Hot zone in house

 
dkforge
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 8:21 am

Post by dkforge » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 8:35 am

Hello, I have an EFM 520 stoker with baseboard hot water heat. I've been using this for years and no problems other than the occasional circ pump and auger pipe replacement. I have two "zones" in my house with of course separate wall thermostats. The thermostats are EFM mercury thermostats so I am assuming they have been there for over 30 years.

Last night I came home and one zone in the house was really hot. Thermostat on wall was set to 65 and read the actual temperature was 78. So my initial thought would be thermostat not working but is there anything else I should be checking? This has never happened before and I am in no way an expert.

Thanks for your help


 
CapeCoaler
Member
Posts: 6515
Joined: Sun. Feb. 10, 2008 3:48 pm
Location: Cape Cod, MA
Stoker Coal Boiler: want AA130
Hand Fed Coal Stove: DS Machine BS#4, Harman MKII, Hitzer 503,...
Coal Size/Type: Pea/Nut/Stove

Post by CapeCoaler » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 8:40 am

Zone valve not closing...
Check valve stuck open...

 
lzaharis
Member
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 » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 9:12 am

Hello DKforge,

Welcome to the forum.

DO you have a 3rd zone like a water to air garage heater that is a dump zone?
OR as we have inquiring minds ask you this first; do you know if this hotter heating loop is actually the dump zone in your house??

My 225+ feet of single loop 3/4" fin tube baseboard(which I hate) is the dump zone for my home as I do not have a second zone that could be used as a dump zone.

 
User avatar
Rob R.
Site Moderator
Posts: 17981
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. » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 10:27 am

Either you have a problem with the controls (thermostat, pump relay), or a valve is stuck open.

Basic trouble shooting will reveal the problem.

 
dkforge
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 8:21 am

Post by dkforge » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 11:15 am

Thanks for all of the replies.

I think only two zones. I am attaching a photo of what is coming out of the top of the unit. There are two flow check valves one for each zone. The zone that is working properly is on the left. If I touch the pipe on the non furnace side of that check valve it is not hot as no call for heat right now. The one on the right is the zone not working and if I touch the pipe on the non furnace side of that check valve it is hot even though the thermostat for that zone has been turned way down since last evening and it still reads 78 in that zone.

So what I have done is I gently tapped that flow check valve with a wooden hammer handle. It is now about an hour later the pipe temp is coming down at the thermostat for that zone and the pipe is not as hot as it was to the touch.

So that would lead me to believe the flow check was stuck open.
So my next question then is... is this an indicator that the flow check should be replaced right away or is it something that can happen even with a normally functioning flow check valve?

Again you guys are awesome and thanks for all of the quick responses.

Attachments

20181107_091800.jpg
.JPG | 442.3KB | 20181107_091800.jpg

 
User avatar
Rob R.
Site Moderator
Posts: 17981
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. » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 11:18 am

The check valve probably just got a piece of grit stuck in it. Unless the problem repeats itself I would not worry about it.

 
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 » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 11:23 am

You should remove the plug in the bottom of the check and install a nipple several inches long and a cap. The drip leg will catch the sediment instead of it plugging up the check valve. If nothing else, at least remove the plug, flush the mud and reinstall.


 
lzaharis
Member
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 » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 11:37 am

As coaledsweat said flushing out these spring check valves will only help you as the crap will build up in them.

You could do it now or wait till the heating season is over as you could improve the plumbing for the heating system by adding unions and more shut off valves to aid you in changing components without much water loss.

We love to see pictures; would you be so kind to post more of them showing your heating system and coal stoker?

 
dkforge
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 8:21 am

Post by dkforge » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 12:07 pm

Thanks again everyone. I will flush the valves to clean them out for now.

The least I can do is share more pics for the help you've given me.

The next project is to replace the timer you see in the last pic. From time to time it stops working.

It's great having a site like this to turn to for help.

Attachments

20181107_114819.jpg
.JPG | 427.2KB | 20181107_114819.jpg
20181107_115020.jpg
.JPG | 417.5KB | 20181107_115020.jpg
20181107_115214.jpg
.JPG | 395.9KB | 20181107_115214.jpg
20181107_115225.jpg
.JPG | 542.3KB | 20181107_115225.jpg

 
lzaharis
Member
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 » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 12:19 pm

Are you referring to the box with the white label?? you may just need to oil the gears on the timer with a squirt of turbine oil.

 
dkforge
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 8:21 am

Post by dkforge » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 12:24 pm

Thanks Izaharis I'll try that!

 
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 » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 4:03 pm

If a timer starts giving you grief, I would heave it and get a new one. The last thing you want is one that fails in the on position. Don't ask me how I know.

 
User avatar
Rob R.
Site Moderator
Posts: 17981
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. » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 5:43 pm

coaledsweat wrote:
Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 4:03 pm
If a timer starts giving you grief, I would heave it and get a new one. The last thing you want is one that fails in the on position. Don't ask me how I know.
That should be a minor inconvenience if the controls are wired properly... but I agree that for the cost of a new timer, replacement is probably the best path.

 
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 » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 7:06 pm

I LOVE the little knife switch next to the relay box! That is cool. Does that switch over to another boiler? Or just switch out the thermostat for Summer?

-Don

 
lzaharis
Member
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 » Wed. Nov. 07, 2018 7:17 pm

If we could read the tag we would know but it is apparently camera shy :^0.


Post Reply

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