Coal bin or Barrel

So I am going to be installing my refurbed 520 high boy soon and I am contemplating the coal storage/setup lately.

I was wondering if anyone out there running a 520 can comment about using a barrel on the end of the auger or setting it up straight into the coal bin according to EFM's setup in the manual.

I like the idea of into the coal bin in my application because of limited space in my basement. then again I also see that if it gets a jamb etc I might be digging thru alot more coal to get at the auger than if it were into a 55 gallon drum.

Also from experience in the middle of winter how long does a full 55 gallon drum of goal last?

thanks for the opinions!

I am also contemplating how I am going to hook up the unit plumbing wise. i don't think I have enough clearance to powervent my oil furnace but if I did I would go with primary secondary setup with parallel boiler on the loop. But the way its looking I might just throw in some valves and have the oil boiler off by valves and have only one flue into my only usable chimney.

I don't have any way to get another chimney up this year for sure. time as well as location issue.

The auger is supposed to only be into the coal bin by about 4 inches, so removal shouldn't be hard if you construct the bin accordingly. The only drawback to the 55 gal drum is the frequent filling and an outside chance of CO escaping from the top of the barrel. That's the reason for the longer worm to a bin. At least put a lid on top of the barrel with a foam seal and a rock on top.

4" isn't too much.. thats a good point... i was just wonderin in practice how people liked the setup.

The people who had the home before me stuck an oil tank in teh coal bing that I will plan to be moving to another location. i'll probably go with it in the bin I suppose..

Use the barrel inside the bin, if you put it just in the bin there's a lot of coal on the worm that's just dead space anyway. With barrel its all on the worm. You can fit 400 Lbs. in a barrel. to get that much on there without a barrel you'd need probably ton if not more.

Mark:

I am in the process of installing an EFM 520 Stoker boiler as well. Thanks to Stoker-man, it should be delivered in time for a July 28, 2008 installation. I posted some pictures of a coal bin I am costructing in my cellar to feed the stoker boiler. I buy into Freddy's philosophy to only have to deal with coal once a year. My bin should hold over 5 tons of coal which should last me one year. This way I only have to worry about tending to the ashes and routine maintenance issues. You will see from my pictures that I have a high ceiling which makes a coal bin to feed a stoker boiler much more effective. Good luck with your decision.

Manny

Hi Manny, i will take a look at your thread. I do not have high ceilings in my basement. the home was originally built in the late 1890's so although its biult VERY well and heavy duty the basements back then didn't give to much clearance. I have around 6 to 6 1/2 feet thoughout. I'll look at your deisgn though and see if it'll work.

I don't mind putting a barrel right outside the bin either and just shoveling into it each day or whatever.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I was planning on building a 8' x 6' bin to store the coal for entire winter, but here in MA coal in bags is more prevalent than in bulk. I'm considering leaving the pallets of coal outside, and use a small bin by the boiler. I attached a picture of the barrel I am considering using since its bigger than a 55 gallon drum. The construction of the container should work for holding coal. I planned to cut the hole for the bin feed pipe in the side to allow the worm enough space in the coal, and make a small bin feed trap out of wood to place in the bottom. Otherwise, I might just make a small bin out of wood.

Cut about a 6 inch hole in the bottom and put it on two cinder blocks. That will give about another 100 pounds of coal on the worm. A large garbage can or any plastic drum will work. There's was a place locally that gets these 55 gallon plastic drums that they used to ship juice concentrate in for like $15.

Funny you should mention 55 gal plastic drums. I have two at efm, very heavy square drums, 55 gal. that I can't even give away. I use one on casters to move wood to my boiler.

I use the 55 gallon blue plastic drum and think it works great!. My Boiler is at ground level If it was in my basement, I would take a 275 gallon oil tank and cut one end off, stand it up on end and have an instant 1-ton bin. Most of those tanks are 54" or so length wise. Scott

I use a 55 gallon plastic drum, it holds 450 pounds of rice coal when heaped over the top. I use bags so it's easy, every day I dump in a bag or 2 and empty the ash pan (during the winter), now in the summer once a week I dump in a couple bags and empty the ash. I like bagged coal because I can put 2 tons in one corner, 2 tons in another spot, etc... and I can still have a nice basement for other things like motorcycle projects. 55 gallon plastic drums are great, I have a white/clear one I cut in half and use as a greenhouse during the spring for my seedling transplants, I use another one cut in half for a duck pond, yet another one is wired to my fence and is a feeding trough for the chickens and yaks, in the spring I use a couple (ones that contained food grade product) to hold maple sap for syrup production. I've seen expensive rain barrels at the garden center that are nothing more than a 55 gal. drum with a hose off the bottom and a screened gutter flowing into the top. My buddy has one on a trailer that he uses for a portable waterer for trees out in the field. I get them for free once in a while and I take all I can get, they really come in handy. I wish I had 10 more. I know another guy who uses one as a septic tank for his hunting cabin. One day I might write a book on 101 uses for a 55 gallon drum.

Listen to Richard about cutting the bottom out, I just drilled a hole in the side and it works fine but there is about 50 pounds that will never be picked up.

Somebody on freecycle is looking for a rain barrel. Maybe I can finally get rid of one.

I have had a barrel for over 25+years. It is a good way to gauge how much coal you use each day.
I have an extension on the worm so my durm is about 5 foot away from the stoker.
Winter use is about 2 5 gallon buckets summer may be about one bucket every 3 days.
If gas is coming out of the drum may want to check air settings or might have worn out worm.
If you use coal that is oversize this will also cause this problem.
I had coal given to me that was oversize, I coverd the drum with a plastic garbage bag with a cover made of sheet rock this cured the problem.