Will Overheating During a Power Outage Damage Keystoker Koker Furnace?
- watkinsdr
- Member
- Posts: 243
- Joined: Sat. Mar. 24, 2007 8:14 pm
- Location: Kensington, New Hampshire
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S260 Boiler
After installing my new , I began wondering : What would happen if I lost power while this mother was kicking out 160K BTUs? I'm assuming serious damage to the stoker assembly, stoker fan motor, anything made of plastic, etc.
I have a 12.5 KV backup generator with transfer switch; however, it will take me approximately 10 - 15 minutes to get this power source on line---and that's if I'm home---could be longer if no one is home during the outage...
Do any of you folks out there have uninterruptible power source (UPS) backup power for your stoker stoves? If so, any recommendations for a resonably priced UPS solution?? I'm looking at enough UPS backup to run the furnace for about 60 minutes with a load of approximately 450 watts.
Many thanks in advance.
I have a 12.5 KV backup generator with transfer switch; however, it will take me approximately 10 - 15 minutes to get this power source on line---and that's if I'm home---could be longer if no one is home during the outage...
Do any of you folks out there have uninterruptible power source (UPS) backup power for your stoker stoves? If so, any recommendations for a resonably priced UPS solution?? I'm looking at enough UPS backup to run the furnace for about 60 minutes with a load of approximately 450 watts.
Many thanks in advance.
- LsFarm
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- Joined: Sun. Nov. 20, 2005 8:02 pm
- Location: Michigan
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Self-built 'Big Bertha' SS Boiler
- Baseburners & Antiques: Keystone 11, Art Garland
Hi Watkinsdr. I don't think you have to worry about it overheating, once the combustion fan shuts down, the amount of heat output drops by about 75%. With no air being forced through the layer of coal on the burner bed, it will cool way down within a minute or two.
Unless you have a very strong draft pulling air through the comustion fan and passageways, the fire will go out pretty quick.
Fire up the unit and shut off the combustion fan and stoker motor, you will see what I mean.
As for the power supply, take a look at this:
Battery Back-Up Tutorial
Greg L.
Unless you have a very strong draft pulling air through the comustion fan and passageways, the fire will go out pretty quick.
Fire up the unit and shut off the combustion fan and stoker motor, you will see what I mean.
As for the power supply, take a look at this:
Battery Back-Up Tutorial
Greg L.
Last edited by LsFarm on Fri. Oct. 05, 2007 8:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
- WNY
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- Location: Cuba, NY
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90K, Leisure Line Hyfire I
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
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We have had power outages with our keystoker, it shuts down pretty fast and cools off, usually will re-light if power is restored less than 1-2 hours, there are still hot coals underneath, and will take 20-30 mins to come back up....but sometimes it doesn't.
- watkinsdr
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- Joined: Sat. Mar. 24, 2007 8:14 pm
- Location: Kensington, New Hampshire
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S260 Boiler
Thank you! You're absolutely right, the fire will die quickly without the combustor fan running. Makes sense! I have a barometric damper controlling draft; so, that's not a problem either. Guess the stove can wait until I have my generator running. Thanks again!!!
- coaledsweat
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- Location: Guilford, Connecticut
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260M
- Coal Size/Type: Pea
Probably the only thing that will hurt a decent coal appliance would be overfiring.
- oliver power
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The only problem I know of is: If the fire goes completely out , and the power comes back on , the thermastat keeps calling for heat. So , the stoker keeps pushing in coal. All the coal in the hopper ends up in the ash pit. That's what happens with my neighbors stoker boiler. Does anyone on this board know of some kind of switch which would prevent this situation? Battery back-up would be one way.watkinsdr wrote:Thank you! You're absolutely right, the fire will die quickly without the combustor fan running. Makes sense! I have a barometric damper controlling draft; so, that's not a problem either. Guess the stove can wait until I have my generator running. Thanks again!!!
- coaledsweat
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- Location: Guilford, Connecticut
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260M
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A temperature probe near the firebox can shut down the stoker when the heat falls below a setpoint.
A simple aquastat (I think Honeywell 6006) that is set 20 degrees below the low limit on the boiler will shut the system down in case of an outfire. Lack of hot water is usually a sign that the fire is out so it usually gets relit before too much time goes by unless you are on vacation. You'll need an override switch when firing up the boiler though.
- Yanche
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- Location: Sykesville, Maryland
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Alternate Heating Systems S-130
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You need a Double Pole Single Throw (DPST) relay and a push button switch. The manual push button pulls in the relay. Once it's closed one set of relay contacts keeps the relay closed. Now you can let go of the push button switch. The relay says closed. The other set of contacts controls whatever you want. If the power goes out the relay drops out and everything is turned off. Very common circuit in motor controls. It has some disadvantages. If the power goes out, you must be there to re-set the relay. Depending on what you are trying to do this may be acceptable. Additional circuity could ring an alarm when the power returns alerting you to look at your stove.oliver power wrote:The only problem I know of is: If the fire goes completely out , and the power comes back on , the thermastat keeps calling for heat. So , the stoker keeps pushing in coal. All the coal in the hopper ends up in the ash pit. That's what happens with my neighbors stoker boiler. Does anyone on this board know of some kind of switch which would prevent this situation? Battery back-up would be one way.watkinsdr wrote:Thank you! You're absolutely right, the fire will die quickly without the combustor fan running. Makes sense! I have a barometric damper controlling draft; so, that's not a problem either. Guess the stove can wait until I have my generator running. Thanks again!!!
well I need to be completely independent. the stove is great for that. just fill the hopper and empty the ashes. a little cleaning here and there. I also bought a generator that will run the stove , lights , PC and few other things if needed. to run the water pump I would have to run only the pump. I could live with out water for couple days. I have 6 gallon jugs put away for that. i'm running the generator exquast through the wall in the kitchen. I can fire it up and plug in what I need with cords. the kitchen is other side of house from the stove. I would not be able to get the generator outside , fire it up , run the cords. be to hard. I live in the booneys and the power goes out alot , sometimes for days. an ice strom it could be weeks
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Seems to me that a disadvantage of this sort of control, as noted by Yanche, is that it will need a manual reset any time the power goes out--even if it is a momentary interruption. I would think a control that only disconnects on a longer outage would be desirable.Yanche wrote:You need a Double Pole Single Throw (DPST) relay and a push button switch. The manual push button pulls in the relay. Once it's closed one set of relay contacts keeps the relay closed. Now you can let go of the push button switch. The relay says closed. The other set of contacts controls whatever you want. If the power goes out the relay drops out and everything is turned off. Very common circuit in motor controls. It has some disadvantages. If the power goes out, you must be there to re-set the relay. Depending on what you are trying to do this may be acceptable. Additional circuity could ring an alarm when the power returns alerting you to look at your stove.oliver power wrote: The only problem I know of is: If the fire goes completely out , and the power comes back on , the thermastat keeps calling for heat. So , the stoker keeps pushing in coal. All the coal in the hopper ends up in the ash pit. That's what happens with my neighbors stoker boiler. Does anyone on this board know of some kind of switch which would prevent this situation? Battery back-up would be one way.
- Yanche
- Member
- Posts: 3026
- Joined: Fri. Dec. 23, 2005 12:45 pm
- Location: Sykesville, Maryland
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Alternate Heating Systems S-130
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Pea
Read the second paragraph of my previous post on the power fail back/backup problem. It offers a solution that will work well.
See: Flue Temperature Sensor Interlock Device
See: Flue Temperature Sensor Interlock Device