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I Just Had A Coal Erupt


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I don't know how else to describe it. I was lighting some CH Nat halves on my stove and I heard a loud pop and turn around to see a 6 inch flame coming from the middle of one. Straight through the middle. It blew ash everywhere. It eventually went out, but scared the crap out of me. It's burning fine, but there's a gray spot where the coal burned through.

Anyone else experience this? I'd hate for this to happen with worse results.
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I've experienced something similar, but less dramatic. However, I had a quick lite literally disintegrate in the tongs once. It looked whole, and right after I lit it, I blew on it and it turned into a weird fiery dust. Weirdest thing that ever happened to me, lol.
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[quote name='kmccoy90' timestamp='1298559509' post='499232']
I don't know how else to describe it. I was lighting some CH Nat halves on my stove and I heard a loud pop and turn around to see a 6 inch flame coming from the middle of one. Straight through the middle. It blew ash everywhere. It eventually went out, but scared the crap out of me. It's burning fine, but there's a gray spot where the coal burned through.

Anyone else experience this? I'd hate for this to happen with worse results.
[/quote]

holy crap that is not something that you want to see,ever
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I have never had it happen, and use this product nightly, and have for over 2 years. that is just nuts.
The guys at empire hookah lounge (not promoting but bringing them up for this example) go through almost a kilo box of ch nats nightly, and have for the past year if not longer, so I asked them this question before, as you do hear about exploding coal stories. They claim that it's happened just a couple of time, but again, look at how many they go through. The percentage is low, I can't explain how or why that would happen, but the chance of that happening if you do the math has got to be .00001% (ok i made that up but someone do the math, it has to be really low a container is 16000kg boxes, multply by 100 cubes to keep it easy, 1,600,000, there have been 4 containers produced, 64,000,000 cubes) wow by my math if it happened 100 times it would be .0000015625% likely hood.
I don't mean to over complicate things, but I'm just glad you're ok, that sounds crazy.
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i wouldn't be that concerned, john. i mean, of course, it is a bit of a problem if they explode, but i mean due to the odds i wouldn't be that concerned. plus if it happened more often im sure more people would complain or bring it up.

it is a bit interesting though. i mean i have had a few 3K's explode in the past, but i've never had that problem nor heard of that problem with natural coals. weird. i guess i'll let you know if that happens with any of these razan coals i have, since i have a couple boxes already
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It's never haopened to me except with Starlight coconut coals. Those fuckers split and explode like crazy. I have had CHs spark on me (yes the naturals), but nothing serious. It was like one or two times. Coal I've had least problems with is CCNs, so that's what I stick with. I think in your case it was just a rare occurrence, and shouldn't happen again.
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[quote name='HookahJohn' timestamp='1298567251' post='499242']
I have never had it happen, and use this product nightly, and have for over 2 years. that is just nuts.
The guys at empire hookah lounge (not promoting but bringing them up for this example) go through almost a kilo box of ch nats nightly, and have for the past year if not longer, so I asked them this question before, as you do hear about exploding coal stories. They claim that it's happened just a couple of time, but again, look at how many they go through. The percentage is low, I can't explain how or why that would happen, but the chance of that happening if you do the math has got to be .00001% (ok i made that up but someone do the math, it has to be really low a container is 16000kg boxes, multply by 100 cubes to keep it easy, 1,600,000, there have been 4 containers produced, 64,000,000 cubes) wow by my math if it happened 100 times it would be .0000015625% likely hood.
I don't mean to over complicate things, but I'm just glad you're ok, that sounds crazy.
[/quote]

of crouse anything is possible:
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I have a feeling there was a less dense pocket within the coal. When it lit, more air + less coal led to a reaction. As the coal burned, there was a clear hole within it.
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[quote][color=#1C2837][size=2]It's never haopened to me except with Starlight coconut coals. Those fuckers split and explode like crazy. I have had CHs spark on me (yes the naturals), but nothing serious. It was like one or two times. Coal I've had least problems with is CCNs, so that's what I stick with. I think in your case it was just a rare occurrence, and shouldn't happen again. [/size][/color][/quote]

yeah i use those starlights and its not rare for them to pop a couple inches off of my burner or bowl and fall of to the side.
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Interestingly, I lit the other half later. It didn't pop, but it did burn through and left a similar ash pattern/hole. Pretty sure this was a less-dense pocket consistent throughout the coal.

And to John, I know stuff happens. I'm not worried about it. I was just curious because I had never had anything quite that dramatic occur. With 120 coals per box, and natural coals having notoriously shaky QC, there's no way to keep your eyes on everything.
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  • 1 month later...
I don't mean to revive a dead thread, but it was the most relevant thing to come up from the search. I opened a brand new box of John's natural coal a couple weeks ago, and in that time, I've had 4 "explode" on me. The slight pressure from the tongs as I pick it up off the coil causes it to shatter everywhere. I didn't know if anyone else was having this problem. I've been using John's natural coal for about a year and this is the first that it has happened...and 4 instances from this box (I'm about half-way through). Almost seems like the coal wasn't pressed enough and the heat caused it to separate.... At least, that's my theory.
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to add to this. I have only used CH's once and it was over a year ago, but out of the box, 1 out of 3 of the coals "popped" into smaller pieces usually into 2/3 pieces. Probably just a bad box, but definitely turned me off of them. i used to leave them on the stove for a few minutes unattended while I loaded a bowl/ cleaned the pipe and often found thirds or halves off the burner and on my counter. after this happened more than once I never left the coals unattended for more than 10 seconds.
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I've never had an issue with johns coals, They are a high quality product that I trust. That being said anything can happen with any pressed coal. When a Sinbad QL explodes, breaks, disintegrates or leaves toxic fumes in your house and body nobody complains because it is somewhat expected but when a higher quality coal erupts people like to point it out. If I was John (my name is John but I'm not that John) I would be happy that people hold my product in high enough regard that they would mention my very low fail rate. You Go John! Good Job! also, as for them breaking when you pick them up with tongs, you need to store the coals in a less humid place. Perhaps the store you purchased them from needs to keep them more dry but that is the cause of coals being crumbly, too much moisture. Try it out if you like, take a pressed coal of any kind, add a little water, dry it out and light it. Just be very careful as it will break apart on you once it's lit.
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my friend used to store coals in his fridge to keep them super dry since we live in super humid south florida
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I've had nothing but problems with the 2008 batches I bought...me and my roommates split on 5 boxes...sometimes they explode on the stove and most of the time they explode when we go to flip them when they are 2/3 of the way done, but I don't hold it against CH's fully, the coals are 2 1/2 years old so I imagine something is going to be bad about them being old coals and they were dirt cheap...but my carpet and kitchen table have suffered drastically, as well as a buddy's carpet who bought a box off of us

newer ones, I've only had a few explode
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