Harman SF160 manual Starting a Coal Fire, Loading, Shaking the Grates, Ashes and Ash Removal

Operation

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.

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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