KAA2 up and Running

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autoguru
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Location: Maine, Millinocket (Mt Katahdin)

Post by autoguru » Mon. Jul. 20, 2009 7:04 pm

Just got the boiler installation finished up yesterday. When I tried to light the fire I had a hard time at first, I cant start a fire to save my life. After about 45 minutes I sent the wife for some match light charcoal, that did the trick it was going in 10 minutes. It ran up to temp and the circulator came on and heated up the boilers. The stoker turned over to the timer upon the boiler temp reaching around the 180 mark. The combustion fan runs 24/7 as well as the circulator between the boilers. I noticed the temp went up to 220 after the stoker went over to the timer mode is this normal for overshoot in summer. After a couple hours it went down to 180 and has been idling at 180 since. Taken several showers and I don't think that it has come of idle since the first time running to get it up to temp. I put three bags in the hopper and after running 24 hrs burned down not quit 2 inches from starting level. Looks like I will get another 3-5 days on this hopper. I plan to let this hopper empty and go back to oil for the rest of summer, this is just a start up run and checking for issues, none so far except that I have never had so much hot water I could stay in shower for hours and not run out as it would with the oil. I do have a question about the fire. On idle I had four pins every 15 minutes and the fire is about 2-3 inches wide and about 2 inches from stoker and about 5-7 inches from end of grate. I just added another pin at each on point for a total of 5 pins every 15 minutes. How far from the stoker outlet should the coal fire be was 2 inches to close. And also do I need or is it a good idea to make a cover for the hopper or is a hopper fire not an issue with this boiler. I do not have the draft set with a manometer but I will as soon as I can get one, will it be the same in winter as in the summer the draft adjustment that is.
I did the complete install on my own including the electrical from the panel/breaker. It is an awesome feeling to get this up and running and to know I don't have to worry about how high the price of oil is going to be. Thanks for the great forum I could not of done this without your help

Rick

 
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009to090
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Location: Live Oak, FL

Post by 009to090 » Mon. Jul. 20, 2009 7:31 pm

Rick, Congratulations. It sounds like you are all set for the forecasted cold winter we will have this year. Hows your coal supply? :D

 
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sterling40man
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Location: Northern Maine
Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker K6

Post by sterling40man » Thu. Jul. 23, 2009 12:00 pm

Rick,

Let me see if I can answer a few of your questions. I have a K6 and have it hooked up the same way.
autoguru wrote:It ran up to temp and the circulator came on and heated up the boilers. The stoker turned over to the timer upon the boiler temp reaching around the 180 mark.
This is exactly what it should do if your high limit on the aquastat is set to 180.
autoguru wrote:The combustion fan runs 24/7 as well as the circulator between the boilers.
Yes, the fan should run 24/7 but, the circulator should only run when the K2 is up to temp or there is demand for HW.
autoguru wrote:I noticed the temp went up to 220 after the stoker went over to the timer mode is this normal for overshoot in summer.


It went up beacause of the inital start up. You probably had a good fire going and had no demand for heat or DHW. If this happens again, turn one of your thermostats up to open a zone and dump some heat out. Your K2 will cool down faster.
autoguru wrote:After a couple hours it went down to 180 and has been idling at 180 since. Taken several showers and I don't think that it has come of idle since the first time running to get it up to temp.
180 is very high for summertime. All you really need is 140-150.
autoguru wrote:I do have a question about the fire. On idle I had four pins every 15 minutes and the fire is about 2-3 inches wide and about 2 inches from stoker and about 5-7 inches from end of grate. How far from the stoker outlet should the coal fire be was 2 inches to close.
It all depends on your HW demand. If it's low, 3-4 pins every 15 minutes should do. If it's high, maybe 5 or 6 pins. You'll have to tinker with it.

2" from the stoker should be fine. For summertime use your fire should be about 1" to 2" wide across the grate. In the winter your fire will be a little further from the stoker and almost to the edge of the grates.
autoguru wrote: And also do I need or is it a good idea to make a cover for the hopper or is a hopper fire not an issue with this boiler.
No cover needed. I don't think it will be an issue. I don't use one on my K6.
autoguru wrote:I do not have the draft set with a manometer but I will as soon as I can get one, will it be the same in winter as in the summer the draft adjustment that is.
It should always be at .02-.04
autoguru wrote:I did the complete install on my own including the electrical from the panel/breaker. It is an awesome feeling to get this up and running and to know I don't have to worry about how high the price of oil is going to be. Thanks for the great forum I could not of done this without your help
Congrats on the install and I hope everything works out.


 
autoguru
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Location: Maine, Millinocket (Mt Katahdin)

Post by autoguru » Sat. Jul. 25, 2009 10:07 pm

It has been running for six days now. I put three 50lb bags in the hopper when I fired up last Sunday and it should be ok until tomorrow. Seven days on 150 lbs of coal (summer use) is this average. I think I will shut her down until it gets a little colder outside, as oil will be cheaper to run on until then. This has been a good learning experience for me and I look forward to going to full coal usage this winter. There has been one five gallon pail of ashes for almost 150 lbs of coal.

Thank you again for the help/ information

Rick

 
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Freddy
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Joined: Fri. Apr. 11, 2008 2:54 pm
Location: Orrington, Maine
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 130 (pea)
Coal Size/Type: Pea size, Superior, deep mined

Post by Freddy » Sun. Jul. 26, 2009 6:09 am

Another Mainah tunrs to ANthracite! Congrats on the installation. Beautiful! It's a close call whether oil or coal is less in the summer. I'm running oil for hot water right now & figure it's about the same price for me, but, I can get oil easier than I can get coal.

I'm so excited for you! You're going to enjoy it this winter. Every time you empty ashes you're putting money in your wallet.

One thing with the Keystokers... if you lose your power the fire can die in just 15 minutes. If you're gone you come home to a coal filled ash bin. A fellow in Bucksport added a temp sensor on his stove pipe so if he has an outifre it shuts off the power. A manual reset is needed. You go without heat either way, but with the sensor you don't have a pan full of coal to deal with.

 
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sterling40man
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker K6

Post by sterling40man » Sun. Jul. 26, 2009 9:35 pm

autoguru wrote:Seven days on 150 lbs of coal (summer use) is this average.
With the price your paying for coal Rick, I think you should go back to oil until fall. I ran the figures and you're spending $15 per day with coal. That comes out to 6 gallons of oil per day this time of year ($2.45 per gallon). I'd stick with oil. Six gallons per day is a lot of oil for DHW. Just my 2 cents worth and it's probably worth less than that. :P :lol:

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