Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - Coal doesn't burn anymore?

I have a Vermont Castings Vigilant cast iron stove with the coal conversion kit installed. I've burned coal in it for about ten years without a problem. I even became an expert at starting a coal fire. I was able to keep it burning continuously, 24 hours a day, the entire winter.

However, the last few years, for some strange reason, I can not ever get the coal to ignite, let alone burn. I thought that maybe I had a bad load of coal. So, I bought coal from a different supplier and had the same results. It barely lights and then quickly goes out.

My son claims it's because we had a large white pine taken down which was about 15 feet from the chimney. I can't believe this. I heard that a large tree will often hinder the draft from a chimney not help it. Either way I haven't been able to heat with my coal stove for the last three years.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,
Ron

Id say for sure a tree can screw up the draft on a flue. not when you take it down. So is the flue clean not blocked good draft in it???? Check the whole flue out . I have found squirrel nest, parts of flue tile ,bricks you name it. thats what Id look at first is the flue "ok" .


ED ;)

Thanks Ed,

The stove vents into a stainless steel insulated chimney. Everything seemed to check out OK in the fall. I've been burning wood on the coal grates without a problem, no smoke in the house or puff backs at all. That's why I suspected bad coal. The problem somewhat coincided with my original coal dealer going out of business. But, like I said, coal from two different suppliers will not burn. One of them even said that there is no such thing as bad coal, just different ash content which will affect how long it will burns. I'm stumped.

Ron