Coal backboilers...

[Ja1983]

i`ve just spent a good few hours mucking out our fire, its a Parkray 30, i swept the chimney and de-cacked the boiler (tar deposits left it solid) is there an easy way of clening them out (other than training the ferret..) ??

also i`m confused as to operating instructions.... the damper on top of the boiler (that closes the gap from the through flow) should this be open or closed on a night?

idiots guide to open fires and back boilers would be appreciated!

thanks in advance 

[Disco Matt]

Well, I've no experience of back boilers in particular but all coal fired things are probably much the same! Yes, the damper should be closed at night - it damps the fire down by restricting the draw, thereby keeping the fire smouldering rather than roaring.

[Ja1983]

ah.... will give it a try, i thought leaving it open would allow warm air to pass through the watsit thus keeping the radiators warm through the night.

i suppose it will create a void for warm air to gather in too...

[Disco Matt]

The damper is to do with the amount of air being drawn through the fire - if you close it less air can get through, so the fire doesn't burn as hot and doesn't use as much fuel. Come the following morning you just open it up, leave it a bit to get going and then throw more coal on - much easier than trying to light a fire from scratch!

[Ja1983]

true, the coals usually still smouldering anyway, so i just chuck some wood on and go to work.... then when SWMBO gets up around dinnertime, its still just going.... :lol: