Clean Out Door Modification

I've had this item on my list for quite a while now. Some one was looking for an easier way to clean their pre- square door 520. Well look at this set up and see if it something that might work for you.
I started out with a 10" x 16" piece of heavier sheet metal. I think it is 1/8". It is the same thickness as my base. It is an old style base so it is constructed out of 1/8" steel also. Here's where the door needed to go. I don't want to take every thing apart on the stack, so with this door in place the unit can have the heat exchanger brushed while it is still has a pot full of hot coal. It would be shut off of course. The top 90 has an end cap that allows easy access.

Here The plate has been traced where it needs to go. I drew a second line inside the first to show where the cutout will go. Then a 3/8" hole in each corner to give the jigsaw some start points.

Cut it out and look at all the fly ash![attachment=2]image.jpeg[/attachment]

The bottom "T" is easily accessed to clean out the fly ash that drops from the vertical run.[attachment=1]image.jpeg[/attachment]

This is the bottom of the heat exchanger.[attachment=0]image.jpeg[/attachment]

Cleaned all the flyash out and it was a good thing that the Tee was right there. It was almost closed off with ash. Gave it a quick shot of high temp paint as original so the rust bug stays at bay.   Screwed the cover on and hit it with a little touch up paint.

Scott, I think some of your other pictures did not come through.

That was a very nice base to start with.

Oh yeah! Nice base! One I got from Matt Direnzo. It was solid!

A couple hours all told to put the door in and give the boiler a good cleaning. It was easy! Didn't have to take out the plates/baffle at all. The boiler was totally cold. It ran out of coal yesterday while I was doing the ice fishing thing and the wife called and was directed to shut it down and turn on the backup boiler. One switch off and the other switch turned to "Electric". Decided to put the timer on to see how quick a new fire could be started. Seven and a half minutes. I think it could be whittled way down if things were prepped and a few tricks were employed

Now that is something every EFM should have! Nice work Scott.

-Don

I've done that on several of the boilers that passed thru my shop. If the customer knew how he was setting the boiler, it was built into the base. Several times they went into the back. With the covers on, you can go in the back with a smaller clean out by leaving the bottom section of the back covers off.