2013-2014 Blaze King Performance Thread(everything BK)

[alforit]

25 hrs later after loading with pine.

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Awesome !..... What were your outdoor temps ?

 

[hack]

Awesome !..... What were your outdoor temps ?

They've been fairly mild lately. 20's to low 30's during the day dipping to single digits at night. Supposed to cool off soon!

 

[Quentin2]

Here's a pic of mine at 18 hours right before a reload. We're pretty warm 25-28 degrees. Spruce wood for me, I imagine it's similar to your pine in btu and characteristics but not positive. The next pic is what my reload looked like

 

[Quentin2]

Hack, what do you got on your door opening in those pics, Is that to prevent smoke spillage? Also where are you located?

 

[HotCoals]

Hack, what do you got on your door opening in those pics, Is that to prevent smoke spillage? Also where are you located?

Yep,for spillage. He's using 6"pipe.

 

[hack]

Hack, what do you got on your door opening in those pics, Is that to prevent smoke spillage? Also where are you located?

Yes, eliminates spillage. I'm located in Idaho. Nice burn!

 

[Comanche79p]

Yes, eliminates spillage. I'm located in Idaho. Nice burn!

Hack, while burning pine, what is your range of stovetop temps from low to high?

 

[Highbeam]

It's kind of a bugger to measure stove top temps with these stoves. The cat makes all the heat so the center of the stove top, right under the cat probe meter is the hot spot. Widely variable temps elsewhere. I even have glossy paint around the edges but noticably flatter paint towards the middle.

Where are you guys measuring stove top temp?

 

[hack]

Hack, while burning pine, what is your range of stovetop temps from low to high?

With my new stove/new cat, I run around 650 above the cat after a reload. That is with no active flames. I'm never around to watch how long it stays up there but 24 hrs later it will be at 350 - 400. Like high beam said, there are other parts of my stove that the paint hasn't even cured.

Last year I was very conservative with stove temps as it was my first year with the bk. Everywhere I looked I read info about how I could be ruining my cat from flame impingement, over temp etc. Honestly it took a lot of the enjoyment out of running the stove.

I called BK this winter after I upgraded to the king and picked an experts brain (name shall remain classified ) and got a whole new perspective. I asked him if he'd try running the king on my existing 6" and he said he would. I asked him about curing the paint and he mentioned the book said to have break in fires but that he would load the stove up and "let her buck". I asked him about running the stove too hot and having the innerds glow (around the cat and air inlet lip) and he said they run their stove full throttle to where the whole inside glows. Obviously that might be excessive but it made me realize that this is a steel box made to work. If I end up abusing a cat and replacing it every few years instead of every 10 so be it if it means getting the heat output I want and ease of use. Don't get me wrong, I like to sit and tend the stove, but I also like the freedom of being able to complete the whole loading process in under 5 minutes if needed. Not many other stoves are that forgiving.

 

[hack]

Time for bed. The BK has it all under control!

 

[Quentin2]

It's kind of a bugger to measure stove top temps with these stoves. The cat makes all the heat so the center of the stove top, right under the cat probe meter is the hot spot. Widely variable temps elsewhere. I even have glossy paint around the edges but noticably flatter paint towards the middle.

Where are you guys measuring stove top temp?

I don't believe I see 650 very often, my stove room is not the biggest so I don't want to cook me out down there. I initially had the thermometer centered up with cat probe but after seeing a pic of somebody else's off centered I've been trying that. Seems to run a little cooler.

I haven't made an effort lately to see what it maxes at, unfortunately I gotta head up to the north slope for work for a few days. When I get back ill post what I get at the two locations.

High beam, I gotta admit I'm not really a tractor guy, just built attachments at one point. In actuality I keep the ground frozen in the arctic.
Arcticfoundations.com

 

[WriteNoob]

Hi guys. Was wondering what the difference is between the ceramic and stainless cats are, specific to the BK's. Do any of you guys run them, and would they give an inexperienced new owner an extra layer of protection from damage after your typical 'oh crap!' moment? Can one be used in a new stove, without voiding the warranty (BKVP?)? Was thinking of getting one, and using the stock ceramic as a backup, when I get my King Ulta, this summer.

Or am I over-thinking things, again?

 

[johnstra]

Hack - 25 hours on a load of pine and the cat is still active with your stat set on 2.25... that is outstanding! A full load of pine will probably go 12-16 hours at 2.25 for me.

 

[begreen]

On a cold start, how long is it before you typically engage the cat? And on a reload how long?

 

[johnstra]

I'm not sure on a cold start - probably 30-45 minutes. 15-30 minutes on reload if I've let the cat go inactive. My burns look a lot like what Quentin shows above at 18 hours. I typically load once a day but I hardly ever burn at 2 or higher. It was -13 here this morning and I ran at 1.75 overnight. Kicked it up a bit (still under 2) when I got up. I'm at 12 hours on that load with plenty to go. I'll probably reload at 18 or 20 hours. I think if I ran at 2.25, though, the load would be done.

 

[rdust]

On a cold start, how long is it before you typically engage the cat? And on a reload how long?

On a cold start when the stove top hit's 250ish I usually engage the cat. I never timed it but it doesn't take very long. On a reload I can have the bypass closed in 10-15 minutes. Probably sooner if I wanted, I like to burn any excess surface moisture off before closing bypass.(I'll get a shed built some day) I have to load it a bit, I'll time it for you.

 

[Highbeam]

On a cold start, how long is it before you typically engage the cat? And on a reload how long?

A solid 30 minutes on cold start though I purposely skimp on kindling so that I can save the firebox volume for large logs. I could get faster launch times if I just built a log cabin out of kindling.

On reload, it can be as little as 5 minutes or as much as 30 depending on how much of the fuel load remains.

 

[hack]

Hack - 25 hours on a load of pine and the cat is still active with your stat set on 2.25... that is outstanding! A full load of pine will probably go 12-16 hours at 2.25 for me.

I doubt my 2.25 is the same as yours due to differences in draft. I'm running my stove on a 6" chimney. My princess had a lot more active flames at any given t-stat setting. Doesn't bother me as I can still overfire the stove. It just takes a higher stat setting.

 

[hack]

On a cold start, how long is it before you typically engage the cat? And on a reload how long?

Maybe 20- 30 minutes on a cold start. I honestly don't remember as I've only done it once. I don't use any kindling, I just pack the stove and shove a little chunk of super cedar in there and it takes off pretty good. I think I'll have to add my 100 ct of super cedars to my will as I'll never use that much.

On reload, the cat has always been active so I close the bypass within a minute or two of closing the loading door. Is this the best way to operate for cat longevity due to moisture/thermal shock? Probably not, but it's usually the amount of time I have and the stove doesn't skip a beat.

 

[Lundrunner]

Ok all you BK owners...quick question as I don't have an hour to look thru the search as I'm walking out the door....as a new (2 months) BK princess owner...is there anything I need to be aware of with the extremely cold and windy temps tonight here in Michigan. I am running the OAK but it is shielded from direct winds....load her up and let her do her thing?...small loads? any help would greatly appreciated.....this thing rocks!

Thanks guys
Dan

 

[johnstra]

I do nothing different in high wind or extreme cold.

 

[rdust]

Ok all you BK owners...quick question as I don't have an hour to look thru the search as I'm walking out the door....as a new (2 months) BK princess owner...is there anything I need to be aware of with the extremely cold and windy temps tonight here in Michigan. I am running the OAK but it is shielded from direct winds....load her up and let her do her thing?...small loads? any help would greatly appreciated.....this thing rocks!

Thanks guys
Dan

Burn it as you always do, I've never had trouble due to wind with this stove.

 

[rdust]

On a cold start, how long is it before you typically engage the cat? And on a reload how long?

8 minutes on the reload I just did. Stove top temp was 360, good coal bed(14 hours out of that load) and I loaded up ash that was c/s in Dec. of 2009 and stacked spring of 2010. When the stove top started rising and the cat probe started to climb I closed the bypass. I'm sure the wind and 7* OAT is helping the draft along nicely.

Edit: 15 minutes after loading I turned the blower back on low and the stove top is around 560*. It's on "2" right now I'll turn it down to my cruise setting in the next 5 minutes or so.

 

[begreen]

Good info all thanks. The cat engagement times are similar to how long it takes to get secondary burn going in the T6. But the extra long burn times are not.

 

[weatherguy]

Hi guys. Was wondering what the difference is between the ceramic and stainless cats are, specific to the BK's. Do any of you guys run them, and would they give an inexperienced new owner an extra layer of protection from damage after your typical 'oh crap!' moment? Can one be used in a new stove, without voiding the warranty (BKVP?)? Was thinking of getting one, and using the stock ceramic as a backup, when I get my King Ulta, this summer.

Or am I over-thinking things, again?

You're overthinking, just make sure your door is tight and burn wisely and you won't have any problems.