Best coal boiler for hydronic in floor heating
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- New Member
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sat. Feb. 16, 2019 8:25 pm
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaskan Gnome
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
Hello!! I’m new to the group. I have been burning coal in an Alaskan Gnome for 8 years. Love it!! I’m in the process of building a new home. I will be installing in floor heating in the 1800sqft main floor, full basement and 900sqft attached garage. We will have a propane boiler and the coal boiler. From what my hvac guy is telling me, in floor heating runs at 120°. Most everything I’ve seen or read shows everyone running the boiler at 160°- 180°. I’m looking at the Harmon VF3000, LL WL110 and Keystoker KA6. ( I have dealers withing a hour from my location. ) Any advice or experience would help. Thanks in advance.
- McGiever
- Member
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- 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
180*F water is PERFECT!
Returning water (cooler) gets mixed or blended into the boiler's 180 out going supply to be exactly 120*F water all day long...and you still have 180 for other hotter loops to use.
Returning water (cooler) gets mixed or blended into the boiler's 180 out going supply to be exactly 120*F water all day long...and you still have 180 for other hotter loops to use.
- nepacoal
- Member
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- 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
We love our Keystoker kaa-4. Proven design with great customer support. BTW, you still run the boiler at 160 to 180 but use a mixing valve to send 120 deg water to your in floor radiant runs. A modern, just built house with 6" walls can probably be heated with a 60 watt bulb or two, right?
- 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
Welcome to the forum.
We don't know what part of the world you are in, but unless your climate is mild, I would not go with the WL-110 or the VF-3000. These units have smallish stokers and will struggle to push the temperature up in a radiant floor system of that size.
In my opinion, the Keystoker would be a better choice, but you should do a heat loss calculation so you can better understand how much heat your boiler needs to put out. I'd also like to mention that if you are going with a coal fired boiler you should use it to heat your domestic water too. This will require about 30,000 BTU on top of what the house uses.
I noticed that the stokers you have selected are all "hopper fed". In my opinion, if you are going with an automatic coal feed system, why would you want to fill a hopper every day or two?
One other pointer on new construction and coal boilers. Make sure your builder is putting up a chimney at least 8" id and more than 15 feet high or you will have draft problems no matter which boiler you choose.
-Don
We don't know what part of the world you are in, but unless your climate is mild, I would not go with the WL-110 or the VF-3000. These units have smallish stokers and will struggle to push the temperature up in a radiant floor system of that size.
In my opinion, the Keystoker would be a better choice, but you should do a heat loss calculation so you can better understand how much heat your boiler needs to put out. I'd also like to mention that if you are going with a coal fired boiler you should use it to heat your domestic water too. This will require about 30,000 BTU on top of what the house uses.
I noticed that the stokers you have selected are all "hopper fed". In my opinion, if you are going with an automatic coal feed system, why would you want to fill a hopper every day or two?
One other pointer on new construction and coal boilers. Make sure your builder is putting up a chimney at least 8" id and more than 15 feet high or you will have draft problems no matter which boiler you choose.
-Don
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- New Member
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sat. Feb. 16, 2019 8:25 pm
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaskan Gnome
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
nepacoal wrote: ↑Mon. Feb. 18, 2019 11:53 amWe love our Keystoker kaa-4. Proven design with great customer support. BTW, you still run the boiler at 160 to 180 but use a mixing valve to send 120 deg water to your in floor radiant runs. A modern, just built house with 6" walls can probably be heated with a 60 watt bulb or two, right?
How many tons do you burn in a season??
- 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 burn year around and used 6 tons each of the last two years and have used 4 tons so far this year. I have an un-insulated (brick/plaster) 1500 square foot, 1940 cape cod at 1900 feet elevation.
Last edited by nepacoal on Mon. Feb. 18, 2019 1:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- New Member
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sat. Feb. 16, 2019 8:25 pm
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaskan Gnome
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
StokerDon wrote: ↑Mon. Feb. 18, 2019 12:41 pmWelcome to the forum.
We don't know what part of the world you are in, but unless your climate is mild, I would not go with the WL-110 or the VF-3000. These units have smallish stokers and will struggle to push the temperature up in a radiant floor system of that size.
In my opinion, the Keystoker would be a better choice, but you should do a heat loss calculation so you can better understand how much heat your boiler needs to put out. I'd also like to mention that if you are going with a coal fired boiler you should use it to heat your domestic water too. This will require about 30,000 BTU on top of what the house uses.
I noticed that the stokers you have selected are all "hopper fed". In my opinion, if you are going with an automatic coal feed system, why would you want to fill a hopper every day or two?
One other pointer on new construction and coal boilers. Make sure your builder is putting up a chimney at least 8" id and more than 15 feet high or you will have draft problems no matter which boiler you choose.
-Don
I’m located in Central NY. I plan on putting the boiler in the basement close to the walk out. I don’t mind filling a hopper. But the thought of auto feed is nice. A chimney has been thought of. Thanks for the input!!
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- New Member
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sat. Feb. 16, 2019 8:25 pm
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaskan Gnome
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
I have a DS dealer 20 minutes from me. I went down Friday and spoke with the guy. He has installed 8 in the past few years with zero complaints. He is going to set up a visit to see one in action. I really like how the domestic hot water is set up on them with the flange. No bolts to break, drill or tap. Priced at $7100 cash and carry.
- David...
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I have a hand fed boiler and one of my zones is staple up radiant. As has been said using a mixing valve can get you the appropriate water temperature.
Filling a hopper may be OK now, but could be less desirable as you get older.
David
Filling a hopper may be OK now, but could be less desirable as you get older.
David
- CoalJockey
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DS stoker boilers are auger-fed, no hopper involved if you feed from bulk bin. Shoveling into a hand-fed boiler might be less desirable as you age as well.
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- New Member
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sat. Feb. 16, 2019 8:25 pm
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaskan Gnome
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
Agreed. I’ve done hand fed with wood/coal. Pain in the ass. Your tied to it every 12 hours. I would do a outdoor wood boiler. I have plenty of wood. 55 acres. But I do go out of town for work from time to time. Auger fed is the way to go.CoalJockey wrote: ↑Sun. Mar. 03, 2019 5:49 pmDS stoker boilers are auger-fed, no hopper involved if you feed from bulk bin. Shoveling into a hand-fed boiler might be less desirable as you age as well.
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- Location: Birdsboro PA.
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 350
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- Coal Size/Type: rice
i should run and get one of those ds stoker boilers....i was quoted way less.
- 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
For Sure *lincolnmania*, run don't walk!!!