Another CoalVac
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1701
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
The primary goal of my system was to decrease the amount of dust in the basement and from it being tracked into the house. Not having to load 40 pound buckets into the hopper is a big plus. It has been operational since the beginning of the season and has had about 2.5 tons through it. We used to see dust form after one or two days, now there is hardly any coal dust on the basement surfaces at all. We use a 50/50 mix of rice/buck and are very pleased with the results.
I opted for a two stage solution using 55 gal barrels on moving dollies (have two) and a custom built box above the hopper to feed coal using a 4" toilet flange like others on here have done. I wheel the barrels over by the hopper and suck the coal up into the feed box.
Barrel with lid customized to include a PVC pipe coal intake and a off the shelf woodworking dust port. I have a 25ft conductive hose I run from the dust deputy to the coal bin. It takes 15 to 17 minutes to load. Custom built coal box to feed hopper. It holds just over 100 pounds and takes about 5 minutes to load. I use a peanut container lid bungied to the box to seal the vacuum. What the inside of the box looks like. Used a 1/8 extruded metal screen to keep coal from being sucked into the dust deputy. Dust Deputy to catch most of the coal dust (still need to replace shop vac filter bag every 1.5 tons or so) Here's the 6.5HP shop vac I'm using
I opted for a two stage solution using 55 gal barrels on moving dollies (have two) and a custom built box above the hopper to feed coal using a 4" toilet flange like others on here have done. I wheel the barrels over by the hopper and suck the coal up into the feed box.
Barrel with lid customized to include a PVC pipe coal intake and a off the shelf woodworking dust port. I have a 25ft conductive hose I run from the dust deputy to the coal bin. It takes 15 to 17 minutes to load. Custom built coal box to feed hopper. It holds just over 100 pounds and takes about 5 minutes to load. I use a peanut container lid bungied to the box to seal the vacuum. What the inside of the box looks like. Used a 1/8 extruded metal screen to keep coal from being sucked into the dust deputy. Dust Deputy to catch most of the coal dust (still need to replace shop vac filter bag every 1.5 tons or so) Here's the 6.5HP shop vac I'm using
Last edited by nepacoal on Sun. Jan. 14, 2018 11:11 am, edited 4 times in total.
- McGiever
- Member
- Posts: 10130
- 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
Very nicely done.
This is for RICE coal size, correct?
This is for RICE coal size, correct?
- McGiever
- Member
- Posts: 10130
- 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
Conductive hose is smooth inside for easier flowing coal and air both?
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1701
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
It is a little smoother inside but I only use it for air right now. I have a 4 footer to the box and the 25 footer to the barrels in the coal bin
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- Member
- Posts: 705
- Joined: Sat. Nov. 08, 2014 11:47 am
- Location: Quakertown, PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker '81 KA4 (online 1/16/17)
- Coal Size/Type: WAS Lehigh Rice (TBD)
- Other Heating: EFM SPK600
Nice setup. I too use a 6.5hp shopvac to convey my coal to a 15gal tote above the hopper. I'm using rice and move the coal about 6' vertically and 40' horizontally. It takes about 4min to move 80#. I tried the dust deputy and it reduced the suction too much for my liking. I then went with a replacable filter and that seems to keep the suction much higher. Down side is they need to be replaced more often maybe every ton? I'm now working on a water filter and it has been working great.
Again nice job on the coal vac. It sure saves a lot of dust!
Again nice job on the coal vac. It sure saves a lot of dust!
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- Member
- Posts: 2379
- Joined: Sun. Mar. 25, 2007 8:41 pm
- Location: Ithaca, New York
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4-1 dual fuel boiler
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: former switzer CWW100-sold
- Coal Size/Type: rice
- Other Heating: kerosene for dual fuel Keystoker/unused
Did you partially fill the dust deputy with water to use it that way?
The rainbow brand of vacuums work like this and work very well.
The rainbow brand of vacuums work like this and work very well.
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1701
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
I haven't tried adding water to the dust deputy. I'm not sure if I would like the mess. Right now I just dump the dust in a trash bag and throw it away. If I start spending a lot on bags and filters i may give it a try...
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- Member
- Posts: 705
- Joined: Sat. Nov. 08, 2014 11:47 am
- Location: Quakertown, PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker '81 KA4 (online 1/16/17)
- Coal Size/Type: WAS Lehigh Rice (TBD)
- Other Heating: EFM SPK600
So not to create a redundant thread I will post my vac filter here. Seems to be working well I just tried if for the first time last night. I think i need to make some mods but overall I am happy with the performance. You can see how quickly the water turns black in the video catching a large majority of the coal dust.
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- Member
- Posts: 2379
- Joined: Sun. Mar. 25, 2007 8:41 pm
- Location: Ithaca, New York
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4-1 dual fuel boiler
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: former switzer CWW100-sold
- Coal Size/Type: rice
- Other Heating: kerosene for dual fuel Keystoker/unused
All I can say is YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love it when a plan comes together. You should have a great burn now.
I do not know if you would want to save the coal dust and pack it in toilet paper tubes to help with fire starting like I do with the soaked charcoal briquettes-they are essentially crushed match light briquettes when they come out of the coffee can when I need them.
The fine dust should torch right off though like pencil sharpening's in a fire.
I love it when a plan comes together. You should have a great burn now.
I do not know if you would want to save the coal dust and pack it in toilet paper tubes to help with fire starting like I do with the soaked charcoal briquettes-they are essentially crushed match light briquettes when they come out of the coffee can when I need them.
The fine dust should torch right off though like pencil sharpening's in a fire.
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- Member
- Posts: 705
- Joined: Sat. Nov. 08, 2014 11:47 am
- Location: Quakertown, PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker '81 KA4 (online 1/16/17)
- Coal Size/Type: WAS Lehigh Rice (TBD)
- Other Heating: EFM SPK600
It's about 16" from water surface to the inlet.
Currently the bottom of the inlet tube is open. I would like to try and plug the bottom and put more "aeration" holes in the side of the tube to see how that works. I would like to try and reduce the turbulence some to see if I can gain some more suction and increase the effectiveness of dust removal.