can't get enough heat out of VF3000

Coalkirk's Boiler Fire!

coalkirk wrote:

bde-19547 wrote:I too have the same problem, I can't get enough heat out of my VF3000. It has a lazy fire similar to the photo on this thread (although mine burn pretty evenly across the grate inserts. I have 1-2" band of ash before it drops off (running 2 3/4 pins). I have -.02 draft over the fire and -.04 at the chimney. Last week I cleaned the fan blades on the squirrel cage fan. The little damper on the fan is about 3/4 of the way open, (if I open it any more I get sulfur smell when it idles). The fan is seated correctly and running at what appears to be the correct speed. I also removed the grate inserts and cleaned out the fines.... there was quite a lot!. The bottom of clean-out is closed. The coal does seem to create more fines (in the little removable tray and under the grate inserts) than what I remember from before. This is the first coal I've bought from Sherman Coal Co. , Elysburg PA, Do you think the problem is the coal? or do I need to look for something else? It's really driving me nuts.

I'm assuming you previously had good results with this boiler in your home? There is a question I asked hillside a couple times that I don't believe he ever answered. In the ash compartment, there is a metal door that slides down over the area where the flue pipe exits the bottom of the boiler. Have you removed that and cleaned out the flyash behind it?

bde-19547 wrote:OK, I checked the ash compartment and it was pretty clear as I expected it to be. So I emptied the bin and put in 2 bags of Centralia brand coal from Wilkes Barrie PA (says deep mined) but not really sure where or who the actual mine is but there is a big difference in the flame... now what to do with 6 ton of low performance coal?
Bryan

Rick 386 wrote:

bde-19547 wrote:OK, I checked the ash compartment and it was pretty clear as I expected it to be. So I emptied the bin and put in 2 bags of Centralia brand coal from Wilkes Barrie PA (says deep mined) but not really sure where or who the actual mine is but there is a big difference in the flame... now what to do with 6 ton of low performance coal?
Bryan

Bryan,

You can always mix it in with some new better coal. Just vary the ratio depending on outside temps.


BTW was your Dad's name George ??


Rick

bde-19547 wrote:OK, I checked the ash compartment and it was pretty clear as I expected it to be. So I emptied the bin and put in 2 bags of Centralia brand coal from Wilkes Barrie PA (says deep mined) but not really sure where or who the actual mine is but there is a big difference in the flame... now what to do with 6 ton of low performance coal?
Bryan

bde-19547 wrote:OK, I checked the ash compartment and it was pretty clear as I expected it to be. So I emptied the bin and put in 2 bags of Centralia brand coal from Wilkes Barrie PA (says deep mined) but not really sure where or who the actual mine is but there is a big difference in the flame... now what to do with 6 ton of low performance coal?
Bryan

coalkirk wrote:

bde-19547 wrote:I too have the same problem, I can't get enough heat out of my VF3000. It has a lazy fire similar to the photo on this thread (although mine burn pretty evenly across the grate inserts. I have 1-2" band of ash before it drops off (running 2 3/4 pins). I have -.02 draft over the fire and -.04 at the chimney. Last week I cleaned the fan blades on the squirrel cage fan. The little damper on the fan is about 3/4 of the way open, (if I open it any more I get sulfur smell when it idles). The fan is seated correctly and running at what appears to be the correct speed. I also removed the grate inserts and cleaned out the fines.... there was quite a lot!. The bottom of clean-out is closed. The coal does seem to create more fines (in the little removable tray and under the grate inserts) than what I remember from before. This is the first coal I've bought from Sherman Coal Co. , Elysburg PA, Do you think the problem is the coal? or do I need to look for something else? It's really driving me nuts.

I'm assuming you previously had good results with this boiler in your home? There is a question I asked hillside a couple times that I don't believe he ever answered. In the ash compartment, there is a metal door that slides down over the area where the flue pipe exits the bottom of the boiler. Have you removed that and cleaned out the flyash behind it?

dkononczuk wrote:Hillside,
Where in PA are you?
I travel across PA for working, so if you are close I'll be more than happy to stop by and see if I could help.
I have a VF3000 running for the past 4 years non stop 365 days and I have to turn it down because it overheats
often.
Like everybody is saying, something is just not right.
I'm heating 2 1000 sq. ft. floors, plus I have a water heater coil installed for my domestic water, and my temps drop down to maybe 150.
I have the aquastat set at about 165 most of the time.
I live in Poconos PA, so it gets cold here, house is a new construction, but very crappy job, quarter inch space between playwoods.
VF3000 is more than enough for me. When I first started burning coal people helped me (coalkirk) late a night tshooting my issues ( I had overheating issues).
Now I feel is my time to help fellow coal burned.

Dan