Shut down boiler for cleaning, please advice, and dampner Q

Ok I have electric hot water for a bit while I get this unit cleaned up.

I have a series of questions:

1) my barometric damper works, but is neither plumb to the face, instead tilted back and is a bit off level, I suppose this should be fixed.

2) Cleaning: I understand I should
a) remove flue pipe and clean, then clean out from the back as much as possible, including removing rear plate and cleaning in there. What besides a shop vac is required? Are there tubes in there?
b) open front round door and clean with brush all I can reach in body, vacuum. anything else?
c) clean bottom ash pan area
d) inspect all burner plates, clean out all air holes
e) fan, is this removable to clean vanes without removing stoker?
f) parts, I'd like to find the following:
1) round front door gasket
2) lower ash door gasket
3) round front door 'tab lock' inner mechanism, mine is broke and opens regardless of spring handle position, I assume this introduces an air leak.

My burner plates look good so far, I am not confident to remove them.


I am not sure I should call someone in or if I can tackle this myself the first time around...Please lend a newbie a hand, I did search for relevant threads to get this far.

Supplies assumed needed:
shop vac
brushes (particular size/kind?)
boiler putty


Thanks!

Who did you buy this unit from? Was it a bonafide dealer who should be able to answer your questions and needs as part of the sale ? If so,get the rest of what you paid for and do it soon. If you played the "save big bucks game" and bought something used from someone who isn't a reputable dealer,then the homework begins. You've got a few good EFM'Rs here. Also,where's the manual that came with the unit. It's going to help you coordinate the advice you get for when you lay your hands upon your unit. It's going to definitely help to tag onto this thread what type of EFM unit you have,how old it is,and have the serial number handy for help with questions that may arise....I do believe.....Good Luck and Good Maintaining!

The gasket for the fire door is: 1/4" rope gasket. The gasket for the ash door is 5/8" flat rope gasket. Turn off all electric to the unit. Remove the 3 bolts that fasten the motor plate to the right side of the stoker, loosen one of the set screws on the motor coupling, unless you have the coupler that uses the tabs on the fan. If so, just unbolt the motor plate and pull straight out.

Check the snugness of the coil bolts. Snug them up, but don't bulge the coil gasket. Immediately address any leaks. Wouldn't hurt to put a lightbulb inside the boiler for the summer. No need to remove the burner plates. Just brush and vacuum underneath them. Change the oil pan oil if it's dirty.

Thanks for the info

It's a circa 1959 520 with an s20 unit, came with my new house and I have no idea who sold and installed it

With regards to the small rectangular cleanout port under the coil area, and the back where the flue pipe is, besides cleaning the flue pipe obviously, what brushes, equipment or procedures is done to the back of the unit.

So far I plan on:
changing old style gerarbox oil with 20 weight oil
changing oil pan gear oil with synth gear oil, gl5 style, or maybe using some gl4 staylube I have way too much of laying around
cleaning inside of combustion chamber body, everywhere I can reach through the small round door
vac-ing every where really well.
ice pick all air holes gently in plates to assure they are clear, this area looks pretty good right now
check coil nuts/leak checks
check worm flutes/pipe
gasket replacements on doors.
probably a new baro unit

I have a 60w light bulb living in there as my 'fire' in the pot just to keep it dry and the round door open with rope to attempt the same, I have a dry basement luckily

I am planning a 3 month shutdown to clean and get happy, then start up and probably have a pro check draft and adjust baro unit unless I get my hands on a manometer to give it a whirl.

incynr8 wrote:Thanks for the info

It's a circa 1959 520 with an s20 unit, came with my new house and I have no idea who sold and installed it

With regards to the small rectangular cleanout port under the coil area, and the back where the flue pipe is, besides cleaning the flue pipe obviously, what brushes, equipment or procedures is done to the back of the unit.

So far I plan on:
changing old style gerarbox oil with 20 weight oil
changing oil pan gear oil with synth gear oil, gl5 style, or maybe using some gl4 staylube I have way too much of laying around
cleaning inside of combustion chamber body, everywhere I can reach through the small round door
vac-ing every where really well.
ice pick all air holes gently in plates to assure they are clear, this area looks pretty good right now
check coil nuts/leak checks
check worm flutes/pipe
gasket replacements on doors.
probably a new baro unit

I have a 60w light bulb living in there as my 'fire' in the pot just to keep it dry and the round door open with rope to attempt the same, I have a dry basement luckily

I am planning a 3 month shutdown to clean and get happy, then start up and probably have a pro check draft and adjust baro unit unless I get my hands on a manometer to give it a whirl.

If your unit is a tube boiler the tubes will be 1 3/4 " tubes use a 24" or 26 " flex Handel round brush to brush them out being you have a clean out door on back that will make it easy brush from the top to bottom use the flue opening to vac out the fly ash base . If the unit has the tubulators in the tubes you must take them out first from the bottom threw the flue opening they lift off the two or three metal rods that go across the inside back of the base .

To clean around the fire pot area you can go threw the round door also threw the ash door go up threw the ash ring
you can brush or vac out the fly ash that will be build up on the ash ring sides and front & back as well as the two base rails Some ash rings were bolted in others were welded in place if bolted in you can remove it by unbolting it & sliding it out from the front threw the ash door .

The Round door does not have a latch to keep it closed the weight of the door keeps it close As Long as the gasket is in good shape you will not have any Air leaks .

If you are going to check your auger flights then you should also check the Auger bushing as well as the pot bushing for ware
the pot must be taken out of the base to be replaced .

The Brass thrust washer should be checked for ware to if there are grooves in it replace it with a new one . The washer is located between the inside of the drum gear and body Assembly The oil pan must be taken off then remove the shaft and drum gear along with auger coupler and shaft bushing .

A good thrust washer on the gear drive will be a good 1/4" thick. The fire door sample that we had at efm contained a working latch, but I agree that the door is heavy enough unless there is a puff back; not likely.

stoker-man wrote:A good thrust washer on the gear drive will be a good 1/4" thick. The fire door sample that we had at efm contained a working latch, but I agree that the door is heavy enough unless there is a puff back; not likely.

That latch on your sample was put on by some one other then the factory efm never had them on .
Your new style thrust washer will be a 1/4 " but the older ones where not that thick.
Puff backs we are talking efm not AA or AHS units Never heard of a puff back coming from a efm don't think it is
possible with the design of the unit gas holes in the auger tube and the exhaust design

The old round doors positively had a latch on them. We stocked them until they ran out. By the way, we found the molds for the original castings and they can be made and machined.

Until there is demand to make iron castings, replacement collars and doors, with a latch, are available and made from steel. They are generic.

Agreed, you'll probably never have a puff back in an efm unit.

It looks like mine at one time had some sort of latch. I agree its a heavy door and if I dont need the latch I'm fine without it. I thought there would be some concern about draft or something.

Thanks for the info, I'll try to hunt down a brush.

The bushings and washer checks mentioned might above the current self imposed limit of labor since i am a newbie. I will perhaps clean the unit then possibly look to an expert to check out and service if required, these areas.

At the least I can provide them something clean and more enjoyable to work on.

It ran ok over early spring for me, but I just feel it needs one heck of a cleaning.

It's not the most accurate way, but the easiest way to check the worm bushing is to grab the auger shaft where it comes out of the pot on the stoker side and move it up/down/sideways. If it moves more than 1/8", the bushings are shot. Or if you can hear it moving in there.

stoker-man wrote:The old round doors positively had a latch on them. We stocked them until they ran out. By the way, we found the molds for the original castings and they can be made and machined.

Until there is demand to make iron castings, replacement collars and doors, with a latch, are available and made from steel. They are generic.

Agreed, you'll probably never have a puff back in an efm unit.

Well the hundred or so round door boilers that I have seen worked on & moved I only ever seen two with a homemade latch on them they usually have a spring Handel with a bolt and nut on them to hold them in place threw the door .
seen & know all about the steel collars with out the door that efm are trying to make and sell . There are a hell of alot of round door boilers out there then SQ door model the demand should be very high for the round door & collar replacements.
As for puff backs with a efm never happen being it is a underfed stoker a puff back happens only when you put fresh coal on top of a fire like in hand fed stoves or a AA AHS boiler underfed push the coal from the bottom threw the hot fire
no chance for the coal gas to light off being there are gas holes in the Auger tube that burns the gas off threw the burning pot and the pot is full of ash at the top .

I'm waiting for the final price on the steel collar and door and then will advertize on the forum. efm is not making them. There are about 10, total, being made by a young lad in his shop. After he made the first one, we found out where the original molds were hiding after all these years and he wants to sell his 10 first, before we make castings at the foundary. Can't say I blame him. If they are selling, we'll have brand new castings made. Molds were compliments of Joey. I found out by accident that he had them.

OK,

So far I have scrubbed the inner combustion area walls with brushes and vacuumed it all out, total one round ash pan 3/4 full. My ash ring shelf was welded in so no removing that. Cleaned up burner area, looks good, I might want to look at getting plates for next time just in case.

The rear came off easy and an old square flat gasket was there, I assume this is replaced by hi temp RTV now, or is this gasket available?

I cleaned the tubes, rear area, flue pipe, flue....Got another half ash pan full. Not sure how long it went. The tubes weren't horrid, but alot came out. The top rear access cleanout wasnt that useful to get to ALL the tubes easy at least with my brush, underneath up worked better. I had no spiral tubulators inside the tubes.

I went through three disposable respirators on this, and left after scraping gasket to let air settle, just in case it was asbestos?

Is there any paint or primer I can use INSIDE the 'floor' of the rear area where flue plate attaches? The base is far from ruined but it has surface oxidation from moisture and ash mixing. I'd like to stave that off with something if anything works. Maybe hi temp BBQ paint?

No leaks on the unit that I can tell, although my tempering valve might be on the outs as I saw a drip while I worked on the back. Coil was done about 6 years ago and looks good.

and my baro-dampener.. Wasnt even attached!, damn thing fell out into my hands when I touched it. So I have to plumb it since it's at a 45 deg angle to face as installed and level it. I think I will need a pro or a manometer to try setting it myself after I'm done. Can this draft be checked and set with it off, or is that pointless and it should be running?

With regard to chimneys, I know with wood you should get it cleaned about annually, what modification to that schedule does coal entail? I plan on cleaning the bottom out, but not sure if I should have it brushed. It was done 5-6 years ago by previous owner.

Thanks for all the help, I got pretty far with getting more familiar with the unit and it's good to understand it by being hands on on how it works and how to maintain it. I suspect I will have more efficiency next season with getting it clean and sealed up correctly (the rear plate wasnt sealed well, just a dead gasket reused)

Thanks!

incynr8 wrote:OK,

So far I have scrubbed the inner combustion area walls with brushes and vacuumed it all out, total one round ash pan 3/4 full. My ash ring shelf was welded in so no removing that. Cleaned up burner area, looks good, I might want to look at getting plates for next time just in case.

The rear came off easy and an old square flat gasket was there, I assume this is replaced by hi temp RTV now, or is this gasket available?

I cleaned the tubes, rear area, flue pipe, flue....Got another half ash pan full. Not sure how long it went. The tubes weren't horrid, but alot came out. The top rear access cleanout wasnt that useful to get to ALL the tubes easy at least with my brush, underneath up worked better. I had no spiral tubulators inside the tubes.

I went through three disposable respirators on this, and left after scraping gasket to let air settle, just in case it was asbestos?

Is there any paint or primer I can use INSIDE the 'floor' of the rear area where flue plate attaches? The base is far from ruined but it has surface oxidation from moisture and ash mixing. I'd like to stave that off with something if anything works. Maybe hi temp BBQ paint?

No leaks on the unit that I can tell, although my tempering valve might be on the outs as I saw a drip while I worked on the back. Coil was done about 6 years ago and looks good.

and my baro-dampener.. Wasnt even attached!, damn thing fell out into my hands when I touched it. So I have to plumb it since it's at a 45 deg angle to face as installed and level it. I think I will need a pro or a manometer to try setting it myself after I'm done. Can this draft be checked and set with it off, or is that pointless and it should be running?

With regard to chimneys, I know with wood you should get it cleaned about annually, what modification to that schedule does coal entail? I plan on cleaning the bottom out, but not sure if I should have it brushed. It was done 5-6 years ago by previous owner.

Thanks for all the help, I got pretty far with getting more familiar with the unit and it's good to understand it by being hands on on how it works and how to maintain it. I suspect I will have more efficiency next season with getting it clean and sealed up correctly (the rear plate wasnt sealed well, just a dead gasket reused)

Thanks!

Hi temp silicon or RTV for around the rear plate & the two side ones The burning pot has 3 gaskets in it to when you
replace the grates you will need to replace the gaskets one under the ash ring one under the top of the grates & one under the bottom of the grates . Yes if you do not have the right brush going threw the clean out door an be tuff getting to the tubes stick with going up threw the bottom makes it easier to clean .

incynr8 wrote:OK,

So far I have scrubbed the inner combustion area walls with brushes and vacuumed it all out, total one round ash pan 3/4 full. My ash ring shelf was welded in so no removing that. Cleaned up burner area, looks good, I might want to look at getting plates for next time just in case.

The rear came off easy and an old square flat gasket was there, I assume this is replaced by hi temp RTV now, or is this gasket available?

I cleaned the tubes, rear area, flue pipe, flue....Got another half ash pan full. Not sure how long it went. The tubes weren't horrid, but alot came out. The top rear access cleanout wasnt that useful to get to ALL the tubes easy at least with my brush, underneath up worked better. I had no spiral tubulators inside the tubes.

I went through three disposable respirators on this, and left after scraping gasket to let air settle, just in case it was asbestos?

Is there any paint or primer I can use INSIDE the 'floor' of the rear area where flue plate attaches? The base is far from ruined but it has surface oxidation from moisture and ash mixing. I'd like to stave that off with something if anything works. Maybe hi temp BBQ paint?

No leaks on the unit that I can tell, although my tempering valve might be on the outs as I saw a drip while I worked on the back. Coil was done about 6 years ago and looks good.

and my baro-dampener.. Wasnt even attached!, damn thing fell out into my hands when I touched it. So I have to plumb it since it's at a 45 deg angle to face as installed and level it. I think I will need a pro or a manometer to try setting it myself after I'm done. Can this draft be checked and set with it off, or is that pointless and it should be running?

With regard to chimneys, I know with wood you should get it cleaned about annually, what modification to that schedule does coal entail? I plan on cleaning the bottom out, but not sure if I should have it brushed. It was done 5-6 years ago by previous owner.

Thanks for all the help, I got pretty far with getting more familiar with the unit and it's good to understand it by being hands on on how it works and how to maintain it. I suspect I will have more efficiency next season with getting it clean and sealed up correctly (the rear plate wasnt sealed well, just a dead gasket reused)

Thanks!

Hi temp silicon or RTV for around the rear plate & the two side ones The burning pot has 3 gaskets in it to when you
replace the grates you will need to replace the gaskets one under the ash ring one under the top of the grates & one under the bottom of the grates . Yes if you do not have the right brush going threw the clean out door can be tuff getting to the tubes stick with going up threw the bottom makes it easier to clean . Any high temp paint for inside the base will work