2 Weeks Burnin' the AA 130

 
User avatar
Flyer5
Member
Posts: 10376
Joined: Sun. Oct. 21, 2007 4:23 pm
Location: Montrose PA
Stoker Coal Boiler: Leisure Line WL110
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Leisure Line Pioneer
Contact:

Post by Flyer5 » Thu. Oct. 02, 2008 8:13 pm

So far I have been burning the AA for about 2 weeks . There has been a lot of learning . Some trouble at the end of the first week . Mostly self induced . Aquastat failure was the start of it . This boiler has been in service from 1987 -2001 then a long trip on a trailer to the 2nd owner in W. VA, Then a 500mile trip up to me . That is what I believe led to the failure lots of vibration . 2nd was me thinking I had the wrong gear box for the auger and ashing, not sure why. So I installed a larger drive sprocket . Well that didn't work very well . Well at least I know my safety system works as it should :D . I forgot about the adjustment on the arm for the ashing . That is what led to changing the sprocket . Now that I got the system all leveled out . I have a lot more confidence in my decision to go with the auger feed AA ,also thanks again to Matt for not laughing to hard and for the help . So far very little ash not much coal used considering the incorrect sprocket issue .The coal I received seems to burn completely to ash . Will keep posted . Dave


 
User avatar
coal berner
Member
Posts: 3600
Joined: Tue. Jan. 09, 2007 12:44 am
Location: Pottsville PA. Schuylkill County PA. The Hart Of Anthracite Coal Country.
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1986 Electric Furnace Man 520 DF

Post by coal berner » Thu. Oct. 02, 2008 8:22 pm

Good to hear you figured it out Dave Don't worry about Matt laughing at you to hard I know of a few things that Matt did that would make you :lol: at him :P So don't worry be :D

 
Matthaus
Member
Posts: 1923
Joined: Mon. Oct. 02, 2006 8:59 am
Location: Berwick, PA and Ormand Beach FL

Post by Matthaus » Thu. Oct. 02, 2008 8:25 pm

Yeah, I resemble that remark!! :P Jay, you wouldn't be talking about any of our escapades would you. :lol: :lol:

Dave I'm so glad you had this learning experience so when I start mine up I can avoid a few things. ;) Post a pic when you get a chance, we need to keep the album full of those beauties.

 
User avatar
mozz
Member
Posts: 1351
Joined: Mon. Sep. 17, 2007 5:27 pm
Location: Wayne county PA.
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 1982 AA-130 Steam

Post by mozz » Thu. Oct. 02, 2008 8:38 pm

Mine has been going about 2-3 weeks and I have been burning about 25lbs of coal a day. Too much I think. That just the timer working. Its set up for steam so aquastat is 190-230 so maybe its coming on when I 'm not here? :? I get lots of fine ash in the middle of the pan but also get unburnt coal in the pan. Last time I turned the timer down it went out almost, have to be made in smaller adjustments? The adjustment on the arm for ashing? You mean move it to the left or right a little with the oblong holes? I think I had it to the left and the cam was barely hitting the bearing, so I moved it to the right so it got more travel. Maybe thats wrong?

 
User avatar
LsFarm
Member
Posts: 7383
Joined: Sun. Nov. 20, 2005 8:02 pm
Location: Michigan
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Self-built 'Big Bertha' SS Boiler
Baseburners & Antiques: Keystone 11, Art Garland

Post by LsFarm » Thu. Oct. 02, 2008 8:42 pm

You adjust the ashing with the stop on the lever, like you describe,, but you use the number of 'clicks' that the push-arm retracts over and then pushes as the measurement to go by.. I use 4 clicks.. 3 clicks is normally a good starting spot. The other adjustment is the ashing temperature normally 140* is a good setting.

Greg L

 
User avatar
Freddy
Member
Posts: 7293
Joined: Fri. Apr. 11, 2008 2:54 pm
Location: Orrington, Maine
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 130 (pea)
Coal Size/Type: Pea size, Superior, deep mined

Post by Freddy » Thu. Oct. 02, 2008 9:03 pm

Flyer, congrats on getting it up and working. Yippee!

Mozz, 25 lbs a day does seem like a lot, unless you're making lot's of hot water. TheAnthrastat, the ash-stat, what temperature is that set at? The manual says to not turn the black knob, to make sure and use an allen wrench and that the winter setting is 140 degree setting. During the summer 130 or lower, never lower than 120. Maybe it's set a bit hot and ashing sooner than it should, making it dump some live coal?

Here's a pic of what Greg is talking about. The arrow points to the slide adjuster that will make the ratchet grab more or less clicks. Move it to the right for more shake, to the left for less shake.

I just went & measured mine. It's never been moved from the factory and it says it's set for winter operation. With the arm down, it mearures 3 13/16" between adjuster and the bracket to the right. The 'stat is set at 140*.

Attachments

AA Arm.jpg
.JPG | 203.2KB | AA Arm.jpg
AA arm4.jpg

EDITED TO CORRECT MEASUREMENT

.JPG | 43.8KB | AA arm4.jpg
Last edited by Freddy on Thu. Oct. 02, 2008 9:40 pm, edited 4 times in total.

 
User avatar
mozz
Member
Posts: 1351
Joined: Mon. Sep. 17, 2007 5:27 pm
Location: Wayne county PA.
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 1982 AA-130 Steam

Post by mozz » Thu. Oct. 02, 2008 9:15 pm

I must be having a senior moment. :what: I forgot about that adjustment. I was talking about under the electrical box, there are 2 bolts, you can move the entire assembly left and right. Now will have to go see what I did. My anthrastat was just sent back for calibration a while ago and I think it's set on 140, no live coals in the pan as far as I know. I have a spare brand new anthrastat but was never needed. Wall thermostat says I will need heat soon, probably tonight, only got into the 50's today. Sorry to hijack the thread, still getting the bugs out. :nice:


 
User avatar
LsFarm
Member
Posts: 7383
Joined: Sun. Nov. 20, 2005 8:02 pm
Location: Michigan
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Self-built 'Big Bertha' SS Boiler
Baseburners & Antiques: Keystone 11, Art Garland

Post by LsFarm » Thu. Oct. 02, 2008 9:21 pm

Freddy, check your measuring stick,, is that the one you hand your fishing buddy when he measures HIS FISH? :lol: :lol:

That distance has to be at least 4-6", on my AA I think it is more like 7-8"..

Greg L

 
User avatar
Freddy
Member
Posts: 7293
Joined: Fri. Apr. 11, 2008 2:54 pm
Location: Orrington, Maine
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 130 (pea)
Coal Size/Type: Pea size, Superior, deep mined

Post by Freddy » Thu. Oct. 02, 2008 9:36 pm

Sumthin's fishy alright! Maybe they changed things over the years?

We have fish in Maine that won't fit the frying pan! .... No meauring the pans ;)

Attachments

AA Arm3.JPG
.JPG | 147KB | AA Arm3.JPG

 
Matthaus
Member
Posts: 1923
Joined: Mon. Oct. 02, 2006 8:59 am
Location: Berwick, PA and Ormand Beach FL

Post by Matthaus » Thu. Oct. 02, 2008 9:41 pm

Just remember as Greg said the dimension is meaningless, the boilers I sell go out with 3 to 4 notches on the wheel per revolution of the auger. Also as stated the alignment of the bracket back and forth is important, the bearing on the mechinsm arm should contact the cam on the auger squarely so it doesn't wear grooves in the cam from the edge of the bearing digging in. :)

 
User avatar
mozz
Member
Posts: 1351
Joined: Mon. Sep. 17, 2007 5:27 pm
Location: Wayne county PA.
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 1982 AA-130 Steam

Post by mozz » Thu. Oct. 02, 2008 9:49 pm

Got it got it. I'm at 3 clicks now was 4 or more. I have the bearing centered on the cam. Will let it run a few days like this and see. I was down the cellar and saying where is he getting 13/16" from? I'm at 5 1/4". Lesson is, too many clicks, you will be pushing unburnt coal into the ash pan. Not enough clicks, will lose BTU capacity or fire will go out?

 
mikeandgerry
Member
Posts: 1894
Joined: Sat. Jul. 29, 2006 8:19 pm
Location: North Norwich, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman-Anderson Anthratube 130-M

Post by mikeandgerry » Fri. Oct. 03, 2008 3:33 am

The number of clicks (actually referred to as "teeth taken" in the manual) merely determines how fast the fire builds in the fire pot. Recall that on the AA M-130 the firepot is an 11" diameter open tube filled with coal from the top, burned in the middle and ashed on the bottom. The tube is open on the bottom and the ash is the base of the column. The grate on the bottom reciprocates (called "shake" in the manual), clears the fine ash from the burning coal, and pushes the ash and semi-burnt coal into an ash bin and thus allows coal to feed from the top by gravity. Shake cannot occur without the addition of new coal, whether it's needed or not. Small amounts of coal can and will be fed by gravity as a result of fuel consumption with or without a call for shake.

The fire's "thickness" or depth in the pot (which is not observable) is controlled by the temperature setting on the anthrastat. A lower ash temperature setting (120degF) stops the action of the reciprocating grate sooner resulting in a "thinner" fire yielding less average BTU output for summer operation while a higher ash temperature setting (140degF) yields a "thicker" average fire with a greater average BTU output for winter operation.

The shake adjuster (a small L shaped slide on the grate lever) can be moved left or right to adjust the rate at which the reciprocating grate is cycled (what you guys are referring to as ashing). Moving this adjustor left or right from one tooth (far left) to three teeth (far right) only changes the speed at which the fire shakes the coal and builds the fire. Only the heaviest loads require three teeth. The anthrastat, along with the load on the boiler, controls the rate of burn and the amount of ash generation. Under low loads, the unit will eject considerable semi-burnt coal because the fire will die down very low and have to be rebuilt via stoking and the addition of coal as a result of a call for shake by the anthrastat at an ash temp lower than 120. In that process, semi-burnt coal will be moved to the ash pan. Under high load conditions, the fire will be often times be stoked and combusted more thoroughly without a call for shake resulting in a more efficient use of coal, burning it more completely because the thicker/hotter fire will stop calls for shake and thus stops the addition of new coal that is not needed.

 
User avatar
Freddy
Member
Posts: 7293
Joined: Fri. Apr. 11, 2008 2:54 pm
Location: Orrington, Maine
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 130 (pea)
Coal Size/Type: Pea size, Superior, deep mined

Post by Freddy » Fri. Oct. 03, 2008 5:25 am

Good description, thank you Mike.

My measurement is for the 130. I'm sure the 260 is different. At this point I do not know how many teeth it grabs as it's not on line. I can see now that a little change in measure will make no difference. Ya can't have 2 1/2 teeth!

 
User avatar
cArNaGe
Member
Posts: 1102
Joined: Wed. Dec. 12, 2007 11:34 pm
Location: Montrose, PA

Post by cArNaGe » Fri. Oct. 03, 2008 7:37 am

Flyer5 wrote:The coal I received seems to burn completely to ash . Will keep posted . Dave
Thats the stuff from Beaumont? I hope to get some next week.

 
User avatar
pret
Member
Posts: 260
Joined: Fri. Apr. 27, 2007 11:47 am
Location: Schaefferstown, PA (23 miles North of Lancaster)

Post by pret » Fri. Oct. 03, 2008 2:20 pm

mikeandgerry wrote:Only the heaviest loads require three teeth.
Am I to understand that for summertime use, 3 teeth is too much ashing? The heat load on my house is less than half the max BTU output of my AA-130. Two questions: should I adjust the ashing to less or more teeth for summer time use (heating DHW)? Should I adjust the ashing to less or more teeth during the winter? I live in Central Pa, so the winters are not hard like up North.

Also, the ashing temp sensor I have does not have temperature settings, but numbers 1 - maybe 7 or 8... I have it set at 3.5?? I will get the manufacturer of the sensor and report with I get home tonight...

Thanks... Pret


Post Reply

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