2012-2013 Blaze King Performance Thread(everything BK)
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Do you have vents in the basement ceiling? We had some installed right above the stove and it really helps get the heat upstairs.
No we do not have vents. I don't think it will get it as toasty as I would like it with the vents. I think we will move it upstairs and then I will look for a pellet or another non-cat for the basement. I guess I will get my exercise trying to maintain 2 stoves at the same time
I agree with the poster who said to keep it burning for a week or 2 to get the house warmed up. I notice a huge difference when it has been burning awhile.
Yup, give it few more weeks. Try a few smaller, hotter fires during the day, then a full load for the overnight burn. Adding a small floor fan directed towards the stove should help circulate the hot air from the blowers. Give it a few hours and see if you notice a difference.
Dec., Jan., Feb., forget about the 24 hr. burns. Figure 8-12 and plan for it. Shoulder season is where these stoves shine.
Dec., Jan., Feb., forget about the 24 hr. burns. Figure 8-12 and plan for it. Shoulder season is where these stoves shine.
hack
Member
- Dec 13, 2012
- 74
I took the cover off like you suggested and observed the same behavior. Very little movement at any given setting when the stove starts to cool. It would be nice to have it open up more towards the end of the burn, but I'm guessing it can't be much more sensitive or it would start chasing its tail and over correct.
I have the same install (basement) and have run into problems in terms of heating my house as well. Oh well, I'm trying to tweak things to improve the results. The only reason I have been able to make it work is because I planned to and have been burning 24/7. It wouldn't work for me otherwise.
On a side note: Bk's website says "The distance from the door opening to the bottom of the firebox is 6 in.". I get 5 inches when I measure my freestanding Princess. How about you guys? I'm guessing they might be referring to below the firebrick which is a little misleading.
Ps. I followed a link from one of these threads to the firecatcombustors website. They have a usage guide on cat stoves. If you read it you won't want to burn wood in your stove anymore. Seems like everything I do will damage the cat.......
I concur..there is a fine line there.
But I think the coil could use another loop or 3...or pick up a better temp differential somewhere else.
Which leads me to the flue..I'm sure to try and rig something up..lol.
One of my friends tried heating his house from an unfinished basement and had the same problems, he ended up insulating his basement walls with the foam panels and got a bigger stove and now hes heating his house no problem, the stove being bigger helped Im sure but I think insulating his walls were a bigger help.
Tell us about your home claybe. I don't think anyone has asked. We love BKs but if your basement is bare concrete and 3000 SF of coldness then no insert can do this job. All we know is that you have a really huge chimney in Colorado which tells us that you have three stories or a steep pitch roof.
I been home all week and been trying diff things.
Last two days I have been turning the stove up to 2.5 or so and have bee running the fans somewhere in the middle when I get to coals..actually just before coals..can still see the shape of a few splits.
I can heat the whole house easy that way for 5 or 6 hours easy.
Those fans do seem to get more of the btu's into the room.
Anyways I'm saving even more wood.
I don't think I'll leave the fans on when I go to bed though.
Did that the other night and it seemed like the stove lost draft and died out with a 1/4 of the wood left.
to me the snap disc should have shut the blowers off but they were still running.
The stove top was like 200 and the flue was cooler then that.
Last two days I have been turning the stove up to 2.5 or so and have bee running the fans somewhere in the middle when I get to coals..actually just before coals..can still see the shape of a few splits.
I can heat the whole house easy that way for 5 or 6 hours easy.
Those fans do seem to get more of the btu's into the room.
Anyways I'm saving even more wood.
I don't think I'll leave the fans on when I go to bed though.
Did that the other night and it seemed like the stove lost draft and died out with a 1/4 of the wood left.
to me the snap disc should have shut the blowers off but they were still running.
The stove top was like 200 and the flue was cooler then that.
We just moved into this house. We do not have a furnace. All we have to heat the house is radiant heat in the ceilings and needless to say this equals HUGE electricity bills. The house is a ranch style home with a walkout basement. The upstairs is about 1200 sq ft and the basement is the same and completely finished. The basement does have 5 windows and a glass door and another window. We also have a mother in law suite which was the previous owner converted and it used to be a garage, but we are not heating that space. I am going to continue to burn as others have suggested, but the upstairs (primary hangout area) is not getting warm enough with the princess insert pumping. We have had several 20 degree days in a row, but I think if it were in the primary living area I would burn less wood and it would more than heat the space.
I'm sure you're right about this. It just takes less heat to directly heat a small area. How old is the home? You mentioned a very tall chimney, I recall 30 feet, is that an external masonry stack? Is there a seperate flue for the basement fireplace and the upstairs fireplace?
1200 square feet should be no problem in the coldest climate of the country.
Just a thought-
If you decide the Princess doesn't do the job, leave it in place and save yourself the grief of moving it. You'll then be able to load it up and and turn it down lower, keeping the basement in the upper 60's. Now..
Since you mentioned swapping locations and getting a pellet or tube stove, I myself, would find a nice tube stove for the main level instead. You'll be able to enjoy the active fire and re-loads would be easier. Dial the Princess in to load once a day, and have the other stove take on the main heating chore.
In the shoulder season, you'll probably just run the Princess at that point.
If you decide the Princess doesn't do the job, leave it in place and save yourself the grief of moving it. You'll then be able to load it up and and turn it down lower, keeping the basement in the upper 60's. Now..
Since you mentioned swapping locations and getting a pellet or tube stove, I myself, would find a nice tube stove for the main level instead. You'll be able to enjoy the active fire and re-loads would be easier. Dial the Princess in to load once a day, and have the other stove take on the main heating chore.
In the shoulder season, you'll probably just run the Princess at that point.
I have about the same setup as you claybe, ranch with finished walkout basement. My BK is in the basement and is my primary heater but when it's colder my second stove is needed if I want good even heat on both floors. Sounds like you would be better off with your BK on the main floor if that's where you spend most of your time. What about a gas insert for the basement? You could leave the thermostat set at a lower setting to keep the chill off and boost it up when you want it.
That would be my suggestion too but its going to cost, Im thinking of doing the same as my princess is in the finished basement and Im going to put a stove in the upstairs FP for the colder weather, havent decided on what to get as me and the wife go back and forth on stoves.
You guys are lucky to have two stoves. If I had a second it would be a non-cat with a big window to get my fire watching itches scratched.
weatherguy: your signature list a huge dog mixed with a toy breed. Had to be comical and/ora tough birth for the terrier. I have a pug, about the same size as the boston.
weatherguy: your signature list a huge dog mixed with a toy breed. Had to be comical and/ora tough birth for the terrier. I have a pug, about the same size as the boston.
someone else said that but the mother could have been the Ridgeback, although that brings up another funny image
My brothers got a pug, black one, great dog, gets along great with my dog, we walk them together every night.
hack
Member
- Dec 13, 2012
- 74
Hey guys,
Is this normal or did I screw up big time?
I set my stove on 2.5 this evening to take the chill off. I went back downstairs a while later and noticed the metal inside the stove around and below the cat was glowing. The bottom lip of the air inlet (top of door) was also starting to glow. Nothing exterior to the stove, all interior and near the cat. At the time, I had the fans on low, the cat was indicating 3 o'clock, and my stovetop thermometer next to the cat probe was around 600. Not sure what they would have indicated with the fans off because I quickly reduced the tstat and turned the fans on high.
I have been pretty any with this stove and checked the door gasket often so I don't believe there was any additional air entering the stove.
Thanks for your input.
Is this normal or did I screw up big time?
I set my stove on 2.5 this evening to take the chill off. I went back downstairs a while later and noticed the metal inside the stove around and below the cat was glowing. The bottom lip of the air inlet (top of door) was also starting to glow. Nothing exterior to the stove, all interior and near the cat. At the time, I had the fans on low, the cat was indicating 3 o'clock, and my stovetop thermometer next to the cat probe was around 600. Not sure what they would have indicated with the fans off because I quickly reduced the tstat and turned the fans on high.
I have been pretty any with this stove and checked the door gasket often so I don't believe there was any additional air entering the stove.
Thanks for your input.
hack
Member
- Dec 13, 2012
- 74
Hey guys,
Is this normal or did I screw up big time?
I set my stove on 2.5 this evening to take the chill off. I went back downstairs a while later and noticed the metal inside the stove around and below the cat was glowing. The bottom lip of the air inlet (top of door) was also starting to glow. Nothing exterior to the stove, all interior and near the cat. At the time, I had the fans on low, the cat was indicating 3 o'clock, and my stovetop thermometer next to the cat probe was around 600. Not sure what they would have indicated with the fans off because I quickly reduced the tstat and turned the fans on high.
I have been pretty any with this stove and checked the door gasket often so I don't believe there was any additional air entering the stove.
Thanks for your input.
Is this normal or did I screw up big time?
I set my stove on 2.5 this evening to take the chill off. I went back downstairs a while later and noticed the metal inside the stove around and below the cat was glowing. The bottom lip of the air inlet (top of door) was also starting to glow. Nothing exterior to the stove, all interior and near the cat. At the time, I had the fans on low, the cat was indicating 3 o'clock, and my stovetop thermometer next to the cat probe was around 600. Not sure what they would have indicated with the fans off because I quickly reduced the tstat and turned the fans on high.
I have been pretty any with this stove and checked the door gasket often so I don't believe there was any additional air entering the stove.
Thanks for your input.
Supposedly, according to the manual, any setting between 1 and 3 is "normal" for the stove. When things start glowing I would do the same as you and shut something down. The fans are optional and do not figure in to the normal range. 2.5 is high though and I notice a ton of wasted heat and smoke out of the chimney at settings that high. Point is that maybe you would get more heat at #2 or 2.25 with the fans at 50% letting the cat eat.
Surprised that the intake bottom lip was glowing. All of the intake air dumps over that lip and also the cold glass is right there. I do expect glowing of the cat enclosure and the often deformed bar that runs across the bypass opening. Do you think it was just a good reflection from the cat?
Surprised that the intake bottom lip was glowing. All of the intake air dumps over that lip and also the cold glass is right there. I do expect glowing of the cat enclosure and the often deformed bar that runs across the bypass opening. Do you think it was just a good reflection from the cat?
Hack, I can't recall anyone getting a BK that hot, at least not for the past 3-4 years of postings.
I would guess the stove is just fine, but the Cat, just don't know. That sucker had to get reeaaaly hot for that to happen.
look forward to the updates.
I would guess the stove is just fine, but the Cat, just don't know. That sucker had to get reeaaaly hot for that to happen.
look forward to the updates.
Not sure if its OK to post here as a NON BK owner but,
You guys may end up convincing me to try one of these BK stoves.
Id like to be able to dial the heat back more as anything over 30 Deg outside, it gets too hot.
I dont want to insulate my basement walls as the basement gets too hot already.Right now my basement has Zero insulation. Even with the stove on the lowest air setting Stays about 80-84. Perhaps a cat stove would allow for lower heat output over a longer time frame,but i do get long burn times. Every situation is different though.
All input is good, as far as I'm concerned.
To me, the BK's major benefit is the ability to control the burn, tailor the amount heat you want it to produce and deal with the burn times as they develop.
I say 'deal with the burn times', just because I tossed in 6 splits about 10 hours ago, the Cat is still too active to open the door(800ish) and I don't want to risk any damage to it. Yes, by-pass is open and Stat closed, this burn just wants to keep cooking. It's all good.
OT- Set my neighbor up with a little over half a cord of my 3yr. CSS wood today. Had to check out his lil' Drolet 1400I I helped him install a while back and -damn!
It seems to work in his location, and he's pleased, but... I saw that tiny 1.8cf box and , I don't know, ...just didn't seem "right". It was like a Hobbit stove.
Hope the 13 doesn't give me that feeling, once in place.. End of OT rant.
The control is nice 
Up to 40 today & thru tomorrow night. Burning spruce.
Long low slow buns, no fans, house hanging around 72 to 74.
Did a good coals burn down today, forgot how easy it is to empty a warm stove VS a hot one
Bucket was mostly all ashes (few hot coals)
Spruce burns down to ashes better than birch.
Just enough big coals left to get the new load burning.
Up to 40 today & thru tomorrow night. Burning spruce.
Long low slow buns, no fans, house hanging around 72 to 74.
Did a good coals burn down today, forgot how easy it is to empty a warm stove VS a hot one
Bucket was mostly all ashes (few hot coals)
Spruce burns down to ashes better than birch.
Just enough big coals left to get the new load burning.
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