Prill BF 200

He guys - hoping someone can help.

On another thread I mentioned my struggles with AHS S130 burning Sub-Bit here in Montana. So I've been tracking down options to replace that and found this Prill 200 BF for sale in Sheridan WY. When I talked to the gal, she said that it was a "furnace" - aka Hot air. But I am confused because "Charlie" - also in Wyoming (hasn't posted here in several years) listed his "Stoker Coal Boiler" as a Prill 200 BF - any one familiar enough with these to say for sure? I'm probably going to trek down there this weekend either way, as there's another one also listed on FB for sale that is verifiably a boiler.

I'm hopeful that the 200 BF is a boiler, but was set up with water / air exchanger - an A-coil maybe...she's not able to provide any more pictures as they moved it out of the house and to an out of town storage unit.

Thanks for any insight!
Pat

There are very few sub bit burners that post here. A few in Canada, Alaska, just a few in the lower 48 have. Maybe someone will know the answers but if they dont,, dont get disappointed. With manuals if you can find one you may still get some help here.

There is someone building and selling boilers in Central ND to burn lignite. Unsure if they work for sub bit but thought I'd add it to your list. Forum member Casinoboy from SD has burned some in his Hitzer I think.

Hard to tell from the pic, but it looks like there is a galvanized plenum above it. I don't see any gauges or pipes so It is probably a hot air furnace.

I admit I don't know a whole lot about the Prill. But I have never seen of heard of them making a boiler. Over 10 years ago EFM was thinking if making a bit coal stoker boiler. There prototype had a modified Prill stoker in a EFM 520 base. It worked but they never built any more than that one.

-Don

I did some further investigation. Had long conversation with Mike from Pease Feed and Coal in Powell Wy. He explained that the BF 200 - meant "Bin Feed" - which isn't too helpful!

We also discussed the Maerten's boiler out of Center ND - he sells them. Triple pass design. Only issue I have with them is that they're only available "new" - and the smallest model is 300K BTU. Maybe "more is better"....and I'm sure it's bound to be more effecient than a 30 year old Prill.

I have my eye on the one below too. It's a Prill Boiler. Mike thought that the stoker, ring, transmission, etc probably exactly the same on both.

Meant to mention, on that picture of the flue and the box it comes from - apparently that was some custom fab to make it easier to clean tubes.

Im assuming that boiler from ND is the one the man had who I bought lignite from. i didnt look at it as it was pretty cold that day but he loved it, but hadnt had it long.

boiler from ND

Almost certainly: http://maertensmfg.com/index.html

Grumpy T's Coal furnace repair in Moorcroft WY specializes in Prill furnaces if you have more questions.
307-683-2605

PatInMontana wrote: ↑

Tue. Dec. 15, 2020 3:29 pm

I did some further investigation. Had long conversation with Mike from Pease Feed and Coal in Powell Wy. He explained that the BF 200 - meant "Bin Feed" - which isn't too helpful!

We also discussed the Maerten's boiler out of Center ND - he sells them. Triple pass design. Only issue I have with them is that they're only available "new" - and the smallest model is 300K BTU. Maybe "more is better"....and I'm sure it's bound to be more effecient than a 30 year old Prill.

I have my eye on the one below too. It's a Prill Boiler. Mike thought that the stoker, ring, transmission, etc probably exactly the same on both.

Don't be afraid of the 300k btu that is going to be the max rating most likely with high btu coal. The stickers I have seen have step pulleys on the gearbox so you can change the feed rate but, I don't know about prill. Since its a boiler think of it like a water heater, the higher the power the less it runs.