Alaska Stoker Stove 2 Draft Problems

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Mattw205
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska stoker 2

Post by Mattw205 » Mon. Nov. 13, 2017 9:27 am

i have an alaska stoker 2. the thing burns really well but it has a slight coal smell. i have the dwyer mark 2 manometer hooked up to it. and i get between .02 and .03. rarely .04. and its piped into a stainless chimney that runs up my house. the chimney was installed by previous owner and was used for a hand fed stove which i used for years myself after buying the house and never had a probem. i have co detectors all over and they read 0 but the smell is bothering me because it must not be venting properly. i should be getting atleast .04 draft correct? and since im not, thats the obvious place to start with the smell id assume. i was reading about chimney height and i think the chimney may be too short. suppose to be 2ft taller then any roof line within 10 feet and it seems to be about level with the roof line 10 ft away. so technically it should probably be atleast 2 ft taller. could that make that much of a difference? would i be better off just switching to a power vent to ensure proper draft rather than trying to take apart an old chimney and try to add to it? any advice would be greatly appreciated. im ready to go back to the handfed at this point.
Last edited by Richard S. on Tue. Nov. 14, 2017 7:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

 
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windyhill4.2
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Location: Jonestown,Pa.17038
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1960 EFM520 installed in truck box
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane 404 with variable blower
Coal Size/Type: 404-nut, 520 rice ,anthracite for both

Post by windyhill4.2 » Mon. Nov. 13, 2017 9:34 am

It wouldn't be that much work to just add a section of single wall pipe to see if that improves the draft.If it helps,you could leave the pipe alone until spring & then decide a more permanent solution.

 
Macpack7
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska Hearth Model

Post by Macpack7 » Mon. Nov. 13, 2017 6:01 pm

Yes it could make a big difference. You definitely want to be two feet above the peak. A section of pipe might run you $100, worth the investment.


 
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StokerDon
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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

Post by StokerDon » Mon. Nov. 13, 2017 7:32 pm

If you are getting a "smell" you need to check the over fire draft. It is likely zero or slightly positive. This means the combustion blower is forcing to much air into the fire box for your draft to remove. You can fix this by reducing the combustion air a little. I don't think the Alaska has an air adjustment but you could just put a piece of tape over about a third of the blower inlet. That should help.

-Don

 
Macpack7
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska Hearth Model

Post by Macpack7 » Mon. Nov. 13, 2017 8:48 pm

Don.
How do you check the “over fire draft”?

 
Mattw205
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska stoker 2

Post by Mattw205 » Tue. Nov. 14, 2017 2:09 pm

I’ve only ever checked draft in stove pipe where it exits the stove. Do I need to drill a hole into the actual fire box to check draft over the fire? Where about on the stove would i do that?

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