Help with Van Wert

 
dan274
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Post by dan274 » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 5:46 am

hello guys im new to all this have a question about my van wert furnace. well its my pops. this machine is feeding at ungodly rate. this in a single house on a block. he will literally burn 2 tons a month. he has tried to switch out gears to bigger gears no good. i asked him the size of the stoker he thinks its a 400. his up stairs will cook with heat the down stairs just warm. the electric motor he uses is a 1/4 hp with 1475 rpm. the air feed is set at max and it just burns. he uses rice coal tried buck just smothers the fire. any help would be great any info i look for and get back to you with i will get that. the hot water will get so hot it will leave 3rd degree burns on ya thanks


 
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Rob R.
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Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
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Post by Rob R. » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 6:35 am

It sounds like there are multiple issues, both with the stoker and the heating g system.

Where are you located? There may be someone nearby that can help.

 
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StokerDon
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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

Post by StokerDon » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 4:20 pm

Welcome to the forum Dan.
dan274 wrote:
Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 5:46 am
the electric motor he uses is a 1/4 hp with 1475 rpm.
I sure hope you mean 1725RPM? If it's 1425, that would explain the lazy fire.
dan274 wrote:
Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 5:46 am
the air feed is set at max and it just burns. he uses rice coal tried buck just smothers the fire.
That's very odd, on the same settings Buck should make the fire roar. Unless the feed rate is to low.
dan274 wrote:
Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 5:46 am
his up stairs will cook with heat the down stairs just warm.
I agree with Rob, sounds like there is something wrong with the heating system, stuck flo-check, pump? Is it a steam or hot water system?
Pictures will help a lot.

-Don

 
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coaledsweat
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Post by coaledsweat » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 5:24 pm

How long since the last cleaning?

Here's some Stoker Don video. Should be very educational.

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFU8SaWNbzx_ ... bf6DlFKTh0

 
Pacowy
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Stoker Coal Boiler: H.B. Smith 350 Mills boiler/EFM 85R stoker
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/anthracite

Post by Pacowy » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 6:13 pm

Agree it should be fed buck. It's in the manual, and my VW doesn't do well on rice.

Mike

 
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Richard S.
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Van Wert VA1200
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/Anthracite

Post by Richard S. » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 8:22 pm

dan274 wrote:
Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 5:46 am
he uses rice coal tried buck just smothers the fire.
As Don mentioned that is very odd. Are you sure you are not mixing up the sizes? Rice is smaller than buck and about the size of a pencil eraser, buck is about the size of a dime.

 
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Richard S.
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Van Wert VA1200
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/Anthracite

Post by Richard S. » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 8:23 pm

coaledsweat wrote:
Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 5:24 pm
How long since the last cleaning?
About 30 years for mine and that's only because I had to change the tube going to the pot. :)


 
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Richard S.
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Van Wert VA1200
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/Anthracite

Post by Richard S. » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 8:25 pm

Pacowy wrote:
Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 6:13 pm
Agree it should be fed buck. It's in the manual, and my VW doesn't do well on rice.

Mike
Yep, multiple Van Werts in the family through the years and everyone used buck. Tried rice once just to see and simply wasn't working as well as buck.

 
dan274
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Post by dan274 » Sat. Dec. 16, 2017 7:09 am

well its a 400 found the plate last nite on the top of it. the system is hot water for heat through the radiators. in talking with him i told him that someone had mentioned on here about 3.5 gear instead of a 4 gear. his chain is a 14. also discussing with him he said that the pipe that comes off the top of the stove is 3/4 and 1 pipe is an 1" im not sure why that makes any sense at all. i will get pictures an upload them as soon as possible. how do i check the flo check valve? the motor said its 1425 cause he said he thought maybe a 1200. when i said everyone on here says 1725 he was kind of taken back. its def rice coal he is burning. i love him to death but hes so lost and just finally asked for help. hes got drawer full of gears and chains. i said dad this is crazy let me see what i can do. now im no plummer i just like to read and ask questions. so i thank you all who have responded. pictures will be uploaded tonite.
Last edited by dan274 on Sat. Dec. 16, 2017 7:21 am, edited 1 time in total.

 
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hotblast1357
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Stoker Coal Boiler: 1984 Eshland S260 coal gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh anthracite pea
Other Heating: air source heat pump, oil furnace

Post by hotblast1357 » Sat. Dec. 16, 2017 7:14 am

Sounds like motor RPM is the FIRST thing I would verify is wrong and fix it!

 
dan274
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Post by dan274 » Sat. Dec. 16, 2017 7:18 am

i watched that video his flame is blue. he asked is there anyway to hook up an efm motor to this unit. i laughed i said i told you when you got rid of old blue you would miss him. the only time that
Last edited by dan274 on Sat. Dec. 16, 2017 7:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

 
dan274
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Post by dan274 » Sat. Dec. 16, 2017 7:20 am

im located in tamaqua pa 18252

 
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hotblast1357
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Stoker Coal Boiler: 1984 Eshland S260 coal gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh anthracite pea
Other Heating: air source heat pump, oil furnace

Post by hotblast1357 » Sat. Dec. 16, 2017 8:05 am

U need to verify it is the correct size motor.

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Sat. Dec. 16, 2017 8:05 am

I don't know about the 400 but it's just standard plate to mount any motor on the 1200, should be the same. How long has the motor been on there, it operated well enough under these conditions last year?

Diagnosing something like this at this time of the year especially with the weather the way it is becomes difficult. I'd suggest letting get out so you can inspect the pot but that's not really option or good one.
he uses rice coal tried buck just smothers the fire.
You need to clarify this because this is very odd. Are you sure you are not mixing up the sizes. Buck is the size of dime, the rice is smaller and about the size of a pencil eraser.

 
dan274
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Post by dan274 » Sun. Dec. 17, 2017 5:53 am

Here are some pictures

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Last edited by dan274 on Sun. Dec. 17, 2017 6:01 am, edited 1 time in total.


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