How Long Can I Extend the Worm Feed From the EFM to the Coal

Guys,

I was looking around this forum for information on coal bins. Stoker man has an awesome thread on building one. I wasn't able to find this particular question addressed, though. I think I'm going to have a problem situating a coal bin close enough to an opening that I can fill the coal from. I'm trying to think of some creative ways to do this. My first question is how far can I reasonably feed coal through the worm from the bin to the heater? I'm picturing myself moving the coal with a wheel barrow and it's not a pretty picture.

Problem is my garage is street level and the bin will need to sit at the back of the garage. There's no easy way to setup a chute from my driveway and get it to the back of the garage with any decent pitch. I'm already thinking of some sort of conveyor system, but I think I'll find it's to expensive and unreasonable to setup

Thoughts? Experiences?

Thanks

Having just shoveled and moved 3 tons of rice coal from where the truck could dump it to almost where I wanted it has me thinking the same thing. I'll have to come up with something. A small tractor with a bucket loader would do the trick but isn't in the budget. Grain type screw auger would work but I'd need an unreasonably long tube or have to move the pile more than once. I'm guessing I'll just rent a small bucket loader for a day next year and put the pile right where I want my coal bin to be located. It will then gravity feed into the hopper of my keystoker. If you come up with a good conveyor design, let me know. I was thinking 4 or 6 inch PVC pipe with a nylon webbing belt. I have an old 3/4 HP garbage disposal motor that might be able to power the contraption

Does your garage have a level concrete floor?

Did you already install the EFM?

I was thinking the other day of trying to find a gravity box from a farmer. They would make the ideal coal bin. You could close the shoot at the bottom if you ever needed to tend to anything at the bottom of the auger. It is on wheels and you could just hitch up and move it away. You would have to create a little box to contain it at the bottom of the gravity box area, but I think it would make a great setup.

Good thought CB, now if you can find a good one east of the Miss................... Search on the forum for auger systems and see what others have created. Tractor Supply has 12 and 16 foot augers, just add a motor.

Back to the question......about 16', but ask the guys who have done it. You now have additional demand on the motor, and more surface area to grind coal up.

I like the Gravity Wagon idea.

IN fact about 6 years ago I had that exact setup only then I was burning Corn. Not an earth shattering idea of course but it worked well.

My only bit of advice is be sure your Bin Wagon is up to the task... Alot of the older ones have issues with supports, frames, and tires, that are just not up to the task of hauling Coal around. At least if you don't want a major structural failure...

Like Stoker man said ..> hard to find good used ones really.

Joe, EFM offers an intermediate auger to extend the total auger length. For some reason I can't find the length of the extension auger, but I remember it being shorter than the 5' bin auger. Just an estimate...I think the max auger length is about 10'.

vermontday wrote:Does your garage have a level concrete floor?

Did you already install the EFM?

vermontday - the garage has a solid level concrete floor and I'm currently in the planning stages so nothing is installed. I do have the location for the EFM situated where it makes most sense and gives me easy access into the house for the plumbing.

I was told, when I installed my EFM 9 to 10 feet was an absolute MAX.

Rob is probably right on with the 10 Feet from EFM. You do have guys that will build their own augers etc...

I would want to seriously consider the motor load if doing anything too extreme...

Then wait till you see his set up! I recall a bunch of pics and it is terrific.

Kevin

Sorry, vermontdays set up.

Are you sure you want the boiler in your garage versus basement? I almost put mine in the garage thinking it would be dirty. I am very glad I didn't.

If you put it in the garage and have enough room, you can use a skid system. If you coal delivery truck has a lifting bed, you can hang the supersack bags from bungees off eye hooks on your garage door. They only have to hold the weight of the plastic supersack. The truck can chute the coal into the bags there and you can use a pallet jack to move the skids onto your auger box.

Make sure the auger box faces towards the front of your garage so you have room to line up the skid to it.

Click on blue link below for more info.

EFM 520 Install With Skid/Bulk Bags Feed

Check out the thread COAL BIN pics, there are 55 pages of ideas.

The literature on my EFM 900 did show and offer combo's of 16 feet. Bigger tube than the 520, still same motor driving it. I still like the idea of leaving what you have and getting an independent auger to move coal to you barrel or bin. Less aggravation and if anything were to fail, you would not have to remove and retro the long auger setup.

[quote="vermontday"]Are you sure you want the boiler in your garage versus basement? I almost put mine in the garage thinking it would be dirty. I am very glad I didn't.

If you put it in the garage and have enough room, you can use a skid system. If you coal delivery truck has a lifting bed, you can hang the supersack bags from bungees off eye hooks on your garage door. They only have to hold the weight of the plastic supersack. The truck can chute the coal into the bags there and you can use a pallet jack to move the skids onto your auger box.

Make sure the auger box faces towards the front of your garage so you have room to line up the skid to it.

This setup is incredible and very well documented. I like the concept. The only thing I didn't see or may have overlooked is were you get those darn bulk bags! I don't have the room in my finished basement for a setup like this, so it will stay in the garage. Since my garage is not insulated I'm thinking it might make sense to frame a section off and insulate it. I hate to waste that heat the EFM will emit during normal operation

U-line sells bulk bags. The details are in the posted thread. You could also post on craigslist looking for used ones.