Axeman 130 Heats Wood Boiler

 
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StokerDon
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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. Feb. 28, 2021 10:51 am

3 Week Update.

It's been on the warm side this week. 40's and 50's for highs, one day it got into the 60's. The owner says it still works great, no problems and the ash still looks the same as last week. He went across the river and picked up another ton just to be sure he makes it through Spring.
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I didn't make it over there this week so no new pics or videos. I'll head over there next weekend to do a video update.

Meanwhile, here is the entire video playlist of this crazy project. It covers most of what we did and how we did it.


-Don


 
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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 » Sat. Mar. 06, 2021 4:32 pm

4 Week Update.

Not much to report, everything is still running normally.
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That Gofer has been hard at work here. The owner says it has used between 1.5 and 2 ton over the past 4 weeks. That seems a bit high, but we are still losing a lot of heat due to the wood boiler being outside.
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Still looks good and still runs good!
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Ash is clinkers, powder and a few rocks but not many. With a light sprinkle of fines on top.
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Back of the wood boiler, again.
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Video action!


-Don

 
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Lightning
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite

Post by Lightning » Sun. Mar. 07, 2021 12:08 pm

Is there a bracket over the coal tube? I didn't see one. And that mano, I don't think that's a Model 25 is it? I believe the model 25 goes -.05 to 3" of WC. Which might be why his has the blue fluid.

 
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Lightning
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Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite

Post by Lightning » Sun. Mar. 07, 2021 12:14 pm

Do you have the stack on the wood boiler plugged? It could be losing heat there..

 
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Scottscoaled
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Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520, 700, Van Wert 800 GJ 61,53
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Coal Size/Type: Lots of buck
Other Heating: Slant Fin electric boiler backup

Post by Scottscoaled » Sun. Mar. 07, 2021 12:29 pm

Lightning wrote:
Sun. Mar. 07, 2021 12:14 pm
Do you have the stack on the wood boiler plugged? It could be losing heat there..
X2

 
lzaharis
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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. Mar. 07, 2021 1:15 pm

The existing chimney in the wood boiler is where its losing the heat from the benefit of the thermal mass
of the 350 gallons of water in the wood boiler. A standard flue pipe cap and a couple of self tapping screws would be all that is needed to keep all the heat in.

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Sun. Mar. 07, 2021 1:24 pm

Won't be a problem when that wood boiler is on a trailer going down the road.


 
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Lightning
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite

Post by Lightning » Sun. Mar. 07, 2021 2:06 pm

Right, but in the meantime plug that hole lol, if it's not already..

 
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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 » Sun. Mar. 07, 2021 3:52 pm

Lightning wrote:
Sun. Mar. 07, 2021 12:08 pm
Is there a bracket over the coal tube?
Why? Do you think the auger is going to get away? :lol:
Don't worry, it's there. We just didn't find a need to put it on yet.
Lightning wrote:
Sun. Mar. 07, 2021 12:08 pm
I don't think that's a Model 25 is it? I believe the model 25 goes -.05 to 3" of WC. Which might be why his has the blue fluid.
Yah, you're right. That probably isn't a Model 25. Looks like it has half of the graduations that my Model 25 has. Not a big deal, I can still read it.
Lightning wrote:
Sun. Mar. 07, 2021 12:14 pm
Do you have the stack on the wood boiler plugged? It could be losing heat there..
I'm sure it is. Neither one of us felt like climbing on the frozen roof to cap it. You can't get to it from the firebox.:oops:
I know capping it would help but we are still going to loose a ton of heat from all the nu-insulated parts, fire door, ash door and bottom of the boiler. I'm sure it will use a bunch less coal when we remove that boiler and it's heat loss.

-Don

 
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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 » Sun. Sep. 05, 2021 11:51 am

We're into September now so it's time to update some coal stoker projects!

On this one, the wood boiler and the wood are long gone. Summer time construction on enclosing the porch is going well. There will be a large room for the Axeman, a couple freezers and eventually a backup Propane boiler. On the right will be a large, slope bottom coal bin that should hold 9 ton.
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So todays project is to move the Axeman form the basement of the outbuilding to its new home on the porch.
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Moving was made pretty easy with forks on a tractor. :yes:
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It was a bit tricky getting in into the room on the hand truck but we got it done and we still have all our fingers and toes! :what:
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There it is in its final resting place. This one should provide many more years of service as is.
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-Don

 
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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 » Sat. Sep. 25, 2021 7:51 pm

Today I went over to put together a list of plumbing supplies we will need.
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The guys were there putting up some nice pine boards on the outside of the boiler room and coal bin. Looks real good! :yes:
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Coal sloped bottom bin is just about ready for coal!
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The Axeman is patiently waiting to be plumbed in.
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First fire should be second week of December.
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Here's a quick look around.


-Don

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Sun. Sep. 26, 2021 6:36 am

Good work Don. Do you have a piping sketch of the new setup?

 
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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 » Sun. Sep. 26, 2021 10:31 am

Rob R. wrote:
Sun. Sep. 26, 2021 6:36 am
Good work Don. Do you have a piping sketch of the new setup?
Here is version 2 of the rough sketch we used to come up with the first parts order. We included tee's and valves to plumb in a Gas (Propane) boiler at a later date. X's are ball valves, pump is in the return for ease of replacement. Pump will run 24/7 for the DHW and radiant HX. House and outbuilding HX's will be controlled by zone valves in the return header. Total of 4 zones, header is a 6X for later expansion if needed.
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First parts order. I added the unions and purge valves this morning, they will go on the next order, along with everything else I forgot. :lol:
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-Don

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Sun. Sep. 26, 2021 5:02 pm

Is all of that piping in the boiler room? Or are the headers in the house?

 
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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 » Sun. Sep. 26, 2021 5:08 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Sun. Sep. 26, 2021 5:02 pm
Is all of that piping in the boiler room? Or are the headers in the house?
In the boiler room.


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