AHS S130 Coalgun- Puffbacks & Explosions

Or at least find a couple local & find out what the problem might be, seems to me to be a lot of people having this problem:( It's great emailing suggestions & all that, but ya damn sure can't beat an in person eval. After reading past posts about--- may be the coal--the banking the draft, correct positioning etc, etc could this just be a specialty system for a perfect type stove setting? Just curious.

I've had my AA for oh....four years now? In all that time it was only last year that I saw major explosions. I may have seen one or two puffbacks in the past but they weren't memorable obviously. I would really have to say mine is due to a more volatile coal.

I've backed off on the anthrastat and that did help to a point. When the explosions happened it was the end of last winter, I burned until April due to hot water use and not having my tankless installed yet.

I have a hopper akin to an AHS, 300# to fill. The ashing happens according to the Anthrastat setting but only when combustion fan is operating. I have a 25' +/- chimney. I do not have make-up air beyond leaks around doors. Combustion air comes from the garage. If it's 0°F outside it's 40°F inside.

My buddy Scottscoaled mentioned my problem may indeed be lack of make-up air. Will find out this spring.

co, that's great for you, but there seems to be roughly 40 pages worth of situations--what's that about??????????

It's been a long time since I've posted a comment. My ahs130 is 5 years old with the timer based grate. I've cut my bangs to zero by doing the following: Keep the hopper at a constant level if possible. The more coal in hopper, the more the coal will feed on fire when ashing. Set the fire high as possible. Mine is about 1" below feed tube. This leaves the top of the fire with very little new coal on top. Set the flapper door spring to open the door about 5 seconds after the fan shuts off. This draws in fresh air to purge the gasses. Keeping the fire this high also leaves more of the burning coal exposed to fresh air to keep the fire going when in off cycle. Also, it more completely burns the coal for more efficiency. If the hopper level is kept relatively constant the the feed rate stays constant so I only have to adjust my timer according to the outside temp or heat load. Small adjustments are needed to keep the fire where I want it. It,s not something you can set and forget but have to watch closely. This is why I never upgraded to the thermo-ash system. Hope this helps somebody.

Good stuff there pete6500! What method do you employ to delay your flapper door from springing open until 5 seconds after the fan cuts off?

My AHS 130 boiler is an 08' model and there is stud over the sight hole with this lineup: stud, spring, small washer, flapper, adjusting nuts. Now I have: stud, original spring, small washer,flapper, small washer, a new spring like the original, small washer, nuts. In other words, the flapper is sandwiched between 2 springs with the small washers on both sides of the flapper. I used to rebuild auto transmissions and have several valve body springs, but you can find what you want a maybe Home Depot or other supply houses.The springs can be cut to the desired length. They are compression just like the original. Now you can experiment to get the right adjustment by running in the nut. When the fan is running and the flapper is against the boiler, put tension on the springs. Wait till fan shuts of and count the seconds it takes to start to open. Too slow try again with more tension. I adjust mine to just start to open after about 5 seconds.Then it will the take a little more time to fully open. If the initial tension is too strong the flapper wont close when the fan starts. My flapper door doesn't have any hole in it like the newer ones, but it works.

pete6500 wrote:My AHS 130 boiler is an 08' model and there is stud over the sight hole with this lineup: stud, spring, small washer, flapper, adjusting nuts. Now I have: stud, original spring, small washer,flapper, small washer, a new spring like the original, small washer, nuts. In other words, the flapper is sandwiched between 2 springs with the small washers on both sides of the flapper. I used to rebuild auto transmissions and have several valve body springs, but you can find what you want a maybe Home Depot or other supply houses.The springs can be cut to the desired length. They are compression just like the original. Now you can experiment to get the right adjustment by running in the nut. When the fan is running and the flapper is against the boiler, put tension on the springs. Wait till fan shuts of and count the seconds it takes to start to open. Too slow try again with more tension. I adjust mine to just start to open after about 5 seconds.Then it will the take a little more time to fully open. If the initial tension is too strong the flapper wont close when the fan starts. My flapper door doesn't have any hole in it like the newer ones, but it works.

That's incredible! My hat goes off to you. Any chance to post a picture of this arrangement?

I'll see what I can do. My son is more savvy with pictures on the computer than I am so it might take a day or so but I'll get it done. Also I might add that if you set your flapper to start to open even sooner I,m sure it wont hurt. The trick is to get the flapper to start to open as soon as the fan shuts off or close to it.

pete6500 wrote:It's been a long time since I've posted a comment. My ahs130 is 5 years old with the timer based grate. I've cut my bangs to zero by doing the following: Keep the hopper at a constant level if possible. The more coal in hopper, the more the coal will feed on fire when ashing. Set the fire high as possible. Mine is about 1" below feed tube. This leaves the top of the fire with very little new coal on top. Set the flapper door spring to open the door about 5 seconds after the fan shuts off. This draws in fresh air to purge the gasses. Keeping the fire this high also leaves more of the burning coal exposed to fresh air to keep the fire going when in off cycle. Also, it more completely burns the coal for more efficiency. If the hopper level is kept relatively constant the the feed rate stays constant so I only have to adjust my timer according to the outside temp or heat load. Small adjustments are needed to keep the fire where I want it. It,s not something you can set and forget but have to watch closely. This is why I never upgraded to the thermo-ash system. Hope this helps somebody.

Emphasis in the quote is mine not the authors. It sounds like he nailed it by going backwards in technology. He took away the automatic control aspect, regulated it by hand and intuition which an automatic control will never be able to do. Something as simple as a piece of steel and some springs. Amazing.....

Are the factory reps reading this and paying attention????

Rev. Larry

Thanks for the kind words. I'm merely telling everyone what has worked for me. Like all of you, I had my share of bangs in the past like everyone else and came on this site to get answers. So, what has worked for me I hope works for you as well. It's a complicated process when it comes to burning coal, but when it works it sure saves on the heat bills. Thanks

pete6500 wrote:My AHS 130 boiler is an 08' model and there is stud over the sight hole with this lineup: stud, spring, small washer, flapper, adjusting nuts. Now I have: stud, original spring, small washer,flapper, small washer, a new spring like the original, small washer, nuts. In other words, the flapper is sandwiched between 2 springs with the small washers on both sides of the flapper.

I immediately went out the garage and scrounged up a couple of washers and a suitable spring and did Pete6500's retrofit to my flapper. At this point I am willing to try anything that has worked for ASH coalgun owners since the company is not offering a real solution. I have the thermo ash controller so it will be interesting to see if this retrofit works for my boiler. I'll keep everyone posted.

THat's a real shame about the company, but it's a given--things/people show their true colors in time--it's just a shame that so many people have to get jerked around during the process:(

rychw wrote:

pete6500 wrote:My AHS 130 boiler is an 08' model and there is stud over the sight hole with this lineup: stud, spring, small washer, flapper, adjusting nuts. Now I have: stud, original spring, small washer,flapper, small washer, a new spring like the original, small washer, nuts. In other words, the flapper is sandwiched between 2 springs with the small washers on both sides of the flapper.

I immediately went out the garage and scrounged up a couple of washers and a suitable spring and did Pete6500's retrofit to my flapper. At this point I am willing to try anything that has worked for ASH coalgun owners since the company is not offering a real solution. I have the thermo ash controller so it will be interesting to see if this retrofit works for my boiler. I'll keep everyone posted.

rychw
Does your flapper not open immediately upon fan shut off?
(not sure if I did quote right)

I've watched mine, and it opens as soon as the fan stops.

Mine are set to open fast and wide (as wide as possible to still allow quick closure when fan starts)