Reading Juniata or Keystoker Koker Lite?

Vbull · Post by **Vbull** » Tue. Oct. 14, 2014 10:59 am

I've been looking for a stoker that can be readily ducted into my hot air system and have it narrowed down to these 2 models.
I have been using a Leisure Line Pioneer for several years and like the unit. This was our first stoker after many years of using
a hand fired stove and furnace. I am moving out of the current home into a new built and the person moving into our existing
home is going to continue using the LL Pioneer. Otherwise it was coming with us.

I've not been able to look at these 2 models mentioned above in person so don't really know how well they are constructed.
And since the LL came with the Coal-trol, how much of a learning curve is there with the Keystoker unit since it comes with
only a standard Honeywell on/off type thermostat and not the Coal-trol?

olpanrider · Post by **olpanrider** » Tue. Oct. 14, 2014 12:26 pm

I bought a used Juniata it is working well but the basement gets pretty hot so I'm making sheetmetal boxes to mount on the sides and duct into the cold air return to pull heat off the sides of the stove in addition to the duct port on top off the stove.. If I was to purchase new the LL pocono or Hyfire with a hot air jacket would be the top two on the list..

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Tue. Oct. 14, 2014 8:23 pm

Some reviews on the Reading Juniata:

https://www.google.com/search?q=reading+juniata+s ... channel=sb

Bustedmp · Post by **Bustedmp** » Tue. Oct. 14, 2014 9:18 pm

I just installed a Juniata in August to heat my house. I can tell you that the instructions for it are very vague about things. The control box that comes with the stove works pretty good once I figured out that not both the feed motor and combustion blower get plugged in to it. I have mine in my basement feeding hot air into a 12x8 main trunk line with branches to the rooms of the house. I can burn mine all the way down to just barely any fire on the grate all the way up to a full grate of fire. It has been burning away for the last few weeks now using an average of 15lbs of a coal a day just to take the chill out of the house in the early morning hours. My basement stays nice and warm and in turn my floors stay nice and warm.

Starting Out · Post by **Starting Out** » Sun. Oct. 19, 2014 7:44 pm

Koker Lite has more BTU output at 105,000 compared to Juniata at 85,000. Nothing like having a little extra horsepower.

Vbull · Post by **Vbull** » Fri. Nov. 14, 2014 7:13 am

Well, I ended up finding a scratch and dent Reading Juniata for a good price. The small skirt at the rear got bent during transport, otherwise it is fine.
Picked it up on Monday and fired it off Wednesday. Been running fine. I have not yet ducted it into the existing hot air system but will as soon as deer season is finished or I tag out.
It did not come with a Coal-trol but a dual timer device to control the idle and thermostat dwell times. With the idle timer set all the way down, the flame looks just like the flame appears in the Leisure Line stove I have in another house. I've yet to throttle up the thermostat timer more then 1/2 way until I have it tied into the duct work. Plus it really has not been cold enough. The house is a new modular built 1450 sq/ft with a full 1450 sq/ft insulated basement. So far, so good.