Coal Vac Idea

xandrew245x · Post by **xandrew245x** » Wed. Dec. 21, 2016 12:38 pm

My coal storage is on the opposite end of my finished basement, and I've been pondering ideas on how I could utilize a coal vac to move my rice coal. I'm almost certain it wouldn't be able to pull it clear across the basement unless I had a monster vaccume. So here is what I came up with.

Get a 55 gal drum, add 3-2" bulkheads. One 2" line will go to the bottom of the barrel, the other two will terminate at the top.

All three of these lines will have a union for quick attachment and detachment.

The overall idea is, bring the barrel to my coal bin. Cap the pipe going to the bottom of the barrel, attach vaccume to one connection at the top connect the other to pipe running to the bottom of my bin. Turn vaccume on to fill barrel. Disconnect everything, wheel barrel by dolley to the stove room.

Here I will have a 5 gal bucket above the hopper, this will have a 4" pipe with a hinged cap that will feed into my hopper when the bucket is full. The bucket will have two 2" lines going into the top.

One line will then get attached via union to the pipe going to the bottom of the barrel, the other will be attached to the vaccume. Vaccume pulls coal into the bucket from the barrel.

Add on a timer to run x amount of time x amount of times a day and I shouldn't have to refill for 4-5 day.

johnjoseph · Post by **johnjoseph** » Wed. Dec. 21, 2016 12:57 pm

Coal Vac- How to Lay Pipe in the Bin?

15 Gal Coal Vac System Tutorial
Coal Vac Operation Video

Doby · Post by **Doby** » Wed. Dec. 21, 2016 12:59 pm

How you going to attach the 5 gal bucket above the hopper?

Your going to have ajust the timer for different demand and left unattended could make a mess and possible dust problem.

Are you going to wheel across a finished floor?

Maybe to many complications

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Wed. Dec. 21, 2016 1:18 pm

What is the distance the coal needs moved?

xandrew245x · Post by **xandrew245x** » Wed. Dec. 21, 2016 1:26 pm

SWPaDon wrote:What is the distance the coal needs moved?

From the bin to my stove room would be at least 7' up and probably about 40' across.

I'll Weld up a steel frame to hold the bucket, the 4" pipe will only allow coal to flow out into the hopper when it gets low.

The bucket can only get so full when the vac is running, worst case scenario it would suck coal into my vaccume.

Finished floor in the basement is tile, my dolly has big rubber tires, no issue moving it.

It would only be unattended for a max time of 24 hrs, I have to swap out my ash pan so it will be checked on to make sure it's running smoothly.

When the vac is running the 4" line running to the hopper will be closed by the vaccume pulling the cap shut.

My shop vac also could be fitted with pipe on the exhaust side to vent the air right outside so no dust at all in the house.

Doby · Post by **Doby** » Wed. Dec. 21, 2016 1:45 pm

Looks like you have this well thought out and should be interesting keep us updated

Post by **Lightning** » Wed. Dec. 21, 2016 2:39 pm

You'll definitely wanna tent the shop vac outside unless you gateway really good filter in it. I use a shop vac to pull ash dust, the vacuum actually sits outside. I run the hose into the basement thru a hole in foundation. I bought a 20 foot length of 1.5 inch flexible drainage hose for an extention.

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Wed. Dec. 21, 2016 4:21 pm

A drywall filter bag in my shop vac contains the coal dust. I go through about 3 bags per year depending on how much other stuff I vac up with it in between using it for the coal vac. We have a very hairy cat this year whose fur accumulates on the basement steps as the cool air returns to the stoker so I may need an additional bag or two this year.

I think my shop vac has lost a little suck over the years, or the fittings may be leaking a little air this year. Even with a new bag I have needed to bump the pipe running to the coal bin to get the flow going into the barrel. Not a big deal but probably an early warning sign that it needs attention. Maybe I'll add a 'Y' at the barrel and try a second vac.

nepacoal · Post by **nepacoal** » Wed. Dec. 21, 2016 4:49 pm

I just stared a similar project with two 55gal drums on moving dollies. I will be incorporating a dust deputy to cut down on dust and will be making a wooden box to attach to the floor joists above the hopper for collection. I picked up a 45 degree toilet flange to use over the hopper like another member used. My 55 gal drums will have both fittings on top. A bulkhead for the coal pickup and a purchased 2.5 inch port for the vacuum side

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Thu. Dec. 22, 2016 7:58 am

xandrew245x wrote:
SWPaDon wrote:What is the distance the coal needs moved?
From the bin to my stove room would be at least 7' up and probably about 40' across.

I'll Weld up a steel frame to hold the bucket, the 4" pipe will only allow coal to flow out into the hopper when it gets low.

The bucket can only get so full when the vac is running, worst case scenario it would suck coal into my vaccume.

Finished floor in the basement is tile, my dolly has big rubber tires, no issue moving it.

It would only be unattended for a max time of 24 hrs, I have to swap out my ash pan so it will be checked on to make sure it's running smoothly.

When the vac is running the 4" line running to the hopper will be closed by the vaccume pulling the cap shut.

My shop vac also could be fitted with pipe on the exhaust side to vent the air right outside so no dust at all in the house.

Drywall dust paper filter bag in vac is a minimum requirement...a added inline dust deputy is a highly recommended upgrade for better durability and not affected by any dampness as the paper filters would be.

xandrew245x · Post by **xandrew245x** » Thu. Dec. 22, 2016 8:05 am

Getting the filters would be no issue. I'm thinking of building a box instead of using a bucket, it would give me more storage. I'm picking up a 55 gal drum tomorrow.

I still need to build an actual bin in my basement, right now I have large construction bags.

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Thu. Dec. 22, 2016 10:57 am

If your layout allows it could you put the coal bin outside and run the vac pipe to the inside barrel?

My outside bin:
**Broken Link(s) Removed**

Starting Out · Post by **Starting Out** » Thu. Dec. 22, 2016 11:06 am

Just my 2 cents worth, if you can pull that off you should go for a degree in engineering

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Thu. Dec. 22, 2016 11:28 am

Starting Out wrote:Just my 2 cents worth, if you can pull that off you should go for a degree in engineering

He's on his way to an R.G. design deegreee in enguineering from Tickridge Tech like I have......

That design he laid out in the first post would only qualify him for an undergrad program though. It has to be a little more complex for a graduate degree!

(That would be Rube Goldberg by the way)

xandrew245x · Post by **xandrew245x** » Thu. Dec. 22, 2016 10:33 pm

titleist1 wrote:If your layout allows it could you put the coal bin outside and run the vac pipe to the inside barrel?

My outside bin:
**Broken Link(s) Removed**

Thought about that, and it would be ideal, however the bin would be in my back yard which is fenced in, there wouldn't be an easy way to access my bin to fill it.

titleist1 wrote:
Starting Out wrote:Just my 2 cents worth, if you can pull that off you should go for a degree in engineering
He's on his way to an R.G. design deegreee in enguineering from Tickridge Tech like I have...... That design he laid out in the first post would only qualify him for an undergrad program though. It has to be a little more complex for a graduate degree!

(That would be Rube Goldberg by the way)

Haha, I actually really wanted to be an engineer, it just fascinates me, however I am terrible at math and would never make it through the schooling.

So I just sit at home and come up with crazy ideas.