Coal fire back boiler

[NewhouseOldhouse]

Hi

Anyone ever got a back boiler damper replacement?

Mine has a large hole and needs replaced, it's 10 x 4 inches.

Thanks

 

[KenGMac]

Breeno, good evening.

Can you remove the damaged plate?

if you can why not consider plating over the hole with a similar thickness of similar metal?

Ken

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

Yes I had the plate out and can maybe do that but wonder who would do that??

Also as the fire is always going up the back of boiler what should be happening?? I noticed the rads not heating the same is this because of hole?

 

[ianmcd]

if you can remove the damper take it to a blacksmith, they will repair it or make you a new one, unlikely to affect your rads though

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

if you can remove the damper take it to a blacksmith, they will repair it or make you a new one, unlikely to affect your rads though

OK when it's pulled out then I take it heats the water in the water cylinder then?

 

[KenGMac]

Breeno, good evening again.

Generally what happens is that if the damper is closed, the fire only gets to the "front" of the boiler.

Once the damper is opened, the fire and the hot gasses can get in contact with the base and rear of the back boiler thus increasing the surface area of the back boiler in contact with the flames and hot gasses.

There are several various "versions" of how the damper operates.

Ken.

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

Thanks KenGMac.

So back bolier heats rads and water whether damper is open or closed?

 

[KenGMac]

So back boiler heats rads and water whether damper is open or closed?

Yes will heat both unless there is a valve on the system that can divert the hot water to either

A/. Rads.
B/. Hot water.
C/. Both

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

It's heats both

 

[KenGMac]

OK no valve to control where the hot water is directed.

As for the Rads not heating up so well??

Could be down to cleaning ?

When you clean out the fire, do you remove as much of the ash / debris "under" the back boiler?

Can you in some way access the rear area of the chimney? if you imagine the hot gas is diverted over the base of the back boiler then upwards into an area of the chimney that you cannot see, if this area id blocked up then the full effect of the diverted hot flue gas will not be in "full contact" with the "rear face" of the back boiler?

Hope the above makes some sense??

Ken.

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

Yes Ken going to get it cleaned for all it costs

 

[ianmcd]

OK no valve to control where the hot water is directed

there is no valve, when the heating is required the pump is activated to circulate to the Heating circuit, with no pump the gravity HW is activated only