Need help, new coal now I'm having trouble keeping the fire

 
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oros35
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Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Cozeburn OWB burning Bit
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Post by oros35 » Fri. Dec. 27, 2019 9:04 am

McGiever wrote:
Thu. Dec. 26, 2019 9:59 am
Different coal properties means different techniques.
And I'm running out of ideas to make this stuff work as good as it should! Tons of people use it and I don't see many complaints.

What are tricks for burning low volatile bit?

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Fri. Dec. 27, 2019 9:43 am

What exactly are you seeing as obstacles from getting the burn you want?
The 'real expert' here is *Berlin*, where is he???
Do you mostly lose the fire at idle some time after raking???
It has been stated in another thread here that OWB guys find the high volatile coal better.

Just a guess, but you might try reducing the grate or fire box size if that can be done??? Use some fire bricks and/or steel plates and angle iron or channels...
Or might allow a wee bit more idle air always between heat calls.

 
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BigBarney
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Post by BigBarney » Sun. Dec. 29, 2019 1:21 pm

Picture of inside of boiler and dimensions needed.

Been burning Valier coal for many years and never

had any trouble with it.

OWB are the worse product to burn coal in , they are

not sized properly to burn coal .

My boiler can go more then 24 hours in 30-35* weather

with no tending and when I fill I just dump in the coal

and riddle the grates and off to the races. My boiler does

not need shaker grates due to design.

BigBarney


 
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oros35
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Post by oros35 » Fri. Jan. 31, 2020 9:16 am

So I've got this thing burning better. Been over a month now the fire has been burning.

Colder weather helped, higher demand kept the coals going better. Colder it is the better, cleaner and more complete the burn.
I also reduced the temp differential to 3 degrees so it kicks on more often for shorter duration.
I make sure every time I rake the coals I toss on a little more fresh fuel.
And it really helps to toss a couple logs on top of a partially burnt pile of coals. 1/2 the bed will go out, toss a couple logs on top and once they catch it will bring the fire back to the whole bed of coal. That also is the only way to get through some of these warm spells we had.

Still nearly no clinkers, only smokes bad for a cycle or 2. And I'm using about a ton a month which is about the average I've always seen.

 
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11ultra103
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Post by 11ultra103 » Mon. Feb. 17, 2020 1:56 pm

oros35 wrote:
Fri. Jan. 31, 2020 9:16 am
So I've got this thing burning better. Been over a month now the fire has been burning.

Colder weather helped, higher demand kept the coals going better. Colder it is the better, cleaner and more complete the burn.
I also reduced the temp differential to 3 degrees so it kicks on more often for shorter duration.
I make sure every time I rake the coals I toss on a little more fresh fuel.
And it really helps to toss a couple logs on top of a partially burnt pile of coals. 1/2 the bed will go out, toss a couple logs on top and once they catch it will bring the fire back to the whole bed of coal. That also is the only way to get through some of these warm spells we had.

Still nearly no clinkers, only smokes bad for a cycle or 2. And I'm using about a ton a month which is about the average I've always seen.

Sounds like you got it figured out! The cold weather always keeps the coal burning better. Did you reduce the temp on the blower?

 
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oros35
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Post by oros35 » Mon. Feb. 17, 2020 2:44 pm

11ultra103 wrote:
Mon. Feb. 17, 2020 1:56 pm
Sounds like you got it figured out! The cold weather always keeps the coal burning better. Did you reduce the temp on the blower?
I'm now at a 2 degree differential.
Water temp setpoint is 170 degrees. Once it goes below 168 the blower turns on. Blower shuts off at 170.

It usually keeps heating after the fan is off. I've seen it get over 180 after the blower turns off just on a very small amount of draft. Fan has a powered damper on it so fan off = Just the air that leaks in through the shaker handle hole.


 
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11ultra103
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Post by 11ultra103 » Mon. Feb. 17, 2020 3:44 pm

oros35 wrote:
Mon. Feb. 17, 2020 2:44 pm
I'm now at a 2 degree differential.
Water temp setpoint is 170 degrees. Once it goes below 168 the blower turns on. Blower shuts off at 170.

It usually keeps heating after the fan is off. I've seen it get over 180 after the blower turns off just on a very small amount of draft. Fan has a powered damper on it so fan off = Just the air that leaks in through the shaker handle hole.
Ok I got it. I had a similar issue with my old boiler, I set the thermostat to 180, well the blower kicked out and 180 and the temp kept rising right up to 200+ and used to turn the circulator on to cool the boiler, it got pretty hot in the house! I finally figured out to turn that switch down a bit

 
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Berlin
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Post by Berlin » Sun. Oct. 04, 2020 9:15 pm

valier coal is not low vol. holds a fire in a stoker better than most on idle. high fixed carbon, so it will need good draft at idle- too little air through the fuel bed will cause outfires.

 
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oros35
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Post by oros35 » Thu. Oct. 08, 2020 2:28 pm

Berlin wrote:
Sun. Oct. 04, 2020 9:15 pm
high fixed carbon, so it will need good draft at idle- too little air through the fuel bed will cause outfires.
Now that explains it! That is exactly what was happening.

Planning on getting some from Grove City PA this year. See how that does for a winter. Last time I used it I got lots of clinkers, but was also running too wide of a temp band I believe. Probably over revving the fire.

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