Advice / Opinions on what stoker boiler

tikigeorge wrote:Look at a Keystoker, simple operation and the controls are available at a supply house should you need them. The gear box comes from Keystoker. My fourth year and I have no regrets on my purchase.
I just added a auger to feed coal from my coal bin to the hopper. No more buckets from the coal bin to the hopper. I only have to remove the ashes, for now. If you are ever in the Phillipsburg NJ area, you can see a KA-6 in operation..

I like to take you up on the offer, I work in Easton pa...

Keystoker would be my choice. Simple, rugged, proven, no surprises....good luck!

I agree, I think the K6 would be a great choice. Great people over there at Keystoker.

Wiz, you are on a great journey, and while you think you have no experience, you ARE already bright enough to know that you want to keep your heat and hot water dollars right here at home. Your location makes it a no-brainer to visit Keystoker, EFM, AHS, AA, Leisure Line, ......over time. There are some fine folks that are rebuilders in Ravine, also. I would not ever be afraid of a used, rebuilt unit from them. When you go to Keystoker for a visit (open Sat. AM) you will be shocked at what they produce by hand and the diversity of their products. Hot air, little stokers, big stokers and all the work is done right there. Don't be afraid to zip over to Berwick either, Matt and Dave are on target to help as many folks as they can update or move to coal appliances. I hear CoalKirk speak of 'sizing' and while I respect that part of the process, I have not worried about having too much btu available. Bigger is better from where I live. If it -24 with the wind blowing, who the hell cares how much coal you burn, your family needs to be warm. End of story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can assure you of one thing, you won't hear anything while the stokers are running....unlike an oil burner firing every 10 minutes,..... while you think you are paying another portion of the Sheiks 2012 RR.

TikiGeorge is a generous guy, so please take him up on his offer. It's nice to see the machine purring and happy. Enjoy the ride, your family will love you for it, too!

Thanks Whistlenut..... I pm TikiGeorge but pm still shows up in Outbox, so I'm hoping he gets it. It's awesome seeing how members are willing to help each other. Yesterday I contacted a friend who's a plumber that will help in my new adventure. 100% Agree on keeping money at home instead of throwing it oversea. If all goes as plan project will start around April.

Wiz,Just about all of the name brands that have been mentioned have withstood the test of time and are rock solid combinations.Do yourself a favor and visit the Keystoker folks.Get the "cooks tour "of the factory.They have been at it a long time and know what they are talking about.That is the brand I have chosen [Kaa2 model] and it has been a reliable performer for 4 years now.It has also paid for itself already.Do your homework,heat loss study,boiler materials and thickness,control package/options,chimney requirements,warranty,price, and parts support.Oh yes,one more thing,measure your doorways and access pinch points because you want it all to go smooth.Taking a door off is one thing,removing moldings and door jambs is quite another.I guess you can tell by now that I favor the Keystoker brand.Good Hunting!! Mike

EarthWindandFire wrote:Few people, other than hvac professionals or serious heating hobbyists will put forth the effort to do a proper heat loss calculation of their home. Which is why I mentioned sizing a boiler with enough reserve capacity. Nothing worse than spending 4 to 10 thousand dollars on a boiler to only find out it's not large enough. Again, that's my opinion as I sit here with a coal stove too small for my home and have trouble keeping my house above 66 degrees on a warm day.

Hi Mark, Give us a call at the shop. I realize the lil Heater is only 70,000btus but it should be able to keep up most days this past winter. I don't know how large of an area you are heating but I would like to make sure your stove is set up properly. 570-752-1811. Thanks, Dave

If you go "new" then my money would ride with Keystoker,only because I have one and know what his personality is like under all conditions. If used is the option,then you will have to research the various units and their wear points and weaknesses over time. Think it over carefully as these boilers can last a very long time and like a marriage you want to get the right one the first time. Mike

Flyer5 wrote:

EarthWindandFire wrote:Few people, other than hvac professionals or serious heating hobbyists will put forth the effort to do a proper heat loss calculation of their home. Which is why I mentioned sizing a boiler with enough reserve capacity. Nothing worse than spending 4 to 10 thousand dollars on a boiler to only find out it's not large enough. Again, that's my opinion as I sit here with a coal stove too small for my home and have trouble keeping my house above 66 degrees on a warm day.

Hi Mark, Give us a call at the shop. I realize the lil Heater is only 70,000btus but it should be able to keep up most days this past winter. I don't know how large of an area you are heating but I would like to make sure your stove is set up properly. 570-752-1811. Thanks, Dave

Well you won't get customer service like that ANYWHERE else, that's for sure.

The customer service from Dave and Matt has always been top notch!

The problem is not the stove, it has done everything it was designed to do. I have no reservations about recommending Leisure Line to my friends and family and will be buying a larger Leisure Line stove or furnace in the near future.

To Whistlenut,
Thank you for the kinds words. Wiz and his wife did stop and see my operation. I told him to make sure the KA-6 was the correct size, do the math.

I'm really glad that fellow members can share their views of the product lines of the various hand fed and stoker units. The K6 has greater water volume and that makes me happier. Don't forget to include Leisure Line's 220K dual stoker either. Plenty of volume and two stokers when you need them, or one for the less demanding seasons. All the stoker boilers are bulletproof...... . Jim Darcy at CoalJack Boilers has a single and dual stoker boiler that are excellent also. He has been running them for a few years, and they are extremely reliable, too. Keep both eyes open, and again, thanks to George and family for being great forum members.

tikigeorge wrote:To Whistlenut,
Thank you for the kinds words. Wiz and his wife did stop and see my operation. I told him to make sure the KA-6 was the correct size, do the math.

George, that was sure a nice offer on your part. That is the easiest way to sell the Mrs. on a stoker boiler...take her to see one in operation. The first time my wife saw an EFM running she said "why don't we have one of these?".

whistlenut wrote:The K6 has greater water volume and that makes me happier.

Check this out. 1/2 price......shoot him a PM.

sterling40man wrote:Check this out. 1/2 price......shoot him a PM.

Who?