Coal Gun Boilers - which ones had the puffback issues?

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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Sun. Jul. 03, 2022 8:57 am

My neighbor wants me to go look at a used S130 boiler for him. He is tired of burning wood and likes the design of the Coal Gun. I know there was a period of time where the Coal Guns used a different ash control that was prone to creating puffbacks.

Is there a particular model year(s) that were impacted or is there another way to identify this control? What is the "fix"?

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Sun. Jul. 03, 2022 9:46 am

If I recall correctly, the AHSs that puffed back would ash based on time instead of ashing temperature and/or would ash while the fan wasn't running. Seems like we just had a guy on here recently that fixed it by moving one wire, so it couldn't ash without the fan running. I'm betting Don has more information about that. 🙂

 
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Post by Rob R. » Sun. Jul. 03, 2022 10:39 am

Lightning wrote:
Sun. Jul. 03, 2022 9:46 am
If I recall correctly, the AHSs that puffed back would ash based on time instead of ashing temperature and/or would ash while the fan wasn't running. Seems like we just had a guy on here recently that fixed it by moving one wire, so it couldn't ash without the fan running. I'm betting Don has more information about that. 🙂
Post by lsayre - Puff backs in coal gun

I wish Larry was still around. He knew this stuff well.

 
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Post by lzaharis » Sun. Jul. 03, 2022 2:00 pm

He should call AHS and find out if this boiler is one of the ones built by the
second owners of AHS that changed the design slightly before the company
was bought back from them by the original owners.

Make sure he writes down the serial number of the boiler so he has it in hand
when he calls AHS.

I do remember it was an easy repair to solve the puff back issue.

 
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Post by StokerDon » Sun. Jul. 03, 2022 7:41 pm

I'm no expert on the AHS but I'm pretty sure the major factor in their puffback past is the way they are wired. If I remember correctly some of them ash on a timer only, some ash with a combination of a timer and a temperature controller and some only use a temperature controller.

My thought has always been that it should be wired so that it can't ash unless the fan is running. I've managed to collect 3 wiring diagrams over the years. Here they are.
Dude1.jpg
.JPG | 316.7KB | Dude1.jpg
S130_03-03-06Wiring.jpg
.JPG | 290.6KB | S130_03-03-06Wiring.jpg
S130Wiring04-27-12.PNG
.PNG | 201.6KB | S130Wiring04-27-12.PNG
For what it's worth, I don't think the boilers themselves are any different through the years (except the real early ones) so whatever one your friend is looking at should be fixable.

Do we get to see pictures???

-Don


 
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Post by StephenD » Sun. Aug. 07, 2022 4:02 pm

I have a 2013 model built by short term owner. It has a switch on front of control box that if set on 1 it allows ashing based on temperature. Set on 2 it ashes only when fan is operating(preferred). My experience with puff backs is they occasionally occur when the fan shuts off and it has just ashed and dumping a little bit of new coal onto glowing coals during heavy use during colder weather. Making sure spring loaded door opens the proper spacing helps also.

 
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Post by Pa papa » Mon. Aug. 29, 2022 3:08 pm

I have a 2009 year S130. It ashed on ash temp alone until I added a set of on/off delay timers in 2010 from AHS. Works like a charm now and never has a puff-back. Love it.
Easy fix.

 
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Post by Dudest » Tue. Aug. 30, 2022 7:12 am

On my older refurbished model I have never had a puffback. The grate only runs when the fan is running. Set on a timer only, not temp.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Sun. Nov. 06, 2022 6:31 pm

A friend of mine has decided to become a coal burner and we picked up this 2008 model S130 today. The unit is very clean and has a freshly rebuilt fan motor. Other than a quick brushing it looks ready for action.

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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Sun. Nov. 06, 2022 6:49 pm

Nice, I think he'll be real happy with that. What was his heating fuel prior and how much is that fuel currently for him? What are his plans for aquiring coal for it?


 
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Post by lincolnmania » Sun. Nov. 06, 2022 6:56 pm

Nice!
I considered one of these but the hopper is too tall for my basement.

Love my EFM!

 
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Post by Rob R. » Sun. Nov. 06, 2022 7:18 pm

Lightning wrote:
Sun. Nov. 06, 2022 6:49 pm
Nice, I think he'll be real happy with that. What was his heating fuel prior and how much is that fuel currently for him? What are his plans for aquiring coal for it?
He heats a large home and garage to the tune of 1500 gallons of heating oil per season. He also hauls 3-4 TT loads of coal to our area every season for other people, so he will likely just haul one more for himself.

 
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Post by Lightning » Sun. Nov. 06, 2022 7:21 pm

Omg.. that's the ticket! Are you helping him install it also?

 
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Post by Jkohanski » Sun. Nov. 06, 2022 8:06 pm

Nice unit. I have not had any major issues with mine.

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