2012-2013 Blaze King Performance Thread(everything BK)

[Todd]

Anyone here anything on the new BK cast iron Ashford 20/30 lately? Last I heard from BKVP was that they were real close to release.

 

[PapaDave]

Waiting on that info myself Todd.
Sirocco 30 too.

 

[rdust]

After just over half of a cord burned, I am thrilled with this stove. It has exceeded my expectations for performance and the looks are even growing on me. The big difference that the family notices is the steady temperature, we only swing about 5 degrees in 24 hours where the non-cat created swings more than twice as big.

We've been able to travel, thanksgiving dinner, parties, etc. and return home the next day to a still burning stove and warm home. That's been a big improvement over non-cat craziness.

What am I going to do with all this wood?

Awesome! Glad you're happy with the stove so far. I felt the same way last year on my first season with it. After reading all the stuff posted about the BK stoves on this site I thought for sure a lot of it was internet BS with half truths mixed in. It exceeded my expectations and continues to amaze me. I still laugh sometimes since I was actually skeptical that it would heat as well as my Endeavor since it was rated for 70K+BTU which is almost twice that of the Princess.

I hear you on the extra wood, I probably have over 20 cords and only used 3ish last year due to the warm winter we had. I'm thinking about putting some "face"(it's how people do it here) cords out front and selling some of my lesser woods so I can keep cutting.

 

[Highbeam]

Tired of the smoke spillage. I smoked the house out last night and again this morning. So I ordered a new appliance adapter without the damper installed. I need to make the chimney a better chimney than the house.

To be fair, this morning I loaded while running the fart fan in the bathroom and the house may have been under a vacuum as a result.

My theory is that you can use the minimum flue height but you need every bit of it and a key damper, even wide open, is still a restriction.

Anybody ever try and put cement in the collar before the appliance adapter to seal it even better?

 

[rdust]

Tired of the smoke spillage. I smoked the house out last night and again this morning. So I ordered a new appliance adapter without the damper installed. I need to make the chimney a better chimney than the house.

To be fair, this morning I loaded while running the fart fan in the bathroom and the house may have been under a vacuum as a result.

My theory is that you can use the minimum flue height but you need every bit of it and a key damper, even wide open, is still a restriction.

Anybody ever try and put cement in the collar before the appliance adapter to seal it even better?

During the shoulder season it also bothers me. "Shut of ceiling fan, shut of fan on floor, open door wall a crack and hope for the best.

I have my appliance adapter cemented in not sure if it made a bit of difference.

Edit: I'm using Simpson(m&G) double wall pipe. I think I have some leaks at the joints, I've used furnace cement to seal the inside joints that I don't have to take a part when I sweep. I think my adjustable piece is the biggest offender and I can't do much with that one. I may try a different brand in the off season but hate to spend/waste that kind of money. This is my 4th season with the pipe and I have to take it a part when I sweep so I think that's slowly taking it's toll on the joints fit.

 

[Comanche79p]

This has been an interesting and informative thread-and my first post. I don't mean to hijack this thread, but there seems to be several on here that know a lot about these Blaze King stoves with cats, so I need some help. I hope you don't mind.
I am wanting to do something different with my log cabin in the mountains. It has a ZC fireplace and one of those make believe chimneys. I tried installing one of those approved inserts and it works OK unless it gets too cold. I plan to eventually live there year round and know I must do something different before then. The cabin is at 9200 feet so we have both the cold, lots of snow and the high winds. It is a 8" cedar log, open cathedral ceiling with a open loft over half the house and only about a 1100 square foot footprint, but a lot of cubic feet to heat. Lots of windows. Descent insulation in the ceiling. Electric baseboard backup heat with a power cost of 15 cents KWH and would prefer to never use it.
I have looked at the outdoor wood boilers, soapstone, other heaters and have made up my mind to go with Blaze King. This thread has helped to verified my decision. I just don't know which one-the Princess or the King. The only choice I have is the fir, aspen, and other softwoods. I want to be able to use the top for cooking during power outages. We also want to have long burn times. We will have to either tear down and re-build a new chimney and have either one 90 or a couple of 45's, or just go straight up thru the cathedral area and thru the roof with a new metal pipe.
Any opinions on which model heater? Any help/advise is appreciated.

 

[weatherguy]

I just found this thread and can't wait to read all the way through when I have some time....in the mean time can any of you answer the following:

I am almost ready to pull the trigger on a Blaze King Princess Insert. I have a Ranch style home with a walk out basement. I have a fireplace in the basement and on the main level. My question is: If I put this in the basement (approx. 1000 sq ft), will it heat the main level well enough that I don't have to use my other heat source, or should I put it on the main level (approx. 2000 sq ft.) and we would stay out of the basement for the winter months? There is an open staircase that goes down stairs that does not have a door if that helps.

Thanks....can't wait to "join the club!"

I have a similar set up and have mine on the lower level. Two reason why I did this, I work on the lower level and I wanted to be able to work from home and be warm without running the furnace at all during the day, mission accomplished there, I didnt care if I still used oil but had hoped to cut my bill in half. The second reason is the upstairs fireplace is smaller and the BK wouldnt fit, I would have had to go with a smaller insert and it wouldnt have been enough.
I have two ceiling fans upstairs and I put a vent in the floor with a fire damper on the opposite end from where the open staircase is. After doing that I can almost get by without the furnace but not quite, especially on those cold mornings. To keep the place warm, its close to 80 in the family room with the stove and 70 upstairs I have to burn 2-3 loads a day and turn the tstat up as the load burns down. On days in the 40's I can get buy without doing that but not when its colder.
I dont know how much you use your finished basement but if its not a lot I would put the stove upstairs, I have a unique situation now that I work from home in the lower level and was the main reason I wanted the stove in the first place. We would like to get a smaller insert for the upstairs FP but theres no rush right now since we cut our our bill by 75%. Got it down to one tank per year and that includes the hot water.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

This has been an interesting and informative thread-and my first post. I don't mean to hijack this thread, but there seems to be several on here that know a lot about these Blaze King stoves with cats, so I need some help. I hope you don't mind.
I am wanting to do something different with my log cabin in the mountains. It has a ZC fireplace and one of those make believe chimneys. I tried installing one of those approved inserts and it works OK unless it gets too cold. I plan to eventually live there year round and know I must do something different before then. The cabin is at 9200 feet so we have both the cold, lots of snow and the high winds. It is a 8" cedar log, open cathedral ceiling with a open loft over half the house and only about a 1100 square foot footprint, but a lot of cubic feet to heat. Lots of windows. Descent insulation in the ceiling. Electric baseboard backup heat with a power cost of 15 cents KWH and would prefer to never use it.
I have looked at the outdoor wood boilers, soapstone, other heaters and have made up my mind to go with Blaze King. This thread has helped to verified my decision. I just don't know which one-the Princess or the King. The only choice I have is the fir, aspen, and other softwoods. I want to be able to use the top for cooking during power outages. We also want to have long burn times. We will have to either tear down and re-build a new chimney and have either one 90 or a couple of 45's, or just go straight up thru the cathedral area and thru the roof with a new metal pipe.
Any opinions on which model heater? Any help/advise is appreciated.

My thoughts-
Plan on the King model. You can load that up and turn it down as you wish, and you won't cook yourself out of the cabin. I'm at '8200, but have twice the sq./ft. that I'm heating. At this elevation, burning softwood, I have no qualms about suggesting the King. But.....
Cooking, I'm sure you could. Keep in mind the wood will outgass quicker, and your CAT. temps will get to the upper limits before your stove top is as hot as you would like. EG- ST @ 550, Cat @ 1700 is a normal scenario for me. Sounds good, but you do not have much, in the the way of usable stove-top area to work with.
Kinda why I'm going to use the NC-13, it has it's place.

 

[tobaccogrower]

my new princess cat probe runs almost pegged all the time burning hardwoods seasoned 3-4 years. is this normal? i see some of you saying 1700*. my probe dosnt have numbers on it. is this ok or is somthing wrong? i'm getting 12-15 hour burns with the thermo in the normal zone. probally could get better if wood was the correct size. its all cut 20 inches for my deceased dutchwest neverburn.

I LOVE this new princess! 2 loads a day burning 24/7 and family is warm and toasty!!

 

[Todd]

my new princess cat probe runs almost pegged all the time burning hardwoods seasoned 3-4 years. is this normal? i see some of you saying 1700*. my probe dosnt have numbers on it. is this ok or is somthing wrong? i'm getting 12-15 hour burns with the thermo in the normal zone. probally could get better if wood was the correct size. its all cut 20 inches for my deceased dutchwest neverburn.

I LOVE this new princess! 2 loads a day burning 24/7 and family is warm and toasty!!

Don't worry about it, it's normal and new cats are very hyper sensitive for the first month or so before it settles in for the long haul. Also the probes aren't that accurate at higher temps because of the radiant heat coming off the top. My probe was doing the same thing when it was new, now it doesn't peg as often.

 

[Todd]

This has been an interesting and informative thread-and my first post. I don't mean to hijack this thread, but there seems to be several on here that know a lot about these Blaze King stoves with cats, so I need some help. I hope you don't mind.
I am wanting to do something different with my log cabin in the mountains. It has a ZC fireplace and one of those make believe chimneys. I tried installing one of those approved inserts and it works OK unless it gets too cold. I plan to eventually live there year round and know I must do something different before then. The cabin is at 9200 feet so we have both the cold, lots of snow and the high winds. It is a 8" cedar log, open cathedral ceiling with a open loft over half the house and only about a 1100 square foot footprint, but a lot of cubic feet to heat. Lots of windows. Descent insulation in the ceiling. Electric baseboard backup heat with a power cost of 15 cents KWH and would prefer to never use it.
I have looked at the outdoor wood boilers, soapstone, other heaters and have made up my mind to go with Blaze King. This thread has helped to verified my decision. I just don't know which one-the Princess or the King. The only choice I have is the fir, aspen, and other softwoods. I want to be able to use the top for cooking during power outages. We also want to have long burn times. We will have to either tear down and re-build a new chimney and have either one 90 or a couple of 45's, or just go straight up thru the cathedral area and thru the roof with a new metal pipe.
Any opinions on which model heater? Any help/advise is appreciated.

I think either stove would work and I'd try and go straight up if you can for optimal draft. The King is a huge stove so it may look out of place in a smaller home and the larger 8" pipe and chimney will cost much more than 6". You will still get long burns with the Princess, I've gone over 20 hours on a load of Red Pine but it's not putting out a lot of heat doing it.

 

[SolarAndWood]

My thoughts-
Plan on the King model. You can load that up and turn it down as you wish, and you won't cook yourself out of the cabin. I'm at '8200, but have twice the sq./ft. that I'm heating. At this elevation, burning softwood, I have no qualms about suggesting the King. But.....
Cooking, I'm sure you could. Keep in mind the wood will outgass quicker, and your CAT. temps will get to the upper limits before your stove top is as hot as you would like. EG- ST @ 550, Cat @ 1700 is a normal scenario for me. Sounds good, but you do not have much, in the the way of usable stove-top area to work with.
Kinda why I'm going to use the NC-13, it has it's place.

I complete agree with Beetle-Kill. There is absolutely no downside to the bigger stove other than the 8" pipe requirement and the price.

 

[Comanche79p]

My thoughts-
Plan on the King model. You can load that up and turn it down as you wish, and you won't cook yourself out of the cabin. I'm at '8200, but have twice the sq./ft. that I'm heating. At this elevation, burning softwood, I have no qualms about suggesting the King. But.....
Cooking, I'm sure you could. Keep in mind the wood will outgass quicker, and your CAT. temps will get to the upper limits before your stove top is as hot as you would like. EG- ST @ 550, Cat @ 1700 is a normal scenario for me. Sounds good, but you do not have much, in the the way of usable stove-top area to work with.
Kinda why I'm going to use the NC-13, it has it's place.

Beetle-Kill,
Thanks for the reply.
I assume you have the same type wood. How long do you dry your wood before you burn it? Any problems associated with the softwood in the cat or creasote issues?
I am from hardwood country and have a pretty good understanding about burning hardwood without cat, but not softwood with cat.

 

[Highbeam]

my new princess cat probe runs almost pegged all the time burning hardwoods seasoned 3-4 years. is this normal? i see some of you saying 1700*. my probe dosnt have numbers on it. is this ok or is somthing wrong?

Couple things you'll notice when people talk about their cat temps. They speak of actual temperatures, o'clock positions, and also about pegging their cat meters. None of which are possible since the cat probe that comes with your BK has no numbers and there is no peg, the needle can keep going around. There are some unlabeled tick marks around the gauge that may correspond to temperatures.

Running the cat near the top of the active range is normal on low stat settings, earlier in the burn, and with excellent wood quality. Don't worry about the cat temps after engagement, it only matters that the cat stays in the active zone and that you don't engage until the meter indicates active. I would actually be more concerned if you weren't able to run the cat probe needle to the top of the active range.

The BK was created in soft wood country, they are softwood eating machines. I have nothing but red alder, willow, aspen, red cedar, and douglas fir to feed mine and it performs very well. Burntimes easily exceed the 24 hour mark and often I can go 30 hours in the active zone.

 

[HotCoals]

I burnt for 3 weeks and used just a little over 1 face cord..burning 24/7..it's been fairly warm here in western NY.

 

[dafattkidd]

Greetings BK Burners,

I think I have read here on the forum that burning soft wood or hard wood in a BK has very similar heat output with little variation in burn times. Have you found this to be the case in your experience burning in your units? I know with my non cat EPA unit I have a large variation in burn times based on the species of wood.

Thanks for your feedback. If this is not the proper place for this question let me know and I will post it elsewhere.

 

[nellraq]

Greetings BK Burners,

I think I have read here on the forum that burning soft wood or hard wood in a BK has very similar heat output with little variation in burn times. Have you found this to be the case in your experience burning in your units? I know with my non cat EPA unit I have a large variation in burn times based on the species of wood.

Thanks for your feedback. If this is not the proper place for this question let me know and I will post it elsewhere.

I burn mainly fir and larch in my Chinook...and can very easily get 24+hr burns on full loads. The last couple of hours the stove top is at around 275 - but that's still good for shoulder season.

I do have some well seasoned apple wood .. haven't filled the stove with it yet, but even adding one fairly good size split on to a good coalbed will give me very good heat (better than the fir and larch) ...and the one split will provide useful heat for 4 or 5 hours!!

 

[rdust]

Greetings BK Burners,

I think I have read here on the forum that burning soft wood or hard wood in a BK has very similar heat output with little variation in burn times. Have you found this to be the case in your experience burning in your units? I know with my non cat EPA unit I have a large variation in burn times based on the species of wood.

Thanks for your feedback. If this is not the proper place for this question let me know and I will post it elsewhere.

Burn times will be similar, I find hardwoods give me more heat output. It's nice to know that I could still heat this place with wood people around here consider "junk" wood if I ever run into a hardwood dry spell.

 

[kenwit]

Speaking of handles, my front door handle is very easy to close. It bottoms out with very little effort even though the door passed the dollar bill test four weeks ago. So how much effort is required to latch your front door and does the latch bottom out on the catch?

We are so warm outside in WA that I can't do full loads. I get a big kick out of rdust's photos since that is how I want to be burning this thing but it just gets too hot in the house. We are still in the 50 low to 60 high daily temp swings and rain. Just enough for a four split/12+ hour fire.

I emptied the ash during one of my warm periods and this stove holds a lot more than the heritage. Cripes, a couple inches of depth filled my ash can. No wasted chunks of coal or klinkers.

I've been "selling" this stove to my buds now. I expect to help install the insert model later this year to replace a homemade monster.

Oh and a straight razor blade is the cat's meow for removing the gunk on the glass. I tried ash on a wet paper towel, no dice, bought that rutland cleaner stuff, no dice, then busted out the brand new box blade blades and the stuff just scrapes right off. Needs to be a sharp blade and it goes fast. Even with a clean window, there's not much to see inside. The dirtiness is down low in the corners so you can still see the cat glow which is about all there is to see.

In the corners of the firebox I am getting the most awesome black tar creosote building up. Super glossy and thick but can barely dent it with my fingernail. Truly nasty stuff if I wanted to clean it or if it was in the flue.

When using that blade, 1st spray with glass cleaner, slide the blade in one direction, do not scrape back and forth, use the blade once and throw it away. They dull and get burrs which will scratch the ceramic. I've owned a glass shop for the last 23 years. Ken

 

[Todd]

Greetings BK Burners,

I think I have read here on the forum that burning soft wood or hard wood in a BK has very similar heat output with little variation in burn times. Have you found this to be the case in your experience burning in your units? I know with my non cat EPA unit I have a large variation in burn times based on the species of wood.

Thanks for your feedback. If this is not the proper place for this question let me know and I will post it elsewhere.

Burn times will be similar, I find hardwoods give me more heat output. It's nice to know that I could still heat this place with wood people around here consider "junk" wood if I ever run into a hardwood dry spell.

+1 I can get 20+ burn times with Pine but 20+ burns with Oak give of much more heat.

 

[Highbeam]

When using that blade, 1st spray with glass cleaner, slide the blade in one direction, do not scrape back and forth, use the blade once and throw it away. They dull and get burrs which will scratch the ceramic. I've owned a glass shop for the last 23 years. Ken

Thanks for the advice. The junk that grows on Blaze King glass is special, it is real thick creosote and nothing that ammonia or the rutland glass cleaner can touch. I've been using the same blade and notice the degradation as it dulls. I will toss the blade and use new sooner. The blade method is the best if not the only way to clean this gunk.

So has anybody ever scratched their ceramic stove glass using the blade method?

 

[jeff_t]

So has anybody ever scratched their ceramic stove glass using the blade method?

No, and I'm not gentle with it, either. A new blade definitely works better. I picked up a pack of ten at Harbor Freight for $.99.

 

[rdust]

I'm so far past cleaning the glass! I cleaned it once with a razor when I first bought the stove. Shoulder season I just deal with it being a mess or make it uncomfortably hot once in a while so the glass cleans up. Now that's it's a little cooler the glass stays pretty nice. I let the stove go cold today since it's in the 50's here and cleaned the glass with plain ole glass cleaner and a paper towel. It's pretty clean not counting the bottom corners.

 

[Skidooer]

On the Princess Ultra, does anyone notice that burn times really suffer when its windy outside? And also does your stove burn right down to ashes each time, or do you end up with a big pile of dormant coals? Im trying to burn a bit hotter as iam wonder if running my fans on low all the time is cooling the stove too much, causing all the coals and the lousy burn times. I need to run the fans to circulate the heat in my large house tho.

Iv had nothing but problems with this unit, poor service and no dealer help at all. He wouldnt even return my phone calls! I Had to change the thermostat by myself and troubleshoot why it was overfiring on me. Found the bypass plate very loose causing way too much draft, and my door was slightly loose. Then when i changed the thermo i found it half ass sealed causing the air whistle noise that was very annoying and explaning why it would still take off on me when the damper was shut. Now after i changed out the thermo (all sealed up now), and snugged everything up it works all together different.

 

[dafattkidd]

Thanks for the softwood/hardwood comparison. You Blaze King guys have amazing wood burning units.