Keystoker Koker lots of ash

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Griminy
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker 160,000btu
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by Griminy » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 5:33 pm

Hey there, folks. I'm new here.. so take it easy on me, please!

I've got a problem with my Koker, I think. At full throttle ( rod turned all the way in ), I've still probably got 4 or 5 inches of ash at the end of the plate before you get to the fire. Is it possible I need a new motor or something?

Thanks for any and all help!

 
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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
Coal Size/Type: Buck

Post by nepacoal » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 6:14 pm

It's possible, but you could have a build up of "solidified" fines under and around the pusher bar, the plastic screw spacers on your pusher bar may need to be replaced, or you could have a large piece of coal or wood blocking the throat causing the feed to slow.

If you've used wet or even damp coal, the solidified fines would have the highest probability but a large piece of coal or rock blocking the feed happens quite often too.

Have you oiled your feed motor lately?

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Griminy
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Posts: 10
Joined: Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 5:30 pm
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker 160,000btu
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by Griminy » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 7:58 pm

I have, in fact, not oiled it recently. Bought the furnace from someone who essentially said "yeah, nothing to it. Hardest part is getting the coal lit." So I'm just now finding out that there's actually quite a bit of maintenance to it if you want it to run well.. my fault for not doing a bunch of research beforehand. By screws, I assume you're talking about the white ones on both sides of the pusher bar? And what sort of oil would you recommend for the motor?

Sorry for adding more questions, but thank you very much for the quick response!

 
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nepacoal
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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

Post by nepacoal » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:01 pm

Yes on the white screws. if you're seeing them and they look okay, they probably are...

I use this oil on mine... The combustion and convection motors would need oiling too. Saturate the felt pad on the stoker motor and use 3 drops in the oil holes for the combustion and convection motors. You may have sealed, ball bearing motors that don't need oiling, but my Keystoker uses a bushing type motor so I have to oil mine. My oil ports are located on the bottom so I remove it to oil.

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Griminy
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker 160,000btu
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by Griminy » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:07 pm

nepacoal wrote:
Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:01 pm
Yes on the white screws. if you're seeing them and they look okay, they probably are...

I use this oil on mine... The combustion and convection motors would need oiling too. Saturate the felt pad on the stoker motor and use 3 drops in the oil holes for the combustion and convection motors. You may have sealed, ball bearing motors that don't need oiling, but my Keystoker uses a bushing type motor so I have to oil mine. My oil ports are located on the bottom so I remove it to oil.
Awesome, thank you! I will pick some up on my way home from work tomorrow. Will order some spare screws just in case. You never know.

 
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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
Coal Size/Type: Buck

Post by nepacoal » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:09 pm

Did you perform the annual cleaning before lighting it off? Vacuum under the grates? Make sure the air holes were clear? Vacuum your exhaust path and stovepipes? Brush the interior walls clean?

 
Griminy
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker 160,000btu
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by Griminy » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:12 pm

nepacoal wrote:
Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:09 pm
Did you perform the annual cleaning before lighting it off? Vacuum under the grates? Make sure the air holes were clear? Vacuum your exhaust path and stovepipes? Brush the interior walls clean?
Yep, cleaned the pipes, the grates, and the inside walls of the stove.. but I didn't clean in or around the pusher bar. Never even thought about that.

 
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nepacoal
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
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Coal Size/Type: Buck

Post by nepacoal » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:14 pm

A zoom type oiler is also good and may work better for getting to the oil ports on your convection motor. It has an extendable spout but might be harder to find than the blue bottle 3in1

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Griminy
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Posts: 10
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker 160,000btu
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by Griminy » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:17 pm

nepacoal wrote:
Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:14 pm
A zoom type oiler is also good and may work better for getting to the oil ports on your convection motor. It has an extendable spout but might be harder to find than the blue bottle 3in1
Okay, sounds good. Will see what the local places have. Thanks again for all the help!

 
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nepacoal
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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

Post by nepacoal » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:19 pm

Griminy wrote:
Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:12 pm
Yep, cleaned the pipes, the grates, and the inside walls of the stove.. but I didn't clean in or around the pusher bar. Never even thought about that.
If you've never used wet or damp coal, the pusher bar would not need cleaning. Mine has ran non-stop since April 2016 and my pusher bar area is pristine. I only use completely dry coal. Ive never taken it out. I just vacuum the backside to get rid of any dust and in the fall I empty the hopper and just vacuum out the throat area by reaching in the hopper. If you use damp or wet coal, you may need to take out the pusher bar and scrape the "concrete" fines off.
Last edited by nepacoal on Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

 
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nepacoal
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Posts: 1696
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

Post by nepacoal » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:21 pm

And don't forget, you may just have a big rock or lump of coal blocking the feed... You'll have to empty the hopper to check that out.

 
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nepacoal
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Posts: 1696
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

Post by nepacoal » Mon. Nov. 14, 2022 8:24 pm

Here's an example of big rocks blocking the feed


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