Im going to order a backup and do what you did every other year, how did you clean the original? Did you do the BK suggestion with the vinegar?
2012-2013 Blaze King Performance Thread(everything BK)
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Im going to order a backup and do what you did every other year, how did you clean the original? Did you do the BK suggestion with the vinegar?
Thirty-three hours later, stove top is at 300, cat still active. The t-stat was set at just over 1.5, or about 'n' in normal, and the blowers on low. Outside temp 31 with a stiff breeze (still), 63 inside. Had a decent pile of coals in the back left corner, and one split mostly intact, but well charred and pretty light, on the left side.
Might have gone another couple of hours, but it would've been pretty cool in here. I'll take it. Maybe I won't have to fix my furnace.
Very good!
How do you know the cat is still active when down to 250-300..when I'm at the end like that the whole stove top seems around the same temp..I don't notice it being hotter anymore near the cat.
I think the temp probe is just reading the stove top temp at that point..but i don't know.
Surely not much off gassing going on at that point..least not enough to feed a cat me thinks.
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We have the same IR therm. I am very glad we don't have the same stovetop temps! I would be cooked out of here way down south! Great pics..
Jason
Just got in a couple hours ago from a visit out of state with the in-laws. We left on Thursday morning which was a warm day, I loaded the stove with good wood and turned it down to 1. Friday was cool and today was even cooler, the heat didn't run at all Friday but ran for nearly 2 hours today. I had the heat set for 58* so the house was cool when we got home, it's safe to say the BK was run the hardest so far this year today. 
It's not often I run it at 2+ with the blowers on medium. The main level is warmed up, upstairs will take some time to follow along.
It's not often I run it at 2+ with the blowers on medium. The main level is warmed up, upstairs will take some time to follow along.Wow I forgot how much the fan hurts the burn time. I'm about 12-13 hours into last nights load and I ran it on the "n" on normal with the fans on low and I probably only have 3-4 hours of heat left in the stove. I just pulled the sides in and turned it up to 2. Without the fans running that has been a 24 hour load all season long. The house was cool due to us being gone so I had to keep the fan running since cold air was rushing into the stove room from upstairs.
Reloading the BK- Cat in Range, Not in Range- when is best time to reload-before cat gets too cold, or do you wait longer? I am able to restart long after cat is cold due to coals, the question is more about what is the "best" way- Problem for me is I have too much heat, its 35 outside and I'm at 88 inside, I am trying to burn this Sirocco as low and slow as possible. No comments like I get from my wife either "we need a bigger house" guys, she does have a point but I don't want any of you to help her. My taxes are bad enough in NJ.
I find fans on low pretty consistently cut burn times by a third. But hey, when you need the heat...
As for the best time to reload, full cycles are your friend if you want to run 24/7 for the season. After you get down to coals, pull everything front center and let it burn on high a while before you reload to keep the bed down. I often stir 2 or 3 times over a few hours. Keep some dry pine or soft maple on hand to throw on the coal bed for when it is cold out and you need more heat while it is burning down.
Are you burning full loads? Maybe load less wood and burn a little hotter? Save the full loads for colder weather.
Firecat has some pretty specific instructions on this that they will give you if you ask. They are very particular about how this should be handled and were pretty candid about everything that can go wrong and what it means to the longevity of the combustor. It made me like them even more as it would seem they would be the prime beneficiaries of my screw ups.
Gonna try 12 hour loading schedule for the next few days. I'm pretty sure I have the low burn thing down pat and I'll probably do that most of the Winter and supplement with the Keystone but it's time to see some real heat from my Princess. Last night I loaded up about 3/4 full of Oak and set the stat at about 1.8, 12 hours later there was still too much fuel in there so I had to burn at max for about an hour before reloading again. Now I'm reloaded and burning at #2, nice low lazy flame going on for 3 hours so far with the stove top up around 600. Gobs of heat coming of this thing, should be no problem maintaining house temps at this rate.
Shoulder season wreaks havoc on loading schedules, once the cold winter weather gets here you'll find yourself on a schedule day in day out, Im still struggling with loading times.
Todd, have not run real full loads, maybe 3/4 at most. When do you reload, do you wait until the cat is out of range or reload right as cat is about to shut down?
Usually my cat probe is still into the active zone if I'm running full loads after 24 hours but I still burn in the bypass for 10-15 min before reengaging.
The last few 3/4 loads I've been burning are still way up in the active range after 12 hours. I just loaded and my cat probe was at 700 and I had a huge coal bed.
These cat probes aren't super accurate because of the radiant heat off the stove so don't just releye on it for engaging the cat. Give your wood a chance to char good and get some flame going for 10-15 minutes.
Ok Todd, So I understand this as you reload while the cat is in the active range. That is what I will do from now on. Thanks. This stove is great but as with all stoves has a learning curve.
i ordered my Princess yesterday! should be here in 7-10 days. cant wait to get this bad girl in and finally be able to see what you guys rave about. i have 4 cord of some real nice beech to break her in with. only thing is i'm worried about the length of the wood. i cut it for my dutchwest(18 ish) and the princess takes 16 N/S. will this be a major issue for me? if it is i'll just trim them up and burn the nubs in my allagash down in the shop.
i feel like a kid at chistmas!
i feel like a kid at chistmas!
Congrats, you will love it. Those 18" splits shouldn't pose a problem, the fire box is about 17"x 21" so just load the first row E/W and the second row can be loaded either or once your up over that metal lip and fire bricks.
Well I think my days of 24 hour loads are coming to an end. Tonight at 20 hours here is what I had in the stove after pulling everything into the middle.(was all elm last night) The house was still 70-72 in the lower level. I made it 24 hours before reloading but the stove top was hovering around 200* and the house was cooling fast in the 68-69 range. Last night was in the 20's and today's high was in the low 30's. Tonight is supposed to get to 20 which means teens for us since we're on the outskirts of "town".
The fresh load is today's load, some elm and ash. Some of the elm I've been burning is a bit punky but it still makes heat.
The fresh load is today's load, some elm and ash. Some of the elm I've been burning is a bit punky but it still makes heat.
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Well I think my days of 24 hour loads are coming to an end. Tonight at 20 hours here is what I had in the stove after pulling everything into the middle.(was all elm last night) The house was still 70-72 in the lower level. I made it 24 hours before reloading but the stove top was hovering around 200* and the house was cooling fast in the 68-69 range. Last night was in the 20's and today's high was in the low 30's. Tonight is supposed to get to 20 which means teens for us since we're on the outskirts of "town".
The fresh load is today's load, some elm and ash. Some of the elm I've been burning is a bit punky but it still makes heat.
Is the freestander have a bigger box than the insert? my box size is 18" x 18", you guys seem to get more wood in when you load up.
Well I think my days of 24 hour loads are coming to an end. Tonight at 20 hours here is what I had in the stove after pulling everything into the middle.(was all elm last night) The house was still 70-72 in the lower level. I made it 24 hours before reloading but the stove top was hovering around 200* and the house was cooling fast in the 68-69 range. Last night was in the 20's and today's high was in the low 30's. Tonight is supposed to get to 20 which means teens for us since we're on the outskirts of "town".
The fresh load is today's load, some elm and ash. Some of the elm I've been burning is a bit punky but it still makes heat.
Is the freestander have a bigger box than the insert? my box size is 18" x 18", you guys seem to get more wood in when you load up.
I have roughly that kind of coal pile at 12-16hrs. Now that we are in winter (-8* right now) I generally load the stove in the morning before work and in the evening.
I keep mine active all the time. Before I reload I open the thermostat wide open and let ER rip for a few minutes. I turn the fan off while doing this. Then I flip the bypass and let it go a minute to clear the smoke and then open the door just a bit to Maj sure the smoke goes out the chimney. Then I gently scrape the glass clean with a sharp razor knife. Then I load the stove and close the door and flip the cat on and let it burn with the thermostat wide open until the cat is at max temperature. Then I set the thermostat and turn the fan back on.
Sounds like a long process?!
To put wood in I open the bypass, open the T Stat wide open, open the door, stir around the ashes/coals and put wood in. Close door, let it get burning well then close the bypass and turn the T Stat down. Takes usually 5-10 mins depending on how fast the new wood catches.
I leave the fan running all the time and I don't mess with the glass, stays clean enough on it's own.
To put wood in I open the bypass, open the T Stat wide open, open the door, stir around the ashes/coals and put wood in. Close door, let it get burning well then close the bypass and turn the T Stat down. Takes usually 5-10 mins depending on how fast the new wood catches.
I leave the fan running all the time and I don't mess with the glass, stays clean enough on it's own.
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