EFM 520 Highboy Will Not Stay Lit

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Dakotaguy
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Posts: 134
Joined: Sun. Nov. 15, 2015 8:33 pm
Location: Summit hill pa
Stoker Coal Boiler: Efm 520 highboy
Coal Size/Type: Lots of rice from Lehigh
Other Heating: Pops 2010 df 520 stoker

Post by Dakotaguy » Sat. Jun. 02, 2018 9:17 pm

Hello all my EFM highboy will not stay lit for more than ten hours I've completely disassembled it cleaned everything again pot bushing good anger good feed piping good grates good setting are 160 200 feed at 4 air at 41/2 2 minutes every half hour as I'm typing this I'm lighting it again had chimney professionally cleaned same coal source Lehigh I'm ready to install a hot water heater and put a propane furnace in this has been out every day this week

 
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Rob R.
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Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
Location: Chazy, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr

Post by Rob R. » Sun. Jun. 03, 2018 7:16 am

1. See if your timer is actually working. Sometimes the old ones quit.
2. See if your baro is sticking open or closed.
3. Check the inlet of the auger for feed obstructions.
4. If the above all looks good, try different coal.

Nothing wrong with having a separate water heater for the summer. Helps keep the house cool.

 
lzaharis
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Posts: 2366
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

Post by lzaharis » Sun. Jun. 03, 2018 12:03 pm

Adding to what Rob has said;

If you can pop out the barometric damper by just pulling it out a little bit at a time you can soak it in the sink with Dawn Dish Soap and wash it free of soot and fly ash cleaning it with a potato brush and then running hot water over it to completely clean it of soot and fly ash to allow the weighted hinge to move with complete freedom. You would be surprised how much soot and fly ash collects on the barometric damper weight every year.

About the timer, turn the power off and place a hash mark on the timer face and a second hash mark on the mounting plate of the timer with a pencil or felt tip pen then turning the power back on and waiting a few minutes you can see if the timer is working very quickly by either looking at the pin locations or the timer face to see if the plate moved. My Intermatic 30 minute timer motor failed and I was able to purchase a replacement motor locally and easily replace it. Buying a small bottle of turbine oil to lubricate the gears of the timer motor and the blower motor and the stoker motor is a must. I have to replace the blower motor this year.

Having a separate water heater is always a good idea. If you do that you can install plumbing to bypass the hot water coil and install a proper mixing valve to prevent accidental scalding If you do not have a proper anti scalding valve in the shower or tub.

Just be sure its plumbed in properly as it can be done incorrectly and not work well. My mixing valve plumbing was installed on the hot water coil instead of the hot water heater piping and it needs to be changed.


 
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Dakotaguy
Member
Posts: 134
Joined: Sun. Nov. 15, 2015 8:33 pm
Location: Summit hill pa
Stoker Coal Boiler: Efm 520 highboy
Coal Size/Type: Lots of rice from Lehigh
Other Heating: Pops 2010 df 520 stoker

Post by Dakotaguy » Fri. Jun. 08, 2018 5:53 pm

Thanks for all the replies and help found the problem the fan was loose on the motor and the professional chimney sweep was not professional found a bird's nest In chimney cap that was definitely there for some time

 
Dave 1234
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Joined: Tue. Nov. 13, 2012 9:05 am
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1948 International boiler, EFM S-20 stoker
Coal Size/Type: Buck,

Post by Dave 1234 » Sat. Jun. 09, 2018 7:48 am

Good catch ! Never easy to sleuth out a wierd issue like that.

Dave

 
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Rob R.
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Posts: 17980
Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
Location: Chazy, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr

Post by Rob R. » Sat. Jun. 09, 2018 7:49 am

Dakotaguy wrote:
Fri. Jun. 08, 2018 5:53 pm
Thanks for all the replies and help found the problem the fan was loose on the motor and the professional chimney sweep was not professional found a bird's nest In chimney cap that was definitely there for some time
Glad you figured it out. It is usually something simple.

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