Hooks on Bottom of Water Baffle on Keystoker KA6???

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Mon. Feb. 17, 2014 8:11 pm

Strange, but I just noticed there are 2 hooks welded to the bottom of the rear most water baffle in the fire box. The baffle just before the exhaust vent, there are 2 baffles. Anyone have any idea what the hooks are for??? Am I missing a piece to my new to me boiler???

Dirty Steve · Post by **Dirty Steve** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 8:03 am

There is a plate of steel that should have come with it. It hangs straight down- I assume to deflect heat and or fly ash from going straight out the stack.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 8:07 am

Thanks! Do you know the dimensions?

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 8:21 am

I looked in the online Keystoker manual for the dual fuel oil/coal version of the boiler. It states the dry baffle should be placed for oil. My boiler is not dual fuel. Does that mean it didn't come with the dry baffle or did the guy I bought the boiler from forget to give it to me? Guess a call to Keystoker will clear up any confusion.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 1:03 pm

I called Keystoker. They were very nice to deal with. They said the hooks on the bottom of the wet baffle are for hanging a steel plate dry baffle. It is only used on the dual fuel set up oil/coal when burning oil. They said there is no advantage, whatsoever, having the dry baffle when burning coal. Why is it I still want one? Seems to me if it helps increase heat extraction when burning oil, it would do the same for the coal. Any thoughts? They said the coal burning only units are not shipped with the baffle.

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 3:11 pm

Any thoughts ?? Mine might not make sense but here goes... with oil the burner comes on full blast then off,repeat ,....coal is a more constant heat all the time. Less high & low with coal,no heat holding baffle needed, oil has high & low & needs the baffle to maintain more constant heat in the burn chamber .? Now the experts can set us all straight with the proper answer.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 3:14 pm

Could be. I was also thinking that maybe when the burner comes on, the blast of combustion might need to be dampened internally for some reason.

Dirty Steve · Post by **Dirty Steve** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 4:02 pm

My KA-6 is not dual fuel.... but came with the damper. Use or no use with just coal?

I have always used it.

Post by **Rob R.** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 4:25 pm

Dirty Steve wrote: My KA-6 is not dual fuel.... but came with the damper. Use or no use with just coal? I have always used it.

Get a BBQ thermometer and observe stack temperatures with and without the baffle in place.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Tue. Feb. 18, 2014 5:00 pm

Can you send the dimensions? I don't have one. Thought I'd make one. Stopped by the local Keystoker dealer today,..actually, not so local, they were closed.

oliver power · Post by **oliver power** » Wed. Feb. 19, 2014 6:33 am

My Kaa-2 came with the steel plate baffle. Size doesn't matter, as your boiler would have a bigger baffle. The one for the Kaa-2 is about 10" x 14" (I'm guessing) x 1/4" thick steel plate. It hangs from those two hooks.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Wed. Feb. 19, 2014 6:47 am

Thanks Oliver! Wiz sent me a photo and dimensions of his. I'll make one out of some sheet aluminum I have on hand. That probably won't last long. If I notice a difference, I'll order one or have one made. Thought I had read everything about my KA6 but I continue to learn new stuff. Nowhere in the Keystoker manual for the coal only boiler does it mention the baffle. It's not even on the parts list.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Wed. Feb. 19, 2014 11:23 am

Got a sheet of 26 gauge sheet steel. Bent and hammered to correct dimensions and drilled the holes to go over the hooks. Not exactly the 1/4 inch steel of what was supposed to come with the boiler but I'm hoping good enough for a test.

Post by **Lightning** » Wed. Feb. 19, 2014 11:54 am

I've ran my furnace without the baffle plates for a short duration. I tried it because I thought maybe the steel fire box would absorb radiant heat off the top of the coal bed better than it would absorb conducted heat from the coal exhaust.. I came to the conclusion that the baffles were better overall since my over the load door temp and my flue pipe temp would have a bigger gap with the plates installed. It made about a 20 degree bigger difference between those two points.. I haven't tried it again since. But I did raise the question again on another thread about radiant vs conducted heat but didn't gain any proof either way..

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Wed. Feb. 19, 2014 12:18 pm

This baffle hangs down under the cross fire box water filled baffles. It hangs between the exhaust outlet and the main stoker firing area. It appears to divert heat and fly ash up and then down over the wet baffles rather than allowing it to directly vent through the low mounted exhaust outlet. Still awfully puzzling why it's not mentioned in the Keystoker manual??? I did have to adjust the Baro a bit after I installed it. Draft over firebox decreased a bit. Having to suck less air through the Baro to get the right draft in the firebox is a good thing,.....I think