EFM 520 Stoker Won't Stay Lit.
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- New Member
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue. Oct. 25, 2016 10:49 am
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
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
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
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- Member
- Posts: 178
- Joined: Thu. Aug. 06, 2009 9:06 pm
- Location: n central PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 350 with an S-20 pot (1966)
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
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.
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.
- freetown fred
- Member
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- Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
- Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut
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.
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- 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
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
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
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- 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
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.Kreadman wrote:Why is the Tempature getting so high and not decreasing?
Thanks in advance
-Don
- cracker4902
- New Member
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Wed. Feb. 21, 2018 1:34 pm
- Location: South Central PA. Anthracite Region
- Stoker Coal Boiler: DF520
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
- Other Heating: oil
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.
- McGiever
- Member
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- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
Well, how's the auger tube? That helped the other poster.cracker4902 wrote: ↑Thu. May. 10, 2018 10:29 amThe 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.
Are the "trippers" set the same on the recently replaced timer as was on the old timer?
- cracker4902
- New Member
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- Joined: Wed. Feb. 21, 2018 1:34 pm
- Location: South Central PA. Anthracite Region
- Stoker Coal Boiler: DF520
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
- Other Heating: oil
- cracker4902
- New Member
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Wed. Feb. 21, 2018 1:34 pm
- Location: South Central PA. Anthracite Region
- Stoker Coal Boiler: DF520
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
- Other Heating: oil
The auger & tube were replaced .the timer set the same so I just set the timer to run longer.
- McGiever
- Member
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- Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
Sounds Good!
Do report back with how that works so others may benefit from your results.
Do report back with how that works so others may benefit from your results.
- cracker4902
- New Member
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Wed. Feb. 21, 2018 1:34 pm
- Location: South Central PA. Anthracite Region
- Stoker Coal Boiler: DF520
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
- Other Heating: oil
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.
- Rob R.
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr
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?
Also, does the boiler have a bypass pipes in?
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- Member
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Tue. Jul. 03, 2012 10:00 pm
- Stoker Coal Boiler: efm coal boiler
- Coal Size/Type: rice
- Other Heating: Bryant evolution heat pump
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