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Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Thu. Jan. 31, 2013 8:12 pm
by Wiz
Learning your Keystoker Ka-6 Boiler and having some questions this post will help you understand certain key elements on it. Reviewing this post should help you to understand the operation of the boiler.

Keystoker has a pre-drilled hole in fire door to check draft. Use manometer to check draft during demand for heat. Draft needs to be -.02
Draft.jpg
.JPG | 193.1KB | Draft.jpg
Air Shutter (located on bottom of scroll between stoker motor and gear box about ½”)
Air shutter.jpg
.JPG | 124.5KB | Air shutter.jpg
Secondary Blower will force a small amount of air through grates at all times, which will cause the ash to become like powder. It also prevents the fire from
going out
Secondary Blower.jpg
.JPG | 150.5KB | Secondary Blower.jpg
Proper sizing of fire is obtained by turning red nut on feed control arm
rednut.jpg
.JPG | 177.6KB | rednut.jpg
Timer Setting and pin placements is key to keep fire going during idle time.. Less demand for heat ( warmer weather) more pins. More demand for heat( cold weather) less pins needed since demand time will be greater
Timer.jpg
.JPG | 153.5KB | Timer.jpg
Each timer pin equals 15 seconds
Timer pin.jpg
.JPG | 257.6KB | Timer pin.jpg
Proper burn during demand for heat.
proper burn.jpg
.JPG | 65.7KB | proper burn.jpg
Cleaning under grates can be achieve by removing secondary blower. Total of 4 screws.
plate.jpg
.JPG | 150.2KB | plate.jpg

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Thu. Jan. 31, 2013 9:53 pm
by 331camaro
Great job wiz. also ive had great response with aqua stat settings of 150 lo 200 hi. never gets below 140 prevents condensation. nice wide span allows for better responses imo. hopefully other members will chime in with settings.

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Thu. Jan. 31, 2013 10:02 pm
by Rob R.
Fantastic post.

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Thu. Jan. 31, 2013 10:11 pm
by Kungur
I was wondering if this would also apply to my KAA-2? One thing I think maybe I am messing up with is the # of pins for the Heating Season. I have added pins since Summer. Now I need to dig out the manual and see where I went wrong!

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Fri. Feb. 01, 2013 8:57 am
by sterling40man
Outstanding Wiz!! :clap:

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Mon. Feb. 04, 2013 7:35 am
by oliver power
Kungur wrote:I was wondering if this would also apply to my KAA-2? One thing I think maybe I am messing up with is the # of pins for the Heating Season. I have added pins since Summer. Now I need to dig out the manual and see where I went wrong!
Whooooo there Kungur. Slow down.... No need to dig out manual. The Kaa-2 runs just the opposite on timer pins. I don't think it was engineered to be run the opposite of other stoker boilers but, that's how it needs to be run. The Kaa-2 needs a hotter fire (more pins) for quicker recovery, due to it's smaller 24 gallon water capacity. You're not wasteing coal during no call for heat, as the heat is being stored in the water. Unless the space to be heated is really really small, and well insulated, the Kaa-2 needs to be run on the timer during the cold months. This time of year, I'm running 3 groupes of 5 pins, and 3-3/4 turns counter clockwise on the stoker ajustment. Water capacity is why I think KEYSTOKER should have NOT done away with the Ka-4. Instead, they done away with Ka-4, and come out with the smaller Kaa-2 to take it's place. Oliver PS: By the way Wiz, Very Nice!

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Mon. Feb. 04, 2013 8:10 am
by Rob R.
If the timer cycles don't cause the boiler to overheat during periods of low demand, I would leave it alone.

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Thu. Feb. 07, 2013 7:54 pm
by Wiz
Ka-6 burning Casey Kassa buckwheat coal.. Remember everyone's settings will vary to some degree, make small adjustments to achieve the best burn. Ka-6 is running better since switching to buck.
buckwheat 12.jpg
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buckwheat ash.jpg
.JPG | 148KB | buckwheat ash.jpg

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Tue. Aug. 13, 2013 10:04 pm
by Zinj
Great post Wiz. Very helpful especially to a virgin KA-6 owner like myself.

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Sat. Sep. 14, 2013 6:31 pm
by tinmanKC10
Has anyone adjusted how thick of a coal bed ends up on your grates? Ive seen some keystokers with real thick coal 2"+ beds and some with a 3/4" thin bed. Mine is probably close to 2" and was thinking of trying to thin mine down if possible, not sure what to adjust.

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Mon. Sep. 23, 2013 7:55 pm
by 331camaro
hey tinman, on my ka6, there are 2-5/16 bolts that adjust a bar up and down. never tried it but im sure that would adjust the thickness of the bed. mine was pretty far down to begin with. good Idea. throttle it down even further during fall and spring weeks.

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Mon. Sep. 23, 2013 8:00 pm
by tinmanKC10
I found those bolts that adjust a bar like you said, I need to fill my hopper up and run it to see if it thins it down some, mine doesn't need to be that thick.

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Mon. Sep. 23, 2013 8:19 pm
by 331camaro
ya post your results! ill have to tinker with mine too when I fire up, probably soon.

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Mon. Sep. 23, 2013 9:20 pm
by Wiz
Keystoker recommends 1 3/4 -- 2 in opening for throat plate. Post your results, it may help with unburnt coal. Try 1 1\2

Re: Keystoker KA-6 Operation Guide.

Posted: Tue. Sep. 24, 2013 7:35 am
by bsteckel
nice post Wiz ... very informative for users of the KA-6 ... Wish I had one since you are so close to where I live :D These posts are great for us new to coal.