New Guy-Dumb Questions. Alaska Kodiak Stroker II

 
robj
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Post by robj » Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 12:00 pm

I have a 1800 Sq.Ft. shop and the oil bills are killing me.

I'm looking at an Alaska Kodiak II, used and have a few questions. It came with the owners house and he knows less about it than I do which is hard to believe. I looked at the Alaska stove site and it looks more like a Console Stove than what they currently call a "Kodiack", so I'm confused right from the start. Did they just change the names? Any clue how old this stove is, [from the design]?
He sent a photo of the data plate which definitely says "Alaska Kodiak Stroker II".
sr7qIdolTQOJEsklrGUoHA.jpg
.JPG | 1.2MB | sr7qIdolTQOJEsklrGUoHA.jpg
He also sent a sheet off the internet which talks about Standard equipment, "Auto Heat Control Box" and optional equipment, "Thermostat System and Fan Limit". I'm thinking this isn't the sheet for this stove.
Something isn't adding up.
From what I have been able to figure out this is strictly a gravity feed stove, is that correct? [seems I may be wrong on this part]
If not, how does it operate?

If so, how do you control the rate of feed and the heat out put? What questions should I be asking as to if it's complete?

Photo of the hopper. Also, he's asking $1500 for it including what he says is 1.5 tons of coal. Is this a fair price? What I'm seeing is anywhere from $600 to $900 in Maryland where I guess coal is not as popular as pellets.

How is this stove to operate and can the output be controlled easily?

Kodiak experts out there, please help a newby out!
Thanks,
robj


 
waytomany?s
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Post by waytomany?s » Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 12:43 pm

How expensive are wood pellets and wood in your area? Those coal prices are pretty steep. Are you looking to heat constantly or occasionally?

 
robj
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Post by robj » Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 3:23 pm

Heating most every day but maybe not constantly. Fuel oil is really outrageous, $4.50 a gallon so far and is going no where but up. My understanding is you get a lot more BTU's per ton from coal and it's not affected my moisture.

robj

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 3:58 pm

robj wrote:
Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 3:23 pm
Fuel oil is really outrageous, $4.50 a gallon so far and is going no where but up.
Hi robj, my neighbor just paid $5.79 per gallon about a week ago. In comparison, $5.79 is equivalent to coal being around $1100 per ton. And yer right, I have a hunch that things are going to get real this winter for everybody that hasn't stocked their winter's heating fuel yet. That's my own opinion, not looking to promote fear or worry.. "Premium" :lol: wood pellets at our local Home Depot are currently $308 per ton and in my opinion were terrible quality. Not only that, you would need another 1/3 of a ton to match heat value to a ton of coal, so add another $103 to that $308 to match coal.

robj wrote:
Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 3:23 pm
and it's not affected my moisture.
Nope, I burned a load of coal that was under water for 8 years lol. Didn't even notice a difference.

 
waytomany?s
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Post by waytomany?s » Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 4:01 pm

Do you have a coal dealer nearby with rice coal available?

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 4:09 pm

robj wrote:
Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 12:00 pm
From what I have been able to figure out this is strictly a gravity feed stove, is that correct? [seems I may be wrong on this part]
If not, how does it operate?
It's a stoker fed stove, not gravity fed (such as a hand fed stove with an internal hopper is gravity fed). There is a mechanical push bar that pushes small amounts of coal out on to the burn plate (grate). There are small holes in the grate where combustion air is forced up thru to burn the coal. You can control the rate in which coal is fed and the combustion air that it receives for proper combustion.

 
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Post by robj » Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 9:06 pm

waytomany?s wrote:
Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 4:01 pm
Do you have a coal dealer nearby with rice coal available?
A local mill has 40 lb bags that work out to $649 a ton. That's pretty close to me and the first place I checked. There maybe other places cheaper but I haven't checked yet. I just wanted to make sure it was available in a reasonable distance. [20 minutes]

Thanks Lightening,
"There is a mechanical push bar that pushes small amounts of coal out on to the burn plate (grate). There are small holes in the grate where combustion air is forced up thru to burn the coal. You can control the rate in which coal is fed and the combustion air that it receives for proper combustion."

So, another question, what controls the push bar? Is that control part of the stove itself? As the current owner knows less than I do, my concern is the sale includes everything the stove should have.

I mean is this a decent stove? I don't mind some level of "fiddling" but I would like something that would run 12 to 18 hours. He says 100lb hopper.

What about the price? Seems a little high, [I'm seeing $600 to $900 many with price drops.]
I think most around here, NE Maryland, use pellets.

But also includes what he's calling 1.5-2.5 tons of coal. Hard to tell from the photo. I have a 14' dump trailer and he has a loader, he can put the stove in the back of the trailer and dump the coal in the front. I also have a loader so material handling isn't an issue. Also the fact that at 70, I don't need to round up 5 of my old fart friends to get the stove moved is appealing .

Does this look like 1.5 tons? [Hard to tell for me]

If it's close, that's $600 give or take right there.

Robj


 
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Post by waytomany?s » Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 9:47 pm

In pic #4 of original post, see the plug behind the hopper? Plug goes to what? Fan motor and or control box. I can't imagine they took it apart. As long as it's all together and not lying in a pile of parts you should be good. Other hand you need to get it all apart to transport it. Your call. I think I'd lean towards a hand fed unit. No power necessary. And way more parts on that unit to break/fail/adjust. Learning coal on a used, unproven, mechanical unit will be a challenge.

 
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Post by robj » Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 10:33 pm

waytomany?s wrote:
Wed. Nov. 02, 2022 9:47 pm
In pic #4 of original post, see the plug behind the hopper? Plug goes to what? Fan motor and or control box. I can't imagine they took it apart. As long as it's all together and not lying in a pile of parts you should be good. Other hand you need to get it all apart to transport it. Your call. I think I'd lean towards a hand fed unit. No power necessary. And way more parts on that unit to break/fail/adjust. Learning coal on a used, unproven, mechanical unit will be a challenge.
He has a tractor with a loader that can lift it and I have a tractor with a loader for getting it off my trailer. Going into my shop with a pad outside and a level floor so I don't think I'll need to take it apart to move it.
In addition to the oil fired furnace [$$$] I had a home- built drip-fed waste oil stove.

Getting that to run at max efficiency was like laying across the hood of a car adjusting the carb as you drove down the road. This will be replacing the drip fed stove. Has to be easier than that thing...
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Darn hot but not exactly plug and play. And the carbon output is/was staining the roof.

robj

 
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Post by McGiever » Thu. Nov. 03, 2022 11:15 am


 
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Post by waytomany?s » Thu. Nov. 03, 2022 12:16 pm

Well then, what's the hold up? Cold weather is a coming!

 
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Post by robj » Thu. Nov. 03, 2022 4:35 pm

McGiever wrote:
Thu. Nov. 03, 2022 11:15 am
Unit needs to have some of these parts.

https://www.google.com/search?q=alaska+stoker+mot ... e=UTF-8&hl


180 lb. hopper
https://alaskacompanyinc.com/fireplaces/coal-stov ... -stove-ii/
McGiever,

Thanks so much! That information was just what I was looking for. The seller didn't mention this so I don't want to assume it's there. If it's not it's definitely a big bargaining point.

Any thoughts on the price? [Assuming it's complete that is]

Thanks again,
robj

 
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Post by lincolnmania » Thu. Nov. 03, 2022 4:49 pm

That's too much money for that stove.
I had one for many years, it rusted out, gave the parts to my neighbor.

Where are you located? I have a nice Reading stoker that is no longer needed here.

 
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Post by lincolnmania » Thu. Nov. 03, 2022 4:51 pm

robj wrote:
Thu. Nov. 03, 2022 4:35 pm
McGiever,

Thanks so much! That information was just what I was looking for. The seller didn't mention this so I don't want to assume it's there. If it's not it's definitely a big bargaining point.

Any thoughts on the price? [Assuming it's complete that is]

Thanks again,
robj
The kodiak is what Alaska called the early stoker stove. I paid 700 for one in 2006. Was seeing them recently
for under 500 dollars on marketplace.

 
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Post by robj » Fri. Nov. 04, 2022 6:15 pm

lincolnmania wrote:
Thu. Nov. 03, 2022 4:51 pm
The kodiak is what Alaska called the early stoker stove. I paid 700 for one in 2006. Was seeing them recently
for under 500 dollars on marketplace.
Well it does come with 1.5 + or - tons of coal so that's $600 or so right there. I asked if the "auto control box" and the "blower control" were there and he said he was going to takes photos. Waiting on that.

I wanted to make sure it was complete before starting to bargain.
robj


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