Cleaning of Stoker Boilers

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equipmint
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Joined: Mon. Jul. 30, 2007 6:04 pm

Post by equipmint » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 5:15 pm

I was wondering how often people go between boiler cleanings in mid season? I clean my Harman VF3000 about every 5 weeks. For me thats the boiler and about 10' of flue pipe.

 
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coalkirk
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Posts: 5185
Joined: Wed. May. 17, 2006 8:12 pm
Location: Forest Hill MD
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1981 EFM DF520 retired
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Jotul 507 on standby
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh anthracite/rice coal

Post by coalkirk » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 11:40 pm

I clean mine about once a month. And by cleaning, this is what I do. I clean the vent pipe and the area with the metal guillotine door in the ash area. I also clean out the area under the grates by operating the slide handle several times. I operate the rod on the front that drags a scraper across the 8 heat exchanger bars at least once a week. And I empty the fines tray as needed.

 
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SMITTY
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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

Post by SMITTY » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 11:45 pm

Due to my half-assed connector pipe installation that has a downward facing run, I've got to vac the tubes once a week. I throw a curved piece of galvy steel my neighbor gave me on top of the fire, and just vac from the inside - takes less than a minute. Got to do a thorough cleaning at least every 2 months, where everything gets disassembled and cleaned, especially the connector pipe.

I still haven't come up with a good way to clean my firetubes. Oversized wire brush won't even touch the crap on mine .... :mad: My next step is a small engine hone ...


 
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oliver power
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Posts: 2970
Joined: Sun. Apr. 16, 2006 9:28 am
Location: Near Dansville, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: KEYSTOKER Kaa-2
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93 & 30-95, Vigilant (pre-2310), D.S. 1600 Circulator, Hitzer 254

Post by oliver power » Fri. Feb. 20, 2015 12:16 am

I don't have enough build-up in my Kaa-2 worth cleaning. Some fly ash build-up on back of stoker, where it enters the fire box. I may clean it off once throughout winter, or not. If it falls off, it goes in ash pit. About once a month, I pop the cap off the clean out "T" at tending time, stick the shop vac hose in, and tap the pipe. It takes about 15 seconds. I vacuum the ash pit at my daily 24hr tending. As far as the inside water walls of the boiler, they stay fairly clean, as boilers go. At my once a year cleaning, I give everything a quick brushing, and vacuum. I never touch the stoker, or clean around the stoker, unless the fan is on for positive air flow through the grate holes. So far, I've never had to clean below the grates since installing the boiler. I did pull the stoker once, and gave it a total go through, only because I thought it might be due. I had no build-up under the grates. The best tip I can give anyone (and I've mentioned it many times), is to put a little cubical heater in the ash pit when shutting down for season. Since doing the heater thing, I haven't had to do hardly any cleaning, including grate holes. No Rust, no corrosion, no nothing. The inside stays like new.

 
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Rob R.
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Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
Location: Chazy, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr

Post by Rob R. » Fri. Feb. 20, 2015 6:18 am

3-4x per year. I burn year round and like to try and get maximum economy from the boiler.

My dad and brother clean their boilers at the end of the season, that's it.

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