Fire grates?

[Sunnyacres]

What is everyone using for their grates. I always use 2”x1/4”angle iron with the Opening of the V facing up filled with sand and they melt. This year i tried 1.25” solid round bar and after three weeks of firing they are toast. . I would love to get more than a season out of the grates. Any suggestions?

[Sugarmaker]

I am using custom built grates from Creekside Welding, Girard PA. Probably would be a little heavy to ship? But I love them. No warpage after several seasons!
Regards,
Chris

[mol1jb]

What is everyone using for their grates. I always use 2”x1/4”angle iron with the Opening of the V facing up filled with sand and they melt. This year i tried 1.25” solid round bar and after three weeks of firing they are toast. . I would love to get more than a season out of the grates. Any suggestions?

I have used your first grate method for 2 years and still looks great. You said your vvvvv grates failed after one year?

[RileySugarbush]

I have 11 years on my angle steel grates. Open side up. Let it fill with ash, no need for sand. Make sure you always have draft air coming up through so there are never coals lingering. I did use heavier angle. 2.5 x 3/8 I think.

[NhShaun]

Have had good luck with my angle iron grates like so V. 3 seasons so far with a 12v blower and they haven't even warped a bit.

[maple flats]

I can't help here, I still have the factory cast grates from 2001. For about 4 seasons, 1 by the original owner, then 4 years no use, then 3 by me, they were run with just AUF. Since then they have been run with high pressure AUF and AOF (air under fire and air over fire, both on high pressure). My grates are filled with ash and always have been. I run the HP air until the coals are burned up when I shut down.
My thoughts are that the sand you filled then with might have caused the problem, many have used 1/4" thick V up 2x2 angle iron successfully for years with ash filling them. Ash will insulate far better than sand. If in doubt use 2.5 x 2.5" angle at least 1/4" thick and fill that with ash, not sand. The round bar gave you no way to protect it. Also, have about 1/4" min.-3/8"max. space between the VVVV with just a weld between them about every 8-10" to maintain the space, or do like the cast ones, and make up units of 2 or 3, welded with the spaces and then set them in the arch so they together fill the space.

[Big_Eddy]

I use 1 1/2" x 1/4" angle, V opening up, and I typically replace them every season. Was ~$40 for a 20' stick of angle last month and I made 2x grates from that. I consider it a cost of being in the game.

I have about 4" under the grates and with a good fire going they are glowing red. Natural draft and I try not to let the ash / coals build up under them. Maybe if I had more space under the grates they would stay cooler. I don't worry about it and replace it when it sags beyond use.

[NhShaun]

I have about 4" under the grates and with a good fire going they are glowing red. Natural draft and I try not to let the ash / coals build up under them. Maybe if I had more space under the grates they would stay cooler

What do you have underneath your grates in your ash area? Is it just steel or bricks?

[Big_Eddy]

What do you have underneath your grates in your ash area? Is it just steel or bricks?

18" wide evaporator. Fire brick bottom, back and sides. Front opening is 4" x 18" and wide open all the time.

[berkshires]

Mine is dead simple, and has worked perfectly for a few years, not even the slightest sign of warping. I cut up fencepost, (like this):
19907

It has one section of rail on either side, and then the sections of rail are screwed into them. Here's what it looks like looking under it into the ash area:
http://mapletrader.com/maplegallery/data/649/grate_brick_end.jpg

And here's what it looks like from above (this was my arch in progress, the arch doesn't look like this now):
http://mapletrader.com/maplegallery/data/649/wings_cindrblock_grate.jpg

One thing: I didn't leave quite enough space between rails. Some had under a 1/4 inch. I think around 1/4 to 1/2 inch seems to be perfect. I wound up having to take a hack-saw to the edges to increase the space a little, and when I did the boil rate went up.

Works great, and cheap too!

[COMSTOCK MAPLES]

I upgraded too 2" x 3/8" angle 4 years ago and never had an issue yet. Trick is to fill them with fine ashes and let them pack right full. Doesn't matter if I run AUF or natural draft.

[Ghs57]

I've tried several variations on the angle iron solution. They would last one season. It gets extremely hot in the combustion chamber with both the AOF/AUF running, and they would just warp. Maybe I didn't have enough AUF. So last winter I cast a 3" thick grate following the combustion guidelines from UVM IIRC. I actually used ice cream cones (the pointy kind) to make the holes for the AUF. Refractory concrete is expensive, but I figured it was worth a try. It has worked fantastically the past two seasons. So much so that I may try to get a few more years out of my DIY rig before upgrading. I've made a number of concrete countertops, so this was right up my alley. Now I may have to cast a rear wall for the chamber because the split firebrick there has all come loose and fallen out.

[Sunnyacres]

I've tried several variations on the angle iron solution. They would last one season. It gets extremely hot in the combustion chamber with both the AOF/AUF running, and they would just warp. Maybe I didn't have enough AUF. So last winter I cast a 3" thick grate following the combustion guidelines from UVM IIRC. I actually used ice cream cones (the pointy kind) to make the holes for the AUF. Refractory concrete is expensive, but I figured it was worth a try. It has worked fantastically the past two seasons. So much so that I may try to get a few more years out of my DIY rig before upgrading. I've made a number of concrete countertops, so this was right up my alley. Now I may have to cast a rear wall for the chamber because the split firebrick there has all come loose and fallen out.



How thick did you make your casting? Did you reinforce it with rebar. I think I remember seeing that posting and thought that would be a great idea because steel just isn’t working for me.

[Ghs57]

3" thick. Absolutely NO rebar. The expansion would destroy the grate. It was sized to fit down on the ledge between the full brick lining the area below the grates and the split bricks lining the chamber above. It actually is recessed about an inch on that ledge so that didn't stick up too high in the chamber.

[Woody77]

Have had good luck with my angle iron grates like so V. 3 seasons so far with a 12v blower and they haven't even warped a bit.
I used a piece of 8" diameter pipe cut in thirds lengthwise with combustion air holes cut in them. They have ben through two years and still look like new.1991619917

[RC Maple]

I need to find a solution for my grates as well. I will have to replace what I have before next season. My grates are angle iron with a one inch spacing. They are supported by fire brick placed on their side. Over time it seems wherever there is no support for the grate they end up sagging. I don't want to put more bricks underneath because I want that for air space. It seems after they start to sag enough I end up turning them over so I may not be getting the benefit of having the channels full of ash. Is my spacing too wide at one inch?

[parrothead600]

I am using a storm sewer grate for mine. I got it from an Excavation Contractor that redid some of the roads in town. The sewer grates went in their scrap pile.