Old mill mini-stoker
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- Member
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 28, 2014 4:06 am
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Old mill mini-stoker
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Lopi
- Coal Size/Type: nut
Hi guys,
So I have a bit of a problem. I have this old mill mini-stoker that is in good physical condition fires and feeds well, but the blower to circulate heat is dead. The combustion blower is fine. Unfortunately, as that appears to be a much easier one to replace. So my question is does anyone know where I might be able to find a new motor for it? Old mill mini-stokers are not that popular and finding information is difficult, let alone parts. The other half to that question, is, is it possible to replace it with a universal motor. When it comes to electronics, I am clueless. I added a picture.... Not the most useful, but hopefully it gives some indication of the blower setup. Thanks for any help.
So I have a bit of a problem. I have this old mill mini-stoker that is in good physical condition fires and feeds well, but the blower to circulate heat is dead. The combustion blower is fine. Unfortunately, as that appears to be a much easier one to replace. So my question is does anyone know where I might be able to find a new motor for it? Old mill mini-stokers are not that popular and finding information is difficult, let alone parts. The other half to that question, is, is it possible to replace it with a universal motor. When it comes to electronics, I am clueless. I added a picture.... Not the most useful, but hopefully it gives some indication of the blower setup. Thanks for any help.
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- McGiever
- Member
- Posts: 10130
- Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
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- 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
Welcome J,
I have never come face to face with an Old Mill stoker before but that blower looks a lot like the one used on some Alaska stoves. Take some measurements and call you local Alaska dealer or call Alaska stoves.
What part of the world are you in? Maybe a forum member near by can help?
-Don
I have never come face to face with an Old Mill stoker before but that blower looks a lot like the one used on some Alaska stoves. Take some measurements and call you local Alaska dealer or call Alaska stoves.
What part of the world are you in? Maybe a forum member near by can help?
-Don
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- Member
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 28, 2014 4:06 am
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Old mill mini-stoker
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Lopi
- Coal Size/Type: nut
I really appreciate you guys help. I actually just found the culprit as my phone was going off notifying me of responses. The blower had a dimmer switch that was burnt out. I am going to replace it with a simple on/off toggle switch. So it will be on full blast or off, but in cold new england winters full blast is necessary most of the time anyway.
- 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
That sounds like a good plan. Those rheostats used for blowers are not the most reliable things. An ON/OFF switch is very reliable.
Good luck!
-Don
Good luck!
-Don
- McGiever
- Member
- Posts: 10130
- Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
There have been other owner(s) of Old Mill stoker stoves come here before, and w/ pics.
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- Member
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 28, 2014 4:06 am
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Old mill mini-stoker
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Lopi
- Coal Size/Type: nut
Here are a few pics taken while installing the toggle switch. Not sure if this is the typical stoker heat circulating setup (this is the first and only stoker i have owned), but the circulating blower i took a pic of earlier, is set to blow between a 1 inch gap between the firebox and a roof. It seems to work pretty well with the new switch installed.
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- McGiever
- Member
- Posts: 10130
- Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
Sorry, I was being somewhat too abbreviated.
My post was for the masses, not directed, as it appeared, to the one response.
Some Old Mill Mini Stoker posts and pictures
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- Member
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 28, 2014 4:06 am
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Old mill mini-stoker
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Lopi
- Coal Size/Type: nut
I ran into another issue (I know, damn noobs) starting my stove, I would use some small split pieces of extremely dry pine, get them going, cover them in coal, shut the door, then turn the interior blower on. This would send a plume of smoke out the front of the closed door. At times it would then continue coming out the front until the wood was completely burnt and it was just burning coal, after replacing the door gasket and still experiencing the issue, I realized it was coming from gaps in the window gasket. I have never had any sulfur smells or any type of alarm while the coal was burning. except if the front door was cracked even for a minute my smoke detector would go off. So I sealed the door windows off air tight and now my stoves performance is not great at all. The room it is in has consistently been heated to about 10 degrees less in the same weather. So my question is, did i seal off an oxygen supply route that would help combustion once the initial smoke buildup was evacuated, or did I prevent toxic heated gases from continuously entering my house? It would seem that i prevented gases from being expelled, but the lack of a sulfur smell and CO alarm makes it questionable to me.
- McGiever
- Member
- Posts: 10130
- Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
By sealing the glass you have now defeated the designed "air wash" for the glass.
On a larger front, sure sounds like you have near no chimney draft. Tell us about your chimney.
If not inspected to already be clear, it seems there is a restriction or blockage hampering establishing a good draft. There is another reason for poor draft and that is by having a bad leak in chimney, like a open ash clean-out door of some other over looked inlet that is robbing air from the stove's inlet/thimble.
Do you own a manometer/draft gauge?
On a larger front, sure sounds like you have near no chimney draft. Tell us about your chimney.
If not inspected to already be clear, it seems there is a restriction or blockage hampering establishing a good draft. There is another reason for poor draft and that is by having a bad leak in chimney, like a open ash clean-out door of some other over looked inlet that is robbing air from the stove's inlet/thimble.
Do you own a manometer/draft gauge?
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- Member
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 28, 2014 4:06 am
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Old mill mini-stoker
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Lopi
- Coal Size/Type: nut
Alright, so essentially the air wash would not be a concern if the draft was strong enough because it would not be the path of least resistance, the chimney would be. Correct? I'm away from home, but my guess would be my chimney is approximately 22 to 25 feet, it is masonry. 8x12? and does not appear to have any obstruction issues. I do not have a manometer, but i feel like i definitely should and will order one immediately. Any recommendations?
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- Member
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 28, 2014 4:06 am
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Old mill mini-stoker
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Lopi
- Coal Size/Type: nut
I'm overly paranoid (if you even can be) about fires/CO and have a plug in CO detector in the room, 2 additional battery units (tested regularly), 2 smoke detectors and one of each in the stairwell immediately outside the room and have never had any alarms other than smoke when opening the door briefly.