Still Burning..Since October 1st... Thanks to Low Idleing..

Still burning in my KA-6 Keystoker, fire going since Nov. 1st, 2016. Had 3 shutdowns, all from power outages during that time. Stopped burning last year on 3/30/16, but will continue to burn this year until ??. Unit has run on idle beautifully, may go into June or later, time will tell!

I averaged about 25# s of day in the last few weeks of burning with the hitzer.. I'm not sure you can do much better with a stoker...

I burn year around, but this morning I turned off the circulating pump and closed the incoming and outgoing lines to the KA6. I turn off the low temp setting and last year just ran off two pins every 15 minutes. Tonight I went down stairs and I'm at 215f. So I took a shower and washer towels. Got to see if I can cool that down.

25 lbs is real good N. Comes from learnin your stove! Kudo's my friend.

ncountry wrote:I averaged about 25# s of day in the last few weeks of burning with the hitzer.. I'm not sure you can do much better with a stoker...

freetown fred wrote:25 lbs is real good N. Comes from learnin your stove! Kudo's my friend.

ncountry wrote:I averaged about 25# s of day in the last few weeks of burning with the hitzer.. I'm not sure you can do much better with a stoker...

I usually get 4 days out of about 70 lbs with my Super Mag here.. now ..unless some Canadian air sneaks over the border 50 miles away.. ... don't miss flirting and fussing on the edge with hand fired... Anthracite needs 3 to 4 in base in a hand fired to burn proper.. below that is no mans land..

freetown fred wrote:25 lbs is real good N. Comes from learnin your stove! Kudo's my friend.

ncountry wrote:I averaged about 25# s of day in the last few weeks of burning with the hitzer.. I'm not sure you can do much better with a stoker...

I usually get 4 days out of about 70 lbs with my Super Mag here.. now ..unless some Canadian air sneaks over the border 50 miles away.. ... don't miss flirting and fussing on the edge with hand fired... Anthracite needs 3 to 4 in base in a hand fired to burn proper.. below that is no mans land..

how much do you need to be concerned with Cmox running these stokers low and slow when its 45 to 50f outside
assuming nothing is terribly broken or mis-installed
got plenty of draft enough to kick the baro open stove doesn't seem to mind running low and slow

As long as you have good draft, there is no issue.

I have good draft.... for sure.. never an issue in 12 yrs.. got the most sensitive detector in the room.. I have to open and shut the ash pan door super fast while dragging out the pan or it will go off ... and the alarms go thru the whole house...

Just got 3 1/2 days with 70 lbs... with temps in the 30's nights (got snow here last night) 40's during the days maybe some 50 degrees last 4 days. Doggie dog extra large always open...in kitchen. It keeps the house 71 deg in my living room and kitchen areas... 24/7.. I never turn the stove down during the night or when we go away for a couple of days... leave it set and let it go..do it's job.
2000 sq ft Cape..

My dad has also been running his EFM since the first week of October...said he has to empty the ashes once per week. Keeps the house cozy from the bottom up and all the hot water he can handle.

You can add me to the still burning the magic black rocks brigade.

I have been burning a bag a day and I will have to purchase 6 more bags today
as I have three left.

I made sure the flue baffle box was not blocked with fly ash and scooped out
all the flay ash buildup on the floor of the ash pit that did not fall into the ash basket
dumping it in the ash basket.

I dumped the old fly ash from the tee clean outs in my flue pipe the other day and
I used my hand held camera to inspect the thimble rather than remove
the flue piping and its still wide open with no blockages of fly ash.

I will have to remove the field controls barometric damper and clean it by washing it
in some Dawn Dish Soap when we are done heating for the season.

I have to recalibrate the Dwyer Mark II manometer as it is still stuck at zero.
I should probably pull the probe and wash it out with warm water to be sure it is
clear of fly ash before I do that.

I am still hoping that the ground will dry out soon too as the alligators are getting
really annoying since they are throwing beer cans at the dogs or the side of the house.
I will probably have to bring the all the guard sheep over from Freetown Freds house to
keep the alligators from becoming more of a nuisance than they are already.

I'll be shutting it down probably for good tomorrow.. unless we get some damp cool weather for a few days again... as most of you know it's going to get very warm here in New England.. We had snow here Sunday morning... 1 1/2 ft on top of Mt. Washinton.

Stove has still been going here. 50-60's last week. Got even colder last night. Woke up to 48F this morning. And it's back down into the 40's again this evening.

I was really glad it was still going Friday when I saw the apple pie that Melissa had baked. Only to be informed not to touch it,... it was for the Church bake sale Saturday.

Paul

Don't you just hate it when the rat traps are laid all around the baked goods table to keep our paws off the goods that are ment for the bake sales and you find one in the dark???? Not quite as much fun as laying down bubble wrap to catch a curfew breaker though.

We are supposed to see 85 degrees on Thursday. I am looking forward to using that minisplit air conditioner.

Dad is still burning. He has been washing equipment with hot water, so the efm has been pretty busy the last few days.