LL AA-220 Max Draft Burn With Power Vent Please Help!

 
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swyman
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman-Anderson 260M Leisure Line AA-220 Boiler (FOR SALE)
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Pea

Post by swyman » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 10:03 am

windyhill4.2 wrote:The reason it is going into idle fire is that there are not enough demands for heat. Cutting the feed back will only require more from your propain unit. Leave the coal boiler settings alone,cut the propain back a bit & leave the coal boiler work more. :)
That makes sense. I have 2 thermostats in the house, one is the normal one for the furnace and the other is below it and just runs the fan in the furnace. Right now I am solely running off the furnace, I could put a 1 or 2 degree differential between the 2? I was just trying to make sure the boiler stays at set temps.


 
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windyhill4.2
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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

Post by windyhill4.2 » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 10:08 am

If you have the propain t-stat set just a bit below the coal t-stat,the propain should kick in b4 the coal boiler drops terribly far.This would aid the coal boiler in it's recovery.

 
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swyman
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman-Anderson 260M Leisure Line AA-220 Boiler (FOR SALE)
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Pea

Post by swyman » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 7:57 pm

I thought we could have a movie night which might help you guys get a better visual of what's going on. This first vid is how I have been running last couple days. This is about the max I can run the fire with both stokers. I know the grate is not full and this was done purposely to try and get a complete burn and lower consumption while I have been running with the propane furnace.

https://youtu.be/arOyrmeTtds

 
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swyman
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman-Anderson 260M Leisure Line AA-220 Boiler (FOR SALE)
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Pea

Post by swyman » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 8:02 pm

This next vid is me messing around tonight. This is lowest fire to keep fire on one stoker and max burn on the other. I actually had to close the blower gate some more as I lost more draft as the fire got hotter. This is what I have been talking about with my expectations should be with both stokers running. Again, the fire has not totally settled yet so I know the fire on grate may need to be tuned.

https://youtu.be/W6e_RdPy8AU

 
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swyman
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman-Anderson 260M Leisure Line AA-220 Boiler (FOR SALE)
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Pea

Post by swyman » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 8:09 pm

This video is just to show what I'm seeing on the manometer at fire box and breech. This is as hard as I can run the stokers and still have a draft to prevent pressurizing the fire box. The reason I messed around with running one side hard as I talked with the other boiler owner on here and he is having the same issues as me but he is running a chimney. He said his seemed to run better running one side at max fire then both sides at what I think is less than max. I left one side running as low as I could to stay lit because it's a pain to re-light. Not sure if I'm right or wrong but just thought videos might help you guys see what I'm seeing.

https://youtu.be/RTABO1rKtbk

 
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windyhill4.2
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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

Post by windyhill4.2 » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 8:16 pm

My opinion,for what little it may be worth... is that you should get it firing properly at the maximum possible & then.... only after that .. then worry about consumption. BUT, my main priority in life during cold weather is to get warm and stay warm.... consumption is just the cost of being warm.If I had consumption at the top of my priority, I would keep the pipes from freezing by electric tapes & insulation,only heat 1 small room & wear insulated clothing all the time. BUT, I LIKE being warm,consumption will not be my top priority. :)

 
Olllotj
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Post by Olllotj » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 8:22 pm

I think the videos help.

Can you take a nice long video showing us around the boiler? Go slow showing us around. Also Show us the heat exchanger , and modine connections.
Last edited by Olllotj on Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 8:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.


 
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swyman
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman-Anderson 260M Leisure Line AA-220 Boiler (FOR SALE)
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Pea

Post by swyman » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 8:25 pm

windyhill4.2 wrote:My opinion,for what little it may be worth... is that you should get it firing properly at the maximum possible & then.... only after that .. then worry about consumption. BUT, my main priority in life during cold weather is to get warm and stay warm.... consumption is just the cost of being warm.If I had consumption at the top of my priority, I would keep the pipes from freezing by electric tapes & insulation,only heat 1 small room & wear insulated clothing all the time. BUT, I LIKE being warm,consumption will not be my top priority. :)
Exactly windy, this is the best I can get it to burn without pressurizing the fire box. This unit is rated higher than yours I believe, is your fire bigger than this?

 
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swyman
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman-Anderson 260M Leisure Line AA-220 Boiler (FOR SALE)
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Pea

Post by swyman » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 8:25 pm

Olllotj wrote:I think the videos help.

Can you take a nice long video showing us around the boiler? Go slow shoing us around. Also Show us the heat exchanger , and modine connections.
Can do!

 
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swyman
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman-Anderson 260M Leisure Line AA-220 Boiler (FOR SALE)
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Pea

Post by swyman » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 9:38 pm

Here is my complete system walk through. Maybe this will help everyone see what I'm working with and ways to improve?

https://youtu.be/UGc5sqpO_2g

 
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windyhill4.2
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Coal Size/Type: 404-nut, 520 rice ,anthracite for both

Post by windyhill4.2 » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 9:43 pm

This was taken on Jan 12 ,not sure how long it was firing b4 I took this pic. burning Gale rice.

Attachments

IMG_2624.JPG

EFM520 burning Gale coal at 7 teeth,7 air

.JPG | 101.6KB | IMG_2624.JPG

 
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swyman
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman-Anderson 260M Leisure Line AA-220 Boiler (FOR SALE)
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Pea

Post by swyman » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 9:46 pm

windyhill4.2 wrote:This was taken on Jan 12 ,not sure how long it was firing b4 I took this pic. burning Gale rice.
With my limited experience that looks like a inferno!

 
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windyhill4.2
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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

Post by windyhill4.2 » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 9:51 pm

Are the pipes under the garage & over the garage insulated ? The pipes I saw looked like they were not insulated.

 
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windyhill4.2
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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

Post by windyhill4.2 » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 9:56 pm

swyman wrote:
windyhill4.2 wrote:This was taken on Jan 12 ,not sure how long it was firing b4 I took this pic. burning Gale rice.
With my limited experience that looks like a inferno!
The round fire door latch is too hot to hold without leather gloves :)

 
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windyhill4.2
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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

Post by windyhill4.2 » Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 10:34 pm

swyman,i noticed that your hopper lid was not on,is that not required on that unit ? I do know that many stokers on this forum have issues if the unit is operated without the hopper lid.


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