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Rob R.
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Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. May. 03, 2022 4:56 pm

Mechanical relay for stoker is installed. I also added an on-delay timer that resets my cycle timer when the stoker runs for 3 minutes or more. I need to tidy up the wiring a bit but it should be ready to fire up this weekend.

Cabinet is big enough to store a full set of spare relays. 8-)

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Lightning
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Location: Olean, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite

Post by Lightning » Tue. May. 03, 2022 5:06 pm

I love those wire connectors you are using. It sure beats trying to twist up 4 wires and wrench a wire nut over it. :lol:
Looks good man!

 
Jkohanski
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Post by Jkohanski » Tue. May. 03, 2022 8:56 pm

Looks pretty clean to me. Love the big box, plenty of room.

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Wed. May. 04, 2022 6:22 am

Lightning wrote:
Tue. May. 03, 2022 5:06 pm
I love those wire connectors you are using. It sure beats trying to twist up 4 wires and wrench a wire nut over it. :lol:
Looks good man!
I used a wire nut on the ground wires. I was able to get a snug connection, but a ground bar would have been easier and looked better. There is no missing the sound of that big mechanical relay. I am glad I mounted it inside that enclosure on the boiler.

This morning the fire looks good, the boiler is at set point, and the house is warm. I even had time for a cup off coffee while testing the timer cycle. 2 minutes on the nose, but only if the stoker hasn’t run for 3+ minutes due to a heat call within the last half hour. This relay setup will definitely eliminate unnecessary timer cycles, but hard to say if it will save any coal or not. I did it mainly to reduce wear and tear on the equipment.

 
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Rob R.
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Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
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Post by Rob R. » Sun. May. 22, 2022 5:21 pm

Here we are two weeks later still burning and all is well. I have made it through a handful of 85 degree humid days without an outfire, and I have not seen the boiler get over 170 degrees. I am averaging 20 lbs per day in the hot weather with no heat calls.

I don't plan to burn coal all summer, but it is nice to know I could if I wanted to.

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Nov. 08, 2022 7:09 pm

Another heating season has started, and I have only made one small change since last season. My old RC draft control was looking pretty rough so I have been keeping an eye out for a good deal on a Type M draft control. I finally got one and installed it today. I did a "test burn" afterwards and checked the draft, it was perfect with no adjustments required. I doubt I will see any performance differences, but at least if anyone walks by they will know I am running a high class operation. :lol:

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nepacoal
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
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Coal Size/Type: Buck

Post by nepacoal » Tue. Nov. 08, 2022 7:33 pm

I loved the precise adjustability of the type m, but after a few years it started sticking closed and I could not figure out why. Everything looked perfect but I could not get it to work. Swapped it with an RC and have not had any more issues. Others on here have reported the same issue.

Keep an eye on it after a year or two.


 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Nov. 08, 2022 7:53 pm

I can see how it would be sensitive to corrosion.

Years ago I had one on the oil boiler that would stick closed and I found it was catching the collar. One self tapping screw prevented the flap from traveling that far and cured it.

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 6:22 pm

I got this gauge years ago from a friend, finally got it hooked up. Makes it easy to keep an eye on the draft.

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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 7:23 pm

What's with the ONE phillips????????????????????? :o :clap:
Rob R. wrote:
Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 6:22 pm
I got this gauge years ago from a friend, finally got it hooked up. Makes it easy to keep an eye on the draft.

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 8:52 pm

freetown fred wrote:
Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 7:23 pm
What's with the ONE phillips????????????????????? :o :clap:
It is a test to see if anyone makes a wise crack about it.

 
hank2
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Hand Fed Coal Stove: DS Machine 1400 WH ciculator; 1880's small cannon in reserve
Coal Size/Type: Nut
Other Heating: small New Yorker oil fired boiler; mostly used for domestic HW

Post by hank2 » Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 11:21 pm

My Magnehelic is mounted with only 2 screws. And they don't match either.

 
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Retro_Origin
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Post by Retro_Origin » Fri. Nov. 11, 2022 8:04 am

freetown fred wrote:
Thu. Nov. 10, 2022 7:23 pm
What's with the ONE phillips????????????????????? :o :clap:
The fact that philips and flat heads are still manufactured today reassures me that we will never be 'taken over by androids'...bro if we can't get over that hump....

Go TORX and HEX/ALLEN heads! BTW if you aren't a convert to hex head cap screws, you just need to buy a set of these and you'll never be screwd by a stripped out inside hex!

https://www.grainger.com/product/10D291?gucid=N:N ... lsrc=aw.ds

They are litteraly worth their weight in gol-..wait, coal!

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Sat. Jul. 08, 2023 8:53 am

My EFM went cold on the 4th of July. Although it has held a fire with no issues in hot weather, I did not want to add to our air conditioning load during the heat wave this week. 5.4 tons of rice coal burned since Halloween. Might as well call it 6 tons total for the house since I did run the Chubby stove occasionally.

I got about 2 gallons of fly ash out of the rear chamber, which is pretty typical compared to what I have seen in the past. I brushed everything and vacuumed it out really well. Normally I leave the smoke pipe hooked up and just put a heat bulb in the boiler, but last year I had some problems with condensation around the draft control. This year I am going to leave the smoke pipe off, seal off the breech and put a bucket of “damp rid” in the ash chamber.

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davidmcbeth3
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Coal Size/Type: nut/pea/anthra

Post by davidmcbeth3 » Sat. Jul. 08, 2023 12:31 pm

She's dead, Jim.


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