Magnum Troubleshoot

NEastUnlmtd · Post by **NEastUnlmtd** » Sat. Oct. 17, 2009 2:20 pm

I fired a used Magnum today and it is not pushing the fire enough.

I notice the linkage on the side of the motor, pushes the coal but does not pull the pusher back all the way on the stroke.

Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

theo · Post by **theo** » Sat. Oct. 17, 2009 7:03 pm

Hello, Can you post a picture?

Cap · Post by **Cap** » Sat. Oct. 17, 2009 7:24 pm

How many dots is it pushing? The dots are on the side of the stoker mech opposite the control box.

coalkirk · Post by **coalkirk** » Sat. Oct. 17, 2009 9:50 pm

The most common cause of this stoker mechinism failing to push enough coal is the fork that rides around the cam is bent open. The two prongs of this fork should be parallel. If it is bent, take it out and "adjust" it gently with a hammer. This bent fork is typically caused by some foreign object getting caught in the pusher block area.

NEastUnlmtd · Post by **NEastUnlmtd** » Sun. Oct. 18, 2009 1:04 am

Thanks for the posts. I spoke with someone earlier getting prices on a cam and fork. He mentioned being able to close the fork a little with channel locks.

I am pushing a bit more than two dots at full throw. The fire isnt as far forward as I am guessing it could be-3in back from the drop. I have dampened the exhaust and lessened the air on the combustion blower too trying to get the fire spread forward. The chimney pipe is quite hot and flames are blue and high. The ashes crumble up and appear spent.

Tomorrow after I fully understand what it is up to I am probably going to close the fork a little. It appears worn not bent but the cam looks good yet. All in all still a great deal for $400, needing nothing but TLC hopefully.

Cap · Post by **Cap** » Sun. Oct. 18, 2009 7:35 am

NEastUnlmtd wrote:
I am pushing a bit more than two dots at full throw. The fire isnt as far forward as I am guessing it could be-3in back from the drop. I have dampened the exhaust and lessened the air on the combustion blower too trying to get the fire spread forward. The chimney pipe is quite hot and flames are blue and high. The ashes crumble up and appear spent..

Sounds about right to me. My unit at two dots will leave the fire back 3"to 4". Or about a 3"to 4" wide fire at the top of the grate.

shapps1313 · Post by **shapps1313** » Sun. Oct. 18, 2009 7:53 am

One thing I did to my "new" used Magnum was reverse the rotation of the feed motor. This way on the feed stroke the bearing is forcing more on the closed end of the fork than the open end. There was nothing wrong with the fork to begin with, but I just tend to obsess about small crap like this. It has been working like a charm. All I did was reverse 2 wires on the capacitor, the motor is now in reverse.

Bill

theo · Post by **theo** » Sun. Oct. 18, 2009 8:45 am

I to am having the same situation as you, I am only pushing 1 hole and burning very low. As soon as I turn her up to push 2 hole's I get a wild blue flame coming up off the coal, it hit's the top of the stove!

theo · Post by **theo** » Sun. Oct. 18, 2009 8:59 am

Also wanted to mention that I have the comb. door blower almost shut off completley. I do not have a baro- damper on the stove pipe yet, I still have to get one. I don't know if that will help me out or not. When I turn her up to push 2 hole's the flame off the coal get's to wild, and the stack temp. shoot's up. Maybe I have to good of a draft from the chimney, would that make the fire burn crazy? I know that I have to get a baro in the pipe and a manometer to check my draft. Any other thought's? I replaced all the gasket's ( even the one under the grate ) so that should not be the problem. I don't mean to steal your thread from you, just want to compare some info to get the stove's running as good as they should! I think once we get these stove's ( tuned ) they will throw some serious heat!!

NEastUnlmtd · Post by **NEastUnlmtd** » Sun. Oct. 18, 2009 9:15 am

I found a lot of posts that mention the Mag having flames up to the metal, that much coal stoked is bound to go hi. You definitely need a baro, there are pretty much 2 choices from what I find. 1 for around 30 and the other for 80 bucks. The more expensive one is heavier gauge metal and has more elaborate adjustments for the same function. With the cheap one you need the pipe to be plumb and level. If it was your chimney pulling the flame it will rise with gusts of wind.

coalkirk · Post by **coalkirk** » Sun. Oct. 18, 2009 11:01 am

theo wrote:When I turn her up to push 2 hole's the flame off the coal get's to wild, and the stack temp. shoot's up. Maybe I have to good of a draft from the chimney, would that make the fire burn crazy? I know that I have to get a baro in the pipe and a manometer to check my draft. Any other thought's?

Get your baro and get it set with a manometer. It's a draft limiting device and will tame your high stack temps. I don't necessarily think blue flames touching the roof means too wild. It's doing what it does. That pent roof is the main heat exchanger.

Mossy Beard · Post by **Mossy Beard** » Mon. Oct. 19, 2009 7:03 am

'Not to hy-jac your post....
Does anyone know what the distance should be between the "fork legs" ? ( a new one)
I was going to check mine this Fall but never knew what distance I was looking for ?

Thx, Mossy Beard

coalkirk · Post by **coalkirk** » Mon. Oct. 19, 2009 12:18 pm

They should be parallel.

Magnum Troubleshoot

Attachments