AA - 130... Just a Big Automatic Hand-Fired... G-Man Stove!

 
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pret
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Post by pret » Fri. Feb. 13, 2009 5:37 pm

Greg, I moved the flap out about an 1/8 of an inch last night... checked the fire just a minute ago and it's dropped again, and the draft is now between .02 - .03. The wind is gone, so the draft is back to normal. Temps are at 195-200... (high set point is 190 or so) about normal unless it's colder or someone's in the shower.

Mozz, the funnel is clear, I check that fairly often. What's your draft set at? I think at .02 it works really well. Maybe I need a bigger baro to handle the wind???? I do live on the top of a ridge-line, so if the weather man is calling for wind... I usually get a bit more of it :) When it's warm, the boiler only runs on timer as well...

I just dumped the ash... 8 days!
mikeandgerry wrote:
Matthaus wrote:I believe fire in the transfer head us from insufficient draft not too much. The air both under and over the fire will exit the top of the fire pot (thus into the coal tube) if there is not enough draft drawing it out the fire tube and through the cyclonic separator area. Also Pret don't forget your issues with boiler room pressure since it is part of the house, funny things might be happening. I would install a tube outside that you can check regularly with the manometer to verify outside pressure Vs boiler room pressure.
This advice from Matthaus is excellent. The mechanical code for combustion air in the boiler room is quite specific. I had to increase the combustion air in my boiler room by adding about 30 sq inches of free air louvers to the room. It greatly improved the draft. I have never had an issue with transfer head fires at any setting and I have tried the lowest of low settings in experimenting: 120deg on the anthrastat and 1 click on the gear. I have had the fire go out but not creep into the transfer head.

It's difficult to suck air out of a bottle and maintain a flow without a hole in the bottle.
Come to think of it... over the summer I was experimenting with the anthrastat setting and had the fire go out... but a problem I had over the summer was not enough draft.


 
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Freddy
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Post by Freddy » Fri. Feb. 13, 2009 7:10 pm

On really windy days I leave my clean out door open an inch. I'm not recommending it as it has it's hazards, but I'm in a position to do it safely. I kind of wish I'd put an 8" barometric damper on it when I built it.

 
sde48
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Post by sde48 » Fri. Feb. 13, 2009 7:31 pm

I started wiht a 6" damper but on windy days it was not enough. My garage faces the south [where my boiler is] and a south wind pressure overpowers my damper, so I went to a 8" damper and now all seems ok. I jump from a 5" stack on the boiler to 8" pipe to an 8" chimeny.

 
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pret
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Post by pret » Fri. Feb. 13, 2009 11:41 pm

I have a six in baro, can I use a 6 to 8 inch piece and then put the 8 inch baro on that??? I'm thinking... probably not.

 
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Freddy
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Post by Freddy » Sat. Feb. 14, 2009 5:03 am

pret wrote:can I use a 6 to 8 inch piece and then put the 8 inch baro on that
I think you could. I go from 5" stovepipe to 6" pipe for the baro. If I went with an 8" barometric damper it would ultimately end up into a 6" hole. but I think it would help.

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Matthaus
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Post by Matthaus » Sat. Feb. 14, 2009 7:48 am

Pret if you want to run an 8" baro you can simply run the 5" pipe through the 8" end cap on the baro. Extend it the prescribed amount and it will work just fine. Of course per AA instructions the baro needs to be directly attached to the chimney thimble (if the thimble is 6" use an adapter).

I'm a little confused though, even though there are some thoughts here about overdraft I see no hard evidence that you have that. My boiler runs at around -.05" WC at times with no ill effects. I would verify a measurement of at least -.06" WC at the pipe above the boiler before I would consider changing the baro out for a larger one. :)

One other thought, you are running higher temps on the aqua stat (190*F high limit), don't forget to turn that down in the warmer weather (170 to 175*F) to keep the boiler at a more reasonable temp. Mine drifts an average 20 to 25*F when the outside temps are above 35*F and no one is using DWH. Another option is to set the high limit a little lower to prevent timer initiated firing when the unit is over say 195*F. If I remember correctly your high limit is currently set for 210*F.

You have received lots of good advice on here, I know you will figure this out! ;)

 
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Post by pret » Sat. Feb. 14, 2009 9:17 am

Thanks for all the advice fellas. I am blessed to know you here on the forum, and to have you to bounce off my crazy ideas. Believe me, some are crazy. I remember when I first started reading on this forum, thinking I could co-fire coal with cherry pits or wood chips. Uhhhh... that's pretty crazy!

Anyway, now that the wind is gone, my operation is back to normal! I'm still interested in discussing the idea of controlling air intake... maybe have a 6" pipe to the outside, sealed into the base, with the base sealed all around included the door to remove ashes, with louvers on the exterior end of the pipe?? Like I said... crazy!


 
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Post by Freddy » Sat. Feb. 14, 2009 10:44 am

If you set a pair of backward binoculars on the edge of the ash drawer it would make the ashes really really small and you could fit an entire years worth in one ash pan. ;)

 
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Post by Scottscoaled » Sat. Feb. 14, 2009 3:28 pm

Man!!!! you double A guys have all the fun ;) Seems like you always got draft problems and things going boom and ashing problems and all other kind of things to monkey around with. Here my EFM 520 is like a magic bullet. Set it and forget it :lol: It's getting real boring having nothing to do but stare at the caveman TV and take the ashes out :( Scott

 
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Post by pret » Sat. Feb. 14, 2009 4:16 pm

Dude! Who wants to just set it and forget it!!! I like adventure... intrigue... looking at ash... who wants a life of ease when they can have music (boom boom), breeze or not to breeze (not to mention drafty windows), and did I ever tell you how I LOOVE bananas??

Freddy, I think you have something there! That has got to be as profound as Einstein's theory of relativity!! I mean it's all in how you look at things... dude... you are the MAN!

 
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Post by Flyer5 » Sat. Feb. 14, 2009 11:00 pm

stokerscot wrote:Man!!!! you double A guys have all the fun ;) Seems like you always got draft problems and things going boom and ashing problems and all other kind of things to monkey around with. Here my EFM 520 is like a magic bullet. Set it and forget it :lol: It's getting real boring having nothing to do but stare at the caveman TV and take the ashes out :( Scott
I almost forgot my AA was down in the basement this week .Actually not just this week . Mine has been set it and forget it since I got the first months issues out of the way . And most of those issues were self inflicted . Going into 6 days without emptying the ash pan, I had to at least check it today . Still about 2 days left ,but I will probably empty it tomorrow. Extremely happy AA owner , Dave

 
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Post by Scottscoaled » Sat. Feb. 14, 2009 11:15 pm

I'm sort of serious about the nothing to do. I'm down to waxing the covers with lemon fresh pledge so I can see myself in the reflection. And then there's the sitting in the dark so when the door gets open, the flames look sooo much cooler :lol: :lol: Scott

 
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Post by Complete Heat » Sun. Feb. 15, 2009 12:32 pm

My AA has been "fire & forget" since I put it in. It is vented into a 6" Class A chimney that is 32' tall (interior chimney). No damper, and no problems with booms, overtemps or any other problem. I set it up the way AA said to set it up. Two bags a day of Blaschak for 3,200 sq. ft. plus all DHW. I love it.

Mike

 
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Post by gregolma » Wed. Feb. 18, 2009 9:58 pm

A-A boilers occasionally have issues, but I'll bet that no other unit is as trouble free over the long run.

 
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Post by pret » Thu. Feb. 19, 2009 4:51 pm

I have to admit that 98.5% of my 'issues' with the AA has been user induced. There... I said it... many were thinking it... but DUDE! experience is the BEST teacher (I know... I teach math)... I always plunge head first... no point in only getting your finger wet... if the water's cold, I want to FEEL IT!

Well... it's windy again... my fire is up around the coal inlet again!!!!! I'm not going to change a thing (yes, draft is about .02 higher)... but this is a chimney draft issue, not an AA. I WILL determine the best parameters for this AA no matter what the external conditions... AND I'll be warm and snuggly (that's a wife issue)

If I had it to do over.... I wouldn't change a thing... well - except for the CO scares... :shock:


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