Fines in the Ash

Phil May · Post by **Phil May** » Mon. Feb. 23, 2015 12:13 pm

I have been getting black fines in the ash. The fines are in the coal before it goes in the 700. I am suprised that they are not burnt up. It is running perfect other wise. the fine seem to be more in the back of ash pan. I am not to worried about it just want to know if it is a sign of something going wrong.

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Mon. Feb. 23, 2015 12:19 pm

Sounds normal but if you wish to check the combustibility quickly of the remains, use your propane torch and see if you can burn the particles and make them burn and turn to ash.

Post back with results.

If you want to, weigh them and then if they burn, weigh the ash. A % ash can then be roughly determined and see if it corresponds to your coal (do this for a piece of coal for comparison). You should do several sample tests with each set.

Post by **Rob R.** » Mon. Feb. 23, 2015 12:34 pm

Your stoker automatically dumps the fines in the ash tub.

Pacowy · Post by **Pacowy** » Mon. Feb. 23, 2015 1:20 pm

Phil May wrote:just want to know if it is a sign of something going wrong.

It's a sign of something going right.

Those fines aren't burned because they have fallen into the air chamber, from which they are cleared by a rotating drum at the bottom.

Mike

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Mon. Feb. 23, 2015 5:15 pm

Rob R. wrote:Your stoker automatically dumps the fines in the ash tub.

An advantage of having a hand fed stove ... mine burns all those fines up.

5% of fines is 5% cash tossed away...maybe $15/ton (based on 300/ton).

But a stoker is nice ... the loss of fines likely not an issue to owning one.

Wifey concerned about being frozen if power goes out ~ my obstacle to getting a stoker.

Pacowy · Post by **Pacowy** » Mon. Feb. 23, 2015 6:54 pm

I think there are a lot of factors that go into comparing the efficiency of a stoker vs. handfed, and fines are not high on the list if they make the list at all. The only fines the OP was talking about are those that fell through the burn grate into the air chamber of a comparatively rare EFM stoker equipped with automatic fines removal. If the quantity involved is any more than a tiny fraction of the coal volume, the coal should probably be screened, and the user can decide whether or not to try to burn them on the fire. With the more plentiful S20 stokers used in EFM 520's and 350's, the operator can choose to manually dump even the air chamber fines into a pie tin, etc. and recycle them right onto the fire.

Mike

Post by **Rob R.** » Mon. Feb. 23, 2015 7:43 pm

My setup produces about 0.5% fines compared to the amount of coal burned. $10 worth of fines per year - a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of what goes into owning a home.

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Mon. Feb. 23, 2015 8:36 pm

My opinion ~~ I think trying to burn fines whether in a stoker or hand fed is a total waste.It is about as effective as running the ashes thru again to get a tiny little gain. Ashes & fines on top of fire just help smother the fire. But that is just my personal feeling on fines. I pull the dump lever on the 520 & the fines fall into the ash tub. I sift the fines from the bucket for the hand fed & throw those fines on the ice outside.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Mon. Feb. 23, 2015 10:10 pm

One of the many advantages to a hopper on a hand fired is fines & everything else go through just fine. Of course, rocks are pretty iffy

Scottscoaled · Post by **Scottscoaled** » Mon. Feb. 23, 2015 10:57 pm

I would think that having a hand fired would present the perfect opportunity to burn all the fines from 10-12 tons of rice. Mix alittle Portland in and form into coal balls or bricks. That might end up being a couple days of free heat

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Tue. Feb. 24, 2015 6:33 am

Those of us that have stokers understand that fines slow down the air flow thru the coal bed. Fines in a hand fed slow down the air thru the coal bed too, whether it has a hopper or not. Black dust & fines make a wonderful traction aid & do a good job of helping the sun melt the ice.Seems like the EFM stoker knows better what to do with the fines than we do, ~~~ dump them out side .

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Tue. Feb. 24, 2015 10:15 am

Scottscoaled wrote:Mix alittle Portland in and form into coal balls or bricks. That might end up being a couple days of free heat

Somebody on here a few years back did that.

And they took pictures too so it actually did happen!

Scottscoaled · Post by **Scottscoaled** » Tue. Feb. 24, 2015 11:55 am

It is a real good idea for someone with access to a lot of fines and a hand fired stove. I have neither. But if I did, it would be easy with a 520 to collect the fines. Just put a separate dedicated ash pan under the pot and dump the fines instead of dumping them with the ash. Wait till you had enough and mix in with some Portland cement to make the Bricks. There is a bunch of videos on YouTube of guys doing that.

Phil May · Post by **Phil May** » Tue. Feb. 24, 2015 2:59 pm

I was not to concerned about it. I am getting more fines because of running the coal through 3 augers till it gets to the pot.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Tue. Feb. 24, 2015 3:47 pm

Oh sure T, I bet you believe we landed on the moon too??

titleist1 wrote:
Scottscoaled wrote:Mix alittle Portland in and form into coal balls or bricks. That might end up being a couple days of free heat
Somebody on here a few years back did that.

And they took pictures too so it actually did happen!