Saving on Winter Fuels Smokeless Coal

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 Calco Smokeless Coal

Smokeless Coal

at a really GOOD price

I have decided this winter to hold off on buying Heating Oil because the price is just horrific - 20% dearer that up the North - due to Irish taxes.

Instead, I am using smokeless coal in my stove and in my back boiler and fire door fireplace. So far, I am very pleased with the results.

Bord na Mona is charging €18.50 per 40Kg bag for the "Cozy Glow" smokeless. This is a good quality non-flame type of smokeless "briquette" type coal, but the price is very high indeed.

So I went on the hunt for an alternative and I eventually found a coal that works well in my stove and modified fireplace. The supplier I found is in Tralee. This smokeless coal is almost 25% cheaper than the Bord na Mona coal and it gives me results just about as good as the Cozyglo.

I have kept my fire burning overnight and the house toasty warm on this coal. The coal burns really well in stoves and is not too difficult to light. It is called Calco Smokeless and is a mixture of briquettes and nuggets. (see the photo above taken in my back yard)

If you buy three bags or more at a time you will get it for just €14 per 40Kg bag. So are you are asking me where is this bargain to be had??

The small privately owned business is located in Tralee. They will deliver in the Tralee area free of charge. If you are outside the town you will have to collect. I am all for small enterprises and therefore very happy to give these guys a go.

Here are the contact details.

Econ Fuels
Monavalley Industrial Estate
(just off the "Fat Mile" and
opposite DPL builders suppliers)
Tralee
086-8320050
066-4011099

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LED Lamps Comparison of 6 watt types

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A Quick Check-back 

on some 6 Watt LED Lamps

These 6watt LEDS have very poor light output - 

Less than a 5 watt of similar design

The above type of 6watt lamps are IMHO to be avoided. The light output for a 6watt LED is very poor. In fact, they give less light than a 5watt LED of similar design.

The gold coloured one on the left above is by far the poorest light output - I wouldn't bother with any more of these ever! The silver ones on the right, give a little better output - one advantage is the price is very low on these - I guess the Chinese acknowledge they have a loser and have priced it accordingly. They seem OK for holding output and none of mine have fried as yet. They might be worth looking at on economic grounds. At $5 for a GU10 LED that works but not as bright as a 6 watt should be - yea - good value enough if you are happy with the lower light output.

This is the star performer of the bunch - light output similar to 35Watt Halogen

The above type of 6 watt LED bulb I have found to be the best of the current bunch for light output. It is recognisable by the three separate small lenses rather than the other design which has all the LED under one large lens.

It matches a 35watt12 volt  halogen MR16. problem is here - the Chinese recognise they have a winner and have bumped up the already higher price in recent weeks by about 20%. I am sure that the high level pricing will not hold, I for one will not be buying anymore at the higher price.

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