The Bairmatic - Van Wert Project
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7502
- 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
You guys are starting to get to know me a little to well!
- 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
The only remedy I can think of that would help you to keep the same unit going in your house more than 1 yr. would be for you to help other folks install theirs,just like you helped coalkirk with his. (smile)
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7502
- 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
Meter reading today was, 3139.8 - 3120.1 = 19.7 hours, 2.8 hours per day over the past 7 days. 28.0 pound per day. Feed rate is still set at 10 pounds per hour. That is really good! Mostly mild days. The first half of the coming week is forecast to be 70's and 80's,Yuk!
Coal bin raking is still a once a week affair. When it gets down to a few days, it will be time for the barrel. -Don
Coal bin raking is still a once a week affair. When it gets down to a few days, it will be time for the barrel. -Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7502
- 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
Yes! last Summer it ran between 18 and 22 pounds per day to heat DHW.David... wrote:Are you getting domestic hot water from this? 28 lbs/day must be close to the minimum amount of use.
David
-Don
-
- Member
- Posts: 558
- Joined: Thu. Sep. 04, 2014 10:01 am
- Location: Western NY 14141
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KB-8
- Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat
- Other Heating: Utica Propane Hot Water
Don,
I'm not sure what you use to rake, but I've found these work great, it's called a concrete placer. I found a nicer one from a local masons supply.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Marshalltown-19-1-2-in-x-4-in-Aluminum-Placer-AP753/202401264
I'm not sure what you use to rake, but I've found these work great, it's called a concrete placer. I found a nicer one from a local masons supply.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Marshalltown-19-1-2-in-x-4-in-Aluminum-Placer-AP753/202401264
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7502
- 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
The current plan is to install my VA-600 down here with some good insulation under the covers.David... wrote:I would think with insulation you could get by with less coal?
David
I will have to see if I can find one of those. It looks like it would work great for rice coal raking. I currently use a stone rake. I had a heck of a time finding one down here. It works well but some coal escapes through the top teeth.Olllotj wrote:Don,
I'm not sure what you use to rake, but I've found these work great, it's called a concrete placer. I found a nicer one from a local masons supply.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Marshalltown-19-1-2-in-x-4-in-Aluminum-Placer-AP753/202401264
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7502
- 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
Meter reading today was, 3154.8 - 3139.8 = 15.0 hours, 2.1 hours per day over the past 7 days. 21.4 pound per day. Wow, that's Summer time coal usage! Highs have been in the 60's and 70's all week, today it was 86, Yuk!
Raked the coal pile. -Don
Raked the coal pile. -Don
- Scottscoaled
- Member
- Posts: 2812
- Joined: Tue. Jan. 08, 2008 9:51 pm
- Location: Malta N.Y.
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520, 700, Van Wert 800 GJ 61,53
- Baseburners & Antiques: Magic Stewart 16, times 2!
- Coal Size/Type: Lots of buck
- Other Heating: Slant Fin electric boiler backup
They do work great! I have one that a New Jersey mason laborer gave me. He calls it a "come along". I use it for coal deliveries. It makes raking effortless.Olllotj wrote:Don,
I'm not sure what you use to rake, but I've found these work great, it's called a concrete placer. I found a nicer one from a local masons supply.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Marshalltown-19-1-2-in-x-4-in-Aluminum-Placer-AP753/202401264
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7502
- 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
I will have to find me one of those. I bet it makes less coals dust than my stone rake. Probably quicker than the stone rake to.Scottscoaled wrote:They do work great! I have one that a New Jersey mason laborer gave me. He calls it a "come along". I use it for coal deliveries. It makes raking effortless.
Meter reading today was, 3170.7 - 3154.8 = 15.9 hours, 2.27 hours per day over the past 7 days. 22.7 pound per day. That's pretty dern low! Did the raking. Looks like we will be able to rack for a few more weeks before we go back to the barrel. Coal usage will probably be low this coming weeks to. The second half of the week is forecast to be in the 80's.
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7502
- 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
Meter reading today was, 3183.8 - 3170.7 = 13.1 hours, 1.87 hours per day over the past 7 days. 18.7 pound per day. Summer is here, there won't be many heat calls now, only DHW calls.
Raked the bin. We're doing the ashes once a week now. Here's my stone rake. I will be on the look out for one of those things like Scott has. For now, I may just attach something to this. -Don
Raked the bin. We're doing the ashes once a week now. Here's my stone rake. I will be on the look out for one of those things like Scott has. For now, I may just attach something to this. -Don
-
- Member
- Posts: 558
- Joined: Thu. Sep. 04, 2014 10:01 am
- Location: Western NY 14141
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KB-8
- Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat
- Other Heating: Utica Propane Hot Water
Don,
You won't regret the concrete placer.
40* and windy here. The keystoker is still chugging away in the basement.
You won't regret the concrete placer.
40* and windy here. The keystoker is still chugging away in the basement.
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7502
- 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
For down here, this will be the first week in a long time that there is not one 70 or 80 degree day in the forecast.Olllotj wrote:40* and windy here. The keystoker is still chugging away in the basement.
-Don
-
- Member
- Posts: 558
- Joined: Thu. Sep. 04, 2014 10:01 am
- Location: Western NY 14141
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KB-8
- Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat
- Other Heating: Utica Propane Hot Water
Just when I start bragging about it chugging along, I let it run out of coal, and had to relight for the first time since September !