Possible EFM 520 High Boy?
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- Member
- Posts: 390
- Joined: Thu. Feb. 28, 2008 9:40 am
- Location: South Central, PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1953 EFM520 Highboy
I have a round door high boy from 1953...
Great unit. (ALL OF THEM!)
Here is the bottom line. 1 or 2 times a year you will need to clean out the unit.
There are 2 disadvantages on Round good.
1. Removal, cleaning, and replacement of the exhaust Flue Baffel that is at the top of the stoker. It can be a chore at times to put that heavy plate back up there after you have cleaned the unit. Can it be done. yes. I do it every year. But again. its a chore! and you really should clean the area on top of the exhaust flues internal to the boiler... Flyash etc.
2. IF/WHEN you have to remove the pot assembly. For whatever reason. Gaskets, Repair/replacement of grates and so forth. Now you shouldn't really have to do that all that often but eventually. you will need to most likely.
On a round door you have to drop the assembly out the ash bin door. and more difficult would be putting the burn pot back in place and supporting it from the bottom. again. it can be done. but it is just a bit more cumbersome.
Would I hesitate to buy a round door. No way. But if you have time to wait. keep looking etc.
PS I am willing to bet the Round door that Scrapper has will give you MANY MANY MANY Years of good life before you'll need to mess with anything in item 2. Thats where my unit came from 5 years ago.
Good luck
Great unit. (ALL OF THEM!)
Here is the bottom line. 1 or 2 times a year you will need to clean out the unit.
There are 2 disadvantages on Round good.
1. Removal, cleaning, and replacement of the exhaust Flue Baffel that is at the top of the stoker. It can be a chore at times to put that heavy plate back up there after you have cleaned the unit. Can it be done. yes. I do it every year. But again. its a chore! and you really should clean the area on top of the exhaust flues internal to the boiler... Flyash etc.
2. IF/WHEN you have to remove the pot assembly. For whatever reason. Gaskets, Repair/replacement of grates and so forth. Now you shouldn't really have to do that all that often but eventually. you will need to most likely.
On a round door you have to drop the assembly out the ash bin door. and more difficult would be putting the burn pot back in place and supporting it from the bottom. again. it can be done. but it is just a bit more cumbersome.
Would I hesitate to buy a round door. No way. But if you have time to wait. keep looking etc.
PS I am willing to bet the Round door that Scrapper has will give you MANY MANY MANY Years of good life before you'll need to mess with anything in item 2. Thats where my unit came from 5 years ago.
Good luck
- 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
Round door units are more plentiful, and usually less expensive. Early ones are "tube boilers", later ones are "plate boilers". The difference is the way the heat exchanger is designed...most people agree that the plate boilers are more tolerant of corrosion. I just installed a 1977 520 with a round door, it is a beautiful machine and runs excellent...I am sure the homeowner is glad he didn't wait another winter.mcguirehg wrote:Are the square doors hard to come by? Perhaps I should go with the round door unit? Too many options...lol
- glenn harris
- Member
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 21, 2008 7:01 am
- Location: Slate Belt
Dan,
I may have just located a df520. I should know sometime tomorrow. I'll let you know how it turns out.
I may have just located a df520. I should know sometime tomorrow. I'll let you know how it turns out.
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- Member
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- 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
I don't disagree with any of the above, but would like to add a few considerations.
- the fact that there are a lot of EFM tube boilers still in service speaks well of the way they were built. AFAIK the "youngest" one you could find is over 50 years old, and some of them are over 60.
- the fact that the plate boilers are all newer does not mean that they are immune from corrosion, leaks, etc. The actual condition of the unit, rather than the age or design of the heat exchanger, is the main determinant of the reliability of the boiler head a buyer is likely to experience.
- the importance of the condition of the unit, and of accountability for condition issues, IMO is one of the reasons that units from dealers tend to sell for more than units being taken out of service by private parties.
- proper cleaning of heat exchange surfaces is important, and was facilitated by design features in some, but not all, of the tube boilers. On some Highboys, for example, the fire door was mounted on a larger panel that could be removed for combustion chamber access and cleaning. Likewise, some of the EFM tube boilers manufactured by FitzGibbons had cleanout access for the area at the top of the firetubes.
Hope this is useful.
Mike
- the fact that there are a lot of EFM tube boilers still in service speaks well of the way they were built. AFAIK the "youngest" one you could find is over 50 years old, and some of them are over 60.
- the fact that the plate boilers are all newer does not mean that they are immune from corrosion, leaks, etc. The actual condition of the unit, rather than the age or design of the heat exchanger, is the main determinant of the reliability of the boiler head a buyer is likely to experience.
- the importance of the condition of the unit, and of accountability for condition issues, IMO is one of the reasons that units from dealers tend to sell for more than units being taken out of service by private parties.
- proper cleaning of heat exchange surfaces is important, and was facilitated by design features in some, but not all, of the tube boilers. On some Highboys, for example, the fire door was mounted on a larger panel that could be removed for combustion chamber access and cleaning. Likewise, some of the EFM tube boilers manufactured by FitzGibbons had cleanout access for the area at the top of the firetubes.
Hope this is useful.
Mike
- CoalHeat
- Member
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- Joined: Sat. Feb. 10, 2007 9:48 pm
- Location: Stillwater, New Jersey
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1959 EFM 350
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Magnafire Mark I
- Baseburners & Antiques: Sears Signal Oak 15 & Andes Kitchen Range
- Coal Size/Type: Rice and Chestnut
- Other Heating: Fisher Fireplace Insert
Agreed, and may I add my EFM 350 is a 1959 round door tube boiler made by Lo-Line. It has the clean out above the fire tubes.
I have no complaints!
I have no complaints!
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- Member
- Posts: 151
- Joined: Mon. Sep. 17, 2012 9:34 pm
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
- Coal Size/Type: rice
Thanks for the information. So many considerations
To take into account. I'm also looking at the space that I'm working with. The location of m current boiler is7 feet deep and 13 feet long. It opens oboe to a space of 13 deep and 17 feet long. My oil tank is under the windows. This may required me moving for coal access. This is one reason that I'm considering the duel fuel unit, to save space. I'm questioning if my current location is enogh space presently for the install?thoughts?
To take into account. I'm also looking at the space that I'm working with. The location of m current boiler is7 feet deep and 13 feet long. It opens oboe to a space of 13 deep and 17 feet long. My oil tank is under the windows. This may required me moving for coal access. This is one reason that I'm considering the duel fuel unit, to save space. I'm questioning if my current location is enogh space presently for the install?thoughts?