Fresh Air Supply for Koker

Understood, but since I have direct vent draft is not an issue. Also, since the opening in the side of the fan is only about 2" in diameter do I only need to feed it with that size or should I go 3" or 4" pipe?
Jim

I used a 3" flex aluminum for ease of installation but anything is better than nothing as far as fresh air goes.

TAMNOZ wrote:Understood, but since I have direct vent draft is not an issue. Also, since the opening in the side of the fan is only about 2" in diameter do I only need to feed it with that size or should I go 3" or 4" pipe?
Jim

Draft is always an issue that should be measured, be it natural draft or forced exhaust (DV or PV). During the burning season fly ash can build up over time and reduce the draft. The make up air would be supplied to the combustion blower. When your combustion blower isn't feeding the fire, the DV is pulling air in through the gate used to regulate combustion air.

Do the direct vents come with a rheostat to control the draft? I know the SWG PV does.

Check out homesaver's pic from earlier in this thread.

• homesaver wrote:I used a 3" flex aluminum for ease of installation but anything is better than nothing as far as fresh air goes.

  

Well, the stoker was the best investment I've made in a long time, but I had it blow out on me twice in the past two weeks. Actually, the safety switch shut it down, but I was there when it happened the 2nd time and there was so much wind it was blowing flyash in the gaps of the sliding door of the direct vent pipe. Of course the whole house smelled like sulpher too.

Anybody else had this happen with a Keystoker direct vent unit?

I looked at all my suppliers catalogs and non had a high wind cap for a 4" pipe, so I modified what I had.

Not windy today, but I think this should do the trick. I'll let you know how this works. Pics attached........

The modified chimney worked ok till we had the 35mph winds a couple weeks ago.

Ended up having to build a "windshield" around the chimney pipe with wonder board. Seems to have corrected the problem. I still think I'm going to build a chimney in the spring though. If I do, it will be lined with smooth wall, insulated 316 stainless instead of terra cotta which tends not to stay warm enough when a coal stove is idling a lot. Might as well do it right if I'm -a- doin it !

I don't know but I have a traditional chimney and have had no problems with keeping good draft even when the stove has ben left at Idle for days on end. Used the same chimney with the Harman mag wich is a much smaller stove than the Koker I,m running now.

Got sick of dealing with the direct vent system noise and wind issues so I sold it and installed a 6" 316 alloy Ventis class A chimney last year. I still had some issues with the damper getting sucked open in high winds though so I installed a Cobra wind directional cap (not in pic) and that was the end of the problem.

Works like a champ! Now the only issue is because I am sick of hauling and shoveling I have to find a coal hauler who buys from the best mine around here as I have tried two other sources and I am going through a lot more coal plus there's a good deal of shale bits in the ash not to mention the ash is a LOT heavier. Has to the be the coal quality because none of the settings on the stove have changed. I still maintain that this heating system was a terrific investment!