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This morning before work I changed the ash bucket out, and while doing that I shut the stoker off. When I got home this evening (12 hours later) the house had a chill to it (it was 59). Thats when I remembered the stoker was off! I turned it on and turned the air to 8, and still had some glowing coals in the pot. It took about 2 minutes of the increased air flow but I got the flame back with no outfire!

Confession is always good for the soul....
Besides that, you could always claim you were just "testing" the boiler!
-Len

rubicondave33 wrote:This morning before work I changed the ash bucket out, and while doing that I shut the stoker off. When I got home this evening (12 hours later) the house had a chill to it (it was 59). Thats when I remembered the stoker was off! I turned it on and turned the air to 8, and still had some glowing coals in the pot. It took about 2 minutes of the increased air flow but I got the flame back with no outfire!

If you have a good drafting chimney you can go alot longer then 12 hrs with a efm they will hold a fire

coal berner wrote:

rubicondave33 wrote:This morning before work I changed the ash bucket out, and while doing that I shut the stoker off. When I got home this evening (12 hours later) the house had a chill to it (it was 59). Thats when I remembered the stoker was off! I turned it on and turned the air to 8, and still had some glowing coals in the pot. It took about 2 minutes of the increased air flow but I got the flame back with no outfire!

If you have a good drafting chimney you can go alot longer then 12 hrs with a efm they will hold a fire

It'd be nice if my Kaa-2 would do that during a power outage. I have a good strong draft. Anyone out there with a KEYSTOKER NOT loose thier fire during power outages?

oliver power wrote:t'd be nice if my Kaa-2 would do that

The Kaa is a completely different animal. It's like asking a Chihuahua to get the mail. He may want to, but he's not going to reach the box. However, your wish can be fulfilled with a battery back up!

Freddy wrote:

oliver power wrote:t'd be nice if my Kaa-2 would do that

The Kaa is a completely different animal. It's like asking a Chihuahua to get the mail. He may want to, but he's not going to reach the box. However, your wish can be fulfilled with a battery back up!

That figures... I know the neighbors Ka-4 would go out during power outage. His house sets down low, nestled in the trees. His stove pipe went into an old, much bigger masonary chimney. My stove pipe, as well as chimney, are 6 inches all the way. Chimney is straight up, and out through the roof. My house is out in the open, up on a hill. Thanks Freddy

The difference is the depth and quantity of coal on or in the grate.. An EFM has a double handfull of coal deep in the burn pot. An Axeman has a bucket or two of burning coal, either will burn a long time with a little air .

But the keystoker has about a cup or just a handfull of coal, only about an inch or so deep on the grate, it will quickly burn up and go out without fan-forced air and more fuel added to the fire.

Greg L

LsFarm wrote:The difference is the depth and quantity of coal on or in the grate.. An EFM has a double handfull of coal deep in the burn pot. An Axeman has a bucket or two of burning coal, either will burn a long time with a little air .

But the keystoker has about a cup or just a handfull of coal, only about an inch or so deep on the grate, it will quickly burn up and go out without fan-forced air and more fuel added to the fire.

Greg L

Thanks for explaining that to me Greg. I was going to ask Freddy what the difference was, but didn't.

LsFarm wrote:The difference is the depth and quantity of coal on or in the grate.. An EFM has a double handfull of coal deep in the burn pot. An Axeman has a bucket or two of burning coal, either will burn a long time with a little air .

But the keystoker has about a cup or just a handfull of coal, only about an inch or so deep on the grate, it will quickly burn up and go out without fan-forced air and more fuel added to the fire.

Greg L

Depending on what your feed rate is set at the efm will have 5 10 15 or more lbs of coal sitting in the pot at any time
I always have 6 to 8lbs of coal just sitting in the pot waiting for it to stoke up and feed more The pots are 10.5" deep
14.5" across the top with the standard ash ring with a S-22 ash ring it will be 15.5 across the top
How do I know how much coal is in the pot when Idling well because I weighed the coal that was in it I shut down shift the ash from the coal and weighed the coal 6 to 8 lbs always 6" to 8" deep and remember I burn buck so the coal is bigger in size and takes more room up Rice size would be more coal in the pot feed rate is 2.5lbs per tooth with rice buck is 2.0lbs

Rice size would be more coal in the pot feed rate is 2.5lbs per tooth with rice buck is 2.0lbs[/quote]
Is this feed rate per hour?

All feed rates are in pounds per hour. That is why some of us include a run time meter on our stokers and keep track of it daily. Just another tool to gather performance info. The AA's, AHS's, Keystokers , etc can all be set up this way.
Today, even your lawn and garden equipment may have a run-time meter; generators.....why not you heating and cooling equipment. Just another column in the spreadsheets we keep. EFM's aren't the only stokers that can keep a fire for a day or two without any power. Coal is an amazing fuel!