How to permanent install Manometer...

Hey fellows.

I have a Keystoker 90 stoker stove, power vent. I just bought a Dwyer 25 because I had two hopper fires in a row, three months apart and figured I should check everything... the first I thought was a fluke, but the second clued me in. It turned out to be a unsealed rear grate area in the back near the hopper that caused my issues, it seems. In any case, I had ordered the above-mentioned manometer to check all my bases, and I now see that I'm running -.05 on the draft. Now that I've got that rectified with a quick adjustment, I have been researching these things more and more, and some people say they're worth hooking up permanently and just leaving 'em running, and they provide real-time data on the stove and it's draft condition, which can tell you about when it needs to be cleaned and other problems. OK, dig that.

Two questions:

1) Is this true?

2) If yes, I'm looking for a good place to drill and tap the stove... the ash door doesn't make any sense for a permanent mount, what with all the motion of the door and, honestly, it would look like hell there anyway. Is there another suitable place on the stove, or does it not matter? +1 for you if you can recommend a good place to drill 'er up.

You must have a problem with draft, setup, ash, or something. I have had my Direct Vent Keystoker for 6 years now and never had a problem with it. Mine typically runs .04 most of the time, sometimes .03 or .05, but depends on how hot its' running or how cold outside.

Read the MANOMETER INSTALL Thread, gives you a lot of ideas.
manometer install

Yes, you can permanantly mount them on any type of stove.

I just drilled and taped the side of my stove and mounted the manometer on the wall.

Mine is about 6" above the stove exit collar. Then the stove pipe goes up about 1 ft then the 90 elbow then a slightly slopped 2 ft run to the chimney. The baro is about 6" before the thimble to the chimney.

I used brake line and bent it to go towards the wall were I then attach the rubber mark 25 connection. I plan on blowing out the lines every couple months.

These have Direct vents , there is NO good place to tap except the firebox somewhere. Since the exhaust blower is mounted directly mounted to the stove as you see the big black housing on the bottom back of the stove.

WNy, you're right, it was a sealant issue.. I had totally failed to seal the REAR of the grates when I last took it apart. I cemented up the sides and the middle of the coal grates, but totally zoned out and didn't do the rear portion. That was my issue. The thing is, I now wat to wall mount and permanently stick the manometer to the stove, and, I'll be darned, you've got the same stove and setup as I was imagining. I'd just as soon mount the NT fitting around the rear of the stove where it's out of site more, but yeah, that's the basic idea..

WNY wrote:These have Direct vents , there is NO good place to tap except the firebox somewhere. Since the exhaust blower is mounted directly mounted to the stove as you see the big black housing on the bottom back of the stove.

Is that blower always on?
Is it pulling in air from outside?

The exhaust vent is always on, yes. It takes makeup air from inside the house. The only hole in the wall is the DV exhaust vent itself. I've seen other stoves that use outside air, but not the Keystoker.

ValterBorges wrote:

WNY wrote:These have Direct vents , there is NO good place to tap except the firebox somewhere. Since the exhaust blower is mounted directly mounted to the stove as you see the big black housing on the bottom back of the stove.

Is that blower always on?
Is it pulling in air from outside?

I have a koker and I use the factory drilled hole next to the ash door (right hand side as you are looking at the front of the stove, it isn’t actually on the swinging door itself). I think the smaller keystokers have the same hole. Keep in mind, Keystoker’s manual says to measure the draft at the door (or as experienced guys would say, “over the fire”) so if you measure it at the flue you may not have an accurate reading (I am guessing they would be higher than over the fire).

MIKe,

Yes, that would do it without sealing the grate. The fire will burn back and up into the hopper.In fact, I did a write a while back on this.
Cleaning & Sealing Burn Grate

Installing the Draft Port:
The only problem with the REAR of the stove is it is DOUBLE WALL for the convection blower heat. Just be careful where you put it.
If you do put it thru the heat jacket, make sure you can seal it good so you don't get any CO leaking from the fire box into the heat jacket!

You might be able to do it near the Exhaust or in the front part of the Direct Vent.

I found a magnehelic on Ebay for $20 new and use that mounted permenantly instead of a manometer, seems much better than the cheap plastic and no oil!

jrn8265 wrote:I found a magnehelic on Ebay for $20 new and use that mounted permenantly instead of a manometer, seems much better than the cheap plastic and no oil!

Picture please for us thicker folks. I like the idea of constant monitoring.