The Bairmatic - Van Wert Project Boiler Saga Continues

 
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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

Post by BunkerdCaddis » Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 9:22 am

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.

Attachments

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Digging Footer

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Poured Footer

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Block in and insulated

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Framed in

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Wrapped and shingled, time to go for a Boiler

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waytomany?s
Member
Posts: 3747
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

Post by waytomany?s » Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 9:24 am

Looking good!

 
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 » Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 9:28 am

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.

Attachments

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Formulating the game plan

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Up and out

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Loaded and time for tie down

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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 » Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 9:36 am

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...

Attachments

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Rob R.
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Posts: 17979
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. » Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 9:43 am

Looking good! I love a good boiler install thread. 8-)

What is your plan for a chimney?

 
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 » Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 9:50 am

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.

Attachments

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Bairmatic and it's cousin waiting on chimneys

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Chimneys installed

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Drywall w/ first scratch coat, all it's getting for now

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Last edited by BunkerdCaddis on Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 10:27 am, edited 2 times in total.

 
User avatar
Rob R.
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Posts: 17979
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. » Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 9:52 am

Do you have a piping diagram? I am curious how you plan to tie this altogether.


 
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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

Post by BunkerdCaddis » Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 9:58 am

Rob R. wrote:
Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 9:52 am
Do you have a piping diagram? I am curious how you plan to tie this altogether.
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 :eh:

 
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 » Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 2:12 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 9:52 am
Do you have a piping diagram?
Simple schematic of my plan sans details...

Attachments

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simple drawing sans details

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waytomany?s
Member
Posts: 3747
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

Post by waytomany?s » Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 5:06 pm

Wait. 2 coal boilers?

 
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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

Post by BunkerdCaddis » Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 6:24 pm

waytomany?s wrote:
Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 5:06 pm
Wait. 2 coal boilers?
Yep, Hand fired Van Wert VW85H and the Bairmatic-Van Wert ;)

 
Scott in nwct
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

Post by Scott in nwct » Sun. Oct. 16, 2022 8:32 am

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

 
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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. Oct. 16, 2022 7:20 pm

BunkerdCaddis wrote:
Sat. Oct. 15, 2022 6:24 pm
Yep, Hand fired Van Wert VW85H and the Bairmatic-Van Wert ;)
Glad to see that the 'Ol BairMatic - Van Wert is getting some Love! :D
Scott in nwct wrote:
Sun. Oct. 16, 2022 8:32 am
The small Gentleman Janitor. Top shelf.
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

 
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 » Sun. Oct. 16, 2022 9:23 pm

Scott in nwct wrote:
Sun. Oct. 16, 2022 8:32 am
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
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: Yes, I think they are both great setups.

 
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 » Sun. Oct. 16, 2022 9:26 pm

StokerDon wrote:
Sun. Oct. 16, 2022 7:20 pm
Glad to see that the 'Ol BairMatic - Van Wert is getting some Love! :D
-Don
Just check Heating Oil prices :o $5.60/gallon... She's gonna get a lotta love this winter :yes:


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