Charcoal for boiling water

[chingwa]

any update on the burning charcoal indoors/health issue?

[tenuki]

any update on the burning charcoal indoors/health issue?

No, but I like your avatar a lot!

[xuancheng]

any update on the burning charcoal indoors/health issue?

It should not be a big deal if you keep a few things in mind. Smoke is cancerous. If you inhale a lot of it over a long period of time, you can develop cancer or other lung problems. But charcoal makes a lot less smoke than wood, and many hard wood charcoals or olive pit charcoals have very little.

Fire consumes oxygen. If you seal a room and set a pretty small charcoal fire going, you could probably manage to kill yourself fairly quickly. If there is no smoke, and you are seated comfortably, this could sneak up on you as lack of oxygen will cause drowsyness. I don't know how much oxygen a fire consumes, or how much ventilation is necessary, but you shouldn't take any chances.

Probably the biggest health hazard after you get the window open would be the stove being set on or near combustibles. Charcoal gets really hot, and could set fire to your home, so you should set it on a non - combustible material that won't transfer heat to other combustibles. it should be away from walls, curtains, etc. unless these are insulated or have a reflector properly installed.

[scruffmcgruff]

Yeah, the hazards are pretty obvious; the one I would worry most about is fire damage, as xuancheng noted. If you get smokeless charcoal like some of the ones mentioned here, you shouldn't have to worry too much about smoke damage, but carbon monoxide / carbon dioxide are quite dangerous in high concentrations so you really should have proper ventilation. If you have a fireplace (with a clean chimney!), that would be ideal.

[TIM]

You could try Korin (locally in NY, in Tribeca, pretty near a cigar shop that maybe you've been to) - they have some good quality Japanese hardwood charcoal, though a bit on the pricey side. You could also try the Japanese market.

I've been experimenting with some from the local Japanese market. It's a pain to get lit, but doesn't seem to have too strong a scent.

Look in to Korin today, after having a fine Lopus Robusto at the cigar shop on the same block. They do sell good quality japanese charcoal. The white charcoal cost around 134 US per 20 pound. But the Sumi is out of stock, which I wanted to get..... will report the result once the deal is seal. Thanks again for all the advices Chatters. : ) T

[gingkoseto]

Besides the romantic factor, I don't see why charcoal is of any good. Ancient people favored charcoal fire because they didn't have gas stove to use. They said charcoal fire was "living" fire, basically meaning it provided strong enough fire to boil the water rapidly. Water quality is better when boiled rapidly. And compared with regular wood fuel used in ancient time, charcoal doesn't produce that much smoke. But any modern gas stove (or Bubba's outdoor stove) can provide "living" fire and will not produce smoke.

In southern China, charcoal is still used, mainly because the stove is portable and still much cheaper than any outdoor supplies or electrics.

It's nice to have a traditional stove and charcoal stuff. But you've got to be very very romantic to be willing to pay all the prices (monetary and chores) involved haha...

[xuancheng]

Besides the romantic factor, I don't see why charcoal is of any good. Ancient people favored charcoal fire because they didn't have gas stove to use. They said charcoal fire was "living" fire, basically meaning it provided strong enough fire to boil the water rapidly. Water quality is better when boiled rapidly. And compared with regular wood fuel used in ancient time, charcoal doesn't produce that much smoke. But any modern gas stove (or Bubba's outdoor stove) can provide "living" fire and will not produce smoke.

In southern China, charcoal is still used, mainly because the stove is portable and still much cheaper than any outdoor supplies or electrics.

It's nice to have a traditional stove and charcoal stuff. But you've got to be very very romantic to be willing to pay all the prices (monetary and chores) involved haha...

There is always the scent that certain charcoals impart to the water. The only example I know of is Chaozhou Gongfu Cha and the olive pit charcoal. But the scent supposedly seeps through the clay kettle and into the water imparting a faint scent and improving the water quality for Dancong.

[orguz]

Just my 2 cents worth, but I know that what the Japanese use for their HARD WOOD charcoal is actually imported from Malaysia. Use of their wood charcoal has declined in Malaysia, but their production has increased because of the Japanese demand.

Try searching for a Malaysian supplier perhaps, 100USD might get you a whole year`s supply worth.

[Thirsty Daruma]

A well established Asian market should offer something like that. Cities like Seattle and San Francisco will have Japanese markets and Korean markets for that express purpose. I have found, though, that Japanese markets will charge premium for their groceries. Uwajimaya in Seattle is somewhat notorious for this. Asian markets in smaller Asian communities, like Sakura Square in Denver tend to be more reasonably priced.

[Tead Off]

Besides the romantic factor, I don't see why charcoal is of any good. Ancient people favored charcoal fire because they didn't have gas stove to use. They said charcoal fire was "living" fire, basically meaning it provided strong enough fire to boil the water rapidly. Water quality is better when boiled rapidly. And compared with regular wood fuel used in ancient time, charcoal doesn't produce that much smoke. But any modern gas stove (or Bubba's outdoor stove) can provide "living" fire and will not produce smoke.

In southern China, charcoal is still used, mainly because the stove is portable and still much cheaper than any outdoor supplies or electrics.

It's nice to have a traditional stove and charcoal stuff. But you've got to be very very romantic to be willing to pay all the prices (monetary and chores) involved haha...

There is always the scent that certain charcoals impart to the water. The only example I know of is Chaozhou Gongfu Cha and the olive pit charcoal. But the scent supposedly seeps through the clay kettle and into the water imparting a faint scent and improving the water quality for Dancong.

But, does the charcoal seep through iron tetsubin to impart flavor? Hard to believe, but, maybe it is the quality of the flame that produces the effect.

[wyardley]

There is always the scent that certain charcoals impart to the water. The only example I know of is Chaozhou Gongfu Cha and the olive pit charcoal. But the scent supposedly seeps through the clay kettle and into the water imparting a faint scent and improving the water quality for Dancong.

But, does the charcoal seep through iron tetsubin to impart flavor? Hard to believe, but, maybe it is the quality of the flame that produces the effect.

But he was talking about a clay kettle, not a tetsubin. I don't think anyone's suggesting that the charcoal flavor will seep through an iron tetsubin.

[Tead Off]

There is always the scent that certain charcoals impart to the water. The only example I know of is Chaozhou Gongfu Cha and the olive pit charcoal. But the scent supposedly seeps through the clay kettle and into the water imparting a faint scent and improving the water quality for Dancong.

But, does the charcoal seep through iron tetsubin to impart flavor? Hard to believe, but, maybe it is the quality of the flame that produces the effect.

But he was talking about a clay kettle, not a tetsubin. I don't think anyone's suggesting that the charcoal flavor will seep through an iron tetsubin.

I was addressing this to tetsubin users who claim that charcoal fire also affects the flavor of the water. I was wondering how does it do it?

[MarshalN]

But he was talking about a clay kettle, not a tetsubin. I don't think anyone's suggesting that the charcoal flavor will seep through an iron tetsubin.

I have met people who actually believe that it does seep through an iron tetsubin

[TIM]

But he was talking about a clay kettle, not a tetsubin. I don't think anyone's suggesting that the charcoal flavor will seep through an iron tetsubin.

I have met people who actually believe that it does seep through an iron tetsubin

I also think it's related to the speed of boiling. The quicker the boil, the better for the water. Charcoal boils quicker then gas. IMO