First Season With Keystoker 90 Maybe to Big Enough?

coalnewbie · Post by **coalnewbie** » Mon. Mar. 31, 2014 5:58 pm

I talked w/ keystoker today and they seem to like a plain old thermostat over the coal trol.

I agree, in fact I use the stove temperature controller without an external thermometer and manage just fine. KISS.

EarthWindandFire · Post by **EarthWindandFire** » Mon. Mar. 31, 2014 6:40 pm

The Coaltrol is like a VCR, none of us ever knew how to program it, but we made them work somehow. The Coaltrol is not the problem and neither is the stove. Personally, I would have bought the 105 which is only a few bucks more than the 90. This is a case of operator error and lack of experience. It happened to me, I'm no smarter or better.

tiogajoe · Post by **tiogajoe** » Mon. Mar. 31, 2014 7:10 pm

My dealer is offering me a 105 w/ an additional 6" top vent w/o coal trol or an HF 90. They will get back to me with how they would like to handle it. In the meantime I'll keep learning

hotforcoal · Post by **hotforcoal** » Mon. Mar. 31, 2014 7:34 pm

You can never have enough btu's. Same stove just bigger grate

Flyer5 · Post by **Flyer5** » Mon. Mar. 31, 2014 7:49 pm

2001Sierra wrote:I have your same stove. Heating 2200 sq ft total with the basement at 73 to 75 controlled by Coal-trol. Upstairs 68/69 depending on thermostat controlling fan that draws from the top of the stove through a 6 inch supply, 240 CFM blower pulling upstairs. Stove is also equipped with the standard size blower which I believe is 250 CFM, heat is not a problem in a 60's ranch with upgraded windows and doors. I even have so much heat I am now blowing air into the garage another 350 sq ft, outside now is 33 and garage is 61.
Also I backed off on my max feed rate of my Coal-trol to 60 with my min at 10. I have the older Coal-trol which runs on a 100 second cycle, I believe the newer ones work on 120 second cycle, I am trying to confirm this. On mine a max of 60 means the feed motor runs 60 % of 100 seconds or 60 seconds every 100 seconds.

Confirmed

I just confirmed this myself.

hotforcoal · Post by **hotforcoal** » Mon. Mar. 31, 2014 7:57 pm

Joe: go get your self a manometer it is a must for the safety of you and your family... and be sure to have 2 or more co. detectors .you don't want a hopper fire from over drafting

Rick 386 · Post by **Rick 386** » Mon. Mar. 31, 2014 10:22 pm

Joe,

Reason for he manometer is to measure your draft. Using that in conjunction with the baro will make sure that all the heat stays in the stove to be radiated out into the room rather than going up the chimney.

I have used an Alaska triburner with just manual controls and also a LL Hyfire II with the coaltrol. I do prefer the coaltrol in fluctuating temps. With the old Alaska, I was constantly setting the controls based on what I thought the temps were going to be. Coaltrol was set it and forget it. My son had a Keystoker 90 with just the thermostat and he liked it. His problem was distributing the heat in his small Cape Cod. But that stove did throw the heat.

At max call for heat, how high are the flames coming off the coal bed ?? That is an indication of how much combustion air is being put into the stove. And I had asked if at max burn you were close to pushing burning coals off the gate. This would indicate if the feed is set properly. If both the feed and combustion air are working properly, you should be making some serious heat in that stove. Then the next issue s getting the heat rom the stove into the room.

Rick

Rick 386 · Post by **Rick 386** » Tue. Apr. 01, 2014 9:48 am

UPDATE:

Spoke with Joe this morning. Nice talking to you Joe BTW.

First thing he is going to do is try another batch of coal. He currently is using bagged Reading. Suggest he try a hopper of Blaschak and see if there is any difference. If yes, there is your answer. If no change, we look for another reason...............

And I have to commend his dealer on offering to exchange this for the 105 if he wants to go that route. But as I told him, let's check the quality of the coal first.

I'm sure we will be updating later.

Rick

tiogajoe · Post by **tiogajoe** » Tue. Apr. 01, 2014 1:00 pm

Rick,

Good talking w/you too. Gave me some good ideas no matter which way I end up going? I too appreciate the excellent customer service from my dealer.

Flyer5 · Post by **Flyer5** » Wed. Apr. 02, 2014 12:11 pm

Rick 386 wrote:UPDATE:

Spoke with Joe this morning. Nice talking to you Joe BTW.

First thing he is going to do is try another batch of coal. He currently is using bagged Reading. Suggest he try a hopper of Blaschak and see if there is any difference. If yes, there is your answer. If no change, we look for another reason...............

And I have to commend his dealer on offering to exchange this for the 105 if he wants to go that route. But as I told him, let's check the quality of the coal first.

I'm sure we will be updating later.

Rick

Good advice. Coal has been variable this year more than past. Still good coal just not consistent in ash and BTUs. I have even seen coaltrol settins change from a Max of 38-44 to needing to be in the 60-70s for the same fire size.

tiogajoe · Post by **tiogajoe** » Tue. Apr. 08, 2014 7:56 pm

Well after this past weekend back and forth with my dealer it seems to be a problem with the coal trol.

my dealer says he has similar problems with several other keystokers that were put out about the same time as mine? At this point I'm leaning towards starting fresh w/ a 105 and thermostat. We'll know more in the next few days?