Which Stoker Boiler

I would like your input. I heat with coal, pressure system, 1250 gal. storage and on and on. Boiler though is hand fed and things change. There was a sharing of feeding boiler, preety easy. Now just me! I intend to add new boiler via a water to water exchanger as they are all no pressure type.

I use sub-bit. Pretty good stuff, low moisture (7.5%) very low sulpher, ash about 7%. About 11,600 BTU/Lb. and $44 a metric tonne oiled.

There are three reasonably close stoker/boiler manufacturers. Legend (Reimer Welding), Coalman and Homesteader (Heat Innovations) and ML30 (Portage and Main). I am leaning towards the Coalman or Legend. The Legend looks to be quite efficient (28 spiral tubes), but needs at least weekly attention, Coalman probably just as good and has completly automated stoker and ash removal.

I would really like to hear from anyone who has knowledge or experience with any of above. Longevity is #1, little bit of work is #2. They are all designed for Bit and Sub-Bit, that seems to be the only choices.

Thanks

Welcome!

You can see some more here...

Check out this Kentucky Bit stoker

The Legend does not appear to be a stoker. OOPS, I spoke too soon, I found it.

Bk

Well, drove 3 1/2 hours to talk to a Coalman dealer. Finally found someone who was fairly knowledgeable and didn't BS me when he wasn't. Guess thats what I will purchase. MAn it's a ton of money.
Thanks for input.

When are you going to buy one?

Soon. There is a used Coalman (the smaller one) coming up for sale at a farm auction. Long,long way away, but owner says like new, I gotta take a look. I don't like used, I'm fussy about maintenance etc. If I don't buy that one I will purchase new one soon after. Installation won't take long as just adding to existing system, then my summer is free!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bought a "Cruiser Bike" and intend to use it.

Where are you getting 'sub bit' coal from?? powder basin?? what state are you in??

Greg L

I am in Alberta Canada. Know a guy in S.E. Montana and talked to another in Wyoming. Think we are all on the same coal.

AFAIK the EFM 520 has been tested and runs successfully (at lower output) on waste-sized PRB sub-bit - see Western soft coal experiments in the DF 520.

Mike

I called EFM. Forget the name of the guy I talked to, real pleasant. He told me the 520 needed rice coal, period. There is no bagged or specialty coals available here. The stoker grade from mine runs from, I presume what you would call rice size to 1 1/2" lump. The 1 1/2" is diameter (or what will fit through screening grate) so is sometimes longer than 1 1/2".

I talked to Brian at Porter & Main this AM. Learn more every day. They use 1/4" plate (W44 spec., does anyone know exactly what that means) and a 24 tube heat exchanger. I guess I will take a long, real long drive and take a look. I intend boiler to out live me, best to buy the best I can.

You might have talked to the wrong guy at EFM. AFAIK the 520 qualifies as a biomass burner that can handle all kinds of fuel other than rice coal, including wood pellets and corn blends. I'll defer to forum member and former (I think) EFM rep stoker-man, who was involved in tests of EFM stokers on coals other than anthracite, including the PRB sub-bit tested in the link I supplied.

Mike

Mike, that member, when he did the experiments with the Bit, had to crush the coal to a smaller useable size. It did run pretty good though. Is there a smaller size bit coal available. I think a larger EFM would work better with the bit. Rotating pot and all.

Hey Scott,

I think with the PRB sub-bit test they used waste coal - might want to screen it to get out the fines, but I don't think they had to crush anything, and it ran well in the S-20. If there's a lot of fines the automatic fines removal feature of the bigger EFM's might come in handy.

Mike

Thought Chris said he rode over it with his fork loader to "properly size it"

I think the 520 would work even better if a smaller ash ring was used. Instead of letting the ash build up to hold in the anthracite, let the ash/clinker fall off into the pan a little quicker.