Fueling Our Off Grid Property with Coal & Heating Oil

We hit the winter roads to pick up coal for the shop stove and build a simple fuel transfer tank to haul heating oil which powers our Kubota diesel generator, boiler in the shop and a small Toyo stove in the cabin.

We appreciate you tagging along for our Alaskan adventure 😀

Thank you for watching and supporting our channel! 💙
- Eric & Arielle

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𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐚 -

[russellwood]

Hey guys, a possible tip to help you with your fire and smoke coming back into your home. I’m a bricklayer by trade and back home in Ireland. I have built many fireplace and chimneys. The main reason for coming back into a room is the chimney is not tall enough. If you make the chimney taller, it creates a stronger draft due to the increased pressure and difference between the inside and outside air. You should then eliminate the issue with smoke coming back into your home. Hope the tip helps. PS I know you’ve been using the splits off your sawmill. I just hope you’ve given it sufficient time to dry out. This will also eliminate some of your smoke issues. I’m not 100% sure but I think softwoods need 6 to 8 months to dry out if it’s a hardwood like oak or maple you usually give it a couple of years.

[CherylRios-dvqo]

A lot of folks in KY burn coal. Of course, there are tons of coal in the mines up in Appalachian Mountains of eastern KY. My family burned it for years and years. It is a dirty business but very warm. We always bought lump coal by the ton. Anyway, one year I couldn't find the sledge hammer to bust up some lump coal for the stove. My husband was at work. I had the genius idea of using a cast iron frying pan to bust up some coal. Well, of course, I literally broke the bottom out of a cast iron frying pan! I did get some smaller lumps for the stove though. So - don't try using a cast iron frying pan to break up the coal or you will own one less frying pan. I also lived in AK from 1977-79 and was there when the pipeline opened. I loved it there and have always wanted to return. I watch y'all faithfully and so miss the adventures up there so it is a great feeling to share your experiences vicariously. Keep on keeping on.

[lindaburnside]

We used coal and wood to heat our house when I was a child. There's an art form to it. Dad would line the bottom of the stove with wood - not too thick. Then he put a lump of coal on top of that and some more wood around that. The wood would catch fire first with the kindling, and then the coal would eventually catch. The coal would still be hot in the morning when the wood was long gone. It's great for burning all night and keeping you warm.

[TheVorgartenzwerg]

Hey guys,
Helicopter Pilot from Germany here;
When storing diesel or Jet fuel, you should keep it stored cool and dark. We had microbial growth in one of our tanks and it killed a helicopter and nearly also the pilot. So maybe use a fuel filter suited for the pump throughput and a fuel stabilizer to stop the growth.
Take care and thank you for sharing your life with us.

[donaldpuetz]

Still seems very strange not seeing the pups.
Y’all are awesome, hardworking people.

[LittleDreamFarm]

When I was a kid, our house was heated with coal and wood—a true art form in itself! Dad was the maestro, carefully laying a bed of wood, not too thick, then topping it with a solid lump of coal, like the crown jewel. More wood surrounded it, and with a little kindling magic, the wood would ignite first. But the real star? That coal would catch and stay red-hot all night long, keeping us warm while the wood turned to ash hours earlier. By morning, the coal was still doing its job—quietly powerful, like a midnight guardian against the cold.

[ursusak]

In regards to the seed room and your frost drive. You guys would be best served with wrapping the exterior of the blocks with at least 4” of foam board. Preferably in two 2” layers so you can stagger the seams. Three layers would be even better but just depends on your budget. Later in the spring you can side over the foam with roof metal or boards to protect the foam.

[lawrencewonch]

Hi Arielle, this is Sheryl, Larry's wife and we started watching you guys a couple of years ago. I just wanted to take the time to say that I think that you are very amazing doing all that you do. I just love it when you do cooking on the show, and baking even more! Have you thought about maybe putting out your own cook book?
Your attitude in the face of hardship is admirable. I look forward to the next video!

[PICARDY]

WE LEARNED THE HARD WAY - "WHEN YOU BUY QUALITY, YOU ONLY CRY ONCE"! NICE WARM VIDEO

[marymurphy]

Ok ... Republic of Ireland gal here! Dad was a block, brick and stone mason... he didn't just educate his only son, but his 3 oldest daughters! The chimney needs to be higher lads! Hugs and kisses from Cork Ireland 🇮🇪 😘 ❤

[chefevielee]

I just realized I must be sitting here every sunday at exactly video release time. Because i'm always one of the first people to see the video come up.

[donwilberg]

I worked at a coal mine in utah for 27 yrs. I've used about 700 tons of coal in my time. Loved using it great heat with coal but it will cause more creasote than wood, a great way to minimize that problem is to burn quake aspen wood from quake trees if you have it up there, you two are a hoot to watch been watching you for 2-3 yrs. Love your channel.

[rb]

If you put a little 12V clip on fan in the door way to your seed room, at the top pointing up into the seed room, it will generate a surprising amount of convection, or one of those vehicle window fans. I would not use those box fans you have. Those things are cheap but not very good and they suck to much power. If you do not want to use any power, get you a few of those stove fans and have 2 of them pointing at the doorway to the seed room and one pointing out into the shop. Also, use your tractor bucket to load firewood onto your deck. That is what I do. Simply raise and tilt the bucket so you can offload standing on the deck. Super convenient.

[deborahwiss]

You made me chuckle when you held coal for the first time. I was a reminder of just how OLD I am. Coal was the only source of fuel for heat we had when I was growing up. Plus, we learned about the types of coal in elementary school.

[osvaldomarconatobosi]

The cutest couple on the internet! Sorry I don’t speak English, but I watch all your videos!

[DisabledandPrepping]

Of course, you can get coal in North Pole Alaska cause there's where Santa's shop is and he has to have coal for those kids that are on the naughty list..lol

[carolewarner]

I think that the only way you'll get your seed room block wall to warm up is to put 4 - 6" of rigid foam insulation on the outside of it. You'd need to figure out a way to cover and slope it a bit just below the windows though... Not an easy fix as a retrofit. You could put insulation on the inside, but with your windows sitting on top of that wall, it will stay far warmer in there if you manage to insulate the outside. Then the wall actually could act as a (positive) thermal mass to radiate heat back out to the plants in the evenings when the temps outside drop.

[m.p.]

I grew up in Detroit and we used a coal furnace. It worked great heating the whole house. Wow, it brings back memories. 80 yrs ago.

[jeanneamato]

You are the coolest, most fascinating, most informative of any shows.

[michaelharkavi]

A stock run, some tinkering, and a bundt cake. This feels like 3 videos in one. You guys are my heroes. I hope that fuel pump is a quick fix.