2014-2015 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)#2

[begreen]

For sure, I meant after the season has ended.

 

[jeff_t]

If I was gonna do it, I would have to do it now. I don't think I could stand the anticipation, waiting for cold weather again

 

[begreen]

Your call, I'm just here to learn at this point.

 

[Rossco]

It's kinda 'Damed if you do, Damed if you don't' with these CAT stoves.

So if you let it cool right off then it won't light off as quick (Smoke Nazi areas) if you let it cool durning the height of winter then the house cools.

TBH I just run the stove. HOT reloads are the way to go.

My understanding is the Thermo controls the burn time not the CAT. This would mean more regular chimney inspection / cleaning if the CAT piles up.

I would have thought the by-pass would pivot up and close the cat chamber off so no cool air could be pulled through during reload.

 

[Highbeam]

HOT reloads are the way to go.

They would be if you could figure a way to keep the smoke from pouring out of the loading door. I learned my lesson on that one.

Just imagine, chucking in a few big chunks a couple of times a day whenever convenient.

 

[Dieselhead]

Even before I had the oak installed smoke coming out the door on any type of reload wasn't a problem. Sounds like you have low-D

 

[rdust]

I'm a bit afraid to take it out at this point, without a replacement on hand. I'm afraid handling it will do more harm than good. As long as it lights off and the gasket is good, it's staying in there.

Hopefully it's a non-issue for me. I didn't plan on being in here this far thru the winter. The weather the last couple of months has made it really hard to sell a house.

Seriously you should swap stoves with me before that place sells. I'll even throw a few bucks your way.

 

[Swamp Fox]

I bought my my BKK in Dec 2005 and got it installed in Jan. 2006 and burned for maybe three months that season. Every season since, the stove heated a 1500sf 24/7 from some time in Oct. to mid March or so. Would average two and one- half cords a season (90% oak/10% maple and hickory). At the end of last season, March 2014, I used the vinegar and distilled water method to clean the combustor for the first time (instructions for cleaning were in a "Sud Chemie Protech" manual that came with the stove.). Every year, end of season clean out of chimney and stove pipe averaged four cups of powder creosote. This year, one of the coldest winters recorded, I will have burned three cords if I stop burning in mid March. So, my combustor is nine years old and I haven't noticed any degradation of efficiency in the stove, using the original combustor. Now that I have said that I probably have jinxed myself! BTW, two years after buying the stove I bought a new combustor and combustor gasket from BK to keep on hand for when needed. It is still in original box. Sure hope those things don't degrade over time when not being used. (I have been so pleased with my stove that, if I had the discretionary funds, I would buy another one now and keep it for when, if ever, I should have to replace this one.)

 

[Highbeam]

Even before I had the oak installed smoke coming out the door on any type of reload wasn't a problem. Sounds like you have low-D

Could be, but many of us have draft low enough that opening a loading door with a firebox half full of burning wood will result in smoke spillage.

I have a good chimney system that meets the recommended specs. More draft from a taller chimney might be better. Colder outside temps might be better. Nobody likes spilling smoke into the house.

 

[bobdog2o02]

Even before I had the oak installed smoke coming out the door on any type of reload wasn't a problem. Sounds like you have low-D

Lol, low "D".

 

[Dieselhead]

Could be, but many of us have draft low enough that opening a loading door with a firebox half full of burning wood will result in smoke spillage.

I have a good chimney system that meets the recommended specs. More draft from a taller chimney might be better. Colder outside temps might be better. Nobody likes spilling smoke into the house.

My former zero clearance wood stove was like that, I had to reload on coals or else. Not fun. One of the reasons shes gon.

Lol, low "D".

 

[rdust]

TBH I just run the stove.

I'm with you, I load the stove with the cat hot or cold. I don't have the time or energy to worry about any of it. From an "inactive" cat I wait till it crosses the line into the active range then close the bypass, from a hot reload as soon as the wood is involved(not charred) I close the bypass. I'm not going to worry about replacing a 24x dollar cat every 4-6 seasons. That's why you'll never hear me complain how I feel my cat is getting tired during it's 4th season. I personally think I've done great burning the stove the way I want. Granted all my wood is seasoned(been on the 3 year + plan for a long time) and it's not covered with ice/snow/water when I toss it in the stove. Other than that I just burn the stove the way I need to keep the house warm.

Most of us on this site don't heat with wood because we "need" to, we do it because we want to. People who "need" to heat with wood can't afford fancy cat stoves, computers or internet.

 

[Calentarse]

My least favorite time of year to be outdoors. Monday night I had water dripping off the snow pack on the roof, the rounds I was trying to split were frozen solid to the ground, and it was snowing.

I got all three pairs of work boots out, summer steel toe, winter heavy insulated and spring/boat/mud water tight. The only specialized foot gear I don't have out right now is snowshoes and chest waders.

And its warm enough my short chimney stack is working against me, dang +30s dF. Can't complain too loudly, I was burning 2000 gallons of oil annually pretty regular before I started burning wood, I have bought 609 gallons in the trailing twelve months.

I am thinking I will do the boiling vinegar thing on my cat this summer just to go into next season with the cleanest possible cat.

Welcome to the 30s my friend...sucks trying to run a stove like this, huh? 30s is about average for us where I'm at in MD in the winter. Wish I was in your neck of the woods, would burn more wood but can guarantee I wouldn't be dealing with these smoke smell issues.

 

[BKVP]

I've read many different posts that talk about this vinegar and water cleaning of the cat. That process isn't mentioned in our BKK manual. It says to use a soft brush and brush off the cat face if needed. It also says, "A nice hot fire will usually prove to be the best method of cleaning the combustor of deposits."

We turn our stove up to high at least once a day and let the cat temp get into the high temp range. Seems to be keeping everything clean. I personally would not want to take the cat out unless absolutely necessary. Maybe in a few years, we will have to do this vinegar and water wash?

Correct in all comments. We removed the wash explanation 4 years ago because of the reasons listed earlier. 6-8 years will work fine for 80% of the owners. This group (Family here on Hearth.com) are not typical wood stove owners. Most have other things to do

 

[BKVP]

So to clarify for the folks here with 3-4 yr old combustors that maybe approaching 12K hrs on them...

Would you recommend jeff_t carefully pickle the cat at this point?

So to clarify for the folks here with 3-4 yr old combustors that maybe approaching 12K hrs on them...

Would you recommend jeff_t carefully pickle the cat at this point?

I would not. I would look for other possible culprits to his observations. If the cat appears clean and not plugged, it's more likely another issue or two.

 

[BKVP]

Thank you Chris. 6-8 years or cords? I have no intention of removing the cat for cleaning or replacement until it really needs it.

Sorry, Android manipulation error...years.

 

[jeff_t]

I would not. I would look for other possible culprits to his observations. If the cat appears clean and not plugged, it's more likely another issue or two.

Please elaborate.

Understand I have no complaint.

 

[rdust]

Please elaborate.

Understand I have no complaint.

x2

I replaced my door gasket last season(just because) with a BK one, check the door gasket regularly and adjust as needed(fluff it up occasionally).(bypass was fine last time I cleaned the chimney a few weeks back) Brush/vacuum the cat every cord or two and sweep the chimney at least twice a season since I'm anal about it. I'm burning wood that is 4 year seasoned oak/ash with 2 year seasoned soft maple.(best stuff I've ever burned) The cat looks fine with some cracks running through it but all the pieces are in there. It's not rocket science I'm not sure what else it could be besides the cat or t-stat and I find it unlikely to be the t-stat.

The biggest thing I notice is the stove has active flames when I have the blowers running(always on low when they're on). If I heat the stove up with the blower off and turn it down just below the n or normal(place where I can hear the t-stat close when the stove is hot) like I always do the stove will stay dark. When I turn the fans on the t-stat opens up a little while later due to the blower cooling off the stove(?) and the flames come alive. In previous years the stove would go through cycles of flames/no flames as it heated up and cooled down but the time between this happening was spread out more.(now it's almost always got some flame) The only thing I can attribute this to is the cat is not generating as much heat as it used to requiring more flames in the stove to maintain the same t-stat setting.

As Jeff said either way I have zero complaints!

 

[Calentarse]

Tomorrow I will try to get a 24 hour burn with the fan and stove on low. Normally when the fan is running I reload every 12 hours.

Probably lots of info on here about burn time. Personally, I got 30 hours on 2 yr old seasoned oak and hickory set to 1.5 on the tstat with my A30. It was definitely cold at that point but had a few hot coals in the ashes. Could have been better I feel if I had double wall as well. Heat loss from my single makes tstat open more to keep draft up and cat active thus burning load quicker. NEVER got anything more than 14 hrs with the old VC Encore, but then again, it was cracked...

 

[BKVP]

Please elaborate.

Understand I have no complaint.

My stack is still clean, I can tell that the performance isn't what it used to be though. Maybe I only notice since I typically burn my stove on a lower setting with no flames in the stove, now I notice the t-stat has to open more to create the same heat I used to get with a dark stove."

In response to your post...If your stack stays clean the combustor is doing its job. If you actually can perceive a decrease in performance, could it be factors other than the stove, combustor and thermostat? Yes. That is what I might suggest be explored. Given many decades and countless interactions with owners, often the season variations of draft, different trees (density) and varying moisture content etc. is often an indication of performance change.

And I am pleased you love your stove!

 

[BKVP]

Incidentally, next week is Hearth Expo in Nashville. If any one reading this is in attendance (I suspect there are some closet manufacturers on the site) I am meeting with some brilliant combustor scientists that have just come into the stove industry. They have for the better part of a year been doing some tight lipped studies and experimentation...but I will apply lots of pressure and beer to get the best of their findings!

 

[Wolves1]

What do you guys do when you have lots of hot coals but not enough for a cold overnight burn and you want to go to bed?

 

[Rossco]

I'm with you, I load the stove with the cat hot or cold. I don't have the time or energy to worry about any of it. From an "inactive" cat I wait till it crosses the line into the active range then close the bypass, from a hot reload as soon as the wood is involved(not charred) I close the bypass. I'm not going to worry about replacing a 24x dollar cat every 4-6 seasons. That's why you'll never hear me complain how I feel my cat is getting tired during it's 4th season. I personally think I've done great burning the stove the way I want. Granted all my wood is seasoned(been on the 3 year + plan for a long time) and it's not covered with ice/snow/water when I toss it in the stove. Other than that I just burn the stove the way I need to keep the house warm.

Most of us on this site don't heat with wood because we "need" to, we do it because we want to. People who "need" to heat with wood can't afford fancy cat stoves, computers or internet.

Ha ha. I haven't the time or patience to go the whole nine yards. Once she's off I set it and forget it. I will peep down the basement stairs and look at the fre when I go grab a beer or need to be in the area.

I just pile the wood In and watch it burn. Hot or cold reloads, I don't get spillage when hot reloading as I have a good drafting chimney.

IDE rather just throw a brush up the chimney more often than replace the
CAT after a few seasons. Takes long to assemble the sweep than actually cleaning the pipes. I will replace the CAT when required. Not a worry.

I can actually predict the stove during reloads. I will throw the by pass and ignore the CAT gauge. Establish a fire & hot chimney. Blast of.

 

[Poindexter]

What do you guys do when you have lots of hot coals but not enough for a cold overnight burn and you want to go to bed?

Its a rhythm thing. I would probably rake the coals down flat, load as much as I could above the coals, get the cat hot, re-engage the cat and anticipate spending a bit more time on heating it up in the AM.

When I am in a weather pattern like that I am inclined to start burning the coals down when I get home from work so I can get a full load at bedtime, but I can't always get what I want.

 

[Quentin2]

What do you guys do when you have lots of hot coals but not enough for a cold overnight burn and you want to go to bed?

Fill her up and go to bed