Smoke in Coal Bin

 
User avatar
Rob R.
Site Moderator
Posts: 17965
Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
Location: Chazy, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr

Post by Rob R. » Fri. Jan. 18, 2013 9:05 pm

Get a Rubbermaid water tub at Tractor Supply. They make some big ones that are <100 dollars, you could dump your bags in it and the water will just collect in the bottom.


 
daluds
Member
Posts: 284
Joined: Fri. Jun. 20, 2008 9:27 am
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM DF520
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by daluds » Sat. Jan. 19, 2013 1:17 pm

Berlin wrote:Since this seems to be a common problem people experience with these stokers, is there any reason there isn't a small tube from the blower applying positive pressure to the auger tube a foot or so before the retort? This is standard on all bituminous stokers and it prevents just these problems.
Berlin,

Do you have any photos on how this tube would connect to the auger pipe in such a way it could be disconnected from pipe inside the boiler and allow the pipe to be pulled out to service the pot?

There is a coupler from the blower to pot that would be a good place to connect the air tube on the blower side, and there is about 6" or more of pipe before it goes into the pot.

Thanks,

Dave

 
scrapper_23jr
Verified Business Rep.
Posts: 138
Joined: Mon. Mar. 10, 2008 10:45 am
Location: Pine Grove, PA

Post by scrapper_23jr » Sat. Jan. 19, 2013 6:52 pm

what you need to check is the area where short tube enters pot assembly, in the lower pot assembly there is an open area from the area where the the short tube enters the pot to where it sits on the pin to stop the tube from turning, when tube is in boot assembly and on the pin there should be a visible gap of about three quarters of an inch open between tube collar and the boot assembly where the grates sit in the lower assembly, if you are burning wet coal this area is caked shut, unfortunately the only way to verify this is to remove grates, or remove the lower pot assembly and visually check it, remove lower pot assembly and install short tube and see if the air holes in the tube are visible, if not you have to clean that area out . SCRAPPER

 
daluds
Member
Posts: 284
Joined: Fri. Jun. 20, 2008 9:27 am
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM DF520
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by daluds » Sat. Jan. 19, 2013 8:29 pm

No smoke after removing the short pipe and cleaning out the 7 holes. I bought a new shovel today for the coal.
2013-01-18_17-02-23_745_sm.jpg

Clogged holes in upper auger pipe

.JPG | 170.1KB | 2013-01-18_17-02-23_745_sm.jpg
I didn't think it was possible to remove the grates without taking the pot out due to the nut on back of each screw. I just rebuilt the pot so everything is good on the pot.

Here is photo of my "green" coal drying:
2013-01-19_20-42-41_417_sm.jpg

Coal drying in green xmas tree storage container

.JPG | 157.9KB | 2013-01-19_20-42-41_417_sm.jpg
I like the idea of running an air tube from the blower to the top of the lower pipe instead of relying on the 7 holes. Sounds like a fun project.

Here is my other hobby:
2013-01-05_14-30-08_175_sm.jpg

Flying 1946 Piper Cub - Put snow skis on this season

.JPG | 205.2KB | 2013-01-05_14-30-08_175_sm.jpg
Dave

 
User avatar
stoker-man
Verified Business Rep.
Posts: 2071
Joined: Mon. Nov. 19, 2007 9:33 pm
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: 1981 efm wcb-24 in use 365 days a year
Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/Chestnut
Other Heating: Hearthstone wood stove

Post by stoker-man » Sat. Jan. 19, 2013 9:42 pm

To remove the plates, you remove the six bolts that hold the large ring in place, then lift the plates and ring up as a unit. On some square doors you can then pull it out diagonally through the door opening. The efm design allowed this, but when efm stopped making the boilers, the new maker goofed. I brought it to their attention, but I don't know if they ever changed anything.

 
daluds
Member
Posts: 284
Joined: Fri. Jun. 20, 2008 9:27 am
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM DF520
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by daluds » Sat. Jan. 19, 2013 10:31 pm

Well, with my luck I am sure I got one of the goofed ones. :-) Mine isn't quite square either. They welded it wrong.

Not sure which is easier to remove the short pipe or grates. I assume removing the short pipe to clean the holes would be easier and faster.

 
User avatar
Rick 386
Member
Posts: 2508
Joined: Mon. Jan. 28, 2008 4:26 pm
Location: Royersford, Pa
Stoker Coal Boiler: AA 260 heating both sides of twin farmhouse
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: LL Hyfire II w/ coaltrol in garage
Coal Size/Type: Pea in AA 260, Rice in LL Hyfire II
Other Heating: Gas fired infared at work
Contact:

Post by Rick 386 » Sat. Jan. 19, 2013 11:01 pm

daluds wrote:
Here is my other hobby:
2013-01-05_14-30-08_175_sm.jpg
Dave
OK So where did you get the skis and where do you fly out of ??

Rick


 
daluds
Member
Posts: 284
Joined: Fri. Jun. 20, 2008 9:27 am
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM DF520
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by daluds » Sun. Jan. 20, 2013 10:29 am

Rob,

Thanks for the info about rubber bins at Tractor Supply. I checked those out yesterday, but did buy a coal shovel. I decided to keep the green bin I have for now.

Rick,

I fly out of Marlboro Airport in MA (9B1), and private strip just north of Marlboro airport call Crow Island where the picture was taken.
9b1.jpg
.JPG | 203.5KB | 9b1.jpg
IMG_2827sm.jpg
.JPG | 618.4KB | IMG_2827sm.jpg

 
User avatar
Scottscoaled
Member
Posts: 2812
Joined: Tue. Jan. 08, 2008 9:51 pm
Location: Malta N.Y.
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520, 700, Van Wert 800 GJ 61,53
Baseburners & Antiques: Magic Stewart 16, times 2!
Coal Size/Type: Lots of buck
Other Heating: Slant Fin electric boiler backup

Post by Scottscoaled » Sun. Jan. 20, 2013 11:15 am

You should try drilling a hole in the bottom of your bin and putting a coffee can under it to collect the water. If a coffee can is too tall, a cut down milk container works too. That works for me. I use wet coal all the time. Don't like the dust from the dry stuff.

 
User avatar
Rob R.
Site Moderator
Posts: 17965
Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
Location: Chazy, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr

Post by Rob R. » Sun. Jan. 20, 2013 11:40 am

Wet coal is 'manageable' if it is clean coal...if it has a lot of dust or fines, the water creates sludge that "gums up the works"...hence the plugged holes in your auger pipe.

 
User avatar
McGiever
Member
Posts: 10128
Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar

Post by McGiever » Sun. Jan. 20, 2013 1:41 pm

When I used bagged coal, and it was really wet, I would clip a single corner of several bags ahead of time approximately 3/4" diagonally and stand the bags on that corner in a plastic tray to drain. A grid or make shift lattice affair in bottom of tray will help too. It was convenient for me that I had a floor drain right there and I had a hole in the tray letting the water run down the drain.

What little water/moisture remained in the bags was never a problem and dust was still under control. This is one case where Gravity is your friend. :!:
No need of a shovel for this method.
I found that this took minimal effort on my part to get satisfactory results. ;)

 
daluds
Member
Posts: 284
Joined: Fri. Jun. 20, 2008 9:27 am
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM DF520
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by daluds » Sun. Jan. 20, 2013 8:41 pm

McGiever,

I have been cutting corners of bags to let them drain for the past pallet, but it was like pouring mud out of the bags with all the water. I suspect I had a bad pallet of coal (if thats possible). I'm cutting corners of the bags and letting them drain, and then dumping in the other bin to let it dry even more. The new pallet is much better. Very little water. So this should be good. If not, I know how to break down the DF520 to clean out the clogged holes.

I am working on a way to feed air from the blower to the upper pipe. This should resolve the problem even if the holes get clogged.

Dave

 
daluds
Member
Posts: 284
Joined: Fri. Jun. 20, 2008 9:27 am
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM DF520
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by daluds » Thu. Jan. 31, 2013 8:31 pm

Putting out 5 bags to defrost for a day and then dumping them into another bin to dry for a day seems to be working... FYI. Thanks.

 
daluds
Member
Posts: 284
Joined: Fri. Jun. 20, 2008 9:27 am
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM DF520
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by daluds » Wed. Mar. 27, 2013 10:24 am

Assume the holes are clogged again in the upper feed pipe since I am getting smoke in the bin which goes in the house.

Is there a way to unclog the holes without taking the pipe out? For example, via bent coat hanger from under the pot? Probably not.

I shut the boiler down tonight, and pull the upper pipe. It took about 2 hours by the time I chiseled out the baked on coal fines down at the bottom of the pot.

The wet coal gets caked up in the lower part of the pot opposite the auger inlet, and then this prevents even flow of coal up the pot preventing even burn.

So when there is more ash on the side of the auger in the ash bucket and smoke in coal bin then its time to rip it apart, clean the holes and get out the chisels to remove the caked on coal fines. Its like cement.

Thanks,

Dave

 
daluds
Member
Posts: 284
Joined: Fri. Jun. 20, 2008 9:27 am
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM DF520
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by daluds » Tue. Apr. 23, 2013 6:30 pm

What is the easiest way to get positive pressure to the auger tube to prevent smoke filling the coal bin when the blower runs once the holes in the upper auger pipe get clogged?

These holes get clogged every 3-4 weeks, and its no fun to take the boiler apart each time to unclog them.

Can I mount a fan in the lid of the coal bin, and wire it to turn on when the blower turns on?

Someone mentioned taping into the blower and upper tube, but this seems more difficult unless someone has suggestions on the parts to use.

Thanks,

Dave


Post Reply

Return to “Stoker Coal Boilers Using Anthracite (Hydronic & Steam)”