store

horse7 · 16-11-2012 9:23pm

horse7 wrote: »

how much is the 40kg coal in the hardware in dunboyne?

checked it out,and its 15.50 a 40 kg bag diamond label

finnharpsboy · 16-11-2012 9:26pm

€11.99 a bag in buy lo? might have to look into that... used the €13.50 bags i got in ABS Building Supplies and in fairness i couldnt complain at all got another 6 today

horse7 · 16-11-2012 9:26pm

paddy147 wrote: »

14 euro 50 cents for a 40kg bag of Polish Premium in most of the builders providers.;):)

as in say chadwicks glasnevin, could you name some near blanchardstown.

horse7 · 16-11-2012 9:28pm

Blured wrote: »

Friend of mine works there, it's 15.50 for 40kgs of the good Bord Na Mona stuff and if you buy 5 bags you get a 40kg slack free with it

you sure about the free bag, theres nothing on the price board outside.

paddy147 · 16-11-2012 10:05pm

horse7 wrote: »

as in say chadwicks glasnevin, could you name some near blanchardstown.

Any Chadwicks or Heiton Buckleys builders providers.:)

horse7 · 17-11-2012 2:39pm

buy low is out of stock this morning.

mickydcork · 19-11-2012 11:28am

fulhamfan wrote: »

Hi,
Getting fuel at decent price in Dublin is a pain. Found
http://kiltimonecofuels.com/products.html and ordered 5 x 1 ton logs in conjunction with my neighbor. Cost 62 per ton, delivery free and some eco logs and kindling thrown in. Logs dry as anything, great size as neither too big nor too small and it is 110 cheaper per ton than ones I saw locally in a mulch centre. Delivery free if u order over 100 euro and their service and fuel excellent:-))

Are these hardwood logs?

jameshayes · 20-11-2012 2:49pm

jameshayes wrote: »

The logs in Aldi are 35% water content. Wasted my money buying a bag of them

Just checked the logs in Lidl they are selling - 30% content - also useless.

finnharpsboy · 22-11-2012 7:32am

Well has anyone else tried out the €13.50 coal from that place in bluebell?

horse7 · 22-11-2012 4:33pm

buy low no longer selling the bnm coal(11.99) 40kg bags.

Vince1974 · 22-11-2012 5:29pm

Any good solid fuel deals inc delivery for Galway?

karltimber · 28-11-2012 4:19pm

mickydcork wrote: »

Are these hardwood logs?

just onto Kiltimon - the e70 per ton price is for dried softwood

it's an extra e20 per ton for kiln dried hard wood.
for me - 4 ton of hard wood for e350 delivered in leinster with extras too.

k

SnowDrifts · 28-11-2012 4:56pm

karltimber wrote: »

just onto Kiltimon - the e70 per ton price is for dried softwood

it's an extra e20 per ton for kiln dried hard wood.
for me - 4 ton of hard wood for e350 delivered in leinster with extras too.

k

€90 per tonne BAG is certainly not a bargain alert.

Also - A tonne bag is not = tonne of logs.

paddy147 · 28-11-2012 5:00pm

SnowDrifts wrote: »

€90 per tonne BAG is certainly not a bargain alert.

Also - A tonne bag is not = tonne of logs.

+1

and

+1

cgc5483 · 28-11-2012 5:17pm

SnowDrifts wrote: »

€90 per tonne BAG is certainly not a bargain alert.

Also - A tonne bag is not = tonne of logs.

Just interested by what you mean by which. It's not a tonne weight is it? What would be a good price for kiln dried hard woods?

SnowDrifts · 28-11-2012 5:25pm

cgc5483 wrote: »

Just interested by what you mean by which. It's not a tonne weight is it? What would be a good price for kiln dried hard woods?

First - "a tonne bag" is just the name put on the bag in which the logs are delivered in. The weight of the logs is not a tonne.

Second - Don't waste your money on kiln dried logs.

Third - Look to get well seasoned hard wood logs. That means, they must be let season for approx. 2 years (depending on the wood) after they have been cut. A good price for a "tonne bag" of the above, would be €50-60.

*Edit* The reason I think kiln dried logs are a waste of money is because they burn too quickly and your paying an extra premium for this privilege. Also, I have found that seasoned logs with a moisture content of 20% tends to be the perfect number.

Vince1974 · 28-11-2012 5:52pm

I have been keeping my eye on this thread for a couple of days and haven't seen even one usable bargain alert... Winter is approaching and I love a good (bargain) hardwood fire!

finnharpsboy · 28-11-2012 6:32pm

surely €13.50 for a 40kg bag of coal is a usable bargain vince, no?

Vince1974 · 28-11-2012 6:49pm

It would be if you're looking for coal.

I prefer the way wood burns and the way it sounds when it does.

Coal / solid state fuel bargains

Comments