Can't Get Enough Heat Out of VF3000

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Tue. Nov. 27, 2012 9:38 am

coalkirk....time for a road trip for some on site diagnosis!!!

it'll take less time for you to drive up there and fix it than all the time you have been obsessing with it for the past week!!!

coalnewbie · Post by **coalnewbie** » Tue. Nov. 27, 2012 9:39 am

Call Harman, they will have a team of technicians on your doorstep in two hours complete with Dunkin' Donuts coffee and dancing girls........ then I woke up.

Flyer5 · Post by **Flyer5** » Tue. Nov. 27, 2012 9:42 am

coalkirk wrote:OK, I'm going to admit that I have no life. But I am more invested in this problem than I should be. I guess it's because I have a soft spot in my heart (actually in my head ) for the VF3000. Having sucessfully used this boiler to heat my home for 9+ seasons, I take it personally when someone speaks ill of one. If the info this gentleman has provided about his home is accurate this boiler should be doing a fine job. Come on Hillside...you're killing me. I've checked this thread a dozen times over the last 2 days and NOTHING! OK, maybe you are a very busy guy and just haven't had time to check in. I hope that's it cause you are making me lose sleep.

Just kiding of course but I am very interested in your problem and helping you solve it. Please try to give us some update everyday until this is resolved.

I am not sure what the ratio is but I do know most times you only hear from someone when there is a problem on these forums. You rarely hear about the great service or products. You do but the ratio is definitely skewed. Once resolved wait till the next problem. Hopefully not the case here.

Flyer5 · Post by **Flyer5** » Tue. Nov. 27, 2012 9:42 am

coalnewbie wrote:Call Harman, they will have a team of technicians on your doorstep in two hours complete with Dunkin' Donuts coffee and dancing girls........ then I woke up.

Hell you cant even get a gasket from your stove company.

coalkirk · Post by **coalkirk** » Tue. Nov. 27, 2012 10:23 am

titleist1 wrote:coalkirk....time for a road trip for some on site diagnosis!!!

it'll take less time for you to drive up there and fix it than all the time you have been obsessing with it for the past week!!!

If I were retired, I'd already be there!! I'm betting I could resolve this in about 10 minutes.

coalnewbie wrote:Call Harman, they will have a team of technicians on your doorstep in two hours complete with Dunkin' Donuts coffee and dancing girls........ then I woke up.

No doubt Harman is virtually worthless in this regard, espcecially since they were taken over by the currrent owners. That's actually one reason I know this boiler inside and out. You really have to be you own expert. Luckily this boiler is so simple that even I have become an expert on it.

Flyer5 wrote:
coalnewbie wrote:Call Harman, they will have a team of technicians on your doorstep in two hours complete with Dunkin' Donuts coffee and dancing girls........ then I woke up.
Hell you cant even get a gasket from your stove company.

You can get a gasket from Harman. You just have to be willing to pay 4 times what its worth and wait 8 weeks to get it.

bde-19547 · Post by **bde-19547** » Tue. Nov. 27, 2012 8:20 pm

I too have the same problem, I can't get enough heat out of my VF3000. It has a lazy fire similar to the photo on this thread (although mine burn pretty evenly across the grate inserts. I have 1-2" band of ash before it drops off (running 2 3/4 pins). I have -.02 draft over the fire and -.04 at the chimney. Last week I cleaned the fan blades on the squirrel cage fan. The little damper on the fan is about 3/4 of the way open, (if I open it any more I get sulfur smell when it idles). The fan is seated correctly and running at what appears to be the correct speed. I also removed the grate inserts and cleaned out the fines.... there was quite a lot!. The bottom of clean-out is closed. The coal does seem to create more fines (in the little removable tray and under the grate inserts) than what I remember from before. This is the first coal I've bought from Sherman Coal Co. , Elysburg PA, Do you think the problem is the coal? or do I need to look for something else? It's really driving me nuts.

Rick 386 · Post by **Rick 386** » Tue. Nov. 27, 2012 10:10 pm

bde,

That it easy anough to check. Just buy a few bags of another brand. Substitute it for the Sherman's and see if you notice any difference.

If not, then we can look further. There are quite a few of us near you that could stop by your place and brainstorm............

Rick

coalkirk · Post by **coalkirk** » Tue. Nov. 27, 2012 10:48 pm

bde-19547 wrote:I too have the same problem, I can't get enough heat out of my VF3000. It has a lazy fire similar to the photo on this thread (although mine burn pretty evenly across the grate inserts. I have 1-2" band of ash before it drops off (running 2 3/4 pins). I have -.02 draft over the fire and -.04 at the chimney. Last week I cleaned the fan blades on the squirrel cage fan. The little damper on the fan is about 3/4 of the way open, (if I open it any more I get sulfur smell when it idles). The fan is seated correctly and running at what appears to be the correct speed. I also removed the grate inserts and cleaned out the fines.... there was quite a lot!. The bottom of clean-out is closed. The coal does seem to create more fines (in the little removable tray and under the grate inserts) than what I remember from before. This is the first coal I've bought from Sherman Coal Co. , Elysburg PA, Do you think the problem is the coal? or do I need to look for something else? It's really driving me nuts.

I'm assuming you previously had good results with this boiler in your home? There is a question I asked hillside a couple times that I don't believe he ever answered. In the ash compartment, there is a metal door that slides down over the area where the flue pipe exits the bottom of the boiler. Have you removed that and cleaned out the flyash behind it?

bde-19547 · Post by **bde-19547** » Wed. Nov. 28, 2012 7:57 am

In response to your question "I'm assuming you previously had good results with this boiler in your home?" That's a good question, the first 2 years It seemed pretty good, last year I changed coal supplier and had to replace the chimney pipe and had some trouble similar to this year. This year I changed coal suppliers again. Before the start of this heading season (Nov 3) everything was cleaned, including the ash compartment. Seeing that it hasn't really worked very well since starting I didn't think that would be an issue yet, I could check it tonight. Any suggestions for bagged coal to try (or not to try)?

KLook · Post by **KLook** » Wed. Nov. 28, 2012 8:08 am

A couple bags of coal is the easiest thing to try first. I have burned Reading, Kimmel, and Blaschak. I don't know the mines that supplied it as I think Reading and Kimmel are just bagging companies. Kimmel was ok, the Reading was ful of sticks, rocks, rope, and oversize coal, and the Blaschak was the best. I think bagged coal is like christmas morning however. Th other thing to look at is are the holes in the grate fully open? If they get plugged a little it will block air also.

Kevin

Hillside · Post by **Hillside** » Wed. Nov. 28, 2012 10:00 am

Sorry I haven't gotten back on to reply. I cleaned the fan, was some dust on fins. The plate coalkirk references was removed and vaccumed out. The fork is exactly 1 3/4 inch apart. the holes are all open in the grates. There does seem to be more fines in this coal then a friends I checked out. The coal came from elysburg so maybe it is the coal... It is very frustrating I am smart enough to build and fly an airpane and this thing is kicking my ass.

KLook · Post by **KLook** » Wed. Nov. 28, 2012 10:06 am

It is very frustrating I am smart enough to build and fly and airpane and this thing is kicking my ass.

You'll get it and then you'll do this.

Flyer5 · Post by **Flyer5** » Wed. Nov. 28, 2012 10:14 am

Hillside wrote: I am smart enough to build and fly an airpane and this thing is kicking my ass.

Hell that ain't sayin' much . I have done that. LOL

Rick 386 · Post by **Rick 386** » Wed. Nov. 28, 2012 10:34 am

Hmmmmmmm,

Seems like both of you guys got coal from the same place. We might be on to something here.

Perhaps it might be best to try some Blashack next. A couple bags ought to do the trick. At least enough to fill the hopper and run it through. Check the resulting stoked fire and see if there is some difference in the flame pattern.

Rick

Post by **Rob R.** » Wed. Nov. 28, 2012 11:37 am

Hillside wrote:Sorry I haven't gotten back on to reply. I cleaned the fan, was some dust on fins. The plate coalkirk references was removed and vaccumed out. The fork is exactly 1 3/4 inch apart. the holes are all open in the grates. There does seem to be more fines in this coal then a friends I checked out. The coal came from elysburg so maybe it is the coal... It is very frustrating I am smart enough to build and fly an airpane and this thing is kicking my ass.

Coal with excessive fines will definitively cause problems. If everything else appears to be in order, I'd try some different coal. What do you have for available coal in your area?