CoalBurner5 wrote:Okay so set me straight on a few questions.
1.) can someone please explain exactly how to check for draft? (YES PLEASE GIVE ME EVERYTHING, fan on if so for how long.)
2.) i take a reading at the door through the hole and i want it to be .02 is that correct? Yes.
3.) also the second reading i want that to be between my barometric damper and the flue collar on the boiler correct? Yes, about 12" from the flue collar if possible. Look for -0.04 to -0.05"
Generally speaking, the boiler should be at operating temperature and you should let the stoker run (burn) for 20-30 minutes before you use the draft reading to adjust the barometric damper. As a baseline, I would set the baro weight at #5. Note that the weight goes on the left side if the damper is on a horizontal piece of pipe...right side if vertical.
Before you adjust anything I suggest that you make sure the boiler, stoker burn plates, flue pipe, and chimney are clean. It is supposed to be mild weather for the next couple days, so this is a good time to shut down the unit and do a proper cleaning. It is also a good time to check that the feed/air ratio is correct.
5 teeth and 4.5 air is a pretty decent starting point for rice coal. Once the boiler is up to temperature and has been running for a few hours, put a load on it and make the stoker run for 30 minutes...at that point you should have about 1-2" of ash around the fire. If you have slightly more ash, reduce the air to 4.25...if the burning coal is creeping onto the burner ring around the plates, increase the air to 4.75 or so. Repeat the "test burn" and tweak as necessary until you are satisfied that the fire appearance is correct...double check the draft after the fire is tuned.