Shutting down AHS130 boiler

Hi all

Have had the AHS 130 boiler up and running for about month now, and just love it. So I have learn how to make a fire, the next question is what is the best way to shut it down??
Do you burn up as much coal in the hopper before shutting the the blowers off? Do you shut the aquastats down before or after you start to shut it down?
How long does this take? Want to have it down and make sure the oil boiler still works before going on vac.
I'm new and learning.
Thanks for any input, Rich

I think if you shut the power off to the boiler it would go out safely.

Presuming it's a seasonal shutdown ... I shut mine down by letting it run out of coal. Try and time it so it runs out while you are around. Otherwise the combustion blower will be running attempting to force air to a non-existent fire.

If you just shut off the power to turn it off you will still have coal and ash in it and you will not be able to fully clean it. Be sure to save some ash for the next startup.

I think you want to let it run out of coal--if you don't you will have a job removing the unburned coal to start a new fire.

I set my coal boiler up in series with the oil boiler and installed an automatic control that senses the temperature of the coal boiler. If the coal boiler is hot the oil burner power supply is interrupted preventing the oil burner from firing. If the coal boiler is cold the oil burner is powered and the oil burner fires as required.

Bob and Yanche are correct, I think. In any case, shutting down this unit takes some planning/timing.

I had shut my AHS S130 off with the intention of switching to the oil boiler (to perform some work on my chimney). What I found was that the coal fire just doesn't like to go out. I got the chimney work done, without using the oil unit, and restarted the coal unit 20 hours later. The fire was still alive and the unit was up to temp in a short while. The combustion blower was off for all that time and I didn't lose the fire; I was amazed. That put to rest my concerns about brief power interruptions, but I did wonder what would be the best way to "dump" the fire if I had to.

I had the same experience when I had my new dual flue chimney built. Masons showed up a day earlier than expected. I just turned the power off. They tore down 2/3 of the existing chimney and started widening it the first day. They got the now dual flue chimney up about halfway. When they left I just turned it back on. Did the same for the next two days until the were completely finished. I never did have to be without domestic hot water.

I modified my grate motor power controls, adding a switch, which allows the grate to run continuously. I light my coal fire by using an ox/accy torch directly on the coal through the inspection port door. To make sure I get a full fire pot burning I just let the grate ash continuously so that the burning coal that started at inspection port level can fall down to fill the entire width of the fire pot. I also disconnect a wire at the aquastat so that the combustion blower doesn't run once I have a full fire. You need to watch it and turn off the continuous operation or you might dump the fire. I suspect the quickest way to dump the fire would be to add sand on the fire through the inspection port door and run the grate continuously.

Yanche wrote:I suspect the quickest way to dump the fire would be to add sand

That's been my plan. I have one of those "tube sand" things. They sell them at hardware stores & Home Depot places. It's fine sand in a plastic bag, about 8" round and 30 inches long. (They sell it for traction on ice, but it doesn't do that very well.) I figure if there's ever some sort of emergency I'd just fill the fire pot with sand.

Thanks all for the input.
I'm in the process of letting the coal run out. If by Thursday morning it is not emty, going to shut the blower off so as to have no fire by Saturday. If I can give a cleaning then, I will, if not, I'll do it when I get back from vacation.
The first time for shutting down. Learning as I go. Thanks for all the help, sure there will be more questions in the future.
The only trouble of shutting down the coal, is I have to use the oil boiler

Thanks, Rich.