Yellow Flame, A Christmas Stoker Boiler
- 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
There is no problem using a ballvalve on the outlet side of the pump to restrict the flow, it just acts like more pump head. It was just a suggestion in case you wanted to experiment...sounds like it is running great the way it is.
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7484
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
It is running well. It's hard to beleive it's been going for about a month now. One thing I do need to work on is coal consuption. When it's cold, i'm putting 3 five gallon buckets a day in it. From an earlier post about the weight of a five gallon bucket of coal being about 40 pounds, that's 120 pounds a day! Last Monday I put 4 buckets in after filling it 24 hours before. I think I need to lay off heating the garage to 60 degrees and just let the radient heat from the boiler heat it. I have 1 50,000 BTU and 1 80,000 BTU heat exchangers in the garage and one 18"X20" heat exchanger in the ductwork, I think that one is good for 150,000BTU. When all the blowers come on it realy makes the boiler work hard. It does manage to keep up, but wow does it use a lot of coal.
It looks great do'in it though!
The next expirement will be turning off the garage zone via the thremostat.
-Don
It looks great do'in it though!
The next expirement will be turning off the garage zone via the thremostat.
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7484
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
I guess that means I should actually weigh the bucketfulls, I am using Blaschak too. That does make me feel better, Thanks.
-Don
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7484
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
I weighed some buckets, all between 33 pounds and 36 pounds. I'll call it 35 just to make it easy. I fill them up to about 2" from the top, that way I don't spill any when I dump it in the hopper.StokerDon wrote:I guess that means I should actually weigh the bucketfulls, I am using Blaschak too. That does make me feel better, Thanks.
-Don
It's been warm down here this week. If I put 2.5 buckets in it's stuffed full!
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7484
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
I went up to Shamokin today and bought the rest of the Yellow Flame parts. The guy I bought my boiler from had some spare parts from other YF boilers he was selling seprately. Sorry Whistelnut, I know you were eye'in up those parts but I just had ta git'um!
What I got was;
A four grate stoker, complete accept for a couple linkage pieces.
An ash door with frame. A side rail.
A hopper that is probably scrap.
And a mistery fire door. It says "DIETRICH" on it, anyone care to guess what it is from?
I love driving up to that area. I'm always suprized when I round a bend and I suddenly realize that hill across the way is all COAL!!! I don't know how many mines are up there but the coal hills seem to be everywhere.
The 4 grate stoker is 3 inches wider than my 3 grate, so I don't think I can jam it into my boiler. Maybe I can find a Keystoker boiler to stuff it into.
Bottom line, I got more stoker parts to play with. I am so glad this has been a long winter!
-Don
What I got was;
A four grate stoker, complete accept for a couple linkage pieces.
An ash door with frame. A side rail.
A hopper that is probably scrap.
And a mistery fire door. It says "DIETRICH" on it, anyone care to guess what it is from?
I love driving up to that area. I'm always suprized when I round a bend and I suddenly realize that hill across the way is all COAL!!! I don't know how many mines are up there but the coal hills seem to be everywhere.
The 4 grate stoker is 3 inches wider than my 3 grate, so I don't think I can jam it into my boiler. Maybe I can find a Keystoker boiler to stuff it into.
Bottom line, I got more stoker parts to play with. I am so glad this has been a long winter!
-Don
- Hambden Bob
- Member
- Posts: 8531
- Joined: Mon. Jan. 04, 2010 10:54 am
- Location: Hambden Twp. Geauga County,Ohio
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Harman 1998 Magnum Stoker
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Blower Model Coal Chubby 1982-Serial#0097
- Coal Size/Type: Rice-A-Roni ! / Nut
- Other Heating: Pro-Pain Forced Air
Holy Cats,Mister! You really have "The Bug" ! Good to hear from you. Your probably tossing and turning right now,dreaming of how your goin' to stuff that four grater into your next heat-maker! Good Job !
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7484
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Yesterday I made a trip up to Port Carbon PA to visit my Aunt. On the way, I stopped at Mark's Supply in Shenandoah. I picked up some new grates, spare side rails, a new style coupler and a couple ash tubs. Joe's advise on grates is that you should replace them when they warp, don't wait until they brake. After comparing the new ones to the grates I used last season I noticed that, one grate was not very warpped at all, another was a bit warpped and the third one is deffinatly warpped.
The new style coupler has a set screw that goes strait onto the shaft of the motor. This means the ears on the blower that engaged the old style coupler need to be removed or bent over and flattened to make room on the motor shaft.
While I was at Mark's Supply some of the old heating contractors where there getting parts. While talking to one of them, he said at one point he had a Yellow Flame 4 grate boiler. He also said it was the biggest "Coal Hog" he ever saw, "went through 2.5 ton a month!". I was considering finding a boiler to put my 4 grate stoker into, but after hearing that, I guess I will just refurb my newer 3 grate stoker for the coming winter.
Back to my Aunt. I didn't know this before but walking around down at the corner of her yard I found a BIG chunk of COAL! My Aunt said one of the neighbors was a coal miner (decads ago) and he brought it home with him one day.
It's about 4 feet or so long, about 2 feet wide and maybe 3 feet high. Something like half a ton or so.
That's a nice sized coal rock!
-Don
The new style coupler has a set screw that goes strait onto the shaft of the motor. This means the ears on the blower that engaged the old style coupler need to be removed or bent over and flattened to make room on the motor shaft.
While I was at Mark's Supply some of the old heating contractors where there getting parts. While talking to one of them, he said at one point he had a Yellow Flame 4 grate boiler. He also said it was the biggest "Coal Hog" he ever saw, "went through 2.5 ton a month!". I was considering finding a boiler to put my 4 grate stoker into, but after hearing that, I guess I will just refurb my newer 3 grate stoker for the coming winter.
Back to my Aunt. I didn't know this before but walking around down at the corner of her yard I found a BIG chunk of COAL! My Aunt said one of the neighbors was a coal miner (decads ago) and he brought it home with him one day.
It's about 4 feet or so long, about 2 feet wide and maybe 3 feet high. Something like half a ton or so.
That's a nice sized coal rock!
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7484
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Well the old Yellow Flame has been retired. I am now in the last phase (I hope!) of stage 5 Stoker Maddness, "Under Fed Stokers". I basicly have enough Gentleman Janitor parts to biuld 2 stokers with lots of spares left over. I also have a complete EFM S-20 stoker with spares. And I know where there's more.
The Yellow Flame is a great solid heavy duty stoker boiler, it will last for many decades to come. Right now I have it all cleaned up and sitting in the corner. The stoker is still in the basement. I'm getting it ready for it's next adventure!
-Don
The Yellow Flame is a great solid heavy duty stoker boiler, it will last for many decades to come. Right now I have it all cleaned up and sitting in the corner. The stoker is still in the basement. I'm getting it ready for it's next adventure!
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7484
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Well after much frustration and bad language over the past two days, I finely have a Youtube account!
I have uploaded some videos of the Yellow Flame. These are from about a year and a half ago.
And, yes it is for sale. Check in the calssified section of this forum.
-Don
I have uploaded some videos of the Yellow Flame. These are from about a year and a half ago.
And, yes it is for sale. Check in the calssified section of this forum.
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7484
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Yesterday the Yellow Flame was loaded up and carted off to it's new home.
There it goes! The new owner is very excited about having an automatic feed coal boiler, currently heating with oil/hot air. So, he will be doing the same type of install as I did with the Yellow Flame. It is going into a local home so I will get to see it again.
Good luck Dan!
-Don
There it goes! The new owner is very excited about having an automatic feed coal boiler, currently heating with oil/hot air. So, he will be doing the same type of install as I did with the Yellow Flame. It is going into a local home so I will get to see it again.
Good luck Dan!
-Don
- windyhill4.2
- Member
- Posts: 6072
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 22, 2013 2:17 pm
- Location: Jonestown,Pa.17038
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1960 EFM520 installed in truck box
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane 404 with variable blower
- Coal Size/Type: 404-nut, 520 rice ,anthracite for both
Now that has to be a bittersweet situation for you,SD. To see that beauty going away.... hate to see your 1st project go,but glad to see it go so you can move on to the 12th unit . Did it go to a forum member ? If not,hopefully he becomes 1 & updates the story.
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7484
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
I'm sure he will become a forum member.
All I can say is, it's a good thing I picked up the BairMatic and that small GJ. Otherwise, I'd be down to one boiler!!!
-Don
All I can say is, it's a good thing I picked up the BairMatic and that small GJ. Otherwise, I'd be down to one boiler!!!
-Don
- windyhill4.2
- Member
- Posts: 6072
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 22, 2013 2:17 pm
- Location: Jonestown,Pa.17038
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1960 EFM520 installed in truck box
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane 404 with variable blower
- Coal Size/Type: 404-nut, 520 rice ,anthracite for both
Only 1 !!! you would be in the same shape as me then. If you are going to keep the boiler rescue foundation going, you will need more than 1 unit around at any given time.There will be days when the project will depress you & having a finished collection will be a mood lifter.StokerDon wrote:I'm sure he will become a forum member.
All I can say is, it's a good thing I picked up the BairMatic and that small GJ. Otherwise, I'd be down to one boiler!!!
-Don
- SWPaDon
- Member
- Posts: 9857
- Joined: Sun. Nov. 24, 2013 12:05 pm
- Location: Southwest Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Clayton 1600M
- Coal Size/Type: Bituminous
- Other Heating: Oil furnace
Yes, he became a member today, and I told him to start a thread here in the boiler section when he starts his install.StokerDon wrote:I'm sure he will become a forum member.
All I can say is, it's a good thing I picked up the BairMatic and that small GJ. Otherwise, I'd be down to one boiler!!!
-Don