What boiler temperature do you operate at?

Post Reply
 
User avatar
coalkirk
Member
Posts: 5185
Joined: Wed. May. 17, 2006 8:12 pm
Location: Forest Hill MD
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1981 EFM DF520 retired
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Jotul 507 on standby
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh anthracite/rice coal

Post by coalkirk » Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 8:39 am

Curious at what temperature everyone runs their boilers. Do you run a lower temperature in the shoulder months? When I had the Harman VF3000 I operated at 180 because I needed all the reserve I could get as it didn't recover quickly. With the EFM it has the capacity to recover quickly so I don't need to worry about that.

 
User avatar
Rob R.
Site Moderator
Posts: 17978
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. Oct. 21, 2018 8:46 am

I used to use an electronic control that varied the setpoint based on how long the heat calls lasted. It worked very well...until the control failed last winter. I decided to go old school and put a L4006B on and just let the boiler maintain a steady temperature.

165 with a 10 degree differential works well for me until it gets down below 15 degrees. Around mid December I will likely crank it up to 185 and leave it there until late February.

 
User avatar
StokerDon
Site Moderator
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 » Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 9:19 am

In a normal heating system, you would go by the radiation that is installed and the operating temperature used to size that radiation.

Your system has a variety of components in it. A large hot air heat exchanger, they usually like to be at 180. The base boards, radiator and indirect radiant floor you have can be run at lower temperatures.

My system has enough radiation to heat the load at 150 degrees on the coldest day of the year. I run the boiler at about 150 degrees for Summer DHW and about 160 degrees during the heating season.

-Don

 
User avatar
lsayre
Member
Posts: 21781
Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
Location: Ohio
Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75

Post by lsayre » Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 10:02 am

I'm year round at 180 high/170 low. But that's because we like taking hot showers anytime and on demand, and my 3 gpm rated DHW coil would not permit that if I dropped it down 10 or more degrees.


 
User avatar
hotblast1357
Member
Posts: 5657
Joined: Mon. Mar. 10, 2014 10:06 pm
Location: Peasleeville NY
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 » Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 10:38 am

During summer and shoulder months, 155 on-165 off. When it gets to -10 I go up to 165 on-175 off.

I have a variety of components in my system, 3 cast iron radiators in the basement, a water to air heat exchanger in my furnace for the upstairs, and a water to water plate exchanger doin my dhw. I run constant circulation 90 feet to my house through my water to water exchanger, boiler is in its own building.

 
User avatar
nepacoal
Member
Posts: 1696
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

Post by nepacoal » Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 10:56 am

Summer - 145 Low
Winter - 180 Low (as soon as thermostat is turned up)

Dumps at 221
Last edited by nepacoal on Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 12:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

 
ben
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

Post by ben » Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 12:13 pm

Summer runs 140 - 190.
Now I'm at 165 - 190.

All baseboard except a bathroom has a small cast iron radiator.
House is at 71.

 
Qtown1835
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

Post by Qtown1835 » Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 1:23 pm

lsayre wrote:
Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 10:02 am
I'm year round at 180 high/170 low. But that's because we like taking hot showers anytime and on demand, and my 3 gpm rated DHW coil would not permit that if I dropped it down 10 or more degrees.
Same here.


 
User avatar
coaledsweat
Site Moderator
Posts: 13763
Joined: Fri. Oct. 27, 2006 2:05 pm
Location: Guilford, Connecticut
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260M
Coal Size/Type: Pea

Post by coaledsweat » Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 3:38 pm

ben wrote:
Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 12:13 pm
Summer runs 140 - 190.
Now I'm at 165 - 190.

All baseboard except a bathroom has a small cast iron radiator.
House is at 71.
140° is lower than I would recommend. Oxygen disassociates from water at 153°. I wouldn't go much lower than that.

 
ben
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

Post by ben » Sun. Oct. 21, 2018 9:05 pm

ok thanks.

 
User avatar
oliver power
Member
Posts: 2970
Joined: Sun. Apr. 16, 2006 9:28 am
Location: Near Dansville, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: KEYSTOKER Kaa-2
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93 & 30-95, Vigilant (pre-2310), D.S. 1600 Circulator, Hitzer 254

Post by oliver power » Mon. Oct. 22, 2018 3:49 am

I designed my system for 180*. That's what I run at. Very happy with performance.

Post Reply

Return to “Stoker Coal Boilers Using Anthracite (Hydronic & Steam)”