Is High Temp Normal in AA 130

The lower the ashing number, such as 135, the smaller the fire(more ash underneath). 140, in theory, should have a deeper fire than at 135. Coal likes to burn hot. I run steam and on the triple aquastat I run 190/230. First year I had it I turned it down in the summer but turned it back up and have left it there. I think the factory says to start with 140 and 3 clicks. Draft seems low, it's gonna start getting worse as the days get warmer.

whistlenut wrote:Like Greg mentions, you don't see any orange coals, just a gray layer with black coal over it. Not to be a PITA, but if you SLOWLY introduce your hand into the viewing port, you will feel some warmth from below. If you are completely retarded, you will show your buddies that it is out and stick your hand into the gray layer. If you aren't into visiting the Shriners Burn Center, perhaps that is not a good idea. A 130 will last 36 hrs +/- and a 260 will be even longer, perhaps in excess of 48 hrs. A Keystoker guy should NOT play this game, or any inclined grate system. 10 minutes and your fun is over.

I had a near outfire today because the weather was so nice I forgot to tend the coal bin. I had only an inch barely burning in the firepot of my AA130 and didn't have any need to stoke the fire because the boiler was at 210 but I ran the dump zone until the fan and auger kicked in so I could load a couple inches of coal on top to insure a good fire. My wife and I then left to go out for dinner.

I come back to it a couple hours later. Damn! I look in the sight port. It's filled with jet black coal, the boiler's calling for heat at 150deg temp! I put my hand near the sight port and all I feel is cold air. I put it inside a little bit. Still cold. A little further. Still cold. That was as far as I would go. I decided to wait ten minutes to see if the fan would dredge up a few flames to build a fire from below. Experience is a good teacher...

Since I once was that retard that whistlenut was referring to, I didn't stick my hand in any further, recalling the last time (and only time) I did touch the coals, I also got my hand stuck in the sight tube! That was real fun: burning the hand and dancing a jig while trying to pry your hand out of your hot boiler without touching the rest of your hot boiler! Fortunately, even though it was hot, it was not hot enough to have to go to the burn unit!

I think I was that retard once myself.......kinda like that guy pronounced dead, in a body bag, and was kicking when the guys at the morgue were about to let him 'sleep' in the cooler.
We all laugh about it now, and if you have large hands, like most of us, ONLY a 260 will allow graceful 'quick removal. The 130 sight door is too small for those 'Magilla the Gorilla' hands.
....Silverback hands.......Man that is a hot flame...wait, I never saw any flame. Burning skin is not a wonderful smell, especially when it is your own. Every time I see those men and women walk on burning coals, I KNOW damned well, it is not Anthracite, but wood coals.