Starting A Coal Fire - Harman Trident SF160 Installation & Operating Manual

Starting a Coal Fire

Make sure the boiler and all piping is full of water and that
all air has been purged from the system.
Never start a fire without water in the system. An
explosion will occur.
Turn on electrical power to the boiler. This should cause the
automatic draft control to open.
Open the ash pan door to allow free air movement. Use the
same procedure as starting a wood fire except, do not load
the larger diameter wood Use wood about 2 in. diameter
maximum. This size will form a very hot charcoal bed in less
time. again, the ash pan door may be opened periodically to
speed the ignition process.
DO NOT LEAVE THE BOILER UNATTENDED WITH
ANY DOOR OPEN.
When you have accumulated a substantial charcoal bed,
start adding a thin layer of coal. Pea or nut sized coal is
better for starting than stove coal.
When the first layer is burning with some blue flame,
continue to add thin layers of coal until there is a solid bed of
burning coal. let each layer burn a blue flame before adding
another layer. additional coal can be layered in until the bed
is approximately 10 inches deep. By now, you should have
the ash pan door closed, and the automatic draft control will
continue to regulate the fire.
The idle air adjuster may need to be set for slightly less
air for coal than wood. Here again, experience will dictate
the best setting. The maximum air bolt can be turned all
the way "counter-clockwise" to allow for a quicker recovery.
never adjust this bolt with the flapper open.
The two manual draft controls, on the firebox door, are used
to allow secondary air to pass over the fire when burning
coal. This helps to burn the gasses that are emitted from
the coal as it is heated. Your setting for these draft controls
should be between 1/2 and 1 complete turn from closed.
adjust both controls equally.
11
Operation
Loading
Coal should never be added unless there is a reasonably
hot fire. The coal bed should be bright and vigorous. If you
have an active coal bed, full loads can be added at any
time. If not, add new coal in layers, as described in starting
a coal fire.
Shaking the Grates
shaking should be done only when there is a well-established
fire. The frequency of shaking will depend on the degree of
burning. Twice a day shaking is recommended. The best
results are achieved with short, choppy strokes as opposed
to long, even strokes. full rocking of the grates may allow
burning coal to fall into the ash pan. The amount of shaking
is critical, too much can disrupt the fire bed, and too little will
restrict air-flow. The proper amount of shaking is normally
achieved when hot red coals first start to drop through the
grates into the ash pan.
Every effort should be made to not let a coal fire burn down
too low. This will cause the reloading process to be much
longer, with a real good chance of losing the fire altogether.
Do not shake or stir with a low fire. Open the ash pan door
to get maximum air flowing into the firebox. Once burning
is restored, close the ash pan door and add a layer of coal
to the fire bed. follow the instructions under starting a Coal
fire. When the new coal is thoroughly ignited, and there
is a substantial bed of hot coals, the grates may then be
shaken.
Ashes and Ash Removal
ashes should never be allowed to accumulate above the
top of the ash pan. ashes in contact with the bottom of the
grates act as insulation, which intensifies the heat on the
grates and causes them to sag or warp. also, too much
ash accumulation will restrict air-flow which will make fire
maintenance more difficult. Place ashes in a sealed metal
container, outside, until they are cooled enough for final
disposal. Coal produces considerably more ash than wood,
so the intervals between emptying are much shorter.
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