Keystoker KA-2 Will Not Come up to Temperature

I performed the annual maintenance on my KA-2. Disassembled the stoker, cleaned everything up and re-assembled it. During this process I discovered that the blower motor had set up so I ordered a new one off the Internet.

Ever since I fired it up it has not come up to temperature. I have the blower wide open and the stoker set for maximum coal.

I removed the blower assembly from the stoker and the opening into the stoker bed was plugged full of some unburned coal but mostly grainy ash.

I must have screwed something up. Any ideas about what I might have done.

Did you remove the grates? If so, did you use furnace cement when you reinstalled them?

When you removed the old motor, did you confirm that the motor was seized?

Did you confirm that the new motor spins in the proper direction?

Rob R. wrote:Did you remove the grates? If so, did you use furnace cement when you reinstalled them?

When you removed the old motor, did you confirm that the motor was seized?

Did you confirm that the new motor spins in the proper direction?

To add to what Rob has already mentioned; Are you sure you have the stoker at max feed? Turning the feed all the way clockwise would be max feed. Are the grate holes open? The blower on my 50-93 HITZER would sometimes be stuck from setting all summer. A shot of oil, and a couple turns by hand, and it's good to go. This happened after the first heating season. Come fall, the fan was stuck. Checked it every fall afterwards. It happened more than once, but not every year. Fan is still going strong to this day.

Try air at 1/2, instead of full open, if it improves some then fine tuning will get it even beter. Use small adjjstments then and allow time for fire to stablize as it is very slow to settle.

Blower wheel tight to shaft?

Rob R. wrote:Did you remove the grates? If so, did you use furnace cement when you reinstalled them?

When you removed the old motor, did you confirm that the motor was seized?

Did you confirm that the new motor spins in the proper direction?

I did not use furnace cement when I re-installed them. Looks like I am heading for a shutdown. Is there any place else in the stoker that needs to be cemented?

Yes the motor was seized and even oiling would not free it up.

I confirmed that the new motor is spinning in the correct direction. A small sliver of toilet paper held in front of the opening was drawn into the fan. I am assuming that if it was wired backwards, it would blow the paper out.

I have heard good things about Imperial furnace cement. Your local True Value hardware store should have it.

You just need to seal around the grates so the air has to go through them instead of around them. Maybe one of the Keystoker guys has a picture.

Rob R. wrote:I have heard good things about Imperial furnace cement. Your local True Value hardware store should have it.

You just need to seal around the grates so the air has to go through them instead of around them. Maybe one of the Keystoker guys has a picture.

Pulled the blower assembly again and wired it up while removed from the stoker body. Blows air like a banshee.

I am assuming that I can get away with sealing the edges from the top without having to pull the stoker unit from the boiler or do I need to pull the stoker and disassemble it to do this right.

I am assuming that I can get away with sealing the edges from the top without having to pull the stoker unit from the boiler or do I need to pull the stoker and disassemble it to do this right.

Taking stoker off would be the easier and most likely less time consuming. If you do take off stoker, you'll need to re-cement it too. Imperial cement is good product

AdkCoal wrote:

Rob R. wrote:I have heard good things about Imperial furnace cement. Your local True Value hardware store should have it.

You just need to seal around the grates so the air has to go through them instead of around them. Maybe one of the Keystoker guys has a picture.

Pulled the blower assembly again and wired it up while removed from the stoker body. Blows air like a banshee.

I am assuming that I can get away with sealing the edges from the top without having to pull the stoker unit from the boiler or do I need to pull the stoker and disassemble it to do this right.

Other than emptying the hopper, and disconnecting the wires, I believe it's only 4 nuts to come off. Two for hopper, and two for stoker. I found it WAY easier, and faster to set the stoker on a bench in front of me. You might squeak by sealing the grates from the top. To do it right, you'll need to embed the grates into the cement, as well as fill any top gaps at sides. You also need to seal the joints between the grates. Otherwise, more air may flow between grates, and less up through holes. This will cause an irregular burn pattern. BUT, I think you'll find the unit will need other attention. Like opening up the holes again. A 9/64 drill bit will do the job. You'll also want to smooth / shine up the top of grates so that coal / ashes slide along as designed. Do the job once, and be done with it. Not a bad job at all. Way easier, and faster to simply pull the stoker. Don't forget to use cement to fill in the sides where hopper meets stoker. Possible hopper fire if not. Where stoker flange meets boiler, I found a flat dense gasket material works nicely. Keystoker mentions using cement. I like the gasket better. Let us know how you make out. Oliver

Wiz wrote:

I am assuming that I can get away with sealing the edges from the top without having to pull the stoker unit from the boiler or do I need to pull the stoker and disassemble it to do this right.

Taking stoker off would be the easier and most likely less time consuming. If you do take off stoker, you'll need to re-cement it too. Imperial cement is good product

Hi Wiz, you beat me to it. Yes, pull the stoker.

Thanks to all the members here who responded.

The quickness and value of the responses cannot be measured and thank you does not seem enough.

We will be shutting down and pulling the stoker.

Just out of curiosity, what are the burn characteristics? How wide and long is that fuel bed? Same coal as before? Any flame above the burning coal? Mike

adk,

Just a thought, you *may* be able to remove the bolts holding the grates with the stoker in place. Or, cut/grind them off on the bottom, and use new ones.

What brand/part number replacement fan did you buy?

I suspect that my grates are leaking a good bit of air at present too. I can't get near the air through the fire as when the unit was new. I should have R&R'd them in sept.

Btw, you can clean fines out below the grates by fashioning a small hose from a "shop vac" or small vac and suck it out through the hole for the blower. I use a piece of 1/2" alum tubing duct taped to the shop vac hose.

Dave

is the load on line and is the pump pulling cold water into the vessel faster than the appliance can recover?