You can have an uncracked clay liner or an insulated steel liner in a masonry chase. The clay acts as the insulation for the chimney or the bare steel liner.
2014-2015 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)#2
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You can have an uncracked clay liner or an insulated steel liner in a masonry chase. The clay acts as the insulation for the chimney or the bare steel liner.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Good to know. My installation required a blanket wrapped liner, but for much more obvious reason.
As far as I can see the clay is only cracked the top 3'-4' at most. Most of which is exposed above roof line. It is also centered on the peak. So would the whole thing need insulated or just the top?
prezes13
Minister of Fire
The whole thing should be lined and because it's a bk stove which are known for a low flue temp it should be insulated as well
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This! BK strongly advises an insulated flue and double-wall connector for its stoves.
It can only help. The princess only requires 12 feet of chimney and doesn't require double wall BUT taller chimneys and warmer chimneys draft better which will help the low flue temps create draft.
Gakdudes
New Member
If I load my first row ew in my king it allows me to get more wood more easily in my firebox. It can fit longer logs that way, and creates a nice bed to roll the next row in ns. I believe I'll be loadin it this way the majority of the time. So there are some advantages. more wood, longer burn time, ease of use, less quality control needed on the wood length, less smoke in house from quick reloads, and the artistic value of criss crossed loads showing the duality of man set against the backdrop of a raging inferno.
That's all I can come up with. ☺
Never thought about the artistic value of criss cross loading and the duality of man
but sure enough, no matter what, I allways end up with a few pieces too long to burn N-S. This is when I set them to the side and am glad my stove is slightly wider than it is long while I wait till I get enough splits to complete a full row.
but sure enough, no matter what, I allways end up with a few pieces too long to burn N-S. This is when I set them to the side and am glad my stove is slightly wider than it is long while I wait till I get enough splits to complete a full row.
Never thought about the artistic value of criss cross loading and the duality of man
The princess firebox is smaller at the bottom so when you get one of those long guys that won't quite slide between the bricks you can save it for near the top where there at least a couple more inches of space should allow you to get it in.
We use the thermostat to control burn rate. The way you load the fuel should make no difference in that regard.
I agree with ya. I load N-S since if anything it's just easier and allowes me to stuff the stove fuller for a longer burn. In my experience n-s also gets up to operating temp faster due to the stoves design so less fuss and quicker reloading time. Still, I have had a few pieces that would hit the door loaded n-s so I load them e-w. Last winter was my first season of dealing with purchased wood rather than processing my own so my "wood guy" did good in most respects. I'm just glad everything he brought me fit and will admit to cutting a few pieces to long myself over the years.
Sounds good. I admit to a bit of a presort when I bring up big loads of wood to be burned in the BK over the next week I will pitch the extra long or otherwise undesirable chunks into a heap and then bring them down to the much deeper NC30 in the shop.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Here's a weird one.. starting this spring I noticed a little lag in my cat, something just didn't seem right, I would lite the stove get her cranking but once the cat was engaged the needle would only hover around the 12 oclock area, then slowly fall to the inactive zone as the burn continued. Sometimes the cat would go into the inactive zone when there was still a little fuel left over, I just figured the cat was settling, and that it basically is what it is. Last night I lit the stove burning only pine about 15% moisture content, as was the mentioned earlier I got the stove up to temp, closed the bypass and the cat rose up to high noon, a little over, I turned the thermostat down to 1.5, and the need fell to the 9 oclock position, which I was use to, just above active, looking at the chimney while the cat was active I still noticed whisps of smoke, its been like that since March, I didn't think twice.
Tonight we are experiencing the same temps so I loaded the stove with the same pine, before I lit the stove I decided dollar bill test the door gasket, now I only installed this stove in the beginning of December and I made sure the gasket was tight to the door at installation time, also looking at the gasket right now you would never see an air leak sign, the outside of the gasket is still white, while the inside gasket in brown / black. I did the test and noticed the bottom part of the door had very little resistance, the top and area by the door latch has some resistance. I decided to tighten the fixed door latch. Man oh Man.... that stove is operating like the day I bought it, using the same air settings, the cat is in the 2 oclock position, air setting at 1.5, no smoke out the chimney, you cant even tell im burning right now.
The point of this is if you have a newer stove and you experiencing some smoke out the chimney while the cat is engaged, and your using wood that is dry <20%, and you can only get the cat to the noon stage, do yourself a favor and check your door seal, check the whole thing, it makes a night and day difference from a loose latch to a tight latch. FYI the stove is a BK princess, basement install, about 20ft of metal chimney, its about 48 deg outside right now.
Tonight we are experiencing the same temps so I loaded the stove with the same pine, before I lit the stove I decided dollar bill test the door gasket, now I only installed this stove in the beginning of December and I made sure the gasket was tight to the door at installation time, also looking at the gasket right now you would never see an air leak sign, the outside of the gasket is still white, while the inside gasket in brown / black. I did the test and noticed the bottom part of the door had very little resistance, the top and area by the door latch has some resistance. I decided to tighten the fixed door latch. Man oh Man.... that stove is operating like the day I bought it, using the same air settings, the cat is in the 2 oclock position, air setting at 1.5, no smoke out the chimney, you cant even tell im burning right now.
The point of this is if you have a newer stove and you experiencing some smoke out the chimney while the cat is engaged, and your using wood that is dry <20%, and you can only get the cat to the noon stage, do yourself a favor and check your door seal, check the whole thing, it makes a night and day difference from a loose latch to a tight latch. FYI the stove is a BK princess, basement install, about 20ft of metal chimney, its about 48 deg outside right now.
Thanks for the heads up Kenny and glad to hear you got things resolved so easily.
If I had one complaint about my stove the door seal is it. I had to adjust two turns in prior to my first fire as a dollar bill would practically fall out, another turn of tension about a month later and that was it, out of threads! Got it through the rest of its first season by periodically fluffing the gasket and, thanks for the reminder! Gotta get a new gasket before Fall.
If I had one complaint about my stove the door seal is it. I had to adjust two turns in prior to my first fire as a dollar bill would practically fall out, another turn of tension about a month later and that was it, out of threads! Got it through the rest of its first season by periodically fluffing the gasket and, thanks for the reminder! Gotta get a new gasket before Fall.
I don't know if you all have ever used other EPA stoves for any length of time? The knife edge seal on a BK is much less problematic than other stoves I've used. Also, the latch is adjustable, thats a plus!
The only real issue is that the stove reacts more noticably when the gasket needs some attention.
The only real issue is that the stove reacts more noticably when the gasket needs some attention.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
I dunno, webby... never had any issue with the 1/4" braided rope gaskets Jotul uses on their double-door Firelights. I've read more about more door gasket issues on BK's than any other stove, although a large part of that may be ultra-low burn rates highlighting what may be ignored on other stoves.
If I understand what has been reported so far it seems to be related to the door glass retainer, with the studs/nuts sitting in the door gasket channel. Most stoves have them separated.
I've never had trouble with any flat surface against gasket type seal on a heating stove.. I've touched on it before but reflecting back on "must seal" things I have dealt with in the past and most used a larger surface area. Everything from hydraulic fittings to sealing out or in gases to pumps to motors to, well you get it.
Not trying to argue cause I know the stoves I have dealt with as a consumer is nothing in comparison to what many deal here with in a weak. The constant attention I have given the door seal of the BK wouldn't even be an issue at all with me if not for the fact that a leak could destroy the cat.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
First burn. Just noticed my thermostat knob turns about a 180 degrees past (CCW) the "1" on the label. Manual systems I should run anywhere between 1 and 3. What happens if I turn lower than label? I mean, it goes a half rotation below the 1 setting!
Is your knob spinning on the shaft? This wouldn't be a problem if your stat didn't have numbers!!
blueguy
Feeling the Heat
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Ashful- normal, thermo sets are different for everyone, due to setup, draft, cat life, wood quality. It's all relative, my burning at say 1.5 might be the same as someone else with a shorter chimney burning at setting 2, plus your going to start off with a hyper active cat. These stoves are awesome, but they do take time to dial in. I pretty much dialed in the whole season, then realized that my door gasket needed adjustment and now it's like starting over, but in not complaining because the burns have gotten way better.
That sounds normal although, as I recall, mine came with a loose setscrew on the thermo knob so it could be worth it to just check. Don't strong arm it though, I broke mine! Oops!
As Kenny alluded to, disregard everyone else's settings. Yours will be unique to your stove or in your case stoves. Don't be surprised if each stove has its own thermo/draft needs based on there location and flue heighth.
As Kenny alluded to, disregard everyone else's settings. Yours will be unique to your stove or in your case stoves. Don't be surprised if each stove has its own thermo/draft needs based on there location and flue heighth.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
This one does have numbers, actually. I got two stoves, and this one has the numbers, while the other has the stupid label with nothing to reference.
However, that wasn't what I was asking. The manual calls out running at any setting between 1 and 3, which corresponds to any dial position roughly 1 o'clock to 5 o'clock. However, the range of both my dials is maybe 7 o'clock to 6 o'clock... Way outside this range. Why does the manual call out only running in this narrow 1 o'clock to 3 o'clock range? Can I turn it all the way to 7 o'clock, or is that going to stall the stove?
BKVP
Minister of Fire
Ashful,
The effective range for the knob is about 2 o'clock to 6 o'clock. There is no "stop" as you turn the knob beyond (counter clockwise) 2 o'clock. So the answer to your question, is the blade is closed at about 2 o'clock and going any further does not help.
Your knob set screw is fine.
Chris
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