Keystoker K2 Coal Boiler Temperature

 
alcm000
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Post by alcm000 » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 9:41 pm

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?


 
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coalkirk
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Post by coalkirk » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 10:03 pm

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.

 
alcm000
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Post by alcm000 » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 10:10 pm

Yes, it was fine for our first three years. Nothing has changed in our home; same zones, water, and number of people. We have cleaned everything this year. We are heating approximately 1800 sq. ft.

 
alcm000
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Post by alcm000 » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 10:12 pm

We have spoken to the technicians at Keystoker and the suggested cleaning the push bar and replacing the nylon screws, which we have done. We added more pins, but still there is no change.

 
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Carbon12
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Post by Carbon12 » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 10:13 pm

Bad aqua stat? Did you try turning the hi and lo limits up?

 
alcm000
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Post by alcm000 » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 10:16 pm

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.

 
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Carbon12
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Post by Carbon12 » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 10:19 pm

Did you change the feed adjustment screw when you were checking the pusher bar? Do you have a long enough bed of burning coals?


 
alcm000
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Post by alcm000 » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 10:23 pm

Yes, we have adjusted the coal feed. There is plenty of flame, burning coal, and coal waiting to burn.

 
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Carbon12
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Post by Carbon12 » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 10:26 pm

Sounds like aqua stat. I hope it's a simple switch out for you :D

 
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tomcat
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Post by tomcat » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 10:29 pm

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.

 
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oliver power
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Post by oliver power » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 11:02 pm

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.

 
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tomcat
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Post by tomcat » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 11:33 pm

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.

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 11:52 pm

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.

 
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oliver power
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Post by oliver power » Sun. Dec. 15, 2013 2:50 am

McGiever 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.
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. Oliver

 
alcm000
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Post by alcm000 » Sun. Dec. 15, 2013 7:36 pm

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.


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