Why Am I Losing My Fire?

Take a manometer reading at the fire door or anywhere in the combustion area. forced combustion air might be overcoming natural draft. If the reading is low in the fire area with burner operating then adjust the baro to get it up.

The bigger question is why did you start a new thread when so many people were helping you on the other one? All this does is confuse your issues.

Did you look under the plates of the fire bed as I mentioned in your other thread?

THere a lot of other suggestions in your other thread, your draft at .2 seems high, most should be at -.02 - .04, most operate at . 04, it just sounds like something has changed, you other thread you stated wet coal was put in, your holes in the grate could be clogged and or it gummed it up and made the pusher not work properly.

In your other thread you said they told you to check the pusher bar and you found it cocked up from trying to push wet coal. Did you ever clean the grates, open the holes as recommended?

Clousseau wrote: I cleaned every hole in the burn plate to insure that none were clogged.

I see that you mentioned cleaning the holes, but what about under the grate to make sure the air isn't being blocked down there?

Why did the main blower shut down if the temp was less than 145?

It is way too easy to do a check under your grates to ever even consider it much trouble.
Two screws to slide the small blower off it's mount and peer into the space inside with a flash light.
Heck, you can even do it with a fire on the grate...no need to shut down.

Since you will have that open may as well have the shop vac on standby w/ a reduced smaller hose w/ enough length to probe all the way in and vac the fines from every nook and cranny out.

Did you know that fines plus water once becoming dried equals a hardened mass of black crud...may need a little persuasion (scraping) to help vac that crud out.

I have read the so called "operation guide" for my KA-6 boiler. It is as basic as you can get. It gives some useful information, but does not answer the questions I am asking. That is why I am here asking you guys with experience for guidance. I am a rookie at coal burning, so bear with me through my trial & tribulations.

We don't mind answering questions, ask away. We ask a bunch ourselves as we go through the diagnosis 'cause its kinda hard to see from this side of the interweb so please bear with us too. Not knowing the experience level and what has already been checked some of the questions are pretty basic but we like to make sure something obvious hasn't been overlooked.

Sounds like the next step is for you to check under the grates for crud.

Inspector Clousseau,The Mayor(Richard) was good enough to join Your new topic with Your original one. This'll keep You on track and on target for solving this case. The Fine Folks here are Detectives,too. They generally leave no stone(Or,in this case,black rock)unturned in order to help You. If You can answer all questions asked,maybe provide pics when needed,and generally keep a record of actions taken with results,You'll be on Your way ! We've got all the time in the World for Your questions,and alot of patience,too. Just help Us to help You ! Hell,the Nice People have been dealing with me for years,so I know they can easily help You ! Toil Away,Mate !!

Update on my issues with the KA-6 boiler. Spoke to Don at Keystoker again this AM. He told me I need to open the air shutter on the small blower motor to 1/2 open, and open the large air shutter to 1/2 open. Both were about 1/4 to 1/3 open previously. The fire is now burning at 160 + degrees now for 4+ hours! The fire is high up on the burn shelf near the hopper, and not very large in length, do I increase the coal feed by 1 or more turns turn to get the fire to move down the burn plate so it has about 1 1/2 inches of ash before it dumps into the ash bin? Right now it is 11 turns open. I am burning rice coal (dry).
I was also told by Don at Keystoker to change my timer settings to 2 pins every 10 mins instead of 3 pins every 15 mins.

Glad you got something working.! that was one thing we said to check was the blowers and openings. most run about 1/2 open/closed, opening a bit more will give you more air and more heat. sounds like you're getting close.

Amount of ash depends if your system is calling for heat or not of how much is burning on the grates. If you need more heat, then you could adjust the feed by 1/2 turn at a time and readjust after it catches up, approx an hour or so. don't make large adjustments until the system settles out and catches up. Coal takes time to respond.

1 pin = approx. 15 secs.
2 pins = 30 secs x 3 = 90 secs in 30 mins.
3 pins = 45 secs x 2 = 90 secs in 30 mins.
Looks to be almost the same, except shorting the feed down to 10 mins instead of 15. may not make much difference on idle.

Benn burning for 2 days now, I think I am finally back on line. Question though, I was told to set the aquastat at 160 low, 180 high , with a 10 degree differential. How do I set the 10 degree differential?

There should a dial on the aquastat, you might have to take the cover off. Most have LOW/HIGH and DIFF turn knobs for the settings.

If you look in the Manual on Pg. 13, it shows the triple aquastat setting(s)