504 Tarm boiler

I was wondering if anyone has burned coal in a tarm? that is what I am planing to do but it seems that everybody that I ask or talk to have burnt wood in them and not coal I think with the back plates it would work pretty good I am planing on having 1000gal storage tank, and for a dump zone I was going to put some modines in my mud /work room and dump it there I will go with a indriect water heater I have one in my house but will have to get one for the other house. Thank you McGiever for the info, I will talk to that fellow and see what he has for greate

I've been following this thread,because I too am thinking of putting a stoker in the load door. I have a few ideas,but need some exact measurements on the stoker units first to make sure it's even possible.

memco man wrote:I am planing on having 1000gal storage tank

with that much storage,just heat the 1000 gals. and shut the boiler down for the next week.

That is my hopes at least for the summer HS Tarm has been doing it for years, it seems to work pretty well build one fire a day in the winter and once a week in the summer, there have been several people around here that have done it ,and it seems to work pretty well, the only thing is they are burning wood and using a gasifacation system, but I don't see why you could not use coal and do the same thing.

Here is some more pictures of my Tare down on my 504 looks like I will only have to get three grates hte first two look pretty good and the last two will be replaced with a plate

Hi everyone I have not done to much with the boiler I however have been buying parts for it I bought three new greats I think that I can make due with the rest, what I was wondering was if I took out the last two greats and put the coal plate in and left it there do you think that I could burn wood in it without any proablems in the warmer weather then when it gets cold put the back plates in it and try coal in it ? I also scored a 1000 gal cement lined tank it came from our steam boiler that they are removing at work that should work pretty good in the summer for storing hot water if anyone has any thoughts or suggestions I am open to them

memco man wrote:Hi everyone I have not done to much with the boiler I however have been buying parts for it I bought three new greats I think that I can make due with the rest, what I was wondering was if I took out the last two greats and put the coal plate in and left it there do you think that I could burn wood in it without any proablems in the warmer weather then when it gets cold put the back plates in it and try coal in it ? I also scored a 1000 gal cement lined tank it came from our steam boiler that they are removing at work that should work pretty good in the summer for storing hot water if anyone has any thoughts or suggestions I am open to them

These Tarm units do not burn efficiently at part load and make creosote. You need to keep a full fire in them for the most effiency. A smaller wood fire may make creosote due to the greater heat exchange area.

The purpose of a storage tank with these is to let them fire as hard as they can until the storage is up to temp, then let the fire die.

Coal will work better for smaller fires.

Thank you for the information I am starting to convert my woodshead over this week I am taking a week off from work, to work on it an as luck would have it they are replacing the boiler system at work and I scored a 800 gal cement lined storage tank you talk about heavy thanks again Memco man

Howdy Memco,

What are you converting the wood shed for?

For the storage tank or for a coal bin?

Hi McGiever I think that my computor is on its last leg it is doing some weird stuff, the reason I am turning the wood shead in to a boiler room is that it is tied it to both houses which makes it a perfact boiler room it already has four walls and will make it easy to feed hot water to both houses and yes there will be a coal bin in it as well as a washer and drier I poored the cement floor in it about two years ago (no sence in rushing into it, that has been the story of my life it will all get done sometime) it like your saying slow and steady wins the race I hope that it is going to work as well as I think it is going to I will be able to acsess it from both houses or the outside and the heat that is generated in that room should help keep both houses warmer then having it unheated I hope to have it stud ed up and insulated by the end of the week I had better stop while I am ahead of the game my key board is acting up reall bad and dose what it wants to I hope that you are having a good summer Bill

I've got a HS Tarm MB 55 and only issue is creosote build up. Stove isn't idle friendly during warm days,last winter chimney needed cleaning 5 times due to warm spells. Soon it'll be up for sale once I get Ka-6 connected.

steamup wrote:Design a dump zone method carefully. These boilers do not like to idle at no or small loads. My dump zone consists of overriding the house thermostat and dumping to my house.

I found that with my house, I could not fire the boiler until the outside air temperature was at leat below 40-45 degrees for an extended period of time.

You can say that again..........This boiler needs a big load to work. It will drive you right out of the house if she gets going on a moderate day. I think the coal is easier to control however.

hi oil man it sounds that you have some experience with burning coal in a tarms I bought a truck load of wood to start out with and am planing to work into the coal threw out the winter to see how it works if you have any tips I would really like to here them
memco man

Better burn coal often during the wood burning...it will help dry out the creosote and make life safer. These rigs do creosote badly, so make darned sure the chimney is clean, and I know you will be on the lookout for a stoker boiler before the winter gets you POed. I have a Tarm 202 that only burns Nut coal( no freaking 10" long twigs), and it is just fine for an 80K unit. Wiz is on the fast track to a K6, so keep an eye on him! Learn as you burn...it's the best education you can have! Get working on that 504, already lost an hour of daylight....

memco man wrote:hi oil man it sounds that you have some experience with burning coal in a tarms I bought a truck load of wood to start out with and am planing to work into the coal threw out the winter to see how it works if you have any tips I would really like to here them
memco man

Well, make sure you have a probe type stovepipe thermometer and watch your flue temps, you don't want them too low as to create stage 3 creosote(glaze). Glazed creosote is just alot of unburned fuel stuck to your chimney walls, if it gets ignited, look out. The best thing to do with your typical wood-oil Tarm is to run the oilburner for 15-20 minutes a day to dry out the creosote to stage 1. But the main problem with wood boilers that are not gasifiers is low stack temps. Also, a good creosote chemical such as Cre-Away or Anti Creo-Soot is a must. Keeps the glaze down.

http://www.woodboilers.com/userfiles/fi ... nicssm.pdf
From the Tarm website...a blast from the past. 1980 test of the 'new HS Tarm, and the results. A very good read, and informative.
They had all the bases covered, HOWEVER, so did AA, JG, Van Wert, Yellow Flame, Keystoker....and think of the date: 1980. Look at the oil prices and the desire to be free from oil heat....even gas heat.
I'm not trying to scare anyone about burning down your home, so relax. I HAVE seem many units that destroyed chimneys with as a result of a chimney fire.