The Bairmatic - Van Wert Project
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
I think we are going to have low coal usage for at least the next week. Weather Underground is showing highs of about 50 degrees every day for the foreseeable future.
What the heck happened to Winter?
-Don
What the heck happened to Winter?
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
These are the readings as of yesterday. My internet service was knocked out for a couple days, again.
Meter reading yesterday was, 2815.9 - 2775.8 = 40.1 hours, 5.7 hours per day over the past 7 days. 63 pounds per day average.
I turned the feed rate up one half a turn, via the motor split pulley. this is in between 11 pounds and 12.5 pounds per hour. We'll call it 12 pounds per hour just to make it easy. I turned the air up to 6 yesterday. When I got home tonight there was a lot of black, unburnt coal on top of the pot. I turned the air up to 8. We'll see how that goes. Raked the coal bin. Looks like this will be an every 2 week thing. -Don
Meter reading yesterday was, 2815.9 - 2775.8 = 40.1 hours, 5.7 hours per day over the past 7 days. 63 pounds per day average.
I turned the feed rate up one half a turn, via the motor split pulley. this is in between 11 pounds and 12.5 pounds per hour. We'll call it 12 pounds per hour just to make it easy. I turned the air up to 6 yesterday. When I got home tonight there was a lot of black, unburnt coal on top of the pot. I turned the air up to 8. We'll see how that goes. Raked the coal bin. Looks like this will be an every 2 week thing. -Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Meter reading today was, 2843.9 - 2815.9 = 28.0 hours, 4.0 hours per day over the past 7 days. 48 pounds per day average.
Idle fire. After some adjustments over the week, we ended up with an air setting of 7.5. This gives a 1 to 2 inch ash ring on long heat calls. With the stoker only running about 4 hours a day, I think we got it right! Gofer action. Still no need to dig into the reserve bin. -Don
Idle fire. After some adjustments over the week, we ended up with an air setting of 7.5. This gives a 1 to 2 inch ash ring on long heat calls. With the stoker only running about 4 hours a day, I think we got it right! Gofer action. Still no need to dig into the reserve bin. -Don
- Scottscoaled
- Member
- Posts: 2812
- Joined: Tue. Jan. 08, 2008 9:51 pm
- Location: Malta N.Y.
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520, 700, Van Wert 800 GJ 61,53
- Baseburners & Antiques: Magic Stewart 16, times 2!
- Coal Size/Type: Lots of buck
- Other Heating: Slant Fin electric boiler backup
Hey Don. How are you liking the heat from the radiators? You are all radiator powered now right? How does that type of heat compare to the heat from the air handler?
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
The radiators and radiant floor in the bathroom are awesome! I won't be going back to the coil in the ductwork thing.
Radiators look awesome to! -Don
Radiators look awesome to! -Don
- windyhill4.2
- Member
- Posts: 6072
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 22, 2013 2:17 pm
- Location: Jonestown,Pa.17038
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1960 EFM520 installed in truck box
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane 404 with variable blower
- Coal Size/Type: 404-nut, 520 rice ,anthracite for both
Wasn't the big radiator in your garage capable of keeping it warm or did you fire the garage boiler just to hear it run too ??
- lsayre
- Member
- Posts: 21781
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
- Location: Ohio
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
- Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
- Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75
Don, if I ever decide that I want radiators, I'm coming to your house. There seem to be a few spares in that inventory.
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Sure it's capable of heating the garage and it is. The GJ/EFM is just helping a little!windyhill4.2 wrote:Wasn't the big radiator in your garage capable of keeping it warm or did you fire the garage boiler just to hear it run too ??
I have a little problem with hobbies. Once I get one thing, I feel the need to get another, and another, ect...lsayre wrote:Don, if I ever decide that I want radiators, I'm coming to your house. There seem to be a few spares in that inventory.
Good thing cars aren't my hobby anymore, they took up a LOT more space!
-Don
- BunkerdCaddis
- Member
- Posts: 708
- Joined: Sun. Jan. 18, 2015 10:26 am
- Location: SW Lancaster County
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Bairmatic-Van Wert
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Van Wert VW85H
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Saey Hanover II working when I feel the desire, Waterford 105 out on vacation, Surdiac Gotha hiding somewhere
- Coal Size/Type: pea/nut/rice/stove-anthracite, nut/stove bit when I feel the urge
- Other Heating: oil fired hydronic
There is nothing else in the world quite like setting your tushy on a warm (hot) radiator on a miserable cold day, that's one thing ya can't do with a stove...StokerDon wrote:The radiators and radiant floor in the bathroom are awesome! I won't be going back to the coil in the ductwork thing.
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Meter reading today was, 2881.9 - 2843.9 = 38.0 hours, 5.4 hours per day over the past 7 days. 65 pounds per day average.
It's been 2 weeks, time to rake the coal bin! At this point I'm pretty sure this coal will last through March without dipping into the reserve bin. I think that would be very good coal consumption, July to April on 5.5 to 6.0 tons of rice coal.
-Don
It's been 2 weeks, time to rake the coal bin! At this point I'm pretty sure this coal will last through March without dipping into the reserve bin. I think that would be very good coal consumption, July to April on 5.5 to 6.0 tons of rice coal.
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Meter reading today was, 2918.4 - 2881.9 = 36.5 hours, 5.2 hours per day over the past 7 days. 62.6 pounds per day average.
Thursday night I changed the aquastat from LO = 140, HI = 160 to LO = 160, HI = 180. Just to see what would happen. The only thing that I have noticed is the basement is a little warmer. Used about 2.4 pound per day less than last week but that could have been due to the weather.
I just changed it back to LO = 140, HI = 160 again.
-Don
Thursday night I changed the aquastat from LO = 140, HI = 160 to LO = 160, HI = 180. Just to see what would happen. The only thing that I have noticed is the basement is a little warmer. Used about 2.4 pound per day less than last week but that could have been due to the weather.
I just changed it back to LO = 140, HI = 160 again.
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Meter reading today was, 2954.8 - 2918.4 = 36.4 hours, 5.2 hours per day over the past 7 days. 62.6 pounds per day average. Very mild weather this weekend, earlier in the week there were lows in the mid 20's
I did some bin raking. We're raking up hill now. In about a month I think it will be time to put the barrel back in. -Don
I did some bin raking. We're raking up hill now. In about a month I think it will be time to put the barrel back in. -Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
No, I didn't. One of my future projects will be to install a hose bib in the basement by the bin. After that, I will install the "Beer Opener" option like you have on yours!Olllotj wrote:Did ya dampen the coal a bit before taking it? I've noticed a big difference.
-Don
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
Meter reading today was, 2980.4 - 2954.8 = 25.6 hours, 3.7 hours per day over the past 7 days. 43.9 pounds per day average.
Very mild weather this week, A lot of hi temps in the 50's and 60's with a couple 70's. We even had a big thunderstorm with some big hail. About 25 mile north of here there was a tornado!!! Today, it chilled back to normal, but that won't last long. Coal bin raking is now a once a week thing. I pulled the cross support chains out today so I can get in there. -Don
Very mild weather this week, A lot of hi temps in the 50's and 60's with a couple 70's. We even had a big thunderstorm with some big hail. About 25 mile north of here there was a tornado!!! Today, it chilled back to normal, but that won't last long. Coal bin raking is now a once a week thing. I pulled the cross support chains out today so I can get in there. -Don