KOKER 160 Not working

 
mlima1409
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Post by mlima1409 » Sat. Oct. 20, 2018 10:16 am

Hey Everyone! I'm new here.
Long history short, I got a new house this last summer, and it has a Koker 160 coal stove. The previous owner came over to "show me" how to use it ... we fired it up for the first and it worked for like 15 min or so ... then it wen down and now it is not going back on again. Any ideas where I can look at? It seems something weird, because even the light doesn't turn on... is this some safety mechanism?

I did wait like 24 hours to try it again, but it is still not working... I don't know if I should remove all the coal and clean to make sure there is no blocking it .... but if you guys can give me any idea/directions I really appreciate it .
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StokerDon
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Post by StokerDon » Sat. Oct. 20, 2018 10:28 am

Welcome to the forum.

I think we need to know what you mean when you say "it went down". Did the fire go out, did it just stop running or what?

What kind of chimney do you have? In one of the pictures, on the back wall, I see something that looks like very small stove pipe?

And, what is this "light" that you say doesn't come on? These things don't have a light that I am aware of.

I see you have a draft gauge, was the draft reading in spec?

-Don

 
mlima1409
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Post by mlima1409 » Sat. Oct. 20, 2018 10:52 am

Hey sorry for the bad explanation.

It stopped running .... it got on fire ... I think because it stopped running the fire went out.
The lights I mean the small green and red lights on the side of the green box. Even if I plug it on the power it doesn't do anything at all ... just not running.

The pipes going to the wall I believe are 6" ....and the gauge it is set on "zero" the previous owner told me to keep like that ... but reading some comments here I see people leaving it at .2 or .3 .... so I'm confused about it.

Again, sorry for the bad explanation ... everything is so new for me .

 
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StokerDon
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Post by StokerDon » Sat. Oct. 20, 2018 11:11 am

OK, a few explanations.

The green box looks like a Taco zone controller. Why it is attached to your Koker is something you will have to explain to us. These, to my knowledge, are normally used on boiler systems. Whoever installed this must be using it to control something but I don't know what.

You don't "set" the draft gauge, you read it. If you pull the 2 hoses off of it you set it to zero to calibrate it. Then connect the hose and read it.

By .2 or .3, I think you mean -.02 or -.03 of water column. You have a Dwyer draft gauge so it gets hooked up backwards so you can read it on the larger side of the scale. Most stokers need to read about -.04 at full fire.

But anyway, it sounds like we need to get it running first. I asked about the chimney mainly to find out if you are running some kind of power vent, or directly into the chimney? If you are running a powered venting system, any problem with that should stop the stoker and let the fire go out.

-Don

 
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Post by mlima1409 » Sat. Oct. 20, 2018 3:21 pm

Hey Don!
Thank you for all the explanation ... it has so helpful... It is working now.... I think the issue was the vent was closed and it shut the entire thing down.... so I had to reset it ... there is a little box on the side with the reset instructions.... So I got it running again! Thank you so much ... Now I know how to read the gauge because of your explanation ... very helpful ...

Matt

 
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StokerDon
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Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
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Post by StokerDon » Sat. Oct. 20, 2018 11:01 pm

Great! nice to see that you are up and running again. Glad to help.

-Don

 
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Post by mlima1409 » Fri. Oct. 26, 2018 8:46 am

Hi Don...
Right after I got the stove running back again ....it keeps shutting down when it hits high temperatures .... the stove is working normally for like 15 min.... but when it gets to 200ish ... it is shuts down... I was reading about to see where I can change it and so on ... do you have any idea where can I look at to make sure it doesn't happen again?

I'm putting new pictures here, just in case.
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StokerDon
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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 » Fri. Oct. 26, 2018 8:50 am

Now that there are some better pictures, I can clearly see that the stove pipe coming off the back is NOT anything close to 6", looks like about 4". There is no way you are going to vent a 160,000 BTU furnace through a pipe that small.

This furnace looks like it has some kind of power venting device connected to the back. I don't know a lot about these but, this type of device is the source of many problems if not cleaned regularly and set up for proper draft. Also, I don't see a barometric damper, that's not good.

What I am getting at here is, if you are running any type of powered venting device there should be a CO safety switch in the furnace to shut everything down if the stoker overcomes the power vent. Your installation does not appear to have enough venting capability to prevent this from happening.

-Don

 
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StokerDon
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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 » Fri. Oct. 26, 2018 9:02 am

"I got it! Thank you ... I will look at it ... maybe I will call somebody to look at ... since when I got the house the stove was already here... I thought that pipe was way to small as well ... but it seems that they were using it regardless .... which is weird ... let's see... I will call somebody to look at and I will keep you posted. Thank you again"

The easiest thing to do is call Keystoker and ask. They designed and built it and they know better than anyone how to install and run it.

-Don

 
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Post by samhill » Fri. Oct. 26, 2018 9:22 am

If the fan on the direct vent is up to snuff I would make sure that it is clean & free of anything that may be a blockage, My i60 direct vent is a 4" & set up that way from factory. It might be the pics or shadows but the straight run looks long & too level IMO but there is a clean out before the vertical so that's where I would check first. Mine vents from the top so that might be an early model & that run may require more attention, I had to change my exhaust fan last year simply because it was running but lost a lot of RPM. If it's a exhaust backup the smoke will be noticeable inside before it finally shuts down. Good luck, great stoves once running correctly.

 
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Post by coalnewbie » Fri. Oct. 26, 2018 9:39 am

So this is an oldie that is for sure. 4" coaltrols are rated for up to 180000 btu so a powervent/draft inducer if working properly should be OK. Looks like it is vented into a chimney, unusual but OK. So first thing is somewhere I would suspect there is a blockage. Either in the chimney/pipe or the motor is not performing up to spec. I would break the pipe just before the chimney and with the stove off check for a good airflow. Then examine the horizontal pipe, I wold bet money it is partially blocked. Then a brush up the chimney end. A bottom breached stove gets real cruddy and needs regular maintenance (my AK180 does). Of course, it could just be a plain old draft inducer with a bladed fan that would be OK but would need regular cleaning ... I guess as long as it performing up to spec.. So a bottom breached stove with a 4" outlet, going through a draft inducer and then a long length of horizontal 4" pipe ... I don't think so. Blockage city. The stove can't breath. The TACO completely confuses me. Only a coaltrol device can control a coal stove high/low setting.

 
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Post by McGiever » Fri. Oct. 26, 2018 10:16 am

"Got no chimney...no problem...get a direct vent or power vent and life is good..."

CARBON MONOXIDE KILLS

This Koker is not working but thank God the Safetys are!!!

The Fields Control WMO_1 is doing its job and saving you from harming youself and your loved ones by shutting down the Koker.

Leave it Shut Down and get educated for what it takes or just leave it off for good...

 
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Post by coalnewbie » Fri. Oct. 26, 2018 11:55 am

Let us get positive about how to fix things. Set up 2 of these in different parts of the room and regularly check the reading is zero ... if not shut down the stove.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002N86A/ref= ... UTF8&psc=1

Make sure draft inducer is working properly and existing crap behind it cleaned up.

Remove the horizontal pipe. After the draft inducer go from 4" to 6" with a tee and put in a clean out cap and check for blockages regularly. Then the 6" pipe goes vertical and continue on to the chimney with perhaps another cleanout tee there to. . Make sure all pipe runs are screwed and taped (numerous other posts). You can go back to 4" at the chimney. Service the stove (many other posts) and unless you are confident, get someone who knows coal stoves to check your work.

Good luck.

 
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Post by mlima1409 » Mon. Oct. 29, 2018 11:50 am

coalnewbie wrote:
Fri. Oct. 26, 2018 11:55 am
Let us get positive about how to fix things. Set up 2 of these in different parts of the room and regularly check the reading is zero ... if not shut down the stove.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002N86A/ref= ... UTF8&psc=1

Make sure draft inducer is working properly and existing crap behind it cleaned up.

Remove the horizontal pipe. After the draft inducer go from 4" to 6" with a tee and put in a clean out cap and check for blockages regularly. Then the 6" pipe goes vertical and continue on to the chimney with perhaps another cleanout tee there to. . Make sure all pipe runs are screwed and taped (numerous other posts). You can go back to 4" at the chimney. Service the stove (many other posts) and unless you are confident, get someone who knows coal stoves to check your work.

Good luck.
Hey man... thank you for all the explanation .... I think it was a blocked ... I broke the pipe and remove the clean cap out ... it was blocked and clean everything even outside.... I also did clean all the parts to make sure everything is super clean ...
Well after a half day working on it ... I did start it again ... and it was running .... it was doing it's job...
But I decided to get one of those Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Digital reading screen on it, I already have one but it does read anything it is just an alarm. So I went to home depot to get one (the digital one) .... So I got call from my wife saying that the Alarm went off ... When i got back home ... I did plug the one that can read the PPM ... it was reading 75 ... so I did shut down the stove ... I tried it again on Sunday ... and same thing happened after like 3 hours of the stove running ...

So I did everything I could ... tape all the junctions vents, screwed it and so on .... and it still was reading 35-40 in different rooms of my house (kitchen and even Bedrooms).... Now ... I think I need to call somebody to look at it ... it is my only option..

If you guys can comment on it ... I really appreciate it ...

I will record a video of it tonight and post it ... so if you guys can have a better understanding of it.

Thank you so much for all the information.

 
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Post by coalnewbie » Mon. Oct. 29, 2018 3:25 pm

I am glad you are on your way and here is the bad news.... you still have a blockage somewhere probably inside the stove or in the chimney. Did you just rerun those pipes or did you change to my configuration? Take off the draft inducer and poke a chimney brush into the stove. Vacuum it out and then blow compressed air into it. That is a long 4" pipe and even if perfectly clean (which it is not) there is a flow resistance. At the very least avoid sharp corners

Let's learn a bit about things here ...

https://inspectapedia.com/chimneys/Chimney_Flue_S ... 9C.php#C9B

Let's us start from the chimney and work back.

How do you know your chimney is unblocked?

How do you know your black pipe run is unblocked or has to much resistance

How do you know the inside of the stove is clean before the draft inducer?

You think the guy that installed that flue originally was an expert... sorry.

Eagerly waiting your video where I am sure you explain all of these things. My wife says I nag ... she should talk!!!!


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