Smoke coming out of auger in coal bin

[JDG5147]

I have an efm coal stove and I get smoke and fumes out of the auger in my coal bin. I checked the draft and have about.5 in smoke pipe and .4 at inspection door. Why would it be coming out in bun? I’m going to try and attach a short video

[nepacoal]

Have you used any wet or even damp coal this year? Wet coal can cause multiple issues and is never a good idea. There are several possibilities:

1. Excessive fly ash build up in your stovepipes. It's usually heaviest in the pipe right outside the boiler breech.
2. Clogged air holes in your pot auger pipe. These can easily become clogged if using wet, oiled, or even damp coal, especially if you have a load of coal with lots of fines.
Smoke in Coal Bin
3. Fire burning too low in the pot and even burning back into the auger pipe? Is your pot auger pipe ever hot to the touch? Warm is fine, but hot would indicate the fire migrating back into the pipe. This could be caused by a draft issue or a partial blockage in the auger. Does your fire look normal with about a 2" ash ring?

[Rob R.]

I would suspect plugged air holes in the end of the pot auger, or an obstruction that is preventing the coal from feeding correctly.

It is time to shut down and do a thorough inspection and cleaning.

[Lightning]

Please be aware that you could also be venting Carbon Monoxide into the boiler room. Having CO alarms is very important while burning any fossil fuels.

[JDG5147]

Let me start every time my bin gets low I have this problem. I just had the burner apart and installed a new auger and burner pipe. I had all the burner plates out and cleaned everything. The coal in dry and has been. I cleaned the smoke pipes of the fly ash.

[nepacoal]

What are your feed and air settings. The draft readings should only be taken during a relatively long run (with the stoker still running). -.05 sounds okay for the stovepipe, but -.04 would be very high for over fire draft taken through the door. -.02 is ideal but anything between -.01 and -.02 would work. I shoot for -.02 draft over fire on our EFM.

[nepacoal]

Did your new auger pipe have the 7 holes drilled in it? What are your feed and air settings. The draft readings should only be taken during a relatively long run (with the stoker still running). -.05 sounds okay for the stovepipe, but -.04 would be very high for over fire draft taken through the door. -.02 is ideal but anything between -.01 and -.02 would work. I shoot for -.02 draft over fire on our EFM.

[lzaharis]

I have an efm coal stove and I get smoke and fumes out of the auger in my coal bin.
I checked the draft and have about .5 in smoke pipe and .4 at inspection door.
Why would it be coming out in bin? I’m going to try and attach a short video.

=======================================================================================================
The video you uploaded for us is fine.

Are you using a doghouse to protect the end of the auger or is the auger
supported by wooden blocks without a doghouse???

Do you open and close the fines release lever every day?

The auger should be above the floor and supported by a doghouse and wooden block or
concrete half block to prevent grinding of the coal and bringing fines into the Tuyere/air bowl/burn pot.

Checking the flue pipe at the breech for fly ash build up is also a must.

[StokerDon]

I checked the draft and have about.5 in smoke pipe and .4 at inspection door. Why would it be coming out in bun?

Hopefully you mean Minus .05 and Minus .04. With Minus .04 on the fire door its hard to believe your pushing combustion gas down the auger pipe.

Looking at your picture and video I noticed that the coal looks very large. Is it just big Buckwheat?
-Don

[davidmcbeth3]

Is that water vapor ?

[nepacoal]

Hopefully you mean Minus .05 and Minus .04. With Minus .04 on the fire door its hard to believe your pushing combustion gas down the auger pipe.

Looking at your picture and video I noticed that the coal looks very large. Is it just big Buckwheat?
-Don

I think the over fire draft was taken without the stoker running. It's the only thing that makes sense unless his air is set on 1 or lower. That's why my post above mentioned taking the reading after a long run with the stoker running...

[StokerDon]

Is that water vapor ?

No, its combustion gas. No good, and very dangerous if you like breathing.

-Don

[Scottscoaled]

Put a bucket over the end of the auger to make the coal level deeper. Most auger driven boilers will spill rotten egg smell if the coal gets low over the top of the auger. It really is worse if you are using buck.

[JDG5147]

Sorry I meant -.5 and -.4 stove was running for over 5 minutes when draft was taken and was At running temp. The coal is rice and buckwheat mixed.

[Rob R.]

Blocked is different than obstructed at the inlet. You are right that if an auger was plugged solid no gasses would go through, but what usually happens is a big piece of coal ends up at the mouth of the auger and prevents rice or buck from flowing in. The auger ends up mostly empty, and gasses can blow back into the coal.