EFM Stoker/Forge/Boiler

 
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coal berner
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Posts: 3600
Joined: Tue. Jan. 09, 2007 12:44 am
Location: Pottsville PA. Schuylkill County PA. The Hart Of Anthracite Coal Country.
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1986 Electric Furnace Man 520 DF

Post by coal berner » Sat. Feb. 11, 2012 5:26 pm

Pacowy wrote:Most EFM bases I've seen don't provide very convenient access for cleaning the "back side" of the boiler (i.e., where the combustion gases are descending to the smoke pipe connection). The "standard procedure" I'm familiar with is to remove the smoke pipe and reach in through the opening (8" diameter on a 520) with a scoop/brush/vac/etc. to clear accumulated flyash. (Some people may be able to remove an entire panel that holds the smoke pipe connection, but I think they're in the minority.)

My thought for your project was that the smoke pipe opening on a standard base provides you with an opportunity to repurpose that opening for easier cleanout access without having to remove the smoke pipe, as long as you establish a new smoke pipe connection on the back of the "insert" you are planning between the boiler head and the original base. The original smoke pipe connection could get a removable cap, or if there is a panel you could make sure it's easily removable, or go really wild and substitute a panel-mounted ash door (as used on some of EFM's bigger boilers). Easier access would not only make it easier to perform annual or semi-annual cleanings, but also would let you go in more frequently to brush off the heat exchange surfaces, potentially enhancing efficiency.

Mike
The reason why you take off stack pipe at breach plate is you have to take it off any way to clean pipe out so while it is off you can go Thur opening to clean out bottom of base and tubes if it is a tube boiler if it is a plate boiler then you clean between them you also have to remove baffle plate in front of boiler to clean the smoke shelve out so you would start there
first brushing and vac fly ash out then clean pot then clean front of base ash area then move to back of base keeping both
front doors close Now if it is a new style base with small panel the you only have to turn the two dog leg bolts and breach
panel comes off of base if if is the old style base with long panels you will be there a wail taking off the dozen of nuts holding panel on hence easier going Thur flue pipe opening .

On DF model with sq door then just take out baffle plate and the two back boiler plates that hangs on the hooks clean off and in between plates with brush from the front then go in back take pipe off to clean inside of pipe out then vac back of
base out keeping both front doors closed


 
Pacowy
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Posts: 3555
Joined: Tue. Sep. 04, 2007 10:14 pm
Location: Dalton, MA
Stoker Coal Boiler: H.B. Smith 350 Mills boiler/EFM 85R stoker
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/anthracite

Post by Pacowy » Sat. Feb. 11, 2012 6:49 pm

coal berner wrote: The reason why you take off stack pipe at breach plate is you have to take it off any way to clean pipe out so while it is off you can go Thur opening to clean out bottom of base and tubes if it is a tube boiler if it is a plate boiler then you clean between them you also have to remove baffle plate in front of boiler to clean the smoke shelve out so you would start there
I used tees instead of elbows in the stack pipe for my 900, so it doesn't need to be removed to be cleaned. However, the first section needs to removed so that the backside of my boiler can be cleaned, as described. The forge project provides an opportunity for smithy to create more convenient access for cleaning the boiler without having to remove any stack pipe, or even put the fire out. Depending upon the amount of fly ash produced by whatever fuel he is using, that could be a handy way to keep up the efficiency of heat transfer.

Mike

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