The Bairmatic - Van Wert Project Boiler Saga Continues

 
User avatar
Retro_Origin
Member
Posts: 900
Joined: Sun. Feb. 21, 2021 7:46 pm
Location: Schuylkill county
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1957 Axeman Anderson 130
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat / Pea

Post by Retro_Origin » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:29 pm

BunkerdCaddis wrote:
Sun. Nov. 13, 2022 10:15 pm
Got a load of Sherman stove coal delivered by member Idlorah BPUQ9991.JPG
Happy for you. Mine always looks like wet glass, boy does it barely put out any ash!


 
User avatar
Idlorah
Member
Posts: 520
Joined: Wed. Nov. 18, 2020 6:31 pm
Location: New Ringgold, PA
Stoker Coal Boiler: Allen 700 stoker
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Gibralter MCC
Coal Size/Type: Buck in the Allen and anything goes in the MCC, Anthracite
Other Heating: None, maybe some wood in the MCC in the shoulder season

Post by Idlorah » Tue. Nov. 15, 2022 5:21 pm

Retro_Origin wrote:
Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:29 pm
Happy for you. Mine always looks like wet glass, boy does it barely put out any ash!
I have noticed that about the sherman to, i was usually about and ash pan every 3 days in my stoker I can go about a week and a half with the sherman coal.

 
User avatar
BunkerdCaddis
Member
Posts: 708
Joined: Sun. Jan. 18, 2015 10:26 am
Location: SW Lancaster County
Stoker Coal Boiler: Bairmatic-Van Wert
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Van Wert VW85H
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Saey Hanover II working when I feel the desire, Waterford 105 out on vacation, Surdiac Gotha hiding somewhere
Coal Size/Type: pea/nut/rice/stove-anthracite, nut/stove bit when I feel the urge
Other Heating: oil fired hydronic

Post by BunkerdCaddis » Mon. Nov. 28, 2022 9:59 pm

Behind on posting the progress again but here we are, have had the hand-fired running about 2 weeks doing some fine tuning and getting used to the needs of a coal boiler.
IMG_0335.JPG

Sherman Stove Coal Making Heat

.JPG | 450.5KB | IMG_0335.JPG
One thing I learned pretty quick was coal boilers don't like reset thermostats, especially hand-fired units :no1:

But the VW VW85H and I got along fine after a bit as I learned her needs and limitations. I did fire up the Saey on the Sunday we had the hi of 35* but by Monday I was letting it burn out as I just didn't need all the heat. :lol:

 
User avatar
BunkerdCaddis
Member
Posts: 708
Joined: Sun. Jan. 18, 2015 10:26 am
Location: SW Lancaster County
Stoker Coal Boiler: Bairmatic-Van Wert
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Van Wert VW85H
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Saey Hanover II working when I feel the desire, Waterford 105 out on vacation, Surdiac Gotha hiding somewhere
Coal Size/Type: pea/nut/rice/stove-anthracite, nut/stove bit when I feel the urge
Other Heating: oil fired hydronic

Post by BunkerdCaddis » Mon. Nov. 28, 2022 10:25 pm

Meanwhile I turned my attention this past week to the Bairmatic.
Got the Stove Pipe all painted inside and fixed in place.
IMG_0354.JPG

8" Pipe

.JPG | 493.8KB | IMG_0354.JPG
Starting out with a 3" pulley on the motor and a 31/2" pulley on the transmission to see how it goes.
IMG_0351.JPG

Pulley set up

.JPG | 458.4KB | IMG_0351.JPG
I used Nepacoal's idea for a timer and got one of the GRT8-S2 Mini Asymmetric Cycle Timers through Wallymart along with the din connectors.
XYDA6938.JPG

Shoot, I got wires everywhere

.JPG | 576.2KB | XYDA6938.JPG
After some conversation with other forum members, I decided to add a RIB to ease the load on the Hydrostat relay.
HVUZ0535.JPG

Wires go somewhere

.JPG | 659.1KB | HVUZ0535.JPG
Had an old Honeywell box so I put everything in that. Not sure I did everything by the book but it does what I expected it to do.

 
User avatar
BunkerdCaddis
Member
Posts: 708
Joined: Sun. Jan. 18, 2015 10:26 am
Location: SW Lancaster County
Stoker Coal Boiler: Bairmatic-Van Wert
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Van Wert VW85H
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Saey Hanover II working when I feel the desire, Waterford 105 out on vacation, Surdiac Gotha hiding somewhere
Coal Size/Type: pea/nut/rice/stove-anthracite, nut/stove bit when I feel the urge
Other Heating: oil fired hydronic

Post by BunkerdCaddis » Mon. Nov. 28, 2022 10:38 pm

For now I'm going to use a barrel inside to be the hopper for the coal. StokerDon was by to check things out and suggested I put the barrel up on a platform, so I did.
IMG_0356.JPG

Barrel for Hopper

.JPG | 533.2KB | IMG_0356.JPG
Cut out in Bottom of Barrel.
IMG_0355.JPG

Barrel Bottom

.JPG | 172.2KB | IMG_0355.JPG
Forgive the romex I didn't have any multi conductor MC cable to go from the stat over to the timer box.
IMG_0373.JPG

General View

.JPG | 388.6KB | IMG_0373.JPG

 
User avatar
BunkerdCaddis
Member
Posts: 708
Joined: Sun. Jan. 18, 2015 10:26 am
Location: SW Lancaster County
Stoker Coal Boiler: Bairmatic-Van Wert
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Van Wert VW85H
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Saey Hanover II working when I feel the desire, Waterford 105 out on vacation, Surdiac Gotha hiding somewhere
Coal Size/Type: pea/nut/rice/stove-anthracite, nut/stove bit when I feel the urge
Other Heating: oil fired hydronic

Post by BunkerdCaddis » Mon. Nov. 28, 2022 10:46 pm

Ran the motor till I had some coal in the bottom of the pot, put some split up pieces of left over 2x8 on top of some newspaper and lit it off...
IMG_0357.JPG

wood fire1

.JPG | 343.8KB | IMG_0357.JPG
Turned the motor on... :o
IMG_0358.JPG

wood fire 2

.JPG | 345.4KB | IMG_0358.JPG
Then added some coal on top
IMG_0362.JPG

Starting a coal fire

.JPG | 415.4KB | IMG_0362.JPG
Houston We have Ignition. :yes:
IMG_0369.JPG

First Stoker Fire

.JPG | 355.6KB | IMG_0369.JPG

 
User avatar
Rob R.
Site Moderator
Posts: 17965
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. » Mon. Nov. 28, 2022 10:49 pm

What’s the story with the plywood?


 
User avatar
BunkerdCaddis
Member
Posts: 708
Joined: Sun. Jan. 18, 2015 10:26 am
Location: SW Lancaster County
Stoker Coal Boiler: Bairmatic-Van Wert
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Van Wert VW85H
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Saey Hanover II working when I feel the desire, Waterford 105 out on vacation, Surdiac Gotha hiding somewhere
Coal Size/Type: pea/nut/rice/stove-anthracite, nut/stove bit when I feel the urge
Other Heating: oil fired hydronic

Post by BunkerdCaddis » Mon. Nov. 28, 2022 10:58 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Mon. Nov. 28, 2022 10:49 pm
What’s the story with the plywood?
Just a hanger for the time being, I want to insulate it and make a jacket for it, I guess I could have found a piece of diamond plate...

 
User avatar
Idlorah
Member
Posts: 520
Joined: Wed. Nov. 18, 2020 6:31 pm
Location: New Ringgold, PA
Stoker Coal Boiler: Allen 700 stoker
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Gibralter MCC
Coal Size/Type: Buck in the Allen and anything goes in the MCC, Anthracite
Other Heating: None, maybe some wood in the MCC in the shoulder season

Post by Idlorah » Tue. Nov. 29, 2022 4:02 pm

Congrats on getting the stoker going, very nice looking install as well. I need to build one of those timers for my Allen one day because the Honeywell timer I have will quit one day again I did just replace it a year and a half a go with a used one anyway. The only difference with my Honeywell timer is it is a timer and the thermostat and aqua stat for the hot water both go into the timer box on mine. My honey well box is a model 883? if I remember correctly basically it is the brains of my entire stoker. And HVAC wiring is definitely not my forte.

 
User avatar
Rob R.
Site Moderator
Posts: 17965
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. » Tue. Nov. 29, 2022 4:14 pm

BunkerdCaddis wrote:
Mon. Nov. 28, 2022 10:58 pm
Just a hanger for the time being, I want to insulate it and make a jacket for it, I guess I could have found a piece of diamond plate...
1" of foil faced foam with taped seams makes a huge difference in heat loss from the pressure vessel.

Your fire looks good. Let it run for a few days and give that boiler a quick brushing. When they sit for a while and then get fired up again, stuff tends to peel off the heat exchanger.

 
User avatar
BunkerdCaddis
Member
Posts: 708
Joined: Sun. Jan. 18, 2015 10:26 am
Location: SW Lancaster County
Stoker Coal Boiler: Bairmatic-Van Wert
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Van Wert VW85H
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Saey Hanover II working when I feel the desire, Waterford 105 out on vacation, Surdiac Gotha hiding somewhere
Coal Size/Type: pea/nut/rice/stove-anthracite, nut/stove bit when I feel the urge
Other Heating: oil fired hydronic

Post by BunkerdCaddis » Tue. Nov. 29, 2022 6:06 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Tue. Nov. 29, 2022 4:14 pm
1" of foil faced foam with taped seams makes a huge difference in heat loss from the pressure vessel.
Yeah, it's like 89* in the room not that I mind it but... that's what I'm looking at doing.
Rob R. wrote:
Tue. Nov. 29, 2022 4:14 pm
Your fire looks good. Let it run for a few days and give that boiler a quick brushing. When they sit for a while and then get fired up again, stuff tends to peel off the heat exchanger.
Yes, i have noticed the strips coming off, I'll do that this weekend hopefully. I did bump the air up as the fire started to creep out to the edge more, it's kinda hard to tell what's dark chunks and what's not completely burnt coal.

 
User avatar
BunkerdCaddis
Member
Posts: 708
Joined: Sun. Jan. 18, 2015 10:26 am
Location: SW Lancaster County
Stoker Coal Boiler: Bairmatic-Van Wert
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Van Wert VW85H
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Saey Hanover II working when I feel the desire, Waterford 105 out on vacation, Surdiac Gotha hiding somewhere
Coal Size/Type: pea/nut/rice/stove-anthracite, nut/stove bit when I feel the urge
Other Heating: oil fired hydronic

Post by BunkerdCaddis » Tue. Nov. 29, 2022 6:13 pm

Idlorah wrote:
Tue. Nov. 29, 2022 4:02 pm
Congrats on getting the stoker going, very nice looking install as well. I need to build one of those timers for my Allen one day because the Honeywell timer I have will quit one day again I did just replace it a year and a half a go with a used one anyway. The only difference with my Honeywell timer is it is a timer and the thermostat and aqua stat for the hot water both go into the timer box on mine. My honey well box is a model 883? if I remember correctly basically it is the brains of my entire stoker. And HVAC wiring is definitely not my forte.
Thanks, I had never seen the din connectors before so that was a bit to figure out, they are nice to work with and the timer is not too difficult to grasp once you figure it out as well.

 
User avatar
Idlorah
Member
Posts: 520
Joined: Wed. Nov. 18, 2020 6:31 pm
Location: New Ringgold, PA
Stoker Coal Boiler: Allen 700 stoker
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Gibralter MCC
Coal Size/Type: Buck in the Allen and anything goes in the MCC, Anthracite
Other Heating: None, maybe some wood in the MCC in the shoulder season

Post by Idlorah » Tue. Nov. 29, 2022 6:47 pm

BunkerdCaddis wrote:
Tue. Nov. 29, 2022 6:13 pm
Thanks, I had never seen the din connectors before so that was a bit to figure out, they are nice to work with and the timer is not too difficult to grasp once you figure it out as well.
I guess my main hurdle for building a timer for mine is the box I have now contains the timer and the contactors powered by the thermostat and the aquastat. the contactors are connected to all 3 items. (timer, thermostat, and the aquastat) so when I build a timer I need to wire it that way as well. i would need some kind of switch or contactor the could be switched on by 24v? I believe that is what thermostats and aquastats run on. and wire the timer into that switch as well.

 
User avatar
Idlorah
Member
Posts: 520
Joined: Wed. Nov. 18, 2020 6:31 pm
Location: New Ringgold, PA
Stoker Coal Boiler: Allen 700 stoker
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Gibralter MCC
Coal Size/Type: Buck in the Allen and anything goes in the MCC, Anthracite
Other Heating: None, maybe some wood in the MCC in the shoulder season

Post by Idlorah » Tue. Nov. 29, 2022 6:48 pm

This is an old post of mine but shows how the honeywell 883 is set up.
"HELP" Honeywell 883 timer replacement needed!

 
User avatar
StokerDon
Site Moderator
Posts: 7484
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 » Tue. Nov. 29, 2022 6:49 pm

BunkerdCaddis wrote:
Mon. Nov. 28, 2022 10:46 pm
Ran the motor till I had some coal in the bottom of the pot, put some split up pieces of left over 2x8 on top of some newspaper and lit it off...
NICE!
THE MIGHTY BAIRMATIC / VAN WERT LIVES AGAIN!!! :yes:

-Don


Post Reply

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