EFM520 Motor Lacking Strength to Push the Auger
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- New Member
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 25, 2022 1:03 pm
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM DF520
Hello,
I am new to living in cold weather and have never used coal before so please bear with me. I've done quite a bit of searching on this forum and watching videos online for solutions, but can't seem to find an example and solution to my problem.
I have an 11-12 year old EFM Emmaus DF520 coal boiler for steam. We've been running the system pretty reliably for the last week but this morning the system stopped working.
The lever that catches the teeth was stuck, so I manually cranked it and unstuck the lever. I turned the system back on and the motor and system was not running as usual; it seemed very sluggish compared to normal. When I flipped the lever back over and once it caught the teeth on the auger system it slowed down and then stopped moving, almost as if the motor didn't have the strength to push and pull the auger as normal.
I'm not sure if I am describing this accurately, but I also have a 20 second video that I have attached that is probably more helpful.
Please advise. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.
I am new to living in cold weather and have never used coal before so please bear with me. I've done quite a bit of searching on this forum and watching videos online for solutions, but can't seem to find an example and solution to my problem.
I have an 11-12 year old EFM Emmaus DF520 coal boiler for steam. We've been running the system pretty reliably for the last week but this morning the system stopped working.
The lever that catches the teeth was stuck, so I manually cranked it and unstuck the lever. I turned the system back on and the motor and system was not running as usual; it seemed very sluggish compared to normal. When I flipped the lever back over and once it caught the teeth on the auger system it slowed down and then stopped moving, almost as if the motor didn't have the strength to push and pull the auger as normal.
I'm not sure if I am describing this accurately, but I also have a 20 second video that I have attached that is probably more helpful.
Please advise. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.
Attachments
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- Member
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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
You need a new identical electric motor as soon as possible.
How close are you to Marks Supply or EFM to buy a new electric motor??
How close are you to Marks Supply or EFM to buy a new electric motor??
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- New Member
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM DF520
I'm in rural Northern Maine. Not entirely sure where to get one of these items.
- Rob R.
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- Location: Chazy, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr
That stoker looks like it has been neglected for a long time. It sounds like the motor is failing, but it is also possible that something in the stoker is bound up and making the motor work really hard. The entire stoker drive assembly is dirty and dry, so I would start by totally disassembling the drive assembly and cleaning the parts with solvent. Lube everything with clean oil and see how it runs. If no improvement, replace the motor.
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- Member
- Posts: 2366
- Joined: Sun. Mar. 25, 2007 8:41 pm
- 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
Let me ask you these things important things first;
How does the fire look, is it filling the entire burn pot??
Do you pull the fines lever every day to dump
any coal fines out of the burn pot?
How does the fire look, is it filling the entire burn pot??
Do you pull the fines lever every day to dump
any coal fines out of the burn pot?
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- Member
- Posts: 2366
- Joined: Sun. Mar. 25, 2007 8:41 pm
- 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
I cannot play the video as I do not have that player.
Here is the EFM owners manual if you do not have one if you have a doghouse in your coal bin it would be a good idea to check the bottom of it for any rocks that may be stuck near the tube.
Here is the EFM owners manual if you do not have one if you have a doghouse in your coal bin it would be a good idea to check the bottom of it for any rocks that may be stuck near the tube.
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- Rob R.
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 17981
- Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
- Location: Chazy, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr
If you could watch the video you would see that the stoker runs hard even without the auger engaged. It just needs some troubleshooting, some overdue maintenance, and perhaps a new motor.
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- New Member
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The fire looks good and looks similar to other youtube videos I've watched. When the system was running earlier everything was running nicely and the house was heating up to temperature.
I have no idea what the fines lever is. Assuming it's the big blue lever? I just moved into this house and all of this is completely foreign to me. Apologies for my ignorance.
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It's very possible it has been neglected. I just moved into this place less than 2 months ago and have never used any heating systems like this before so it is a steep learning curve.Rob R. wrote: ↑Fri. Nov. 25, 2022 2:08 pmThat stoker looks like it has been neglected for a long time. It sounds like the motor is failing, but it is also possible that something in the stoker is bound up and making the motor work really hard. The entire stoker drive assembly is dirty and dry, so I would start by totally disassembling the drive assembly and cleaning the parts with solvent. Lube everything with clean oil and see how it runs. If no improvement, replace the motor.
Good to know about the maintenance and disassembly. I'll see if I can find out anything on youtube on how to actually do everything you mentioned.
- nepacoal
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
Or possibly a new coupler... I could not tell if the fan/motor was spinning normally in the video.
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- Joined: Sun. Mar. 25, 2007 8:41 pm
- 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
Push and pull the fines lever a couple of times to let any fines drop out of the burn pot and
come back to us quickly and let us know if that helps.
come back to us quickly and let us know if that helps.
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- Member
- Posts: 2366
- Joined: Sun. Mar. 25, 2007 8:41 pm
- 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
======================================================================================================ringodeathstar wrote: ↑Fri. Nov. 25, 2022 2:37 pmIt's very possible it has been neglected. I just moved into this place less than 2 months ago and have never used any heating systems like this before so it is a steep learning curve.
Good to know about the maintenance and disassembly. I'll see if I can find out anything on youtube on how to actually do everything you mentioned.
You are going to love steam heat when it gets colder and the wind starts howling up there.
Has anyone showed you how to blow down the boiler once a month and add water as needed
or is the water feeder an automatic one with the low water cut off switch?
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- Member
- Posts: 2366
- Joined: Sun. Mar. 25, 2007 8:41 pm
- 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
I hope that he or she comes back and lets us know if
the issue was excess fines in the burn pot.
the issue was excess fines in the burn pot.