Keystoker 90 newbie
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- Member
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- Joined: Mon. Oct. 12, 2020 2:52 pm
- Location: Schuylkill County, PA
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker 90
- Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat
Hi all! This is my 2nd post here.
I was able to move my power vented keystoker 90 to my main floor with an actual chimney. It works much better but a few things I notice are that my feeder bar clumps during a cycle and I am running buckwheat since I've been having clinker issues with rice. The other thing I notice is that my fire could be another inch or so down the grate but my feed rate is maxed out. Lastly my conv. fan will turn on but not stay on very long. It will blow the hot air for 40 seconds or so and turn off. How do I got about adjusting these issues? My baro is set at the .4 mark and I do not have manometer and i dont have a visable hole in the stoker to get one fitted. The unit is from the early 90s.
I was able to move my power vented keystoker 90 to my main floor with an actual chimney. It works much better but a few things I notice are that my feeder bar clumps during a cycle and I am running buckwheat since I've been having clinker issues with rice. The other thing I notice is that my fire could be another inch or so down the grate but my feed rate is maxed out. Lastly my conv. fan will turn on but not stay on very long. It will blow the hot air for 40 seconds or so and turn off. How do I got about adjusting these issues? My baro is set at the .4 mark and I do not have manometer and i dont have a visable hole in the stoker to get one fitted. The unit is from the early 90s.
- WNY
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- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90K, Leisure Line Hyfire I
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Without a draft gauge to set your baro correctly, you are only guessing. it could be slightly off from the marks.
Clinkers sometimes usually mean too much draft or too much combustion air or both, possibly. or burning at max for long period of time. you should have about 1" of ash at the end at full burn
Why type of control do you have? Thermostat or CoalTrol?
the convection fan setpoints can be changed if you have the little black box on the side with the white override button, just squeeze the sides and the cover can come off and setpoints for blower can be change a little bit. maybe move the lower down 10 and the upper up 10, leave shutdown at 200, I think.
maybe post a couple of pics of your setup.
Clinkers sometimes usually mean too much draft or too much combustion air or both, possibly. or burning at max for long period of time. you should have about 1" of ash at the end at full burn
Why type of control do you have? Thermostat or CoalTrol?
the convection fan setpoints can be changed if you have the little black box on the side with the white override button, just squeeze the sides and the cover can come off and setpoints for blower can be change a little bit. maybe move the lower down 10 and the upper up 10, leave shutdown at 200, I think.
maybe post a couple of pics of your setup.
- nepacoal
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
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If you've been using wet or damp coal, your feeder bar may have "coal fines concrete" under and in front of it. You'll need to clean it up if so... Cleaning that up may also help increase the feed a little bit.
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- Location: Schuylkill County, PA
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker 90
- Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat
I have a thermostat and I did just get a load of wet coal about 2 weeks ago. I also noticed that the other day when I moved it up here. I took off the grate and cleaned out the fines but never put a punch in the holes so there is a chance I'm selling myself short in that aspect as well.
How do I set up a manometer without the draft hole in the door?
How do I set up a manometer without the draft hole in the door?
- nepacoal
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- Posts: 1701
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
Look for a set screw in the ash door... Per the manual, you remove that set screw to check the over fire draft. If it's not there, you could drill a small hole and put a screw in it when not in use. (or just use a bulkhead connector in the hole and leave your manometer hooked up - here's mine in my kaa-4's fire door)
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Last edited by nepacoal on Mon. Feb. 01, 2021 7:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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- Member
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Mon. Oct. 12, 2020 2:52 pm
- Location: Schuylkill County, PA
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker 90
- Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1701
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
I run high temperature silicone tubing from the manometer to a bulkhead connector in my door. I bought my used magnehelic on eBay for $25.
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Last edited by nepacoal on Mon. Feb. 01, 2021 7:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- nepacoal
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- Posts: 1701
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
A couple of talented folks on here have made a clock type mount (think mantle clock) for their magnehelics. Others use the oil filled Dwyer's mounted to the wall behind their stoves.
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- Posts: 48
- Joined: Mon. Oct. 12, 2020 2:52 pm
- Location: Schuylkill County, PA
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker 90
- Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat
Also, what is the correct way to clean the fines out of the feeder? I really don't want to kill the fire and take everything apart.
- nepacoal
- Member
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- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
BTW, you can just remove the combustion fan and vacuum the fines out through that hole. No need to remove the grates each time.
You did use furnace cement to seal the grates at the top and down the seams to the top of the air holes,right?
You did use furnace cement to seal the grates at the top and down the seams to the top of the air holes,right?
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- Member
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Mon. Oct. 12, 2020 2:52 pm
- Location: Schuylkill County, PA
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker 90
- Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat
No I did not. I did not know that was a thing until a few days ago. It was 20 degrees here when I was changing the stove around so I took off the grate cleaned it out and slapped it back on and lit the fire before it got too cold. I live in Schuylkill County so I know you know how chilly it was and wanted it together for the storm. Do I used the same cement as you do for the gaskets? Because I have that. And also, do I just run a bead as if were silicon to seal the corners?
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1701
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
Personally, I'd shut mine down to work on the stoker assembly... Page 17 and 18 detail removal of the stoker assembly. You'll probably need to scrape the "fines concrete" to get it off.
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- nepacoal
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- Posts: 1701
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
You need to shut it down immediately, until you get the grates installed correctly. It is very dangerous to run it without the grates sealed. You cannot use high temp caulk or RTV. Rutland or Hercules both make furnace cement. I've seen it at Lowe's or home Depot.bubbathehut1994 wrote: ↑Mon. Feb. 01, 2021 7:55 pmNo I did not. I did not know that was a thing until a few days ago. It was 20 degrees here when I was changing the stove around so I took off the grate cleaned it out and slapped it back on and lit the fire before it got too cold. I live in Schuylkill County so I know you know how chilly it was and wanted it together for the storm. Do I used the same cement as you do for the gaskets? Because I have that. And also, do I just run a bead as if were silicon to seal the corners?
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1701
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
The fire will burn too far back when the grates are not sealed and probably lead to a hopper fire. Again, shut it down until the grates are properly installed.
When you seal the grates, be sure to smooth the furnace cement on the top of the grates so it doesn't mess up the coal feeding.
When you seal the grates, be sure to smooth the furnace cement on the top of the grates so it doesn't mess up the coal feeding.
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- Member
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Mon. Oct. 12, 2020 2:52 pm
- Location: Schuylkill County, PA
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker 90
- Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat
I have cement from when I replaced the gaskets on this stove. It is black and super gummy like tarnepacoal wrote: ↑Mon. Feb. 01, 2021 8:11 pmThe fire will burn too far back when the grates are not sealed and probably lead to a hopper fire. Again, shut it down until the grates are properly installed.
When you seal the grates, be sure to smooth the furnace cement on the top of the grates so it doesn't mess up the coal feeding.