Annual Usage of Coal in an EFM520 Per Year, Per House Survey

I have averaged 100 lbs per day since I first fired my DF520 on January 23rd. About 2,200 sq. ft above ground + 1,300 sq. ft of heated basement. Lots of hot water, average temperature of 70 in the house (68-72), and a TOASTY basement. Our house sits on a small hill surrounded by miles of fields...the wind exposure is severe. Most of the house is 100 years old, blown-in insulation, 30 year old double pane windows, and doors that could be better.

I've got a 3700 sq. foot Victorian in central MA, Steam heat, insulated walls, old windows with new Harvey storms, unheated basement, steam heat with complementary furnace on heat exchanger. Keep the thermostat at 68 to keep Mom warm. Before the walls were insulated, I used 15 tons a year. After the walls were insulated...15 tons a year. Tall chimney (3 story house, including attic). This year's spring/summer projects are clearly to focus on windows, doors and more attic insulation...

I agree with Mike that your usage seems high. In addition to the timer/feed/air settings, can you see what the pressuretrol is set at? Are the steam pipes insulated? Does your boiler run a long time trying to produce steam?

-Rob

Greda325 has a special circumstance and she is working hard to resolve it. That is 15 tons of bagged coal to handle, she's a trooper. The boiler is a new DF520 and the load is substantial, but after you read the older posts , you will understand she is very aware of the issues and has resolved most......still she burns a great deal of coal. Can you imagine over 3000 gals of oil, or 3800 gals of propane? Budget busters......but please keep offering suggestions...we'll get her consumption down, and keep her family warm, too.

Yes, in the old posts I recall asking about the sizing of the coal she's getting. To make that much steam efficiently she probably needs to push the 520 fairly hard, but at higher feed rates she was getting unburned coal. I suggest checking to make sure the coal she's using doesn't have a high percentage of undersized pieces. And without getting into the "buck in a 520" issues, I'd suggest that she try to source some "big" rice. If her fire can't fully breathe at higher feed rates, the resulting simmering may be causing unnecessary coal consumption.

Mike

Mike's point about steam being a whole different animal is absolutely spot on. We originally thought it was a boiler sizing issue, but a new 520 took away those questions(We surmised). However, it was/is still possible that a larger boiler would help a great deal. No easy answers. but the steam experts need more structure and system information to make recommendations.
At least the coal is under 300 a ton, and the 3K for annual usage is waaaaay better than 10K for any other source.
That is a large amount of BTU's over a heating season....perhaps the neighbors have an unaccounted 3" feed and return someplace......hidden.

When I used even a 700 stoker to make steam it would max out at a simmer that wouldn't fill all of my radiators using rice. Switching to buck made a huge difference. OK, so I also switched to a 900, but it makes plenty of steam at about 25 lb/hr, which the 700 easily could have pushed.

Mike

Pacowy wrote:When I used even a 700 stoker to make steam it would max out at a simmer that wouldn't fill all of my radiators using rice. Switching to buck made a huge difference. OK, so I also switched to a 900, but it makes plenty of steam at about 25 lb/hr, which the 700 easily could have pushed.

Mike

700 30 lbs per max feed 73 to 74 gals of water tube or plate
900 35 lbs per hr max feed 93 to 94 gals of water tube or plate

Hi All 49 years with EFM 520. 6to8 ton rice a year 365 days.76* 3 years Keystoker Kaa2 6 to 7 ton rice a year 365 days. 76* . More work with Kaa2 but same good heat. Art52