Super Mag

Having trouble starting my super magnum and keeping it going for more than a couple of hours. Does seem like it's feeding fast enough any advice?

CaptCaper is Our stalwart Harman Super Mag guy. Let's see if he can give You some direct experience advice when he checks in. In the meanwhile,as You tear Your hair out trying to figure out just what's wrong,let's have You build a better picture to work with......

1.) Is this a newly installed unit ?
2.) If run previously,is this Your first time lighting off?
3.) Did You do a comprehensive cleaning after shutdown last Season ?(Including flyash removal from Your Pipe Network)
4.) Are You hearing any strange noises or binds as Your Mechanism is attempting to feed coal ?
5.) Is Your Rice Coal wet?
6.) Have You checked for any obstructions in the Coal Feedpath?
7.)Is Your screen on Your Combustion Air Blower Obstructed?

Let Us know,and by giving Us as much background info,the High Quality Mad Scientist Types that populate 'Der Coal Board will chime in to help...Welcome,by the way !
Note: I'll see if I can get this moved to Our Stoker Section to lay more eyes on it. We'll get 'Ya some help!

Those pusher blocks can get bound up if not cleaned real good after seasons end.
I'd shut down as you will do high $dollar$ damage if the block is bound up and you continue to push it.

The unit is new just installed. I have dry coal. Imy light it off for the first . The flame looks normal and then it climbs up the grate and eventually will go out I've been pulling it down when I notice that happening. I do hear crunchy noises when it's pushing

Mathew wrote:The unit is new just installed. I have dry coal. Imy light it off for the first . The flame looks normal and then it climbs up the grate and eventually will go out I've been pulling it down when I notice that happening. I do hear crunchy noises when it's pushing

Pulling it down, as you say, will not help keep the fire going on a flat bed stoker. Doing that will do more harm than good.

Have you tried to increase the feed adjustment?
Where do you have the air shutter open at?
Pictures will help us a bunch.

Ithe air is open all the way. How deep is the push stroke supposed to be? How thick is the coal on the grate supposed to be when you start it?

At the risk of confusing things with my older non-super mag....my push stroke is about 1/2". I believe the push block feed system is the same for the newer super mag.

Is there a baffle plate on the intake of the combustion blower on the super mag's that can be moved to vary the amount of combustion air? Or does the controller vary the speed of the combustion blower?

Coal depth should be just below the side height of the grate housing. Ash should be about 1" from the end of the grates after it has been on full burn for about 1/2 hour.

This is a easy fix I bet...only If I was there where I could tell you whats wrong for sure after seeing it. But trying to decipher text and not visual is tough. Try to get back to us on a clearer what it is doing exactly or do the following.
. 1. Check to see if the hopper bottom at the opening to the push arm to make sure it's not blocked. Mine did once with large chunks of coal.. 2 Check the allen nut to make sure it's tight were the feed motor connects to the feed shaft. 3. either turn your feed rate up or down.. Mine was too high from the manual from Harmon. My rate now is 2 or 2 1/2. 4. Coal should be full down into the back of the grate and up the ramp before firing it up. I start my fire on top..surrounded by rice coal..I use cowboy charcoal soaked in charcoal lighter fluid in a small bucket first. Turn your temp setting up so it starts to feed and wants to get hot. Once the fire is going good and hot you should be able to drop the feed if the red coals are going over into the ashpan. Then turn your room temp down to were you may want it..it should burn fine from there...I have't touched my controls since last year sometime.. Houses stays at 72 deg f no matter how cold it gets'...-30 something last winter..
Maybe 1. should be did you use a manometer to set the draft? You have a test mode on the panel that will fire it up full bore and you should get an idea on draft.

I guess he must of brought it back or he's burning oil....

No oil for me!!!
Thank you for the help it been going long enough to say it going to stay running.
I think it was that I had the damper on the convection blower all the way open and did start the fire close enough to the bottom. I think it going to be a good stove just a little different than my lesuire line.

It'll be Great Stove ! Glad You got back to us! Stick around,check in from time to time and feel free to toss in with Your musings and observations ! Happy Thanksgiving and Take Care !

Yea..post back when "I think" is I did or for sure it needed... I'm so bored with mine...it just keeps running and no extra attention needed...
My friend is in the process of buying one so that will be fun hooking him up... He's got an outside chimney with a 8" flue so I wonder if the draft will be as good as mine is with the 6in flue with 1 in of insulation around it as well as being outside.