Harmon Hopper not empting

I have a Harmon Magnum stoker and when ever the hopper gets real low I notice about #15 of coal stuck in the back corners. I sanded down the inside of the hopper to get rid of any rust and repainted, but no change. Is this typical, or should it be completely empting the hopper?

I'm not familiar with the hopper design on those but if the coal is on a flat area you're going to have about a 45 degree angle from hole for the coal in the bottom to the sides of the hopper. Basically its dead space. There was another thread on this, possibly year or two ago. Basically it's easier and cheaper to build a box with dead space than make one with angles.

You need about 40 degrees for rice to slide on slick surface.

My keystoker does the same thing, it creates a valley in the front where the stoker is and leaves alot around the sides/back of the hopper. Since the bottom is flat, you will have that, I always have a habbit of leaving a pair of old gloves and just pushing it towards the front every morning.

I did build a modified piece for mine, it seems to help a bit.
Coal hopper modification

The entire back wall on my hopper slopes down to the front, similar to what Dave made, just larger. Even still, the stoker will suck air with a LOT of coal in the hopper. Rice just won't slide unless it's a pretty severe slope.

I just take the small coal shovel and heard the little black beauties toward the exit once in a while. Gives me a chance to go and look the stove over.

Is your coal damp? That might make it sticky and it will hang up along the edges. The only time my hopper had trouble emptying all the way, that was the culprit.

My coal usually falls straight down to the stoker from the front of the hopper, the corners and edges are always the very last to empty now that I think of it. I wonder if it's beneficial to let her run low and clean those corners out more often than I do?

Dutchman wrote:Is your coal damp? That might make it sticky and it will hang up along the edges. The only time my hopper had trouble emptying all the way, that was the culprit.

My coal usually falls straight down to the stoker from the front of the hopper, the corners and edges are always the very last to empty now that I think of it. I wonder if it's beneficial to let her run low and clean those corners out more often than I do?

Probably not. That coal has been sitting around for a long time. A few months in your hopper won't degrade it any!!

Matthaus wrote:I just take the small coal shovel and heard the little black beauties toward the exit once in a while. Gives me a chance to go and look the stove over.

Ain't that the truth....I'm to the point that I just love taking the shovel and using it to level off the coal.

I think Dutchman hit the nail on the head! I just switched from bagged to bulk and it seams to be feeding better. Still a little left in the corners but not nearly as much. Thanks for the help.
I must admit I liked the "little black beauties" comment!!! lol!!