From OWB to EFM520 Installed in Truck Box
- 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
Rob, I sure hope we don't get the minus zero temps tonite,it has already fallen to 8* here & the wind is gusting over 30 mph.~~~~~~~~We tried sealing some windows last yr,we taped plastic on the inside,the wind came thru so strong it kept pulling the tape loose. I guess I could just silicone all the windows at least the air won't get stale in our house
- 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
I still have the EFM set on 7teeth/7.5 air,added 180# tonite,took out the ash tub which was about 1 qt shy of level full. That ratio of coal burned vs ash quantity suits me just fine. Gale coal is working so nicely in the EFM & the whole system performs it's job without fanfare,which I like. Winter is much easier than it was with the OWB
- Rob R.
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 17980
- Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
- Location: Chazy, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr
What, no fire pictures?
You are a bit more aggressive with the feed rate than I am, but it leaves you more headroom for a big change in the weather. It seems like mine uses less coal if I keep the feed adjusted for long burn times.
You are a bit more aggressive with the feed rate than I am, but it leaves you more headroom for a big change in the weather. It seems like mine uses less coal if I keep the feed adjusted for long burn times.
- 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
I didn't like the times last winter when we woke up to cool air heat,from the boiler not able to keep after. With the wild swings in high to low temps this season,i am not risking that again.Tonite we are supposed to have a low of 18* with 30 mph winds,wind chill of 0*. With those conditions,we will have some massive heat demands on the boiler. I would rather burn a little more coal than to get caught with too little feed. I will try to remember to take some pics.Rob R. wrote:What, no fire pictures?
You are a bit more aggressive with the feed rate than I am, but it leaves you more headroom for a big change in the weather. It seems like mine uses less coal if I keep the feed adjusted for long burn times.
- 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
Pics as promised.Not sure how long the boiler was firing b4 I took the pics.We had a ferocious snow squall move thru here about 5 pm,white out conditions,it left approx.1/2-3/4" of snow behind & now the ferocious winds are here.Looks like we will get to use ashes on everything tomorrow.
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- 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
10* yesterday a/m to a high of 19*,this a/m was at 8*,today's high all the way up to 20*,both days & nites we had wind gusts exceeding 30 mph. I added 240# of coal into the hopper both days,that is the highest amount so far this season. We are going thru about 35#/day in the Crane ,keeping it in the 500* range. This is the second winter for us without the OWB & all the work with wood out in the cold & snow. We are not missing that at all We are enjoying the less work of coal heating,very much. It almost is like a winter time vacation compared to THOSE 8 yrs with the OWB
- SMITTY
- Member
- Posts: 12520
- Joined: Sun. Dec. 11, 2005 12:43 pm
- Location: West-Central Mass
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520 Highboy
- Coal Size/Type: Rice / Blaschak anthracite
- Other Heating: Oil fired Burnham boiler
We had the same temps today as you had yesterday. Wind chill was 4° this morning.
I thought I went through alot of coal at 80 lbs in 24 hours! You must've had to feed that wood boiler every half hour. YIKES!
The wind blew my Hillary support sign down today!
I thought I went through alot of coal at 80 lbs in 24 hours! You must've had to feed that wood boiler every half hour. YIKES!
The wind blew my Hillary support sign down today!
- 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
I like your Hillary support sign.
- SMITTY
- Member
- Posts: 12520
- Joined: Sun. Dec. 11, 2005 12:43 pm
- Location: West-Central Mass
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520 Highboy
- Coal Size/Type: Rice / Blaschak anthracite
- Other Heating: Oil fired Burnham boiler
Thanks!
About 100 people that drove by here just to see the sign agree with you too. Gives me hope!
About 100 people that drove by here just to see the sign agree with you too. Gives me hope!
- Ky Speedracer
- Member
- Posts: 492
- Joined: Sun. Dec. 21, 2014 9:38 pm
- Location: Middletown, Kentucky
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Florence HotBlast NO.68 & Potbelly
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: HotBlast 1557M
- Coal Size/Type: Ky Lump & Anthracite Nut
- Other Heating: Oil
Windy, tonight is the first time I have had a chance to look through this thread. All I can say is wow! Very nice! I know nothing about EFMs and/or boilers but I recognize and can appreciate well thought out projects and hard work... Very nice!
If I ever get your way I want a tour of the setup!
If I ever get your way I want a tour of the setup!
- 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
Ky Speedracer, Thanks. If you ever find yourself near the I81/I78 split,we are just a few miles from there,you would be welcome to stop & see our setup .
- 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
With the cold temps we have here lately,i have been emptying the ash tub in the a/m & p/m,this a/m I had a ferocious Lyme induced headache & forgot the boiler exists. Some of you may have noticed that I was on the forum more today... I have to monitor the shop & the phone so while doing that I tuned into the forum... it hurt too much to be moving around trying to work till mid-afternoon,then it was time to get a customers snow blower done b4 the snow storm. Tonite the ash tub was just slightly, just ever so slightly a little bit over level full. Surprising because I added 240# to the hopper,i did fill the hopper a bit fuller,the correct amount was likely 220#. I have never gotten that little ashes for that much coal from the other brands I have burnt. I previously thought that 180# to a tub of ash was good.The stoker is set at 7 teeth/6.75 air,now I like this Gale coal even more.
- Rob R.
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 17980
- Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
- Location: Chazy, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr
Less ash is always nice. I also gauge it by how often I have to change the tub, not how much the tubs weigh. One time I had some white-ash coal that acted almost like popcorn! The tub would fill up with this fluffy white ash. Nice and light, but required more frequent attention. The coal I have this season seems to be a great compromise, and it produces more BTU's than any other coal I have used. First time I have ever made it through below zero weather with strong winds on only 4 teeth of feed.
- 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
Rob, we are getting less ashes per # of coal with this Gale than we did with any of the other brands we used,that is definitely a good thing. ~~~~~ The other thing that is noticeably different is that for the first time since firing this 520,i have the air # set lower than the teeth #
- 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
I added 210# of coal tonite,took out 1 tub of ash for the last 24 hrs. I am liking this lower ash coal