Coalpail.com Forum

Pacowy wrote:

Rob R. wrote: A 700 does not have a cleanout lever like your 520, it is automatic.

Well, it's supposed to be automatic. Maybe that's part of the problem.

Mike

Agreed, that's why I mentioned it above. Something simple is wrong.

Your pressure went up because you let the system cool while changing the bearing. It automaticly added more water then when it came back up to temp there was not adequate space in the expansion tank. The tank might have a leak making it have less volume for expansion. Bleed it back to 12-15 lbs and see if it stays.

I did routinely see fines in the ash pan ... did away with the ash pan and now just use a shovel ..... because none of the ashes seemed to hit the pan anyway .... much easier to just shovel them out.

Some commented here that there is a crushing or grinding problem .... Marks supply seems to agree ..... now I need to find out if it is in the first set of tubes ... or the tubes going into the pot. Sure would help if I really knew how it worked inside the pot. Sure would really help if one of you good folk lived close to Trevorton ...

x2 on the shovel.

You should be able to tell whether the problem is in the "first set of tubes" by (1) opening the cover on the transfer head to observe the condition of the coal coming out compared to what's in the bin; and, (2) seeing whether a lot of fines are leaking out from holes in the auger pipe, the place where the auger pipe attaches to the transfer head, and/or and/or any couplings connecting different sections of auger pipe.

Mike

If you are ashes aren't falling in the tub, your ash tub may be too small (or the base does not have the ash diverter installed). The shovel method works, but in my opinion it creates an unnecessary mess.

How much auger do you have sticking beyond the pipe into the coal?

Do you have a coupler installed in the auger pipe(s)? Are the pipes fitted tightly together with no gaps?

Sure would really help if one of you good folk lived close to Trevorton

If you are unable to figure this out, it seems like it is time to call in a pro. There are plenty of EFM guru's in NEPA, but I only have the contact info for one that is experienced with the bigger units and is willing to travel.

http://www.anthracitecoalstokers.com/

Rob R. wrote:The shovel method works, but in my opinion it creates an unnecessary mess.

\

It worked pretty well with our 900. Very little dust is generated if you lay the shovel down in the receptacle (i.e., no dropping ash through the air) and the chimney draft sucks the airborne ash in through the open ash door.

Mike

Update:

Now it seems to be burning better. It emptied fines a few times and now I have about 3 inches of ash back on the pot/table. But the air setting is still close to 8... with 4 clicks ... but I may be able to move that back now that it is firing better.

I am burning Buckwheat ... but it seems this load had a bit of rice mixed in. Observing the coal at the exchange .... it looks like it is getting crunched into smaller pieces ... a bit ... but still has buckwheat sized pieces going into the pot. The black dust has been collecting in that little square area where the exchange is ... it seems to blow out of there .... from some blowback via the air from what is being pumped into the pot area... not so much from the coal coming up the auger ... but blowing out from inside the secondary auger/worm area. The auger sticks out probably 6.5 to 7 inches ... hard to get a measurment now with the coal. Since it seems to be burning better .... I think we will try to make it through the end of the season ... shut it down .. and have someone come out to look at it before firing it up next year. Again, the air is finally moving through the grates enough to burn ... but we still have a lot of black dust ... it is not coming out where the two tubes fit together ... but IS coming out ... blowing out from inside the second auger .. and into the exchange box. However, I don't hear any crunching inside the table area ... and only a minimal crunching from the larger tube. the coal is softer than most ... it is Trevorton coal .... only 150 a ton ... costs me about 160 a ton to have it delivered in 6 ton loads twice a season.

If it helps to control the dust it wouldn't hurt to use a little silicone to seal the transfer head cover and - if needed - the gap between the auger pipe and "pipe support" at the transfer head.

More than 2 and less than 3 flights of the auger should be visible beyond the end of the tube.

It's probably safe to reduce the air a little - a 2" ash band would be good.

Mike

Phil May wrote:Your pressure went up because you let the system cool while changing the bearing. It automaticly added more water then when it came back up to temp there was not adequate space in the expansion tank. The tank might have a leak making it have less volume for expansion. Bleed it back to 12-15 lbs and see if it stays.

A proper setup would not fluctuate pressure between being hot and cold

If everything were installed "POOPerly" we wouldn't be having these little chats.

Well,the answer to the search in the video can be found at 3 minutes in ,they no longer need to keep searching ! Now to the topic at hand... Sometimes one needs to call in a pro to sort out what we can't figure out,just the way life goes sometimes !!