Coal Stove doesn't seem to be pushing out enough Heat?

 
Riviawolf
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90

Post by Riviawolf » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 3:52 pm

Hey all!

So - I've got a Keystoker 90 series (90,000 BTU) like https://woodstoves.net/keystoker/keystoker-90-105 ... -stove.htm

I believe they're brunging Anthracite coal, as well.

Mine is black, without the trim. But that's besides the point.

I am somewhat new to coal stoves, and I wanted some tips to look out for.

Right now, it's set to 75 and doesn't feel like it's pumping out enough heat. Not only temperature wise, but as far as the airflow coming from the front.

Currently we have this setup below - excuse the mess, cleaning around it right now.

Right here:

This vents to an outside area of the house.

If there are any suggestions/comments that'd be good. I am more so helping out my girlfriends father with his stove.. but heating with stoves isn't my expertise.

Thanks!


 
k-2
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Post by k-2 » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 4:05 pm

Riviawolf wrote:
Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 3:52 pm
Hey all!


I am somewhat new to coal stoves, and I wanted some tips to look out for.
Right now, it's set to 75 and doesn't feel like it's pumping out enough heat. Not only temperature wise, but as far as the airflow coming from the front.
Currently we have this setup below - excuse the mess, cleaning around it right now.
Right here:
This vents to an outside area of the house.]
heating with stoves isn't my expertise.
Thanks!



I hope its completely outside.(Your venting) Coal gas is nothing to mess with. Id get someone who knows their way around coal stoves to look at it ,if i were you , safety first ,dont take any chances. Sounds like there is something wrong there.

 
Riviawolf
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90

Post by Riviawolf » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 4:08 pm

Oh of course, that vent leads right to outside the house on the side of the house. It's blowing completely out and not inside or anything.

Other than that, is there any other things to look out for?

For a 90,000 BTU Stove.. it just feels like it's pushing out very light amounts of heat - especially for 75 Degrees. With a small load of coal or not, it just doesn't seem to be operating correctly.

I can get an HVAC guy out here soon - but just looking for some general things to look out for to gain my own knowledge is all.

EDIT: Also - worth mentioning I just validated, they have Rice Anthracite.

 
k-2
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Post by k-2 » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 4:29 pm

If its maintaining 75 degrees , it may be working correctly. Try turning up the heat a little to see if it can keep up. Also many HVAC guys dont do coal. If you know anyone with a similar stove ask them to look at it for you. My alaska stoker stove is about the same size as your stove and it pumps out the heat depending on where you set the feed rate. low feed rate, low heat, high feed rate, high heat. Check if the fire takes up a good portion of the grate, or if its mostly ash.

 
lincolnmania
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Post by lincolnmania » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 4:40 pm

turn up the feed if you can.
also where is the stove located. mine is in an uninsulated rubble basement and i lose a lot of heat due to that.

 
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Turbogeno
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Post by Turbogeno » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 4:47 pm

Pictures of the fire would help.
As stated if its maintaining 75 degrees it may be working correctly.
Do you know your draft?
At a high feed rate you should an inch or 2 of burnt coal at the end of the grate.
How much coal has gone through it since the last cleaning?

 
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Hambden Bob
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Post by Hambden Bob » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 4:54 pm

Hi Riv ! Welcome to the Coal Forum,and Thanx for helping the Old Guy out !


Ya' got me just a hair confused. What is the actual room temperature that the stove is heating ? You make it sound like it's set for 75*,but Pops sure isn't getting things that warm. Can You confirm?


 
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90

Post by Riviawolf » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 6:15 pm

Hey all!

Thanks for the replies.

The Stove is located in the front room near the front door. We have a fan on the opposing side pushing it towards the living room through the doors. If you see the picture above, they also had fins welded to it, to help direct the air flow towards the room.

Since the last cleaning, not much coal has went through it I'd say. We cleaned it right before summer hit - and have only started using it again just recently.

Here is a collection of some photos of the Coal Stove. Again, no professional. Quite new to stoves myself. This is my girlfriends fathers stove, and I figured I'd help him out a bit. Otherwise, stoves isn't my preferred field.. LOL.

Coal Stove:

That shows images of it and how it's set up now.

As far as the coal that's been in it and operating, in the photo you'll see it's almost filled right now. There has been a few small scoops added to it, but otherwise hasn't been refilled completely within the last 12 hours.

Honestly the amount of ash at the end of the grate doesn't seem to be..right? It seems like it's burning incorrectly to me. Again, no professional.

The other alarming thing more or less is that he specified it tends to get "too hot" at times, and the vent pipe seems to get very hot. It doesn't sound consistent, but will randomly happen. It could be the same temperature outside and weather conditions - and just seems to act very.. strange.

Right now it's set for 75 Degrees, however only that room where it's located as well as the living room seem to feel that way. This is a 2 story home, and the upstairs never feels quite right as well either. Granted that could be for a multitude of things. As well as the fact the kitchen which is also right next to the living room.. maybe a total of 50 ft from the Stove.. is always freezing. In fact to the point where there is a Propane Fireplace in the Kitchen as well.

The house itself is about 1800~ Square feet and this is a 90,000 BTU Stove. Just seems that even if the insulation and layout is odd - it would get warmer and more consistent is all. The propane stove in the Kitchen at this point seems to feel like it pumps out more consistent heat. But that's just a tiny thing.

Also - they are using Rice Anthracite - is that going to provide a difference in heat quality, compared to standard Anthracite?

Yeah the air feels warm at only 75 degrees, that's with sticking my finger IN the ventilation spot where the air comes out.

Definitely odd - because if you put your finger up to the vent where the air comes out, hell.. even IN the vent a little.. it doesn't seem all that hot. Just warm - at 75 degrees.

Also - after speaking with him - he mentioned the stove seems to be attached to a thermostat and is going off of the temperature in the living room. But he feels once it reaches a good temp in the living room - it stops and slows down and will not heat any further. Thus making the rest of the house feel cold.

Is there a heat exchanger on this thing also? Just curious WHAT could be the problem.

EDIT: Keystoker 90 Not Meeting Thermostat Demand

This post seems to maybe be related to my issue? Should I take some advice from there as well?

 
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Post by Qtown1835 » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 6:56 pm

Looks like you need a lot more feed. On a call for heat the grate should amost be full of red burning coals. The last 1" or two should be dead Ash. Right now it's 90% hence, no heat.

 
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Turbogeno
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Coal Size/Type: Anthracite, Rice and Nut
Other Heating: Oil hot water baseboard and DHW

Post by Turbogeno » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 7:21 pm

Q is correct I'd say, that's an idle fire. For some reason its not feeding enough coal even though you say it's set at 75°. I don't know the controls on your stove but you need more coal fed into the stove.
Last edited by Turbogeno on Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

 
titleist1
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Post by titleist1 » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 7:27 pm

Where is the 'stat for this stoker located in reference to the stoker? The pic looks like a fire at idle which means is is only getting enough air and coal feed to stay lit. Is the 'stat actually calling for heat when this pic was taken?

 
Riviawolf
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90

Post by Riviawolf » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 8:52 pm

It was not calling for heat at this time, but after examining it myself let's see..

Timer is set for 1.5mins every 10 mins.

The old operating fan limiter was at 110 for Low, On was 160 and max was 210. I tried lowering the standards to see if it was getting maybe too hot when it randomly overheats. Yet at the same time, it seems like it's acting okay right now.

My question is this too.. On the top in the images where the direct vent system is, there is a door with a pull bar on the top. What is this exactly used for? Draft control? Any info would be great.

Thinking of a manometer to make sure that's fine as well. Just spent the last hour or two learning a bit here. LOL.

 
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Hambden Bob
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Post by Hambden Bob » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 9:02 pm

Man,You either have "Search Savvy" down to a Science,or Your a Mindreader !

Helluva Job on the pick up on Pop's unit. Here's what my knuckledragger butt thinks :

The thermostatt sure sounds like it's in the area adjacent to the stove. It's satisfying the set point. The Home's design,along with the unit placement doesn't do to good of a job distributing the heat to the rest of the Home. How long has this unit been in place and working? How many Winters?

Do You know if at one time the thermostatt was elsewhere in the Home and was it moved due to roasting out the Folks in the stove room? We haven't had too many Hard Winters until this one forced it's way in through the door. Now We're seeing calls for help on issues like this.

Get back to Us with answers on these questions,and We'll see if We can throw a few back at You !

 
k-2
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Post by k-2 » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 10:06 pm

That is definitely a stove on idle or low fire,just enough to keep it lit. You need to be burning a lot more coal to get some real heat. Either the thermostat is too close or your feed rate is set too low.

 
Riviawolf
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90

Post by Riviawolf » Thu. Jan. 04, 2018 10:17 pm

Thanks Bob! LOL. I'm pretty good at figuring things out typically, when it comes to learning/searching. So just doing what I can! I don't want to rely on asking questions that could otherwise be considered simple - from you fine folks :)

>Thermostat itself is about... 15-20 feet from the Stove, and it's been through about 2 Winters now? This may be it's 2nd actually. However he's always felt it hasn't been "up to par" with what he paid for. But he hasn't really taken the time to learn himself yet, due to work and all of that getting in the way.

>Thermostat/Stove have always been in the same spot at least. We live in NY.. so it's pretty raw out here with the temps. LOL.

K-2, I appreciate the input!

I think what we actually want to try tomorrow when it's earlier.. is adjusting the feed. I'm going to take a look at it as well. I want to get a Manometer to check the pressure as well, and going to check the color of the smoke to see if it's combusting correctly.

I believe we are on the right track so far, though!

The stove seems to be pushing air right now, but when the blower shuts off the heat that comes out is pretty.. meh? But when the blower IS on.. it seems to be pushing decent air. Wondering if 1.5mins every 2 mins maybe isn't enough. Hmmm..

Oh also - does anyone know what the door/pull bar on top of the direct vent system is? To me that looks like how much smoke would be allowed to vent through to the duct.. is there anything worth looking out for?


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