The Bairmatic - Van Wert Project Boiler Saga Continues
- 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
So, after joining this forum and getting a couple of years of coal burning under my belt, I pretty much knew I wanted a coal boiler and so I began the search for one. I had spent about six months worth of lunch time at work studying the tome "Modern Hydronic Heating: For Residential and Light Commercial Buildings" to the point I understood enough to re-pipe the oil fired system in my house and split 3 zones into 6 and then made provisions for a future expansion to a coal boiler. I had originally bought a New Yorker WC-90 but it went to my youngest son's house as a wood/coal burner. I later found a Van Wert hand fired unit that I expected to install. The problem was where to put it... I didn't want to put it in the basement as the access is somewhat limited (and dragging coal in and ash out would be problematic) and it was finished out anyway so an addition was on the menu. After some fits and starts and the delays associated with the past two years, we finally got the addition final in June.
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- Member
- Posts: 3936
- Joined: Fri. Aug. 16, 2019 3:02 pm
- Location: Oneida, N.Y.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harmon Mark II
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Looking
- Baseburners & Antiques: Looking
- Coal Size/Type: Nut
- Other Heating: newmac wood/coal combo furnace
Looking good!
- 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
So back up a little bit and during this time (and I really began to want a stoker), Stoker Don and I had been chatting about his need to make room for some new stokers. Finally once I had a place enclosed and ready, the mighty Bairmatic-Van Wert found it's way onto my trailer and followed me home.
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- 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
The Boys helped me unload and get The Mighty Bairmatic-Van Wert into it's new home, well the Van Wert went first by it's self and the Bairmatic followed as the door was not wide enough...
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- 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
At this point, I still needed to finish insulation and drywall. Yes, it was a bit crowded in the room for doing drywall but we got there. The Amish Brickies came and did the chimneys over this period as well. Chimneys are 8 inch round tile.
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Last edited by BunkerdCaddis on Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 10:27 am, edited 2 times in total.
- 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
In my head I do, just parallel on a secondary loop, circulator has a flo-check built in. I'll be able to switch back and forth between boilers just by flipping valves... in my head it works
- 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
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- Member
- Posts: 3936
- Joined: Fri. Aug. 16, 2019 3:02 pm
- Location: Oneida, N.Y.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harmon Mark II
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Looking
- Baseburners & Antiques: Looking
- Coal Size/Type: Nut
- Other Heating: newmac wood/coal combo furnace
Wait. 2 coal boilers?
- 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
Yep, Hand fired Van Wert VW85H and the Bairmatic-Van Wert
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- Member
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Sun. Jan. 27, 2019 11:16 am
- Location: Salisbury ct.
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ 671SU w/Efm S-15 stoker
- Coal Size/Type: Rice anthracite lehigh
- Other Heating: Peerless oil boiler
I also have a former Stoker Don Boiler. The small Gentleman Janitor. Top shelf. I’m sure yours will be the same. Also I have my coal boiler piped in parallel with my oil boiler. This works good , just flip some valves snap a switch to change boilers. I don’t have the “primary loop” in my set up though. 3 years and going strong, good luck with your boiler. Scott
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- 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
Glad to see that the 'Ol BairMatic - Van Wert is getting some Love!BunkerdCaddis wrote: ↑Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 6:24 pmYep, Hand fired Van Wert VW85H and the Bairmatic-Van Wert
The BairMatic and that Small Gentleman Janitor are two of my favorites. I hope your guys keep'em go'in for a long, long time!
-Don
- 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
I will say Don and I had been talking before you bought the GJ and I was torn between the two, you made my decision for me... Yes, I think they are both great setups.Scott in nwct wrote: ↑Sun. Oct. 16, 2022 8:32 amI also have a former Stoker Don Boiler. The small Gentleman Janitor. Top shelf. I’m sure yours will be the same. Also I have my coal boiler piped in parallel with my oil boiler. This works good , just flip some valves snap a switch to change boilers. I don’t have the “primary loop” in my set up though. 3 years and going strong, good luck with your boiler. Scott
- 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