Keystoker K2 Coal Boiler Temperature
Hello. I am looking for information on our Keystoker k2 coal boiler. We have had it for about 5 years now and love it, however, last year we had some issues with the boiler keeping up with the need for heat in our home. We dealt with it, but his year it has gotten worse. The aquastat is set for 160/180 and we have 7 pins at the current time. Our boiler is barely heating to 140 degrees. We have three zones on the boiler, as well as our hot water. The flame looks like it always has, even when we weren't having any issues, but there is just not enough hear being made to satisfy our zones. We have cleaned the entire boiler, removed the push bar and cleaned it, replaced the nylon screws and cleaned the fans. Any suggestions as to what else might be causing this problem?
- coalkirk
- Member
- Posts: 5185
- Joined: Wed. May. 17, 2006 8:12 pm
- Location: Forest Hill MD
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1981 EFM DF520 retired
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Jotul 507 on standby
- Coal Size/Type: Lehigh anthracite/rice coal
So you've had it for 5 years and if I understand you had no problems the first 3 years. So obviously something has changed. Did you always have the 3 heating zones and the domestic hot water? Same number of people living in the home? Any changes to the home? Same coal? How many sq. ft. are you heating? Flue pipe was cleaned of fly ash before this heating season? Do you have a manometer to check your draft? It has been a very cold fall this year.
During the summer months we run the temps at 140/160, we turn them up for the winter to 160/180, and that usually is sufficient. We were wondering about the aqua stat too, we do have a back up and are going to try that, I was just wondering if it could be something else if we find that changing the aqua stat doesn't work either.
- Carbon12
- Member
- Posts: 2226
- Joined: Tue. Oct. 11, 2011 6:53 pm
- Location: Harrisburg, PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
- Coal Size/Type: Rice/Anthracite
- Other Heating: Heat Pump/Forced Hot Air Oil Furnace
Did you change the feed adjustment screw when you were checking the pusher bar? Do you have a long enough bed of burning coals?
- tomcat
- Member
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Sat. Nov. 30, 2013 10:47 pm
- Location: Pine Grove , PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: k-4 keystoker
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: old magnum
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: 400 warm morning, sf250
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: sf3500
- Coal Size/Type: rice and buck mix, stove, nut
Do you have the manual for the stove? In the trouble shooting section check that when the stove is running full and the thermo is calling for heat the flames should reach the deflection plate on the bottom of the boiler. Open your fire door slowly to allow any gasses to clear and check your flame height. If not your holes in your grate may need to be cleaned . A 1/8 " drill bit will work.but that would mean shutting down and letting the stoker to cool.
- oliver power
- Member
- Posts: 2970
- Joined: Sun. Apr. 16, 2006 9:28 am
- Location: Near Dansville, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: KEYSTOKER Kaa-2
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93 & 30-95, Vigilant (pre-2310), D.S. 1600 Circulator, Hitzer 254
From the information provided, I too am thinking plugged grate holes. I'd suggest pulling the stoker, and going all through it. I'm sure you'll find other areas of the stoker may need attention as well. It's not a bad job, and will give you a piece of mind. The worst part is emptying the hopper. You'll also know what will need attention in another 3 or so years. You might get by reaching through the viewing door, and drilling out the holes. However, the time it takes trying to find the holes, then drill them out, you can have the whole stoker out, and give it a good inspection.
- tomcat
- Member
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Sat. Nov. 30, 2013 10:47 pm
- Location: Pine Grove , PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: k-4 keystoker
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: old magnum
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: 400 warm morning, sf250
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: sf3500
- Coal Size/Type: rice and buck mix, stove, nut
The manual also states that if the under grates are clean and the holes in the grate are open. If your flame hieght is not touching the plate then you need to increase the air into the combustion fan by opening the cover on the side of the fan housing. Make your adjustments in small increments.
- McGiever
- Member
- Posts: 10130
- Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
Like Tomcat above says check under the grates for accumulation of 5 years of fines.
And if not already mentioned, check/clean horizontal pipe sections and the base of chimney...flyash settles there and can choke off most of the pipe opening inside.
And if not already mentioned, check/clean horizontal pipe sections and the base of chimney...flyash settles there and can choke off most of the pipe opening inside.
- oliver power
- Member
- Posts: 2970
- Joined: Sun. Apr. 16, 2006 9:28 am
- Location: Near Dansville, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: KEYSTOKER Kaa-2
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93 & 30-95, Vigilant (pre-2310), D.S. 1600 Circulator, Hitzer 254
To add to what McGiever has said, is your stove pipe shoved too far into the chimney. I've seen were stove pipe has been pushed into chimney, all the way to opposite wall of chimney. This would restrict / block exhaust gasses from leaving pipe. Depending on pipe set-up, it'd look the same, pushed in to far, or not. OliverMcGiever wrote:Like Tomcat above says check under the grates for accumulation of 5 years of fines.
And if not already mentioned, check/clean horizontal pipe sections and the base of chimney...flyash settles there and can choke off most of the pipe opening inside.
We changed the aqua stat and that seems to have been the issue. We new it wasn't something that wasn't cleaned, as I had cleaned everything. I clean all the holes in the grate at least three times a year and at the same time, we clean under the grate and all piping. Those things we knew to do and that is why we were looking for additional help, as none of those things had worked. Thank you for all your help, as we believe the aqua stat was our issue.