Summer Burn Rate for DHW on AA-130 & EFMs?

What are the AA & EFM users burning per day for DHW during the summer? With the Anthrastat set to 140 and Aquastat at 140-160, I was burning 23 pounds per day (on AA-130). I just lowered the Anthrastat to 120, but do not have accurate numbers yet.

Thanks,

Mike

25 on the AA's, 21 on the AHS 130, 28 on the DF520, all using indirect water heaters, not the tankless coils.

I think i'm using about a 3 gallon pail, which is about 24 lbs. Been trying to use up the 4 ton of rice coal i have, as the pea coal doesn't burn complete in the summer. Getting 1 ton of buckwheat tomorrow, so that will all be mixed together for the summer. Mine is running on the timer only it seems and it ashes each time it runs. So, in theory, it doesn't matter if the Anthrastat is set at 120 or 140 does it?

The Bethlehem 130 is using around 25-35# per day with very little unburnt, running aquastat at 180 and timer is 35 seconds every 30 minutes, ashing is set at 2 clicks and anthrastat is set for 135* F. Of course I have the summer crowd home from school (2 girls and a boy plus the wife and 7 year old, so the boiler is supporting 6 to 8 showers per day and loads of laundry!). The boiler comes on for under temp a couple times per day but otherwise runs off the timer. I have to empty the ash tub every two weeks or so (using a number one tub).

One other note, the house is hotter than last year on the first floor due to the boiler being under the kitchen with no insulation, will try and fashion a jacket and see if it makes a difference.

Aquastat 140L 160H timer set 3 minutes on the hour 72 minutes per day on the timer or 1 hr 12 minutes so burning 5.25 lbs with the timer perday the other 10.71 lbs is makiing hot water per day feed rate two teeth 5 lbs per hr Air setting 6 stack temp 85f to 95F when idling manometer is .01 to .0 1.5 draft when burning 285f to 295F manometer .0 3.5 draft . Digital Probe thermometer at chimney breach. Burning buckwheat 4 pepole in the house 2 to 3 baths and two showers a day. laundry 24/7 365 days a year . May first started Summer time settings with 1054lbs of coal. I am on day 63 with that 1054lbs of coal yet should get 65 to 66 days out of it so that would be 15.96 lbs per day not bad for one of these inefficent EFM 520.

Jay, how do you keep such accurate measurements? 1054 lb of coal left. My best guess is I have 7-8 tons left from my 12 ton purchase last summer and that's just a guess. I've been making hot water with my 520 for the last 6-7 weeks. The only thing I know for sure is I am emptying the ashes once every 9-10 days. Aquastat is 150L and 190H. Timer is set up for 1.5 minutes on the half hour and .5 minutes at the 15 minute mark. If I don't add that .5 minutes every 15 minutes I get outfires. As far as daily coal consumption goes, I have no idea. Oh and my electric bill dropped by 50.00 a month.

billw wrote:Jay, how do you keep such accurate measurements? 1054 lb of coal left. My best guess is I have 7-8 tons left from my 12 ton purchase last summer and that's just a guess. I've been making hot water with my 520 for the last 6-7 weeks. The only thing I know for sure is I am emptying the ashes once every 9-10 days. Aquastat is 150L and 190H. Timer is set up for 1.5 minutes on the half hour and .5 minutes at the 15 minute mark. If I don't add that .5 minutes every 15 minutes I get outfires. As far as daily coal consumption goes, I have no idea. Oh and my electric bill dropped by 50.00 a month.

Billw because I empty my bin out and drum then I bought 1/2 of ton which was over a half by 54 lbs 1054 lbs and started to burn it on May 1st that is is how I know what I am going threw I weigh every piece of coal that goes into the unit aswell as the ash that comes out My scale weight always matches the scale weight slip from the breakers and I always leave the coal bin run out completely before I put more coal in it aswell as the drum that help keeps any fines or dirt out always have clean coal . I have all of my log books with everything writing down since I started to burn coal in this house. Yes I take burning my coal very seriously Some say I am nuts Oh well I get enjoyment out of it and I always know that I am getting what I paid for . Did I mention that I also screen the coal before it goes into the drum to make sure that nothing but coal is going in it and it is the correct size .My 53 gal Plastick drum holds 460 lbs with the lid off mouneded up in the center or 11.5 40lb buckets with the lid off. 9.5 buckets or 380 lbs with the lid on give or take a few buckets depending who's coal it is and on the sizing of it . I buy from several different breakers I like to test and see what the different coal does like btu output and ash content and how clean the coal is .

I bought my coal from a coal delivery company four tons at a time. That was the max his truck would handle. The bill said exactly 8,000 lb each time. Do they weigh the trucks before and after loading? I found it odd that it was exact to the pound.

I should average out to 8k!
I doubt every truckload was 8k, it should be close, maybe a little over if the guy is nice.

billw wrote:I found it odd that it was exact to the pound.

They can not put on paper that a truck is overweight. If it's 50 pounds over, they write down the highest legal weight & off they go. They figure they'll burn 50 pounds of fuel before they hit a weigh station.

I have all of my log books with everything writing down since I started to burn coal in this house.

JC is telling the truth, I've seen it firsthand. I've been doing the same thing since January... Every bucket of coal is weighed as well as the ashpan. Running the Alaska for DHW with only one of the 2 loops connected I'm burning an average of 32 lbs. a day right now. If I ever replace the other loop I should be able to reduce the daily consumption. I probably won't do this with the hand-fed next winter...that might be a little obsessive.

billw wrote:The bill said exactly 8,000 lb each time. Do they weigh the trucks before and after loading? I found it odd that it was exact to the pound.

Keep in mind that the scales are going to be accurate within about 5 pounds. The guy in Middletown had an old stoplight hooked up to his scale. Loading with a tractor loader, the light would run green until he was within 50#. Then it would go to yellow and hit red at the number. He never failed to load it within 5# with that setup, I was watching the scale.

billw wrote:I bought my coal from a coal delivery company four tons at a time. That was the max his truck would handle. The bill said exactly 8,000 lb each time. Do they weigh the trucks before and after loading? I found it odd that it was exact to the pound.

It is weighed empty and then full Bill you have to remember that the drive on scales at the breakers are setup to read
ever 20lbs 25lbs some are ever 40 lbs to 50lbs. Also if the truck is over filled depending on the driver they will shovel off the extra weight to stay legal some don't care and take their chances . There is only two breakers in my area that I know that the scale reads every pound 0 to whatever . Most start at 20lbs - 25lbs or 40lbs - 50lbs.So if the load weight is in between the numbers it will not show up on the scale the weight slip will be rounded off to the nearest number .