Harman Vs. Keystoker

I've done some searches, but only come up with crap from 5 years ago or older. I just got a Harman Super Mag Stoker, and it's the cat's pajamas. It's heavy, solid, looks nice, heats with the temp sensor or just stove temp (and the temp sensor actually works amazingly), and it ran for 3 days without me having to re-fill it. The distribution blower is enough to gag a dog at 15 feet away when it's on high, and I hooked a Kill-A-Watt up to it, and it's only using 20 watts with combustion blower and 70 with everything running at once.. So at my cost electricity wise, 5.12 a month and the battery backup I'm buying will run it for 8 hours.

Now ever since I bought it, I'm trying to figure out if I should of bought a Keystoker, or what the differences are between the two? I think the Keystoker doesn't really look as nice, so what internals makes it better? The Harman setup works like the Coal-Trol does, it just doesn't let you set day/night temps.. which honestly, it's not a big deal to turn a dial half a millimeter to adjust anyways. So any input? Just trying to understand how they feed the coal, etc.. Everyone kept saying Harmans old feed system was better. I dunno

I tried yes TRIED to buy the Magnum Stoker before the Super Mag, actually right about the time they switched over. One dealer said they didn't sell coal stokers, even though I told them all I needed was a price. The 2nd dealer actually sold me my Buderus 3115 in 1981 when he was just a little guy, now big operation lots of trucks and 2 locations. Never got a price after visiting the shop, saw the owner later and he was mad to say the least and quizzed me on all the details. Well off to buy an Alaska and the dealer I visited had both but carried on about the Keystoker. Keystoker 90 was ordered will Coal-trol and brass finishes. Not as fancy as the Harman, but simpler and I think it may actually be a little more efficient. I guy I worked with bought the mag model I would have purchased used. He burns more than I do but you know you really can't compare two different buildings. He struggled a first with settings when it got warm, and he has to adjust the feed rate when it gets cold. I don't have any of that, is it the stove or the Coal-trol, don't know if I ever will know. Keystoker has been around since 1947, and when you call them answers are both free, and offered with honesty. I asked about buying a spare stoker motor and was told they last a long time, and they usually can get you one in a few days, so why buy one ahead of time. Could of just sold me one, and I might of never needed it.

I was toying with the idea of buying a complete spare stoker for my KA6 just to have all spare parts on hand,....just in case. I wonder how much a complete stoker costs? I'd be willing to go $500. If more than that I'll just get spare motors

Motor is a very commonly available oil gun motor type, much the same as what's used on both the Keystoker and EFM alike...not special to any stoker by any means.

If you used two six volt golf cart batteries in series, you'd have 215 reserve minutes at 20 amps, which would provide those 20 watts for a LONG TIME before you'd have to start up the genny or start burning furniture. Actually, you only want to use up 50% of their capacity so 3 1/2 hours at 20 amps, which would be 240 watts.

C-12, a grand won't make you happy,.......................... keep going.......up.
Let's see.......folks MIGHT want to have a spare motor, spare grates, coupler, but not the whole 9 yards.

yikes! I was also toying with the idea of a Hitzer 983 insert for the fireplace. Having that as back up with the ability to burn wood in a pinch and for ambiance might make sense too.

So anyone here have a Keystoker? How do they feed the coal? So far I'm going 3 days between fill-ups. Is that good for a stoker?

Pusher plate moved by a gear reduction motor with an offset plastic/nylon cam. Simple, efficient, basically trouble free. Most all stoker units are very good, however some prefer the bottom fed units. In reality they all produce great amounts of affordable heat. This is NOT trajectory research, so please don't go that way. Accept that many folks before our time had the brains and ability to just plain GET IT DONE, and not question everything they encounter. 'Learn as you burn', and take the time to say 'thank you' to the folks who produce this product, and therefore, your comfort. 3 days is very good.......most of us check and fill daily....just because we can. I certainly do not recommend letting the hopper get low.......unless you are one of those guys who drives his car 63 miles past the 'empty' alarm, and thinks you are smarter than every other swinging Johnson on the pike when you coast downhill to the service station.......just in time.

whistlenut wrote:Pusher plate moved by a gear reduction motor with an offset plastic/nylon cam. Simple, efficient, basically trouble free. Most all stoker units are very good, however some prefer the bottom fed units. In reality they all produce great amounts of affordable heat. This is NOT trajectory research, so please don't go that way. Accept that many folks before our time had the brains and ability to just plain GET IT DONE, and not question everything they encounter. 'Learn as you burn', and take the time to say 'thank you' to the folks who produce this product, and therefore, your comfort. 3 days is very good.......most of us check and fill daily....just because we can. I certainly do not recommend letting the hopper get low.......unless you are one of those guys who drives his car 63 miles past the 'empty' alarm, and thinks you are smarter than every other swinging Johnson on the pike when you coast downhill to the service station.......just in time.

When I fill mine up, I could probably honestly let it go for another day before it ran out. And it's been anywhere from 14 degrees to 40 degrees. And I'm personally very happy with my Harman. You set the max feed, max dist blower, and the temp you want the house.. and then it just maintains that heat within 1 degree. And it's pretty cool because it's not like to goes to idle, then MAX to heat the house.. it auto adjusts the feed and blower to what it needs, and that's it.. so it sort of works like the Coal-Trol. And if I want to, I can set the temp to just go by the stove only, so if I want it to just run a 1 inch line I can.. or 2 inch line I can, etc.. I just like to learn about other brands, etc.. because I had a quote on a Keystoker and honestly just never followed up with it, because I like the looks of the Harman better.. and I kinda wish I would of explored my options, just because I tend to just buy things randomly. Everyone just keeps saying Harman sold out and they are junk now.. and I'm trying to figure out why people are saying that.

In my opinion one brand is as good as the other. It's like asking which is better ford or chevy It's just a matter of opinion and who you ask.
Everybody has a different take on it. Personally I have a keystoker and am very happy with it, I feel it is simple, efficient, and easy to operate. Each brand has its pros and cons including feed system, direct vent, hopper sizes, and so on. If you have one and your happy and it saves you a lot of money that's the important part.
I am in my 2nd year of burning coal and I figure I save about $1500.00 a year from burning oil as I previously did. That's the part that makes me happy! At that rate my koker will be totally paid for by next year. Basically learn the quirks of your unit and use it to your advantage, and decide what to spend that extra money on that you will save.

vulcan wrote:In my opinion one brand is as good as the other. It's like asking which is better ford or chevy It's just a matter of opinion and who you ask.
Everybody has a different take on it. Personally I have a keystoker and am very happy with it, I feel it is simple, efficient, and easy to operate. Each brand has its pros and cons including feed system, direct vent, hopper sizes, and so on. If you have one and your happy and it saves you a lot of money that's the important part.
I am in my 2nd year of burning coal and I figure I save about $1500.00 a year from burning oil as I previously did. That's the part that makes me happy! At that rate my koker will be totally paid for by next year. Basically learn the quirks of your unit and use it to your advantage, and decide what to spend that extra money on that you will save.

So how often do you fill yours? Or how long can you go without touching it? I am happy with mine, and right now I'm in the process of running a 6" duct into the floor to heat my basement. Curious to see how it will heat after the dist blower is pumping heat downstairs.

I know of hundreds of folks who use Harman products and love them. They only sold out because of economic decisions, not quality issues. We all like to kick the dealers, and the main company is now headed to 'Pellet Heaven'....letting the coal market drop off quietly. You can not go wrong with any of the products, IF you decide to treat them with respect. Inexpensive heat, reliable products.....just stoker gear-motors and fan motors......gaskets and a clean environment to burn in and they all work well. By the way, 3 days is a stretch for my region, but two unless it is -15 and windy.

Carbon12 wrote:I was toying with the idea of buying a complete spare stoker for my KA6 just to have all spare parts on hand,....just in case. I wonder how much a complete stoker costs? I'd be willing to go $500. If more than that I'll just get spare motors

That's kinda what I did. I have a mag stoker in the house and one in the workshop and then I picked up a third for cheap that needed much work but the pieces were all there and functional. So far I've used the grates off it and the controller after I fried a component on one of mine trying to get cute with setting up the combustion blower to run at two speeds. I also used the door for an afternoon while I changed the gasket on the 'operational' door.

[quote="whistlenut"]Pusher plate moved by a gear reduction motor with an offset plastic/nylon cam. Simple, efficient, basically trouble free. Most all stoker units are very good, however some prefer the bottom fed units. In reality they all produce great amounts of affordable heat. This is NOT trajectory research, so please don't go that way. Accept that many folks before our time had the brains and ability to just plain GET IT DONE, and not question everything they encounter. 'Learn as you burn', and take the time to say 'thank you' to the folks who produce this product, and therefore, your comfort.

Great post buddy. Why does everyone think things to death?