New Here, New Home, and New to Coal. EFM 520. Struggling.

cgrattan wrote:

StokerDon wrote:It should not brake that pin. The shear pin should be out on the end at the coupling to the clutch.

So, the mystery box is a timer!

-Don

Is it set properly? How does this thing work? I have never heard it cycle on its own

Also, yes the pin that broke I can't hand crank to see if anything is stuck without replacing that pin and I can't seem to make the holes fit for some reason.

if when the auger bound up and the pin broke the two shafts may have come out of alignment lengthwise. Try pulling back on the shaft where it goes into the burn chamber with a pair of visegrips rocking it back and forth . the shear pin is on the outboard side of the ratchet gear next to the square end.

waldo lemieux wrote:if when the auger bound up and the pin broke the two shafts may have come out of alignment lengthwise. Try pulling back on the shaft where it goes into the burn chamber with a pair of visegrips rocking it back and forth . the shear pin is on the outboard side of the ratchet gear next to the square end.

thanks! I should be ok with getting a new pin in there if I rock the auger a bit.

So, any info on how my timer is set? How does this work? If it is set properly, I have to assume it is not working. I think I should add that I got coal from a different place than my grandparents always did... It save me $50 on delivery. It looks ok, but to me it seems like there's a lot of coal "dust" in it, and not so much the gravel type shape. I wouldn't that that stuff would get bound up in the pipe though?

I got coal from a different place than my grandparents always did... It save me $50 on delivery. It looks ok, but to me it seems like there's a lot of coal "dust" in it, and not so much the gravel type shape. I wouldn't think that that stuff would get bound up in the pipe though?

You did buy rice coal size, didn't you? Rice is hardly considered gravel size.

Yeah, it's rice... I guess I was trying to distinguish the difference between the fine stuff as compared to the "coal" itself. It's the same as always, Just seems like its heavier with dust and smaller bits.

put your ear up to your timer and see and see if you can hear it running. Im not familiar with the brand but it looks as if its set to run two intervals per revolution. One rev. is probably is one hour . The notches on the outside rim are the "on" time locations. That interval can be determined by stopwatch as the wheel goes around. They are set by loosening the screw and rotating the dial to make the notches larger(longer run) or smaller. you may be able to rotate it far enough to make just one notch which would make just one on cycle per rev, which is most likely on hour. The best thing to do is identify the make and google it for a manual.

The first order of business is to free the auger and replace the shear pin... Look for Rob's or scottscold among others for wisdom on running your efm. Ill toot if I can help but always defer to them if there is any question as Im still learning.

I don't know what kind of timer that is but it is similar to a Honeywell S400A. Right now it is set for 2 cycles of 2 minutes. Waldo is probably right, one cycle should be 1 hour. That would mean you are running 2 minutes every half hour. You shouldn't have any outfires running that much timer. Verify that the timer is actually running.

-Don

StokerDon wrote:I don't know what kind of timer that is but it is similar to a Honeywell S400A. Right now it is set for 2 cycles of 2 minutes. Waldo is probably right, one cycle should be 1 hour. That would mean you are running 2 minutes every half hour. You shouldn't have any outfires running that much timer. Verify that the timer is actually running.

-Don

Dumb question... I know... But how to verify that it is working? I priced 2 different new ones, but I am not buying one until I know if/why this one isn't functioning. Should I hear it? Only when the power to it is on?

It looks like it is a one hour timer. That means that dial will turn one revolution per hour, just like the minute hand on a clock. If you stair at it for a minute or two, you should see it moving. And, every 30 minutes you should hear it kick the stoker on for 2 minutes.

-Don

That micro-switch will fall into the gap on the disc every 30 minutes. That will run the stoker.

If you find out that the timer is not moving, it may be disconnected or shut off. Some people only run there timer in the Summer to keep the fire going. They disconnect it or shut it off in the Winter to save coal.

Are there any other junction boxes or switches on the unit?

-Don

StokerDon wrote:That micro-switch will fall into the gap on the disc every 30 minutes. That will run the stoker.

If you find out that the timer is not moving, it may be disconnected or shut off. Some people only run there timer in the Summer to keep the fire going. They disconnect it or shut it off in the Winter to save coal.

Are there any other junction boxes or switches on the unit?

-Don

Yes I have a separate power switch for the stoker, but nothing specifically for the timer if that's what you mean. Also, what is the relevance of that small honeywell unit that is set to 200 in earlier pictures? Is this anything I need to monitor?

From what Rob said, that should be the "Dump Zone" control. This is used to keep you boiler from overheating. If the set-point is reached it should turn on a pump that feeds some load, usually a basement or garage. This scrubs heat off the boiler to bring it back under control. You don't need to monitor it, it should work automatically.

What does the stoker switch do? Turn the stoker "ON". Or keep it "OFF"?

-Don

Both I guess you could say. It is basically just an on/off box/switch coming directly from the breaker box so that the unit can be powered off when necessary. And about the "excess heat" gauge... I do have a small tank mounted to the ceiling that I believe is where that excess heat/water goes. I don't believe you can see the little tank in any of my pictures, but it is there, and that makes total sense.

So I bought a bunch of cotter pins and shear pins from our only local place that furnishes things for an EFM, so I am feeling pretty good about that. It was over 70 degrees today, and I have a ton of drywalling to do, so I didn't even make it to the basement.

Just to be clear, I should have the power on my switch "ON" to determine if the timer is functioning, correct? So I need to keep the thermostat low so it doesn't kick on... I found Willburt timer for $150 and one of those orange ones where you flip the switches for almost $250. Again, this is from the only local supplier. I am sure I can do better online...? Hopefully it is functioning and I just don't know what I am doing, because that's a ton of coal right there!

Does anyone recommend trying to get a fire going now even though it has been so warm just to see if I can keep it burning during the warm day? My oil backup gives us almost no hot water, certainly not a 10 minute shower, and there are 7 of us! Its gives about a 2 minute burst and that's it. Lukewarm at best after that.

cgrattan wrote:Both I guess you could say. It is basically just an on/off box/switch coming directly from the breaker box so that the unit can be powered off when necessary. And about the "excess heat" gauge... I do have a small tank mounted to the ceiling that I believe is where that excess heat/water goes. I don't believe you can see the little tank in any of my pictures, but it is there, and that makes total sense.

So I bought a bunch of cotter pins and shear pins from our only local place that furnishes things for an EFM, so I am feeling pretty good about that. It was over 70 degrees today, and I have a ton of drywalling to do, so I didn't even make it to the basement.

Just to be clear, I should have the power on my switch "ON" to determine if the timer is functioning, correct? So I need to keep the thermostat low so it doesn't kick on... I found Willburt timer for $150 and one of those orange ones where you flip the switches for almost $250. Again, this is from the only local supplier. I am sure I can do better online...? Hopefully it is functioning and I just don't know what I am doing, because that's a ton of coal right there!

Does anyone recommend trying to get a fire going now even though it has been so warm just to see if I can keep it burning during the warm day? My oil backup gives us almost no hot water, certainly not a 10 minute shower, and there are 7 of us! Its gives about a 2 minute burst and that's it. Lukewarm at best after that.

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OK- in the first paragraph in the third and forth sentences:

DONT EVEN THINK OF MESSING WITH THAT TANK PLEASE.

That is your very reliable steel expansion tank! There will be a pipe
from you boiler to the Inline Air Separator or directly off the top of
the EFM to the bottom of the steel expansion tank to the airtrol valve
that allows the microbubbles in you hot water to rise up this pipe to
the airtrol valve and into teh expansion tank. DONT MESS WITH IT
It has taken care of your heating system and any air bubbles in the
hot water heating system since your family had the EFM installed.

The horizontal steel expansion tank in the ceiling joists has an air cushion that
occupies the upper third of the horizontal tanks volume and the lower two thirds is water.

Please tank pictures of the expansion tank and the piping underneath
it that leads to the EFM coal stoker and be sure to post pictures of the
oil boiler and all the plumbing related to it for me anyway.

I would like to see more pictures if and when possible of BOTH boilers.

If your worried about the timers and strap on aquastats hire an electrician
for an hour to check them with a meter and then have the electrician replace
them if they are bad.

Do you have a Domestic Hot Water Coil in the oil boiler? If not that may be
why your hot water is poor in heat temp when using the oil boiler.

If you can also take some pictures of the connections between the two boilers
if any that woiuld help a lot.

Wow! Excellent info. I wouldn't touch anything unless suggested by someone that knows what they're talking about. I will post pictures of the entire setup when I get home in the morning from work. Excited to see what everyone's take is on it after that! I am not sure but I am thinking that yes there is a coil in the oil boiler. Looking forward to hearing what you see tomorrow.