Installing Keystoker KA6. Please Help

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Bernie84
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker ka6

Post by Bernie84 » Tue. Sep. 02, 2014 1:33 pm

Hello everyone I recently purchased a new keystoker ka6 boiler and have never hooked one up. Have some questions for you guys that have been hooking these things up for years as I have no clue yet.
I want to run this boiler in series with my oil boiler.
Question1. I know some say to set oil at 30* lower than coal aquastat but wouldn't it be better to run two thermostats in house (one for each unit) or just use thermostat in house from the oil boiler and wire the two aquastats together.
Question2. Can I use circulator pump off my oil boiler two run both units our should I add a circulator pump to coal boiler and wire the two circulator pumps together .(both units are only 10ft apart)
Question3. Can I run the domestic hot water out of boiler and directly to main hot water feed for house (with mixing valve) or should it be plumbed to existing water heater or a seperate holding tank added to hot water system. (I only have one bathroom . Plus dishwasher,washing machine and kitchen sink) . Keystoker says no Tank required for hot water.

 
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Sting
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Post by Sting » Tue. Sep. 02, 2014 1:54 pm

Bernie84 wrote:Hello everyone I recently purchased a new keystoker ka6 boiler and have never hooked one up. Have some questions for you guys that have been hooking these things up for years as I have no clue yet.
I want to run this boiler in series with my oil boiler.
Question1. I know some say to set oil at 30* lower than coal aquastat but wouldn't it be better to run two thermostats in house (one for each unit) or just use thermostat in house from the oil boiler and wire the two aquastats together.
Both ways work - what do you want?
Bernie84 wrote:Question2. Can I use circulator pump off my oil boiler two run both units our should I add a circulator pump to coal boiler and wire the two circulator pumps together .(both units are only 10ft apart)
It depends - I might say yes and then discover you have some hybrid installation that forces me to say no.
Bernie84 wrote:Question3. Can I run the domestic hot water out of boiler and directly to main hot water feed for house (with mixing valve) or should it be plumbed to existing water heater or a seperate holding tank added to hot water system. (I only have one bathroom . Plus dishwasher,washing machine and kitchen sink) . Keystoker says no Tank required for hot water.
How is it rigged now?

Kind Regards
Sting

 
Bernie84
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker ka6

Post by Bernie84 » Tue. Sep. 02, 2014 5:36 pm

I want to run two thermostats (one for each unit)so that answered that.
The circulator pump on oil boiler is the same old pump that's been on oil boiler for 10 +years plane jane nothing special . It's an old cast iron rad system with only one zone for whole house rite now house is 2100 sqft.as for the hot water I now run a ken more electric water heater. I have talked to keystoker and they say I can run hot water from coal boiler straight to main hot water line nothing else as far as holding tank or piping into existing electric hot water tank but I'm not sure if that would keep up with demand for water. It is rated at 200 gallons an hr so maybe it would.


 
Boots
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Post by Boots » Tue. Sep. 02, 2014 5:49 pm

You, and keystoker are correct. You can plumb the domestic coil directly to your domestic hot water supply line with no tank needed, if thats the way you want to do it. Im just curious, why do you want to have a 2 thermostats?

 
Bernie84
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker ka6

Post by Bernie84 » Tue. Sep. 02, 2014 7:17 pm

I was thinking if I had two thermostats if coal went out for some crazy reason the oil would pick up heat loss faster than setting oil aquastat 30* lower then the coal aquastat. Just a thought I've never put one of these keystokers in so that's why I'm asking you guys that have done this before . You think it would be better to wire both units together.

 
lzaharis
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Other Heating: kerosene for dual fuel Keystoker/unused

Post by lzaharis » Tue. Sep. 02, 2014 7:37 pm

Bernie84 wrote: I was thinking if I had two thermostats if coal went out for
some crazy reason the oil would pick up heat loss faster
than setting oil aquastat 30* lower then the coal aquastat.
Just a thought I've never put one of these keystokers in so
that's why I'm asking you guys that have done this before .
You think it would be better to wire both units together.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You only need to one thermostat period that way the oil will
come on if the coal fire goes out. This is how my system is
set with my wood and coal boiler is set up and how
I will have the system set up when I have the dual fuel KAA-4-1
installed using my old Riello burner.

Before I forget it you should wire it independently of your electrical system
with two duplex recepticles mounted on the boiler shell for the pump,
the forced draft blower and the aquastats.

This is so you can use a generator to power the KA-6 stoker when the power goes to hades.
I will be doing this with my installation.

Did you buy the top sheet of insulation that is offered as an accessory item?
its $9.00 for my model.


 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Sep. 02, 2014 8:02 pm

Bernie84 wrote:I was thinking if I had two thermostats if coal went out for some crazy reason the oil would pick up heat loss faster than setting oil aquastat 30* lower then the coal aquastat
You are correct. It would also keep the oil unit from kicking on in the event that a heat call drags the boiler temperature down for a few minutes.

 
Bernie84
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker ka6

Post by Bernie84 » Tue. Sep. 02, 2014 10:07 pm

thanks for the help guys . izaharris I just noticed you were from fingers lakes area I myself live in the finger lakes. I bought my keystoker boiler from the coal shop in canadice. small world. I didnt buy the extra insulation for top of boiler because I plan on keeping top of boiler tin off so the residual heat will keep my basement warm. I may add a small heat exchanger to it also if I can find one cheap enough.

 
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CoalisCoolxWarm
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
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Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Buckwheat
Other Heating: Oil Boiler

Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Fri. Sep. 05, 2014 9:13 am

Thanks for asking these questions. I am installing KA6 this month and was planning to ask some of these, too :)

 
Boots
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Post by Boots » Sat. Sep. 06, 2014 3:47 pm

CoalisCoolxWarm wrote:Thanks for asking these questions. I am installing KA6 this month and was planning to ask some of these, too :)
Seems to be a popular choice this season!

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