Keystoker "Stoker" Maintenance
- oliver power
- Member
- Posts: 2970
- Joined: Sun. Apr. 16, 2006 9:28 am
- Location: Near Dansville, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: KEYSTOKER Kaa-2
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93 & 30-95, Vigilant (pre-2310), D.S. 1600 Circulator, Hitzer 254
Hello fellow Members........It's that time of year again. Question for the Keystoker people. Do you pull the stoker unit completely out of the stove/boiler? Or, do you leave it in place, and work through the little side door? I'd like to clean below the grates, and make sure the little holes are open. I haven't done this before. Any tips? Thanks, Oliver
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- Member
- Posts: 601
- Joined: Wed. Apr. 09, 2008 7:05 am
- Location: Geauga County, NE Ohio
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker
- Coal Size/Type: rice
The first year I had my Koker I simply vacuumed what I could up through the holes in the plates. It burned fine the following season.
The second year I pulled the plates off, cleaned everything out and recemented them. There was quite a buildup of fines in there and I got it really clean but it's too much work that way.
Now I remove the combustion fan/motor assembly from the back and vacuum everything out through the hole. Doing it this way also gives me a good chance to oil the combustion fan motor. (The oil holes are on the bottom of the motor).
-Len
The second year I pulled the plates off, cleaned everything out and recemented them. There was quite a buildup of fines in there and I got it really clean but it's too much work that way.
Now I remove the combustion fan/motor assembly from the back and vacuum everything out through the hole. Doing it this way also gives me a good chance to oil the combustion fan motor. (The oil holes are on the bottom of the motor).
-Len
- Machinist
- Member
- Posts: 137
- Joined: Sat. May. 17, 2008 5:48 pm
- Location: Telford, PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-2
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
- Other Heating: None
I leave the stoker in.
After hopper is empty and fire is out, I scrape the walls and top of fire box.
Remove coal and ash from stoker.
Use a nail to poke grate holes open by hand. The holes closest to the fire observing door are a bit difficult. Cant see them.
Remove blower, remove gearbox/motor assembly with cam. Remove pusher block.
Remove damper, and end caps for flue pipes.
Vacuum firebox area, pusher block area and flues.
I use a piece of 3/4 copper tube held by hand to vacuum under grates thru blower opening.
Wipe cam off, and lubricate with silicon grease.
Add a few drops of oil to the lube holes on the blower motor.
Put it all back together and fire it up. Check and adjust draft settings.
Check water pressure.
Adjust coal feed if needed.
That's what I remember from my last big clean out probably about a year ago.
I think it took me about 2 hours.
After hopper is empty and fire is out, I scrape the walls and top of fire box.
Remove coal and ash from stoker.
Use a nail to poke grate holes open by hand. The holes closest to the fire observing door are a bit difficult. Cant see them.
Remove blower, remove gearbox/motor assembly with cam. Remove pusher block.
Remove damper, and end caps for flue pipes.
Vacuum firebox area, pusher block area and flues.
I use a piece of 3/4 copper tube held by hand to vacuum under grates thru blower opening.
Wipe cam off, and lubricate with silicon grease.
Add a few drops of oil to the lube holes on the blower motor.
Put it all back together and fire it up. Check and adjust draft settings.
Check water pressure.
Adjust coal feed if needed.
That's what I remember from my last big clean out probably about a year ago.
I think it took me about 2 hours.
- oliver power
- Member
- Posts: 2970
- Joined: Sun. Apr. 16, 2006 9:28 am
- Location: Near Dansville, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: KEYSTOKER Kaa-2
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93 & 30-95, Vigilant (pre-2310), D.S. 1600 Circulator, Hitzer 254
Go through the combustion fan openning; I like that. Sounds much better than pulling the whole stoker unit. Thanks, Oliver
- oliver power
- Member
- Posts: 2970
- Joined: Sun. Apr. 16, 2006 9:28 am
- Location: Near Dansville, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: KEYSTOKER Kaa-2
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93 & 30-95, Vigilant (pre-2310), D.S. 1600 Circulator, Hitzer 254
Hi All, I just finished up doing the maintainence on my Kaa-2. I did it the way the replies to this post mentioned, and did not have to pull the hopper / stoker unit. It worked! Now, that being said, next time I'll pull the hopper, and stoker unit. I did more crawling around, kneeling, laying on my back, working in shadows, struggleing trying to reach around, and see what I was doing, useing a flash light, cramping up, etc.. But, I got'er done. For the 4 extra nuts, I could have had the entire stoker out, and on a lighted bench, working comfortably. Don't get me wrong. I do appreciate the the replies. For doing a quick vaccume below the grates, it works out nice. Anything other than a quick vaccume, I recommend pulling the whole stoker unit. Thanks all, Oliver
- CoalisCoolxWarm
- Member
- Posts: 2323
- Joined: Wed. Jan. 19, 2011 11:41 am
- Location: Western PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: old Sears rebuilt, bituminous- offline as of winter 2014
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Buckwheat
- Other Heating: Oil Boiler
Bumping this post due to relevance
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- New Member
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Sat. Nov. 10, 2018 12:26 pm
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker A-120
Would this be similar procedure for a Keystoker A-120?
I'm having trouble finding out how to get below the burn grate.. appears theres one bolt that holds it.. but then bolts on the side as well.. Not entirely sure how it works so didn't want to go breaking anything...
I poked a piece of wire thru most of the holes.. some are clogged/sealed very tight.. i used compreessed air to blow them out a bit more..
How do I get UNDER the grate to make sure its all clear ? Can using the combustion motor door be useful? I took off the convection and saw nothing..
I'm having trouble finding out how to get below the burn grate.. appears theres one bolt that holds it.. but then bolts on the side as well.. Not entirely sure how it works so didn't want to go breaking anything...
I poked a piece of wire thru most of the holes.. some are clogged/sealed very tight.. i used compreessed air to blow them out a bit more..
How do I get UNDER the grate to make sure its all clear ? Can using the combustion motor door be useful? I took off the convection and saw nothing..
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1696
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
DBCoop wrote: ↑Sat. Nov. 10, 2018 12:30 pmWould this be similar procedure for a Keystoker A-120?
I'm having trouble finding out how to get below the burn grate.. appears theres one bolt that holds it.. but then bolts on the side as well.. Not entirely sure how it works so didn't want to go breaking anything...
I poked a piece of wire thru most of the holes.. some are clogged/sealed very tight.. i used compreessed air to blow them out a bit more..
How do I get UNDER the grate to make sure its all clear ? Can using the combustion motor door be useful? I took off the convection and saw nothing..
On my flat grate stoker, you remove the combustion fan and go in with a vacuum...
- CoalisCoolxWarm
- Member
- Posts: 2323
- Joined: Wed. Jan. 19, 2011 11:41 am
- Location: Western PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: old Sears rebuilt, bituminous- offline as of winter 2014
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Buckwheat
- Other Heating: Oil Boiler
If it is the same as my KA6, I can remove the small secondary (continuous) fan from the end of the stoker (far right in the pic) and use a piece of pipe with an elbow on the end and held over the end of the vacuum.
The elbow allows me to rotate the pipe and reach around in the space under the grates, including down over the lip that is about half way in.
The elbow allows me to rotate the pipe and reach around in the space under the grates, including down over the lip that is about half way in.
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- New Member
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Sat. Nov. 10, 2018 12:26 pm
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker A-120
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBU6L9F8Qn0 heres a small video of my dilemma..
and a picture of what it basically looks like..
and a picture of what it basically looks like..
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1696
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
The small motor next to the stoker on the left side of your picture is the combustion motor. Comes off with a single screw and leaves a big hole for you to clean under the grates. I turn off the power, remove wires from motor , then remove it. Vacuum, put it back...
You should also use a 1/8 punch or drill bit by hand to clean all those holes in the grates.
You should also use a 1/8 punch or drill bit by hand to clean all those holes in the grates.
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1696
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
My motor is not a sealed ball bearing motor so I also oil the motor at this time... 2 drops in each oil hole.
Attachments
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- New Member
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Sat. Nov. 10, 2018 12:26 pm
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker A-120
Perhaps I'll have to look a bit closer.. looks like my motor is held onto a plate by 3 bolts.. I tried to take off the "main plate" which is bolted to the furnace by two bolts.. and some smaller side ones.. and it was taking out the entire burn grate assembly.. but it would'n't come loose so I abandoned that plan for now.. I vacuumed it all out.. poked all the holes out minus two which look like they are almost welded shut.. need drilled for sure.. and then sealed up best I knew how.. Hopefully everything works out ok even though the grate is cracked a little bit. really need this to work.. first time firing it up.. am learning every step of the way.. from install.. to sealing.. to lighting the actual fire..
Some of the holes appear to be blocked in the picture, but most of them are not.. just the angle and the overall color.. i had to poke em 10 times to make sure hah
Some of the holes appear to be blocked in the picture, but most of them are not.. just the angle and the overall color.. i had to poke em 10 times to make sure hah
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7486
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
The bolt in the bottom of the grate in your video is the only thing you need to remove to pull the gate out. Then you can vacuum the fines and ash out of the air chamber.
You need to clear all the holes in the grate for maximum output. By the way, your grate is cracked and will need to be replace soon.
-Don
You need to clear all the holes in the grate for maximum output. By the way, your grate is cracked and will need to be replace soon.
-Don