Alaska 140 spilling unburnt coal.

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sitdwnandhngon
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Posts: 39
Joined: Fri. Jul. 20, 2018 7:26 pm
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska Stoker II

Post by sitdwnandhngon » Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 11:58 am

I very recently got a 140 up and running, no complaints about the heat or the adjustments on it, it seems to be giving more heat for the same amount of coal usage as the old stove.

One thing that is slightly annoying though, is that it seems to be spilling unburnt coal out of the sides of the grate. Not a lot, maybe 2 fireplace shovel scoops per hopper load. I've just been scooping it out when I take the ash pan out and putting it back into the hopper.

From the looks of things, when the paddle is feeding the grate it mounds up just slightly higher than the side of the grate at the very top and must cause some of it to spill over.

Is this a common issue, or should something be adjusted? Seems to happen on both grates.

I cleaned the grates and under the paddles before installing, there was some slag built up in the corners, but very little and it scraped right off.

Any ideas, or is it just one of those things that is going to be part of the tending every other day?

 
LTStorm07
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Posts: 106
Joined: Tue. Sep. 11, 2012 8:32 pm
Location: Stillwater, PA
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1980 EFM DF520
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Alaska Stoker II
Coal Size/Type: Rice
Other Heating: Heat pump / Propane

Post by LTStorm07 » Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 12:50 pm

Good afternoon,
If the grates are really rough or you have clinkers stuck on the grates it can do that. Either way, this is not normal operation since the paddles should basically push a flat even bed of coal down the grate. If there is resistance anywhere, you can get mounding problems. If both are doing this, my guess would be either the grates are rough and not smooth, or could be a lil lip pushing up where the grates are seated. My guess is the grates are probably a bit rough. To correct this you need to shut it down, pull the coal off the grates as much as you can get back towards the hopper and start sanding. sand the grate inside edges of the sides as well. Anywhere that coal touches keep it smooth. Honestly I kept my grates smooth enough coal ALMOST slid off of them on its own. I'd check this first...

 
Pacowy
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Location: Dalton, MA
Stoker Coal Boiler: H.B. Smith 350 Mills boiler/EFM 85R stoker
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/anthracite

Post by Pacowy » Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 4:02 pm

Yes sanding the grate may help. May go faster if you make a first pass rubbing it with a brick.

If you're getting a lot of clinkers in the ash, you might need to reduce the air a little. If the fire is uneven reaming out the air holes in the grate (IIRC with 1/8" drill bit) may help. Regular cleaning of air chamber under grate should also be performed.

Mike


 
sitdwnandhngon
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Posts: 39
Joined: Fri. Jul. 20, 2018 7:26 pm
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska Stoker II

Post by sitdwnandhngon » Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 4:15 pm

I cleaned all the holes in the grate and the fines from underneath when I was setting it up. Fire seems even and not too many clinkers unless I turn it way up.

I'll start with the grates the next warm day we get. It had been sitting unused for a year before I bought it, so maybe they rusted up a bit too much.

 
LTStorm07
Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Tue. Sep. 11, 2012 8:32 pm
Location: Stillwater, PA
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1980 EFM DF520
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Alaska Stoker II
Coal Size/Type: Rice
Other Heating: Heat pump / Propane

Post by LTStorm07 » Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 5:11 pm

sitdwnandhngon wrote:
Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 4:15 pm
I cleaned all the holes in the grate and the fines from underneath when I was setting it up. Fire seems even and not too many clinkers unless I turn it way up.

I'll start with the grates the next warm day we get. It had been sitting unused for a year before I bought it, so maybe they rusted up a bit too much.
From the sound of the burn shape, it probably is good on the holes and fines. I normally cleaned mine right before lighting it for the year and I burned about 6 ton a year through it. I'd then vacuum under the grate again the following year before lighting it. A 3/4 in piece of pex, duct tape, and a shop vac make a nice fines removal tool. You just have to take the cover / guard off the bottom of the combustion fan setup and then you can suck them out of the little hole.

It definitely can take some work to sand the grates down, but sand them enough bright cast iron is showing through. That would be ideal - I only every had to sand the grates on mine and that was after 2 floods. The rust kind of builds up and prevents everything from sliding down nicely. Don't be afraid of a wire wheel on the grates, with sand paper you might be there awhile. :lol:

 
LTStorm07
Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Tue. Sep. 11, 2012 8:32 pm
Location: Stillwater, PA
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1980 EFM DF520
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Alaska Stoker II
Coal Size/Type: Rice
Other Heating: Heat pump / Propane

Post by LTStorm07 » Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 5:41 pm

Happen to find an old picture I had what the fire normally looks like.
20121208_005439 (2).jpg
.JPG | 464.9KB | 20121208_005439 (2).jpg

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