Diy repairs

 
amberh7765
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Vanwert anthrotherm
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat

Post by amberh7765 » Sun. Oct. 07, 2018 9:42 pm

:out: Hello all! I have had coal heat my entire life. I have the needed basic knowledge as in lighting my furnace and having to add water, keep the auger covered and take ashes out. I've recently figured out how to clear my chimney base (thank god. Lots of soot.) My problem is that my fire was not staying lit. I had chalked it up to the stuffed chimney but when putting the pipes back together, I turned the furnace back on and noticed two gears not moving. I did some online digging and from what I've read, it may be my shear pin. Is there just the single shear pin? Is it simple to change? I can't seem to find a video or anything on changing it. My plumber recently retired and as he took payments and I'm sure no one else will, I'm on my own. I have a one year old and a disabled parent in the home and we've been without hit water two days already. Any suggestions, advice or instructions would be immensely appreciated! Stoker Don I thank you a ton as your YouTube channel has at least gotten me this far! This forum has also been very helpful so thank you to everyone else too. It seems most people don't have any knowledge of coal anymore! Thank you!


 
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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 » Sun. Oct. 07, 2018 10:18 pm

Welcome to the forum.

I moved this thread to the Coal Stoker Boiler section so more people could help.

To answer your question, the Van Wert has 2 shear pins, one in the bin auger and one in the pot auger. If all of the big gears are not turning and the chain is turning, the pot auger pin is broken.

If the chain is not turning but the motor and belt are, there could be something wrong with the gearbox.
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-Don

 
amberh7765
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Location: Pennsylvania
Stoker Coal Boiler: Vanwert anthrotherm
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat

Post by amberh7765 » Sun. Oct. 07, 2018 11:12 pm

From what I can see, I assume the larger gears are what turns the auger (is that what is refered to as the worm?) Those are the one not turning. So I'm guessing that means it's the pot auger pin. Thanks to marks supply website. It's the only place I'd found a build schematic. So now to seek out a pot pin location.

 
amberh7765
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Vanwert anthrotherm
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat

Post by amberh7765 » Sun. Oct. 07, 2018 11:12 pm

The back of that furnace is gorgeous by the way. Mine is so dusty!

 
amberh7765
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Vanwert anthrotherm
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Post by amberh7765 » Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 12:09 am

I don't know if it's important to mention but when I tried to relight it, I cleared the bowl a bit and noticed the ash was burned all the way down the pipe.

Also thanks for relocating my thread! I wasn't sure where to put it where the right folks would see it! I'm starting to panic a little.

 
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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 » Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 8:32 am

amberh7765 wrote:
Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 12:09 am
I don't know if it's important to mention but when I tried to relight it, I cleared the bowl a bit and noticed the ash was burned all the way down the pipe.
That's what happens when there is no coal traveling through the pipe up into the pot.
amberh7765 wrote:
Sun. Oct. 07, 2018 11:12 pm
The back of that furnace is gorgeous by the way. Mine is so dusty!
Thanks! Don't worry, they are all dusty, rust and greasy!
amberh7765 wrote:
Sun. Oct. 07, 2018 11:12 pm
From what I can see, I assume the larger gears are what turns the auger (is that what is refered to as the worm?)
Yes, people pretty much use the terms "worm" and "auger" interchangeably. There is one big gear on the end of each auger and an idler gear.
amberh7765 wrote:
Sun. Oct. 07, 2018 11:12 pm
o I'm guessing that means it's the pot auger pin. Thanks to marks supply website.
If the big gears are not turning and the motor, belt, fan and chain sprockets are turning, then the pot auger shear pin could be broken.

If one of the shear pins is broken it probably means something got stuck in the auger, usually the bin auger. If you remove the idler gear shaft set screw you can push the shaft out, remove the idler gear. Then you should be able to turn the gear on the bin auger by hand. If it is stuck, that's really what the problem is.

I'm glad you found Mark's Supply. If you can't get this figured out you can call them. Talk to Joe, he has been working on and selling parts for old coal stokers for a very long time and can point you in the right direction real quick, 570-462-0748, Shenandoah, PA.

If you live near Shenandoah, PA you could stop by and talk to them.

-Don

 
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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 » Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 8:56 am

Here's a crude drawing of what we are talking about. I couldn't figure out how to get text into this picture so I will just describe what the arrows are.

Arrow on the left is where the pot auger shear pin is located. There is a groove in the chain sprocket and a clip fits into the groove to retain the pin. The Pin is 1/8".

Arrow on the top is the bin auger gear.

The two arrows below that are the idler gear and the idler gear shaft set screw.
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swyman
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Post by swyman » Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 9:41 am

StokerDon wrote:
Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 8:32 am

Yes, people pretty much use the terms "worm" and "auger" interchangeably. There is one big gear on the end of each auger and an idler gear.

-Don
With growing up on a farm it was a interesting argument while out on a Ethanol plant build, the general supervisor said to " go get that screw conveyor and install it on the second floor"!

 
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Post by lzaharis » Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 10:11 am

Hello Don,
Do you have enough adjustment left to tighten the drive chain? Or did you take a link out of that drive chain and install a half link as a repair link?

 
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Coal Size/Type: rice
Other Heating: kerosene for dual fuel Keystoker/unused

Post by lzaharis » Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 10:13 am

swyman wrote:
Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 9:41 am
With growing up on a farm it was a interesting argument while out on a Ethanol plant build, the general supervisor said to " go get that screw conveyor and install it on the second floor"!
==================================================================================================

Its amazing to think about how far behind we would be without Archimedes and his screw.

 
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StokerDon
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Posts: 7486
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

Post by StokerDon » Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 11:51 am

lzaharis wrote:
Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 10:11 am
Hello Don,
Do you have enough adjustment left to tighten the drive chain? Or did you take a link out of that drive chain and install a half link as a repair link?
Please read the post. I am not the one with the problem, I posted the pictures for reference so that "amberh" would understand what I am trying to tell her.

-Don

 
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coaledsweat
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Post by coaledsweat » Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 12:38 pm

Don, are those shear pins aluminum, steel or something else?

 
amberh7765
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Posts: 29
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Location: Pennsylvania
Stoker Coal Boiler: Vanwert anthrotherm
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat

Post by amberh7765 » Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 1:14 pm

Found marks through your website too! You guys have been a valuable resource as there is just no discussion anywhere else about coal furnaces. It's a shame. They're great! Thank you for the diagram as well. I had been looking everywhere to find out where the auger pin was! Marks had a diagram but it only showed the one pin. I really don't know what I'm doing haha. I work during normal business hours and can't call anywhere. Thank you so much for your time and patience! I live in Blakely by the way. Right by peckville where apparently the van wert was built!

 
amberh7765
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Location: Pennsylvania
Stoker Coal Boiler: Vanwert anthrotherm
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat

Post by amberh7765 » Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 1:16 pm

Also yes. The auger gear and idler gear are not moving.

 
amberh7765
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Posts: 29
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Location: Pennsylvania
Stoker Coal Boiler: Vanwert anthrotherm
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat

Post by amberh7765 » Mon. Oct. 08, 2018 10:33 pm

Ok. I've been poking and prodding this thing for a bit. I'm thinking it's not the pin. Nothing about it appears out of place. I'm about to attempt to remove the pipe that the auger is in. I'm assuming the two bolts sticking out of it remove it. Here's a video link of what I'm seeing.


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