Who Burns Year-Round?

Joe · Post by **Joe** » Tue. Apr. 26, 2011 8:50 pm

This is my first year with the AHS-130. I would like to try to burn through the summer for DHW, we have a pretty large demand. But ... My dump zone has been turning on more frequently, and heating the garage beyond comfortable. Do any of you guys with AHS-130's burn through the summer, and if so, what adjustments do you make to the asher temperature settings? I also heard the about 12lbs/day is a min for this boiler at no-load.

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Tue. Apr. 26, 2011 9:02 pm

Joe wrote:This is my first year with the AHS-130. I would like to try to burn through the summer for DHW, we have a pretty large demand. But ... My dump zone has been turning on more frequently, and heating the garage beyond comfortable. Do any of you guys with AHS-130's burn through the summer, and if so, what adjustments do you make to the asher temperature settings? I also heard the about 12lbs/day is a min for this boiler at no-load.

**Broken Link(s) Removed**

mozz · Post by **mozz** » Tue. Apr. 26, 2011 9:12 pm

I burn year round and in the summer it doesn't save me anything, unless you count boiler life in the equation. I think I measured, in 5 gallon pails worth, how much coal I burned a week. My electric hot water heater would be cheaper to run. It is not a PITA to clean a boiler, it is part of owning it, if you neglect that, well, you will find out the hard way. The first year I had the AA130 I turned down the aquastat from 190-230 to 160-200 or something, ran the water up a little bit in the sight glass because when running steam, only about 1/2 the coil is actually under water, correct me if I am wrong on that one. Last year and this year I just leave it at the winter settings, helps dry out the basement, snakes like it too.

Post by **Rob R.** » Tue. Apr. 26, 2011 9:15 pm

Joe wrote:This is my first year with the AHS-130. I would like to try to burn through the summer for DHW, we have a pretty large demand. But ... My dump zone has been turning on more frequently, and heating the garage beyond comfortable. Do any of you guys with AHS-130's burn through the summer, and if so, what adjustments do you make to the asher temperature settings? I also heard the about 12lbs/day is a min for this boiler at no-load.

Joe, please post all of your settings. Are you using a tankless coil in the AHS?

Post by **Rob R.** » Tue. Apr. 26, 2011 9:36 pm

Wood'nCoal wrote:
Are you happy with the hot water production with 3 teeth and 150 for the low limit? Also, do you have a bypass installed between the supply and return on the boiler?
So far, so good, but I just made the change yesterday. I'm just happy I was able to figure out why I lost the fire. The incoming cold water tends to warm up some in the Summer as opposed to the dead of Winter. Yesterday after relighting the boiler the water temperature hit 210° , it was running on the timer, I guess that second little shovel full of coal I placed on top of the wood fire was a tad too much!
Yes, there is a bypass, ball valve is open about 1/4.

I would run the bypass wide open for DHW duty...natural convection should keep the temperature more uniform in the boiler. I did not install a bypass on mine, and that was a mistake. It does thermosiphon a little through the oil boiler, but not much.

steevesj · Post by **steevesj** » Tue. Apr. 26, 2011 9:40 pm

markviii wrote: How tall is the chimney compared to the roof? What size is the flue? Are you using the recommended 8" pipe? How many elbows and tee's are installed between the boiler and the thimble?

The chimney stands about 6-8 feet high from the edge of the roof. There is 1 90 from the boiler then 1 90 that connects into the horizontal pipe that leads to the chimney. There is 8" pipe to the thimble but the chimney is 6" clay.

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Tue. Apr. 26, 2011 9:46 pm

I would run the bypass wide open for DHW duty...natural convection should keep the temperature more uniform in the boiler

Good idea.

Also covering the baro with foil isn't a bad idea either in the warm weather. Even when the baro is closed there is space between the flap and the housing, especially on a larger baro like mine (8").

Pacowy · Post by **Pacowy** » Wed. Apr. 27, 2011 12:58 am

mozz wrote: It is not a PITA to clean a boiler, it is part of owning it, if you neglect that, well, you will find out the hard way.

You seem to be misquoting my earlier post, which stated that cleaning my boiler "for a summer shutdown would be a PITA". The boiler is a 350 Mills (not an EFM 350), a 7-section water tube boiler that has a large heat exchange area comprised of irregular surfaces. It is not neglected, and gets cleaned as it is supposed to be for a boiler in use. My point was that cleaning it to the extent that would be required to prevent corrosion if it were idled in the summer would be a PITA, and for that boiler I think that's a pretty fair summary.

Mike

blrman07 · Post by **blrman07** » Wed. Apr. 27, 2011 6:57 am

6th year burning my Yellow flame boiler year round. It took a while to figure out but I found setting the pins to make shorter runs more often did the trick on those hot hot hot summer days when the chimney looses draft. For four years now I reset the pins to "summer" mode on Easter Sunday and have had not a single out fire due to losing draft since I started doing that.

Coal usage is 1/4 ton a month or 15-16 lbs a day. Current price for Lenig's coal is $140 ton bulk. My DHW costs me $1.16 a day during the summer.

This summer that will be even less because I will supplement the DHW coil in the boiler by running the preheated solar DHW through it. The only way to get less now is to cut the boiler off and go with 100% solar and circulate the DHW through the coil and use the boiler as a heat sink. Hmmmmmm....gave myself an idea to tinker with!

ben · Post by **ben** » Wed. Apr. 27, 2011 11:15 am

Efm 350 here. I run this unit all summer long with my timer every 30 min for about 1 minute. Never a problem. Set my limits at 130 - 170. This keeps the temp about 145. Also by running the boiler thru the summer I do not have to use my de-humidifier, which saves on my electric.
Seem to be around 5 ton a year with a traditional Cape Cod.

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Wed. Apr. 27, 2011 6:27 pm

Also by running the boiler thru the summer I do not have to use my de-humidifier, which saves on my electric.

Post by **Rob R.** » Wed. Apr. 27, 2011 6:54 pm

steevesj wrote:
markviii wrote: How tall is the chimney compared to the roof? What size is the flue? Are you using the recommended 8" pipe? How many elbows and tee's are installed between the boiler and the thimble?
The chimney stands about 6-8 feet high from the edge of the roof. There is 1 90 from the boiler then 1 90 that connects into the horizontal pipe that leads to the chimney. There is 8" pipe to the thimble but the chimney is 6" clay.

I think a 6" flue is marginal for your application. Have you adjusted the inlet damper according to Keystoker's instructions? You could be pressurizing the firebox with excessive combustion air.

How tall is the chimney compared to the roof peak?

tsb · Post by **tsb** » Wed. Apr. 27, 2011 9:22 pm

I didn't run last summer because I was just getting acquainted with the
contraption that I built. This summer I'm going to let it run on low fire
all summer. During high water demand the boiler may run a little cold,
but it will have all night and day to recover. Hope to burn no more than
15 pounds a day.

whistlenut · Post by **whistlenut** » Wed. Apr. 27, 2011 9:31 pm

It's not chilly in the boiler rooms anywhere tonight! Made 75 here at 3pm, still 68 at 9:30. Spring? One day of it.....

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Wed. Apr. 27, 2011 9:57 pm

When I had the Alaska stove burning for DHW all summer the cellar stayed 85° to 90°, I expect lower temperatures this year.