AA 260 Summertime Use

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Rick 386
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Post by Rick 386 » Mon. Jun. 16, 2008 10:05 pm

Is anybody using a timer with their AA 260 or similar unit for summertime use ???

I'm interested in how you have it wired. I'm a little confused with the instructions from the AA manual.

Due to the cost of oil we are again going to be running this unit all summer long. But last summer the basement did get very hot. So far all that I have done is to turn back the rear aquastat to 160*. I'm looking for any and all input.

Rick

 
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coal berner
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Post by coal berner » Mon. Jun. 16, 2008 10:21 pm

Hi Rick Ls farm Greg is running his 260 at 1 min every hr. I don't remember what he has his Temps set at but once he
see's this he will chime in and help you out

 
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Post by U235a4 » Mon. Jun. 16, 2008 10:23 pm

I have a AA260 with a timer I'll draw up a wiring diagram for which mine is wire..... I have a several controls to mine do a search on my post you can see how I have it setup...... I should have the info soon...

 
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Rick 386
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Post by Rick 386 » Mon. Jun. 16, 2008 10:58 pm

I've sort of "inherited" the use of this boiler. My father-in-law installed it years ago. I'm not really sure how he wired it but it works all winter long perfectly.

I initially wired in a timer which controlled 2 outlets which powered the combustion fan and auger. But I neglected to include the shaker control. That created a loud buzzing sound after 3 days on the timer.

It looks like I may have to rewire the entire system to make it work like it should. However as in times past, I will keep his method as a backup if it doesn't work properly. I had to do that on other projects.

It has always been a pleasure to find out that he used the neutral as the wire on the switch. :mad: :mad:

Rick


 
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Post by Richard S. » Tue. Jun. 17, 2008 5:26 am

Rick 386 wrote: But last summer the basement did get very hot.
We run our Van-Wert all summer and the basement stays comfortable but its also insulated, know anyone that does sheet metal that could design you a cover you could insulate yourself? You'd have to make sure it could handle the higher temps. I don't know if anyone else has done that but I don't see any reason why it can't be done.

The covering you see in this picture is just thin sheet metal, it has about one inch of insualtion on the inside that is more like a panel of insulation that's about 1 inch thick.

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Post by LsFarm » Tue. Jun. 17, 2008 5:48 am

As coal berner said,, I'm running my AA 260 with a timer set for 1 minute per hour... mine is wired like the factory diagram shows.. And my water temp is set at 155* ...
I'm burning about 20-25# per day, and going more than a week on an ashpan..

Greg L

 
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coal berner
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Post by coal berner » Tue. Jun. 17, 2008 3:49 pm

Rick 386 You can buy the Jackets covers from Axeman for you 260 if you want to keep the heat down in the basement in the summertime and take them off in the wintertime for extra heat in the your basement

 
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Post by billw » Tue. Jun. 17, 2008 4:52 pm

It has always been a pleasure to find out that he used the neutral as the wire on the switch.
That's enough to put a tingle in your step. I changed a couple of light fixtures for my sister that were wired like that. It's such a pleasant surprise. :)


 
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Post by LsFarm » Tue. Jun. 17, 2008 5:03 pm

Hello Rick, in the original wiring,, the combustion fan is wired with the ashing solenoid in the circuit. The timer runs this circuit except that it goes through small aquastat that is set at ~200-210*.. this aquastat will keep the timer from running the combustion fan circuit and adding more heat to a hot-enough boiler..

In my application,, the timer just runs as a 'keep-fire' timer.. and my regular 'big aquastat] a honeywell 8124A . will call for a burn about once or twice a day, as hot water is used for showers and laundry..

During the winter it typically calls for heat every hour or more.

The wiring diagram is a bit hard to follow,, print it out and use colored pencil to trace circuits.. a trick from someone in my past.. to deal with black and white wiring diagrams..

Greg L

 
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Post by Freddy » Tue. Jun. 17, 2008 5:33 pm

I've got an Axeman Anderson 130 on order. No cover. If you get too hot, open a window!

I spoke with Pete Anderson at the AA factory about cover vrs no cover. This is not an exact quote, but pretty close. It was said with a grin:
"The Axeman Anderson is designed so perfectly that the BTU heat loss by having no cover is exactly the same number of BTU's of a minimum fire." Meaning, during the winter it doesn't matter, it's all heat in the house. During the summer you want a minimum fire. If you have a cover on it, it will get tend to hold the heat and get too hot. If you then lesson the amount of coal you're burning, the fire will go out. So.... no cover is the best answer for the AA.

 
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Rick 386
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Coal Size/Type: Pea in AA 260, Rice in LL Hyfire II
Other Heating: Gas fired infared at work
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Post by Rick 386 » Wed. Jun. 18, 2008 9:24 am

Thanks for the suggestions about the jacket. But I guess I'm just going to have to deal with the heat. The unit is in an old farm house that originally had a dirt floor. It was hand dug out to pour the concrete slab the AA now sits upon. Very low ceilings. I'm constantly bumping my head on the pipes hung just below the floor joists. Maybe I'll just install a duct and fan to push the excess heat outside.

I'm still al little confused Greg. I thought the purpose of the timer is to overide the aquastats to provide that keep fire capability. So wouldn't you want that conmbustion fan to run for the amount set on the timer ??

Rick

 
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Freddy
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Post by Freddy » Wed. Jun. 18, 2008 11:54 am

The purpose of the timer is to make sure the fire doesn't go out, especially during the summer. If by chance the boiler just finished stoking because of a call for hot water, then there's no need for the timer to run right then becasue the water is hot and a bed of coal was just introduced. During the winter I'd guess the timer is rarely activated as you are constantly asking for heat.

 
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Post by coal berner » Wed. Jun. 18, 2008 10:52 pm

Freddy wrote:I've got an Axeman Anderson 130 on order. No cover. If you get too hot, open a window!

I spoke with Pete Anderson at the AA factory about cover vrs no cover. This is not an exact quote, but pretty close. It was said with a grin:
"The Axeman Anderson is designed so perfectly that the BTU heat loss by having no cover is exactly the same number of BTU's of a minimum fire." Meaning, during the winter it doesn't matter, it's all heat in the house. During the summer you want a minimum fire. If you have a cover on it, it will get tend to hold the heat and get too hot. If you then lesson the amount of coal you're burning, the fire will go out. So.... no cover is the best answer for the AA.
Well Freddy if you where ever in a basement with one of them running in the summertime with the covers off that goes for any coal boiler Running I don't care what it is you will feel the heat coming off it I Guess he forgot to tell you the other reason way they don't Push the Jacket covers you have to take them off when you sevice any part of the boiler { quote ] from Pete it is a real PITA [unquote ]

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