Coal - the Dandys ??

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vidapura

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Got an awful shock when I went into my local Suplervalue to see a 20kg bag of coal priced at €22.50
Looked around and petrol stations seem to be around €17 a 20kg bag.. with Centra doing an offer of two 20kg bags for €32

Got a tip about this crowd up the north.. the dandys ... https://www.thedandys.ie/

Seems they will deliver a tonne.. ( 50 X 20kg bags) making it around €615 with delivery.. thats €12.30 a bag.. (for the glolite type)

Seems like a good deal.. but wondering has anyone else done business with them and used their Glolite coal?
 
I have bought farming/gardening stuff like weedkiller from thedandys in the past without any issues.
 
I have used Hayes bagged Surelit stove coal for ~5yrs from Couglans and it is stocked by the Dandys - so also tempted to buy a tonne off them. For last 4 years the coal was excellent, in grey Surelite bags, very little ash and only needed to empty ash tray every 2-3 days (fire on 24hrs when its cold).

However the latest batch in Orange Surelite is very poor, lots of ash , I will be complaining soon!
 
Thanks for takin the time to reply.

Now yeh have me wonderin tho.. if Hayes are not as good as they used to be then maybe I go for something else?
I found lots negative about easyglow.ie coal on boards... too much ash too ...
 
In northern Ireland the vat is 5% for 1 tonne and less and there is no carbon tax.

So a saving of about €180 per tonne in taxes.

Coal prices have also been dropping dramatically on the commodity markets so very busy merchants will have the benefit of lower pricing

Coal - Price - Chart - Historical Data - News

Coal decreased 253.15 USD/MT or 62.64% since the beginning of 2023, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Coal - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on December of 2023.
tradingeconomics.com tradingeconomics.com
 
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I've ordered the glolite from Dandys anyway..
Its working out at €12.30 a bag (20kg)... and the cheapest i can get a bag of anything around here is €16 (2 bag deal at centra)
So, fingers crossed the stuff isn't too bad. If its not good ye'll be the first to know ;)
 
vidapura said:
I've ordered the glolite from Dandys anyway..
Its working out at €12.30 a bag (20kg)... and the cheapest i can get a bag of anything around here is €16 (2 bag deal at centra)
So, fingers crossed the stuff isn't too bad. If its not good ye'll be the first to know ;)
Click to expand...
OK good luck keep us posted
 
Only just getting sat down.. the presents are all unwrapped and the turkey is in the oven.. so I've a few mins to breath.. heh.

The coal arrived in a coupla days .. no bother.. big pallet, well wrapped in plastic.
It needed to be cos I had to leave it out that night with the storm.
Twas all dry then next day. The plastic worked.

Starting loading the bags in the shed.. counting as I went...
I was a bit disconcerted when i ran out of bags at a count of 40.
But looked again .. and instead of 50 bags of 20kg.. i got 40 of 25kg.
Same difference, still adds up to a tonne... but it might make a difference to some people.
I like smaller bags .. just can't hack the 40kg bags.
The 25kg are still manageable tho.. so no complaints from me.

Of course, when the coal arrived, so did the mild spell.. so I've only lit 2 or 3 fires with the coal.
So far I can say that it works, it burns, its not produced any more ash than any other smokeless fuel I've had.
I've a big Stanley Erin stove and it seems to drive it well...

Basically, no complaints so far.
 
clinteastwood said:
I have used Hayes bagged Surelit stove coal for ~5yrs from Couglans and it is stocked by the Dandys - so also tempted to buy a tonne off them. For last 4 years the coal was excellent, in grey Surelite bags, very little ash and only needed to empty ash tray every 2-3 days (fire on 24hrs when its cold).

However the latest batch in Orange Surelite is very poor, lots of ash , I will be complaining soon!
Click to expand...
Just wondering if you got anywhere regarding the poor quality of your last delivery. Has the quality changed ?

Vidapura, are you still happy with your delivery ? Its a bit of a gamble without user recommendation.

Thanks
 
Ahh yeah, I'm happy.
Its been bloody cold this last coupla weeks and we have been comfortable.

I wouldn't be a coal connoisseur tho.. there's ash, but I don't know if its an excessive amount.. I normally empty the ash pan every day if i can.. but I'd get two days of fires without doing that and the fire doesn't choke. (half a 25kg bag a night)

It takes a while to get going .. but I dunno if thats normal with smokeless... I hadn't really paid much attention to that before now.
I do need a few split logs to get things moving but don't think yeh'd get any coal going with just firelighters.

Our stove is a big stanley erin one.. it might be a lot of metal to heat before it starts radiating...
Once ye get it glowing tho, the glolite seems to provide good heat .. if the useless stove fan thing is anything to go by.. its flyin along..

I use about half a bag a night.. I get the fire going bout 4pm and add to it as it builds.. by 7pm the jumpers have to come off and it stays comfortable till after we go to bed as long as I close down the vents.
If I think to put a last shovel-full onto it before we go then theres normally still a bit of life in it in the mornin so the kitchen is grand for the start of the day.
Generally there's only ash left once its all burned through, no coke or whatever..

So, yeah, I think its ok, but I don't remember any smokeless coal being much better.. "real" coal was probably hotter/faster but ye wouldn't be comparing like with like.

At the price I got it for, compared to what I'd pay locally .. i reckon I've done well.
(31 bags left out of 40)
 
Thanks for the info. You've convinced me. The price difference and delivery to door its got to be worth ago.
 
robd10 said:
Just wondering if you got anywhere regarding the poor quality of your last delivery. Has the quality changed ?

Vidapura, are you still happy with your delivery ? Its a bit of a gamble without user recommendation.

Thanks
Click to expand...
I'm stlll burning my way through the HAYES surelite orange bag coal. its not as goood as previous hayes surelit in white bags...

I will v likely give the dandys an order in May when season to replenish my stock for next winter.
 
vidapura said:
Ahh yeah, I'm happy.
Its been bloody cold this last coupla weeks and we have been comfortable.

I wouldn't be a coal connoisseur tho.. there's ash, but I don't know if its an excessive amount.. I normally empty the ash pan every day if i can.. but I'd get two days of fires without doing that and the fire doesn't choke. (half a 25kg bag a night)

It takes a while to get going .. but I dunno if thats normal with smokeless... I hadn't really paid much attention to that before now.
I do need a few split logs to get things moving but don't think yeh'd get any coal going with just firelighters.

Our stove is a big stanley erin one.. it might be a lot of metal to heat before it starts radiating...
Once ye get it glowing tho, the glolite seems to provide good heat .. if the useless stove fan thing is anything to go by.. its flyin along..

I use about half a bag a night.. I get the fire going bout 4pm and add to it as it builds.. by 7pm the jumpers have to come off and it stays comfortable till after we go to bed as long as I close down the vents.
If I think to put a last shovel-full onto it before we go then theres normally still a bit of life in it in the mornin so the kitchen is grand for the start of the day.
Generally there's only ash left once its all burned through, no coke or whatever..

So, yeah, I think its ok, but I don't remember any smokeless coal being much better.. "real" coal was probably hotter/faster but ye wouldn't be comparing like with like.

At the price I got it for, compared to what I'd pay locally .. i reckon I've done well.
(31 bags left out of 40)
Click to expand...
To light fire, but down a bed of coal, then about 10 sticks on top and finally a small log on top. The aim is to get the log burning so the heat then starts the coal underneath.

With this approach I would have 9/10 fires start first time, without intervention. Note smokeless coal, as a user since since the 90s, you dont gwt get much of a flame, its the red-hot embers which do the heating. Try not to poke the fire or constantly top up, as the coal goes to ash. So dont top up with coal unless ~4-5 hrs has passed and sometimes longer, leave well alone.

If fire is close to going out, place a few sticks on top and a small amount of coal. Ie dont smotter the flame. then 20-30mins later gradulaay increase your coal bed and again leave alone....
 
So.. you put the the sticks on TOP ??
Thats a new one on me.. will definitely have to give that a try tonight now.

Completely agree with the "leave alone" approach.. I used to load far too much coal into the stove.. these days I'm using less coal and getting just as much heat.
 
robd10 said:
Thanks for the info. You've convinced me. The price difference and delivery to door its got to be worth ago.
Click to expand...
Just if you're still worried about taking the plunge.. I noticed that my local Centra/petrol station is doing two 20kg bags for €26 at the moment...
I reckon €13 a bag is alright...
 
vidapura said:
So.. you put the the sticks on TOP ??
Thats a new one on me.. will definitely have to give that a try tonight now.

Completely agree with the "leave alone" approach.. I used to load far too much coal into the stove.. these days I'm using less coal and getting just as much heat.
Click to expand...
Yes bed of coal, sticks and then a small log on top..whatever can fit between the bed, sticks and top of the firebox......the sticks get the log firing and within an hour the log will have the coal lit...
 
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