Koker - Air Blowing Out Bottom of Ash Door

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roehrin
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker 160

Post by roehrin » Wed. Jan. 06, 2016 1:16 pm

I have a Koker 160. I can see and feel some air blowing out the bottom of the ash door. Some ash collects there after taking it out and it gets blown. Is this normal or should the ash door completely seal?

 
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olpanrider
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Post by olpanrider » Wed. Jan. 06, 2016 1:19 pm

You need to check your draft

 
Pacowy
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Post by Pacowy » Wed. Jan. 06, 2016 1:31 pm

It should seal and there shouldn't be a positive pressure behind it.

Mike


 
roehrin
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker 160

Post by roehrin » Wed. Jan. 06, 2016 1:50 pm

Ok. It seems like it only blows there when the blower is running to push the hot air through my ductwork. But I noticed a bit of a sulfur smell today when I came home. Made me concerned. My CO detectors aren't showing anything but I wanted to get to the bottom of the smell.

Is it just a matter of checking my draft or could the draft be good and it still blow out there if there's a bad gasket? I'm assuming that a negative draft would be pulling air in instead of pushing it out.

 
roehrin
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker 160

Post by roehrin » Wed. Jan. 06, 2016 2:05 pm

Just checked my draft and its not great but it's negative at the ash door. Only one tick on the Dwyer Manometer. I think that's -.01.

Last year I could cut the draft down enough but now it seems low. I reduced the barometric damper to basically it's lowest setting. I did add a chimney cap, but otherwise there shouldn't be any difference.

 
Pacowy
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Stoker Coal Boiler: H.B. Smith 350 Mills boiler/EFM 85R stoker
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Post by Pacowy » Wed. Jan. 06, 2016 2:29 pm

Suggest following the manual. Check draft after good fire that fully warms chimney at air shutter on combustion motor or baro. Should be between -0.02 to -0.03. Close shutter some if below -0.02 or open baro if above -0.03.

Mike


 
roehrin
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker 160

Post by roehrin » Wed. Jan. 06, 2016 2:44 pm

I've been checking the draft at the small hole on the ash door. The manual suggests checking it somewhere else?

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Wed. Jan. 06, 2016 4:42 pm

roehrin wrote:I have a Koker 160. I can see and feel some air blowing out the bottom of the ash door. Some ash collects there after taking it out and it gets blown. Is this normal or should the ash door completely seal?
roehrin wrote:Ok. It seems like it only blows there when the blower is running to push the hot air through my ductwork. But I noticed a bit of a sulfur smell today when I came home. Made me concerned. My CO detectors aren't showing anything but I wanted to get to the bottom of the smell.

Is it just a matter of checking my draft or could the draft be good and it still blow out there if there's a bad gasket? I'm assuming that a negative draft would be pulling air in instead of pushing it out.
Your assumption is correct, negative draft will/would pull air in.

In order to have your coal furnace blower pull air back under the ash door your basement space would have to have greater negative pressure when blower runs than what the chimney can draw.

So, basement space may lack sufficient sq.in. of return air duct opening from that space and pulls what it can from the path of least resistance...and that be from the outside of your house by way of your chimney.

If this just happen recent then something you have changed recently is the cause. Your furnace blower should get equal amount of return air from each the same space or levels of the home to be keep air circulation in balance.

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