To Re-light Or Not to Re-light AHS 130 for the Summer
- NWBuilder
- Member
- Posts: 463
- Joined: Tue. Jan. 04, 2011 11:43 am
- Location: Norfolk, CT
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Ahs 130
- Coal Size/Type: Burning Pea anthracite
Hi everyone,
I have an AHS 130 that I just got up and running back in January. It has done a beautiful job keeping my house in heat and hot water. From what I have read on here it is in the unit's best interest to run it year round if possible and that was my intention. Unfortunately, the other day hit almost 70 here and my fire went out presumeably from lack of a heat call. I have noticed as the temps have gone up my manometer was reading .01 which is down from the usual .02 to .04 I usually get. I have my SV set at 120 and have not experienced any of those nasty puff backs that seems to plague many AHS owners. Would I be fighting a loosing battle by trying to re light the unit with only a call for hot water in the AM and again in the PM. Even when the temps drop at night my house is pretty well insulated and I don't think there is much of a call for heat. Any thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, NWB
I have an AHS 130 that I just got up and running back in January. It has done a beautiful job keeping my house in heat and hot water. From what I have read on here it is in the unit's best interest to run it year round if possible and that was my intention. Unfortunately, the other day hit almost 70 here and my fire went out presumeably from lack of a heat call. I have noticed as the temps have gone up my manometer was reading .01 which is down from the usual .02 to .04 I usually get. I have my SV set at 120 and have not experienced any of those nasty puff backs that seems to plague many AHS owners. Would I be fighting a loosing battle by trying to re light the unit with only a call for hot water in the AM and again in the PM. Even when the temps drop at night my house is pretty well insulated and I don't think there is much of a call for heat. Any thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, NWB
- Freddy
- Member
- Posts: 7293
- Joined: Fri. Apr. 11, 2008 2:54 pm
- Location: Orrington, Maine
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 130 (pea)
- Coal Size/Type: Pea size, Superior, deep mined
I go through the same line of thinking. For me it comes down to the almighty dollar. If I calculate that it's cheaper to burn coal all year, then that's what I'm going to do. You gotta make hot water somehow! The AA's don't need much draft... but do make sure your CO detectors are working.
- NWBuilder
- Member
- Posts: 463
- Joined: Tue. Jan. 04, 2011 11:43 am
- Location: Norfolk, CT
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Ahs 130
- Coal Size/Type: Burning Pea anthracite
The problem is Freddy how do I keep it lite if there isn't a call. I am not as concerned about the cost of the oil versus the cost of the coal as much as the benefit to the coal unit burning year round. Oil is easier in the warm months that's for sure. And thanks for the CO advice they are one year old with fresh batteries, should be good to go. Very important!!
- Rob R.
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 17980
- Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
- Location: Chazy, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr
Unless you have a very strong-drafting chimney, you will probably need to install a repeat-cycle timer that periodically "fluffs" the fire and keeps it burning. Nearly every other stoker manufacturer includes a timer with their control package, but AHS does not.
- Rob R.
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 17980
- Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
- Location: Chazy, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr
At this time AHS does not offer a timer for your boiler. Forum member lsayre recently posted that he called them to inquire and they said they are considering it. I have used Intermatic timers in several applications with good results, so they seem like an easy choice. The C8865 model is a 1-hour timer that you can set to run the fan for 1-2 minutes per hour.
You can read the rest of the discussion here: It's Heading Into the Low 70's for 4-5 Consecutive Days ...
You can read the rest of the discussion here: It's Heading Into the Low 70's for 4-5 Consecutive Days ...
That depends on how comfortable you are with basic wiring.NWBuilder wrote:are they difficult to install?
- coaledsweat
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 13763
- Joined: Fri. Oct. 27, 2006 2:05 pm
- Location: Guilford, Connecticut
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260M
- Coal Size/Type: Pea
The lower draft #s would be expected on warmer days. If you are getting two calls a day for heat, you may not have a problem. The AHS and Axeman's fire will easily run a day or two with no power before they die. The draft reading doesn't mean much of anything at idle as the draft is bypassing the fire when the fan isn't running. The observation port door opens when the fan is off.NWBuilder wrote:I have noticed as the temps have gone up my manometer was reading .01 which is down from the usual .02 to .04 I usually get.
Keep in mind these beasts defy logic sometimes.
- whistlenut
- Member
- Posts: 3548
- Joined: Sat. Mar. 17, 2007 6:29 pm
- Location: Central NH, Concord area
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AA130's,260's, AHS130&260's,EFM900,GJ & V-Wert
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Franks,Itasca 415,Jensen, NYer 130,Van Wert
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Alaska, EFM, Keystoker, Yellow Flame
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska, Keystoker-2,Leisure Line
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Alaska, Gibraltar, Keystone,Vc Vigilant 2
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Ford, Jensen, NYer, Van Wert,
- Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwoods
- Coal Size/Type: Barley, Buck, Rice ,Nut, Stove
- Other Heating: Oil HWBB
NW, the timer you are looking for is Tork (I think they bought out Intermatic some time ago, and my rep says this is the cross to the older Intermatics).
I have 6 of them in service and they are like night and day from older units to the new replacements.
Tork ACT30M 30 Minute Adjustable Cycle Timer, 1/2 min. increments' Look around for better pricing, but this is close to what I paid over a year ago. Bulletproof...nice timing device.
**Broken Link(s) Removed**
I have 6 of them in service and they are like night and day from older units to the new replacements.
Tork ACT30M 30 Minute Adjustable Cycle Timer, 1/2 min. increments' Look around for better pricing, but this is close to what I paid over a year ago. Bulletproof...nice timing device.
**Broken Link(s) Removed**
- NWBuilder
- Member
- Posts: 463
- Joined: Tue. Jan. 04, 2011 11:43 am
- Location: Norfolk, CT
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Ahs 130
- Coal Size/Type: Burning Pea anthracite
I tried the link that you sent and was not taken to a specific unit. Could you please tell me the exact unit you use as there are 8 or 10 variations on this unit. Thanks very much, Kenwhistlenut wrote:NW, the timer you are looking for is Tork (I think they bought out Intermatic some time ago, and my rep says this is the cross to the older Intermatics).
I have 6 of them in service and they are like night and day from older units to the new replacements.
Tork ACT30M 30 Minute Adjustable Cycle Timer, 1/2 min. increments' Look around for better pricing, but this is close to what I paid over a year ago. Bulletproof...nice timing device.
**Broken Link(s) Removed**
- lsayre
- Member
- Posts: 21781
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
- Location: Ohio
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
- Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
- Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75
The minimum "on time" for this timer is 2 minutes in every 62 minutes. Would the Intermatic C8865 be more flexible here, and offer the option of 30 seconds or 1 minute of "on" per every 60 minutes? Or is 2 minutes of fan running each hour ideal for the Coal Guns?Rob R. wrote:Try model ACT120M. It says up to 62 minutes on, 62 minutes off, and it is 120 volt.