The AF150 EFM Automatic Coal Stoker Furnace

 
Tirpak
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Post by Tirpak » Tue. Nov. 22, 2011 8:51 pm

Thank you. I am going to look into how much money it may cost to refab this s-20 stoker. I think getting it apart will be my biggest issue. I need to replace the feed tube, worm and grates. Any suggestions on the best way to get it apart?


 
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Post by stoker-man » Wed. Nov. 23, 2011 5:36 am

You should be able to figure out the construction by viewing these pictures. The hardest part of the job might be removing the air tube that joins the stoker and pot. I used to use a torch and sliding hammer, but sometimes it came right out. The key is: how long was the assembly sitting in a damp area.

 
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EarthWindandFire
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Post by EarthWindandFire » Mon. Jan. 09, 2012 6:28 pm

My father-in-law has mentioned to me that he wants a coal furnace. But, he never wants to fill a hopper with a bag of coal when he finally retires and gets too old for such things. Since the efm can be auger-fed from a coal bin, this might be the perfect coal furnace for him.

We live in Connecticut so no dealers are nearby. Has anyone bought one recently and know the cost?

Thanks!

 
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EarthWindandFire
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Post by EarthWindandFire » Mon. Dec. 30, 2013 9:12 am

Why is the firing rate so different from the 520 when they use the same stoker?
Firing rates from 10 lbs of coal per hour to 17 ½ pounds of coal per hour. (100,000 to 150,000 bonnet BTU/Hr.)
I noticed that the Van Wert has a very high minimum firing rate of 10 lbs per hour as well. The 520 can be fired as low as 2-1/2 lbs per hour.

 
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Post by Pacowy » Mon. Dec. 30, 2013 12:03 pm

The 10 lb/hr corresponds to the recommended minimum setting of 4 teeth of feed. The unit doesn't actually burn 10 lb/hr at that setting unless needed to carry the load. Absent any load, the unit would normally "idle" by running 3-4 or so minutes every hour on timer cycles, corresponding to coal consumption of 0.5-0.7 lb/hr. Does that help?

Mike

 
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EarthWindandFire
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Post by EarthWindandFire » Mon. Dec. 30, 2013 12:23 pm

That 10-lbs of coal per hour must scare away a lot of potential buyers. 10 x 24 is 240-lbs of coal per day which can get pretty expensive. ;)

I also doubt you'll find these in very many residential homes. They must be geared more toward commercial users.

I also took notice of the following which must be a recent change:
A new electronic efm Stoker Timer with Relay. The timer prevents outfires when there is a long period between calls for heat. The electronic timer is easy to set and adjust. No guessing or waiting to verify the settings.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Mon. Dec. 30, 2013 6:01 pm

EarthWindandFire wrote:That 10-lbs of coal per hour must scare away a lot of potential buyers. 10 x 24 is 240-lbs of coal per day which can get pretty expensive. ;)
If they aren't scared by the 1.0 gallon per hour firing rate stamped on their oil furnace, I would hope 10 lbs/hr of coal isn't a shock.
Why is the firing rate so different from the 520 when they use the same stoker?
The AF150 heat exchanger can't handle the full output of the stoker.

As for the Van Wert, the feed rate is only changed by changing the pulleys on the stoker; it is normally "factory set".


 
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Post by corey » Tue. Mar. 01, 2016 11:19 am

Just wondering here.

Can this furnace burn bituminous coal???

 
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Post by McGiever » Tue. Mar. 01, 2016 12:01 pm

corey wrote:Just wondering here.

Can this furnace burn bituminous coal???
No, this a flat/incline grate style. You'll have to find a *underfed* stoker.

Scoot on over to the Bit Section, best chance to see what's out there for bit stokers in that section. :idea:

Combustioneer, Stokermatic, Iron Fireman, Winkle and Wil-Burt for some names, none are in production any longer so you have to do some detective work to discover one out there somewhere in dominant bit coal country.

Some talk of a new place that is going to revive and build the Wil-Burt Stoker line...nothing heard yet though.

Some European Bit Stokers (multi fuel) are trickling into North America now, some even show up on ebay now and again, but shipping got to be outrageous from Poland etc. :roll:

But, before you get to spinning your wheels too fast, it takes a good grade of bit coal and even then it needs to be sized properly to work in a screw fed auger. Suppliers stocking this type coal may be even scarcer than suppliers for the hard coal...cause there just isn't the market for that *bit* *stoker coal size*. :o

 
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Post by Scottscoaled » Tue. Mar. 01, 2016 1:07 pm

This is an underfed stoker

 
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Post by Pacowy » Tue. Mar. 01, 2016 1:41 pm

Scottscoaled wrote:This is an underfed stoker
x2. AFAIK it was certified as a multi-fuel burner several years ago, and in the EFM section there are threads describing tests with different types of bit and sub-bit. That said, it has a feed auger that is comparatively small, and should be tested with the specific bit that might be used.

Mike

 
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Post by McGiever » Tue. Mar. 01, 2016 1:45 pm

Scottscoaled wrote:This is an underfed stoker
Scott, You are right. :) I thought it was the A-150 Keystoker Furnace. :oops:

Anyways, nobody I know here on the board, is or has used one successfully burning bit coal and heating their home.

And it still stands that anyone attempting to do bit stoker will need a reliable source of proper coal.

PS: I have just such a reliable supplier, Thompson Brothers Coal, within 15 miles and I have no interest in doing this. :|

 
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Post by stoker-man » Sun. Mar. 13, 2016 11:29 am

It uses the same stoker at the boiler. Not sure how it might affect the heat exchanger though. We did many tests with bit coal and I don't remember any particular problems with using bit, but read over the experiments I did with it. We burned alot of western bit and even some from the Bloomsburg, Pa area. Long term results aren't known.

 
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Post by corey » Sun. Mar. 13, 2016 11:46 am

stoker-man wrote:It uses the same stoker at the boiler. Not sure how it might affect the heat exchanger though. We did many tests with bit coal and I don't remember any particular problems with using bit, but read over the experiments I did with it. We burned alot of western bit and even some from the Bloomsburg, Pa area. Long term results aren't known.
Thankyou you for the reply.

The short term tests you conducted look to be successful. I watched the videos on your YouTube channel.

Just the long term effects on the equipment were it's designed for anthracite.

 
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Post by stoker-man » Sun. Mar. 13, 2016 10:05 pm

I don't remember if there were sooting problems with bit, but there are people who burn bit here and they would be able to answer that. I would be especially careful of using anything that could burn downwards in the pipe while it sits idle. Pellets come to mind.


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