Idling on Just Timer
- ShawnTRD
- Member
- Posts: 519
- Joined: Tue. Feb. 04, 2014 1:04 am
- Location: Spencer, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA6 (New in April 2014)
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Rice
- Other Heating: Weil Mclain WGO-2 (Net 75k BTU)
How much coal do you think I'll use daily if this keeps up? Been up and idle for just over 24 hours. If it stays this stable all summer, and fall that will be great.
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- Rob R.
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 18004
- Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
- Location: Chazy, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr
How do you plan to produce hot water if the low and high limit is turned all the way down?
15-20 lbs per day is a rough guess depending on how much hot water you use.
15-20 lbs per day is a rough guess depending on how much hot water you use.
- gaw
- Member
- Posts: 4460
- Joined: Fri. Jan. 26, 2007 2:51 am
- Location: Parts Unknown
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
- Coal Size/Type: Rice from Schuylkill County
You should be able to get away with about 12 to 15 pounds per day. Keystoker recommends 140 low and 180 high for summer, I use 150 low 180 high all year round.
- ShawnTRD
- Member
- Posts: 519
- Joined: Tue. Feb. 04, 2014 1:04 am
- Location: Spencer, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA6 (New in April 2014)
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Rice
- Other Heating: Weil Mclain WGO-2 (Net 75k BTU)
So do you think something is set to high? Because every time I go check on it, the boiler is at less 140 or 160.
- gaw
- Member
- Posts: 4460
- Joined: Fri. Jan. 26, 2007 2:51 am
- Location: Parts Unknown
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
- Coal Size/Type: Rice from Schuylkill County
Ideally you want the boiler temp somewhere between 140 and 200. That’s a big range and you can safely go a little higher. Your temperature gauge looked perfect to me but your aquastat was turned all the way down
- ShawnTRD
- Member
- Posts: 519
- Joined: Tue. Feb. 04, 2014 1:04 am
- Location: Spencer, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA6 (New in April 2014)
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Rice
- Other Heating: Weil Mclain WGO-2 (Net 75k BTU)
Yes I know. That's just to see if it will loss temp with just idle.gaw wrote:but your aquastat was turned all the way down
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- Member
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- Joined: Thu. Feb. 20, 2014 5:33 pm
- Location: Ringtown, PA
- Other Heating: Burnham Oil Boiler with Beckett Gun
A friend of mine has an EFM and makes just hot water in the summer. I don't know the settings, however he only gets one round tub of ashes per week. The tub is like the one you have pictured.
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- 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
That means you were not likely using any hot water. The burner just running at idle will put a certin amount of heat into the boiler. Looks like you are running 2 minutes every hour. That's not very much, that fancy insulation must be working good!ShawnTRD wrote:Yes I know. That's just to see if it will loss temp with just idle.gaw wrote:but your aquastat was turned all the way down
In very warm weather you may have to increase your timer settings to keep a chimney draft going. Unless you insulated your chimney to?
-Don
- ShawnTRD
- Member
- Posts: 519
- Joined: Tue. Feb. 04, 2014 1:04 am
- Location: Spencer, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA6 (New in April 2014)
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Rice
- Other Heating: Weil Mclain WGO-2 (Net 75k BTU)
Yeah today I noticed that after 2 good shower in a row the boiler got down to 140 for awhile. But when we got home it was back up to 155-160. Normal shower at 1 at 7am and 1 at 3pm.
My draft has been .01 I hope draft doesn't become a problem.
My draft has been .01 I hope draft doesn't become a problem.
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- 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
That should be good. you only need 140 degree boiler temp to heat DHW.
If you are up north, You may not run into much of a draft problem. Where I live, draft is becoming a constent problem. If the draft goes too low, the fire goes out. Down here it's been between 85* and 90* with HI humidity for 2 weeks now. I am having a lot of outfires. My indirect water heater has saved my a$$ more than once!
-Don
If you are up north, You may not run into much of a draft problem. Where I live, draft is becoming a constent problem. If the draft goes too low, the fire goes out. Down here it's been between 85* and 90* with HI humidity for 2 weeks now. I am having a lot of outfires. My indirect water heater has saved my a$$ more than once!
-Don
- oliver power
- Member
- 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
I found my Kaa-2 went through very little coal. However, once using the central air, consumption went up a lot.....and that's just the boiler maintaining temp. No domestic hot water hooked up. Yes, I could do things to improve heat loss, like insulate my primary loop, etc.. I found shutting it down till fall is the better choice. Gives us both a break. I close the valves on the primary loop, cover the hopper & exhaust openings, put a little cubical heater in the ash pit, and forget it. The heater maintains water temp at 100*. Come fall, the boiler is as if I never shut down.
- ShawnTRD
- Member
- Posts: 519
- Joined: Tue. Feb. 04, 2014 1:04 am
- Location: Spencer, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA6 (New in April 2014)
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Rice
- Other Heating: Weil Mclain WGO-2 (Net 75k BTU)
Pulled the ash pan today. After 6 days we are less them half full. What that equals in coal weight? I have no idea.