Keystoker door seals

 
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ShawnTRD
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Post by ShawnTRD » Mon. May. 23, 2022 5:49 pm

Thinking I need to replace the door seals and maybe the feeder gasket. I've not done anything since installed in 2014.

Having CM alarms when it gets just a little warm outside. In the past I would have this problem when it gets over 90f. I would put aluminum foil over the barometric damper and wouldn't have any problems after that. Now with the barometric damper covered even low 80f is a problems.


 
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nepacoal
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Post by nepacoal » Mon. May. 23, 2022 6:10 pm

Do you burn year around? How old are your stovepipes? Pinholes can develop in as few as 3 years (maybe even 2 years in a really damp basement) if your not burning year around. Happened to me when I was shutting down my hand fed boiler every year. Had the terrible sulfur smell in the basement. It took me a few days to figure out I had pinholes...

 
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ShawnTRD
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Post by ShawnTRD » Mon. May. 23, 2022 7:26 pm

Yeah I burn year round. Stove pipe (Heatfab) is still very solid. I could probably seal it better where it goes into the stove and around the chimney.
nepacoal wrote:
Mon. May. 23, 2022 6:10 pm
Do you burn year around? How old are your stovepipes? Pinholes can develop in as few as 3 years (maybe even 2 years in a really damp basement) if your not burning year around. Happened to me when I was shutting down my hand fed boiler every year. Had the terrible sulfur smell in the basement. It took me a few days to figure out I had pinholes...

 
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nepacoal
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Post by nepacoal » Mon. May. 23, 2022 7:42 pm

ShawnTRD wrote:
Mon. May. 23, 2022 7:26 pm
Yeah I burn year round. Stove pipe (Heatfab) is still very solid. I could probably seal it better where it goes into the stove and around the chimney.
Another thought... Since it happened first during a hot day, it may just be a heavy build up of fly ash in your stovepipe. That could cause the draft to stall and pump out a little CM. Did you clean out your pipes mid season? Is your chimney's clean out door still sealed?

 
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Post by ziggy87 » Mon. May. 23, 2022 9:02 pm

Seals would probably help. They are probably pretty well worn in.

 
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ShawnTRD
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Post by ShawnTRD » Tue. May. 24, 2022 12:26 am

Did a cleaning on the ash in the stove and piping about 2 months ago when we had some warmer weather.
nepacoal wrote:
Mon. May. 23, 2022 7:42 pm
Another thought... Since it happened first during a hot day, it may just be a heavy build up of fly ash in your stovepipe. That could cause the draft to stall and pump out a little CM. Did you clean out your pipes mid season? Is your chimney's clean out door still sealed?

 
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ShawnTRD
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Post by ShawnTRD » Tue. May. 24, 2022 12:27 am

Thinking that looks really flat.
ziggy87 wrote:
Mon. May. 23, 2022 9:02 pm
Seals would probably help. They are probably pretty well worn in.


 
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ShawnTRD
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Post by ShawnTRD » Tue. May. 24, 2022 12:30 am

Try again
ziggy87 wrote:
Mon. May. 23, 2022 9:02 pm
Seals would probably help. They are probably pretty well worn in.

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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. May. 24, 2022 6:00 am

Do you have plenty of fresh air available to the basement? What are you running for a timer cycle?

Gaskets may be due for replacement, but you may also be into some coal that needs a more lively fire.

 
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ShawnTRD
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Post by ShawnTRD » Tue. May. 24, 2022 10:04 am

Boiler is in a very open garage 28'x25'. I do have the top of my boiler insulated witch might not be needed in the summer. I hardly ever need to run high fire in the summer.
Rob R. wrote:
Tue. May. 24, 2022 6:00 am
Do you have plenty of fresh air available to the basement? What are you running for a timer cycle?

Gaskets may be due for replacement, but you may also be into some coal that needs a more lively fire.

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Post by Rob R. » Tue. May. 24, 2022 10:33 am

I think Keystoker recommends not insulating the top of the boiler, but if you are not seeing the boiler creep up to the high limit it seems like a non-issue.

Your timer cycle is a bit uncommon. I'm wondering if it doesn't allow the fire to really get going enough to support the draft.

I would follow Keystoker's recommendation of 1 minute every 15 minutes and see how it goes.

 
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Post by lzaharis » Tue. May. 24, 2022 12:01 pm

Shawn, your door seals look exactly like mine and still work ok.

I had to increase my hold fire timer cycle to 14 minutes per half hour as it would not stay lit otherwise.

Until I placed 1,000 degree Fahrenheit furnace insulation from McMaster Carr on the top of the kaa-4-1 boiler it would overheat and dump heat in the heating loop and overheat the house as I have no other dump zone.

Don Snow said they want the boilers to breathe and I see no need for removing the insulation after 7 years of use.

Most all oil and gas boilers cold start boilers are fully insulated to hold heat in anyway and many are used the year round to make hot water as well.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. May. 24, 2022 12:04 pm

lzaharis wrote:
Tue. May. 24, 2022 12:01 pm
Most all oil and gas boilers cold start boilers are fully insulated to hold heat in anyway and many are used the year round to make hot water as well.
Oil and gas boilers do not have to worry about a balancing act between heat generated from timer cycles and heat stored in the boiler.

 
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ShawnTRD
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Post by ShawnTRD » Tue. May. 24, 2022 9:06 pm

I think I'll try removing the insulation and do 5 pins every 15 minute and see how that works.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. May. 24, 2022 9:18 pm

What are you running for a low limit setting?


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