Keystoker Kb-8 Install Questions
- Rob R.
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- Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
- Location: Chazy, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
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When considering a coal boiler, we all try to calculate how much coal we will need based on past fuel consumption...but we often don't account for heating extra space around the boiler, taking longer showers, or keeping the house warmer. In this case, the effective heating load is probably double for the coal unit due to the garage and heat loss from the piping. Even if the Modine in the garage isn't being used, there is still a fair amount of heat coming off the boiler. Keystokers usually don't come with any insulation on the top of the boiler...I would insulate the top and any exposed piping.
A KB-8 is a serious boiler; nearly 75 gallons of water in the pressure vessel. I would reduce the timer to 3 or 4 pins every 15 minutes, and set it up to circulate on demand. If your piping is a couple feet below the surface, it should be fine. Remember, the colder it is outside the more the boiler will be running/circulating.
Do you have any pictures of the boiler and piping?
A KB-8 is a serious boiler; nearly 75 gallons of water in the pressure vessel. I would reduce the timer to 3 or 4 pins every 15 minutes, and set it up to circulate on demand. If your piping is a couple feet below the surface, it should be fine. Remember, the colder it is outside the more the boiler will be running/circulating.
Do you have any pictures of the boiler and piping?
- Carbon12
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- Joined: Tue. Oct. 11, 2011 6:53 pm
- Location: Harrisburg, PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
- Coal Size/Type: Rice/Anthracite
- Other Heating: Heat Pump/Forced Hot Air Oil Furnace
Antifreeze, insulate ALL the exposed piping and wire the circulator for demand. Cheap and easy to do and might help quite a bit. Start with the simple stuff first. You should have at least a 20 degree difference between the high and low aqua stat temps. Mine is currently set at 180 Hi, 160 Low with a differential of 10. I'll bump the temps up over the winter if I need to.
- Carbon12
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
- Coal Size/Type: Rice/Anthracite
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Is the pictured circulator for the garage heater? If so, where is the circulator for the hot air coil?
Where's the by-pass? Where is the 6006 for the dump zone? The boiler is not piped to the instructions. The piping looks way small too.
I install alot of Keystokers so I kind of know these things.
There's no sense of having an K-8 with 3/4" piping.
Or are my eyes failing me??
I install alot of Keystokers so I kind of know these things.
There's no sense of having an K-8 with 3/4" piping.
Or are my eyes failing me??
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- New Member
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- Joined: Fri. Nov. 01, 2013 5:24 pm
- Location: sidney center ny
- Stoker Coal Boiler: keystoker kb-8
- Coal Size/Type: rice
the picture iof the circulator is for the modine in the garage and yes it is run with 3/4 pexs the rest is 11/4 black iron then 1 inch going into the house the house circulator is on the return side of the boiler like 2 foot from the bottom port
- McGiever
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- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
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- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
Is the grey pex the oxygen barrier type?
Is there an air scoop or spirovent piped in?
You wouldn't want internal rusting of this installation.
Is there an air scoop or spirovent piped in?
You wouldn't want internal rusting of this installation.
- Carbon12
- Member
- Posts: 2226
- Joined: Tue. Oct. 11, 2011 6:53 pm
- Location: Harrisburg, PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
- Coal Size/Type: Rice/Anthracite
- Other Heating: Heat Pump/Forced Hot Air Oil Furnace
Circulator for the house zone should be above tie in for bypass loop to help mix cooler return water with hot supply water to avoid thermal shock to the boiler. It allows for mixing of return water with supply water.
- McGiever
- Member
- Posts: 10130
- Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
Even running on demand...when freeze danger is high, boiler is circulating the most anyway .
Is anti-freeze really needed?
Unnessesay anti-freeze only hurts a boiler system's heating performance.
Is anti-freeze really needed?
Unnessesay anti-freeze only hurts a boiler system's heating performance.
- Wiz
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- Coal Size/Type: Casey Junk Coal :(
FYI.... my setup... Boiler in shop with approx 45 ft of underground thermo pex. No antifreeze in system and circulator is on demand only,haven't had issue with pipes freezing. As mention you need by pass loop it's a must have per Keystoker. Have you check the draft with a manometer? 3 ton of coal is not going to cut it. I burn 365 days 24-7 besides shutting down for cleaning, 10 tons later. I'm looking to get coal consumption below 8 ton do to added insulation on piping and the knowledge learn from last yr. Insulate top of boiler like Rob mention.
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- New Member
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- Joined: Fri. Nov. 01, 2013 5:24 pm
- Location: sidney center ny
- Stoker Coal Boiler: keystoker kb-8
- Coal Size/Type: rice
the reason I want to use antifreeze is I'm not sure water lines are below frost level. boy this sucks! never easy! is there a easy way to wire this thing so both my house and garage heat on demand.