EFM 520 Stoker Won't Stay Lit.

 
Kreadman
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Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by Kreadman » Tue. Oct. 25, 2016 10:59 am

Hi! I am really looking for guidance. My mother/father have had this stoker for 30 years with no problems. In the spring my mother passed and we since have moved into the house and can't keep the stoker running. My parents always bought coal from one person all those years. He's now retired. This spring we purchased coal from a new provider. This is when the issues started. The coal feed is set at three and always has been. We just shut the stoker down for the summer because it's not running our domestic water (although in the past it always ran all summer long with no problemsss. The last two times I started the stoker I noticed the water temp rose to over 200 degrees. The High temp shutoff is 180 (as it has been forever). I don't know the air flow setting or the low water cut-off.

While I always fed the stoker I've never been this involved with it's inner workings. If anyone could help I'd appreciate it. I realize it could be something other then the coal but that seems to be the common denominator at this point. How should I adjust my settings to attempt to keep this lit. Why is the Tempature getting so high and not decreasing?

Thanks in advance


 
Den034071
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Post by Den034071 » Tue. Oct. 25, 2016 11:06 am

When was it serviced an cleaned .

 
Kreadman
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Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by Kreadman » Tue. Oct. 25, 2016 11:33 am

Honestly, Im not sure.

 
ben
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Post by ben » Tue. Oct. 25, 2016 11:41 am

I had the same problem this past summer.
It was my bin pipe. It was corroded and rusted inside and the auger was exposed to much.
It was grinding the coal and I corrected the problem and its working perfect.

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Tue. Oct. 25, 2016 11:47 am

ANDDDDD, how exactly did you correct the problem? ;)
Last edited by freetown fred on Tue. Oct. 25, 2016 1:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

 
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StokerDon
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Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
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Post by StokerDon » Tue. Oct. 25, 2016 12:34 pm

I guess the first thing to suspect is the new coal supply. If the new coal burns faster or has more fines in it, the feed rate and air will need to be adjusted for proper burn.

I see that your saying this unit has "always run on 3 teeth". 3 teeth is the lower fringe of operation for a 520 and rarely creates an ideal burn pattern. The first thing to try would be to increase the feed rate to 4 teeth. This is the first step toward proper burn if your problem is the new coal supply.

In addition, the unit should have a thorough cleaning and inspection. You will be looking for worn augers, rusted/pitted feed pipes and cracked/broken burn plates. Last weekend I did a Youtube playlist of videos covering some of this work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYeirbqGqo0&list=PLFU8SaWNbzx8zDFyKEAelrcbwxCr6FRbO

The boiler is a Gentleman Janitor but the stoker is an EFM S-20 just like yours.

-Don

 
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StokerDon
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Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood

Post by StokerDon » Tue. Oct. 25, 2016 12:41 pm

Kreadman wrote:Why is the Tempature getting so high and not decreasing?

Thanks in advance
The HI limit control is not working, or the timer is sticking in the ON position. Either one of these can cause the boiler temp to go over the HI limit of the aquastat. You might try lowering the aquastat HI = 160*, LO = 140* and see if that keeps it under 200* on the overshoot.

-Don


 
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cracker4902
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Post by cracker4902 » Thu. May. 10, 2018 10:29 am

The feed & air are set at 4 and works well most of the time but [sometimes] the coal burns out when the outside temp increases. I've been using the same supplier for 20 years & the timer was replaced in Dec.2017 &is serviced every year. When I woke up this is it was out and it was 55 degrees F.

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Thu. May. 10, 2018 11:49 am

cracker4902 wrote:
Thu. May. 10, 2018 10:29 am
The feed & air are set at 4 and works well most of the time but [sometimes] the coal burns out when the outside temp increases. I've been using the same supplier for 20 years & the timer was replaced in Dec.2017 &is serviced every year. When I woke up this is it was out and it was 55 degrees F.
Well, how's the auger tube? That helped the other poster. ;)
Are the "trippers" set the same on the recently replaced timer as was on the old timer?

 
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cracker4902
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Post by cracker4902 » Thu. May. 10, 2018 1:52 pm

McGiever wrote:
Thu. May. 10, 2018 11:49 am
Well, how's the auger tube? That helped the other poster. ;)
Are the "trippers" set the same on the recently replaced timer as was on the old timer?

 
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cracker4902
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Post by cracker4902 » Thu. May. 10, 2018 1:55 pm

The auger & tube were replaced .the timer set the same so I just set the timer to run longer.

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Fri. May. 11, 2018 10:24 pm

Sounds Good!
Do report back with how that works so others may benefit from your results.

 
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cracker4902
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Post by cracker4902 » Wed. May. 23, 2018 9:21 am

I've tried everything I can think of & so far no luck. Had the timer on 2 min. w/ air & feed on 4. Tried feed on 3 & air on 3-1/4. Either setting goes out overnight ( about 7 hours after last hot water use for dishes.) I also checked to make sure the timer turns properly & held lit match to hole in door & draft is working.

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Wed. May. 23, 2018 9:32 am

Check the inlet of your auger. A piece of oversize coal or wood can cause an intermittent feed problem, and cause outfires.

Also, does the boiler have a bypass pipes in?

 
ryan20strohl
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Post by ryan20strohl » Thu. May. 24, 2018 7:53 am

Hello there I had the same issue I called marks supply he told me the times needs to be at 1min 30sec the air at 5 and feed at 5, setting for the auqa stat 160low 200 high hope this helps it did for me the boiler was reaching the high limit to fast and couldn't run I'm feeding at 4 tho for feed and it's working good


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