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Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Tue. Jan. 15, 2013 9:20 pm
by robb
I have a Hitzer 608 Stoker. I changed coal suppiers this year. After burning since end of Octoer/beginning of November I noticed about days ago I got that sulfur rotten egg smell almost constantly. So I took stove pipe off and there was enough fly ash at flue collar on top of stove that it was almost completely closed off. I have never had this happen in the 3 years of owning my stove. Can coal quality lead to an increase of fly ash?

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Tue. Jan. 15, 2013 10:30 pm
by 2001Sierra
For sure! White ash coal has way more fly ash than red ash coal. I ran a hand fed for 28 years and stopped sweeping the chimney because nothing really came out that did not already fall to the base. In came the Keystoker 90 stoker and after 2 years I was embarassed at how much ash swept out of the chimnney, almost a scary amount. I burn mostly white ash coal. I now sweep the chimney every year :oops: Who would of thunk the stoker would of been such a drastic change.

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Wed. Jan. 16, 2013 11:14 am
by Rob R.
The amount of flyash produced can vary from one coal source to another, or even from one load to the next depending on variability of the raw product.

Stokers tend to produce more fly ash because of the air velocity through the coal.

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Wed. Jan. 16, 2013 4:16 pm
by fastcat
How has the wind been in your area this year? Here it has not blown as much or as hard this year as in past years and I have had to clean my T on the back of the stove which I have never had more than 1/4" in the bottom.

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Wed. Jan. 16, 2013 9:41 pm
by Rob R.
Tonight I decided to pull the flue pipe off my EFM and check it for flyash...it was 50% full! Different coal this year, lot more flyash. Guess I should set a better example and check the pipes more often.

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Wed. Jan. 16, 2013 9:44 pm
by lsayre
Rob R. wrote:Tonight I decided to pull the flue pipe off my EFM and check it for flyash...it was 50% full! Different coal this year, lot more flyash. Guess I should set a better example and check the pipes more often.
Does the lead-up to taking a clean-out cap off for flue pipe cleaning require a full shutdown, or merely a decent draft?

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Wed. Jan. 16, 2013 9:48 pm
by Rob R.
I just switch the stoker off, vacuum, then switch it back on.

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Thu. Jan. 17, 2013 6:08 am
by lsayre
So decent draft and power off it is. Thanks!

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Thu. Jan. 17, 2013 2:25 pm
by coalkirk
If you use T's with caps instead of elbows, it's a snap. I've got one at the top into the chimney and one at the bottom into the boiler. Takes less than a minute with no shut down. You do suck a little flue gas out but no big deal.
taped joints.jpg
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I've cleaned mine out twice so far this season.

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Thu. Jan. 17, 2013 4:56 pm
by freetown fred
Nice ck. If I wasn't straight up through the house I'd definitly use that set up--cudoes dude :)

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Thu. Jan. 17, 2013 7:27 pm
by fastcat
freetown fred wrote:Nice ck. If I wasn't straight up through the house I'd definitly use that set up--cudoes dude :)
Fred your stove doesn't exit out the back? Use a T there instead of an elbo. :D

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Mon. Oct. 07, 2013 3:09 pm
by Frackstoker
coalkirk wrote:If you use T's with caps instead of elbows, it's a snap. I've got one at the top into the chimney and one at the bottom into the boiler. Takes less than a minute with no shut down. You do suck a little flue gas out but no big deal.
taped joints.jpg
I've cleaned mine out twice so far this season.
Sounds like a good plan! Thanks everyone. Where should the baro-damper be located for the T set-up?

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Sun. Oct. 13, 2013 10:35 am
by Bear038
Coalkirk, just saw your idea for the Tee as a clean out. On my way to the supply house, it will be done by this evening :D

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Sun. Oct. 13, 2013 12:13 pm
by coalkirk
Bear038 wrote:Coalkirk, just saw your idea for the Tee as a clean out. On my way to the supply house, it will be done by this evening :D
Well I can't take credit for the idea. Honestly don't remember who I copied it from but it works great. Pop off that end cap, shove the shop vac wand in and done in a few seconds with no shut down. I've got the same arrangement at the bottom where the vent exits the boiler just above it is another T with the Baro.

Re: Coal Quality and Fly Ash

Posted: Mon. Oct. 14, 2013 4:33 pm
by Bruce M
I just ordered a Tee fitting also, tired of dealing with the double wall elbow. The double wall Tee was about $75 with shipping but it will be worth it if it causes less frustration, Those damned elbows always spin out of whack and with the double walls is just frustrating as all heck.