Ok, I fired up my new keystoker A120 for the first time the past couple of days. The first time I tried it, it was around 40 degrees outside, and I could smell an odor throughout the house. (the unit is tied to my ductwork). After a half an hour of this not stopping I shut the unit off. The next day I fired the stove up again, and I found the damper for the combustion blower. I found that the smell was nearly eliminated by closing the damper most of the way. It was around 40 degrees outside, but I had to almost completely close the fan cover (only 1/4" open) and I could still detect a slight sulfur smell throughout the house.
Could it be that my chimney is not high enough to burn coal in these temperatures? I do not have a draft meter, but I held a lighter up to the baro-damper and it pulled the flame inward. Should I be manipulating the air intake cover as the weather cools off, to allow more air when it's colder out, and less (or maybe none) when it's around 40-50 degrees? Thanks. Oh and I put a CO detector in the bedroom to be safe and it has consistently read 0.
First Time Using My Coal Stove, Sulfur Smell
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Matthaus
- Member
- Posts: 1923
- Joined: Mon. Oct. 02, 2006 8:59 am
- Location: Berwick, PA and Ormand Beach FL
You hit the nail on the head. 
the combustion air is over pressurizing the furnace and casuing caol fumes to enter the duct work. On warmer days you have less draft so you need to cut way back on the combustion air. It could be that your chimney is marginal for warmer weather as you suggested. Using a draft gauge to adjust is the best method, but the way you are doing it will work. As long as the lighter flame goes in the baro you have some kind of draft.
You probably won't need to open the plate on the combustion air fan much more than it is. A lot of people have those too far open which wastes heat up the chimney.
If you can find a Dwyer MK II manometer on ebay for less than $45 with shipping that would be a worthwhile investment.
the combustion air is over pressurizing the furnace and casuing caol fumes to enter the duct work. On warmer days you have less draft so you need to cut way back on the combustion air. It could be that your chimney is marginal for warmer weather as you suggested. Using a draft gauge to adjust is the best method, but the way you are doing it will work. As long as the lighter flame goes in the baro you have some kind of draft.
You probably won't need to open the plate on the combustion air fan much more than it is. A lot of people have those too far open which wastes heat up the chimney.
If you can find a Dwyer MK II manometer on ebay for less than $45 with shipping that would be a worthwhile investment.