Rotten Eggs

2001Sierra · Post by **2001Sierra** » Wed. Dec. 18, 2013 11:38 pm

I check my Baro semi weekly. I too found a similar result when I swept my block chimney on year 2 of my stoker. I used to seep the chimney yearly with the hand fed and not much ever came out so I would just vacuum the bottom yearly. After the second year of the stoker I swept the chimney, and at the thimble which is where I clean out, it looked like a snow bank! I embarrassed myself with the accumulation.Stokers can really put some ash up the chimney as I found out. You never can be too careful.
Merry Christmas to All

Post by **Lightning** » Thu. Dec. 19, 2013 3:00 am

I hate to say it out loud, but it makes me wonder if all the fly ash in the pipe is a result of excessive combustion air that would impair efficiency.

heatwithcoal · Post by **heatwithcoal** » Thu. Dec. 19, 2013 5:37 am

It has been running full time for maybe 2 months. Now I know my cleaning schedule

After cleaning out the pipe and changing the dirty air filter, as suggested by Dave, all is running fine this morning. I think I will try to eliminate one elbow in the spring

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Stove pipe increases from 6" to 8" after elbow exiting the stove.

Mark

Post by **Lightning** » Thu. Dec. 19, 2013 6:28 am

Yes, I would run a sloped pipe and take out the 90 in the middle. Then put a T at the top before the thimble to put the barometric on. It could probably be done in a couple hours if you decided to do it sooner.

coalkirk · Post by **coalkirk** » Thu. Dec. 19, 2013 6:33 am

It is suprising how quickly the fly ash can accumulate. Replace your elbows with T's and you can clean out the ash in less than a minute and never have this problem again. I fired up mid October and did the first flyash clean out the first week of December. It wasn't as bad as your picture but bad enough.

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This picture doesn't show it but I've got the same T arrangement at the bottom. Pop of the caps on the T's and a stick the shop vac wand in there and you are done. Don't even have to shut down.

heatwithcoal · Post by **heatwithcoal** » Thu. Dec. 19, 2013 7:29 am

It is supposed to be in the 50's this weekend. Seems like a good project this weekend while my in-laws are in from out of state. I could probably stretch it out to 4 hours of quiet in the basement if I have a few beers while working on it.

Post by **Lightning** » Thu. Dec. 19, 2013 8:11 am

Perfect hahaha!

heatwithcoal · Post by **heatwithcoal** » Thu. Dec. 19, 2013 8:35 am

coalkirk,

Where is your baro on your set up?

Pacowy · Post by **Pacowy** » Fri. Dec. 27, 2013 10:37 am

heatwithcoal wrote: Stove pipe increases from 6" to 8" after elbow exiting the stove.

Mark

AFAIK the increase in stove pipe size causes the speed with which the exhaust gases are moving to diminish. Having the increase occur at the bottom of a vertical section of pipe accentuates the accumulation of fly ash you get at that point. Without reworking all of the smoke pipe, if space permits you might be able to remedy this by replacing the first elbow with a tee, with one outlet from the tee facing the floor and forming a "trap" for some of the fly ash. Frequent checking/cleaning would still be needed, but this would leave the unit better able to withstand fly ash accumulation.

Mike

Post by **Rob R.** » Fri. Dec. 27, 2013 1:01 pm

Pacowy wrote:
heatwithcoal wrote: Stove pipe increases from 6" to 8" after elbow exiting the stove.

Mark
AFAIK the increase in stove pipe size causes the speed with which the exhaust gases are moving to diminish. Having the increase occur at the bottom of a vertical section of pipe accentuates the accumulation of fly ash you get at that point. Without reworking all of the smoke pipe, if space permits you might be able to remedy this by replacing the first elbow with a tee, with one outlet from the tee facing the floor and forming a "trap" for some of the fly ash. Frequent checking/cleaning would still be needed, but this would leave the unit better able to withstand fly ash accumulation.

Mike

Great idea. I think it would work even better if the tee is a few inches larger than the flue outlet. Come off the furnace with 6" and go into an 8" tee, then run 6" to the chimney. The "slow down" should occur in the tee and drop the flyash into the "trap".

Post by **Lightning** » Fri. Dec. 27, 2013 1:03 pm

Franco and I were just discussing a fly ash trap. Seems like a good idea. Isn't there anything like that on the market?

Pacowy · Post by **Pacowy** » Fri. Dec. 27, 2013 2:31 pm

Rob R. wrote: I think it would work even better if the tee is a few inches larger than the flue outlet. Come off the furnace with 6" and go into an 8" tee, then run 6" to the chimney. The "slow down" should occur in the tee and drop the flyash into the "trap".

x2. The reducer should go first and the tee should be 8". I should try looking more closely at the pics.

Mike

Uglysquirrel · Post by **Uglysquirrel** » Fri. Dec. 27, 2013 7:34 pm

We as a forum do not emphasize periodic cleaning as a safety and efficiency requirement.

Is it reasonable to say that stokers in general create more ash accumulation in the exhaust system ?

What is a good general cleaning frequency ? I'm thinking every 5-6 weeks.

Post by **Rob R.** » Fri. Dec. 27, 2013 8:38 pm

It depends on the unit and the amount of coal burned. 5-6 weeks is a good starting point, if it is found to be clean then extend the cleaning interval. I clean my EFM 3 times per year (every 3 tons) but could go longer. My dad's gets cleaned once per year.

Flyer5 · Post by **Flyer5** » Fri. Dec. 27, 2013 9:19 pm

I generally tell people to clean at least twice a month with a new installation. Then after getting their experience they can make an assessment for their own schedule. Every setup is different. But most can go 5-6 weeks easily. But it still needs to be routinely checked.