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

[Calentarse]

Thanks Calentarse. Of late, I've become concerned about the smoke exposure we've had. To my wife and I, sure, but most of all to our infant son. Hopefully we haven't hurt him. But then we'll never know.

I've ordered a carbon monoxide detector (long overdue) and I suppose as long as it isn't going off and the only negative I see is an odor, my health isn't in danger. We don't have kids so at least I'm not responsible for anyone's else's health, otherwise I'd be even more concerned. Sometimes it's killer strong and I know that can't be healthy.

Again, hoping getting rid of the forbidden single wall will fix it. Haven't heard a whole lot of opinion from people on the topic so I wonder if my issue is an isolated, incidental issue or if it's more common than people might think, it's just that burners have become desensitized.

 

[blueguy]

There have been quite a few people on this site who have mentioned they have a slight wood smoke smell at various temps over the last couple of years, myself included. On my Sirocco, it only happens when the temps outside are in the mid 20s+. I originally thought it was due to the oversized cat probe hole. Once this season is done, I'm going to rig something up to rule that out for sure as well as check a couple others possibilities. Of course, that doesn't help you, but rest assured you're not alone.

I personally am not worried as at those temps, my HEPA-equipped HRV is exchanging the air in the house anyways

 

[BKVP]

I promised photos of the load I would leave in the ol' King as I walked out the door for 3 weeks to New Zealand.
As you can see, ONLY a King can handle this load! First piece in was 57lbs of black walnut 4 years old and 16% (yes I did a fresh split off one side) Next an 8lbs piece of silver maple followed by 6 NIELS.

Hope it's still burning when I get back!

 

[rdust]

There have been quite a few people on this site who have mentioned they have a slight wood smoke smell at various temps over the last couple of years, myself included. On my Sirocco, it only happens when the temps outside are in the mid 20s+. I originally thought it was due to the oversized cat probe hole. Once this season is done, I'm going to rig something up to rule that out for sure as well as check a couple others possibilities. Of course, that doesn't help you, but rest assured you're not alone.

I personally am not worried as at those temps, my HEPA-equipped HRV is exchanging the air in the house anyways

I used to get a slight smoke odor when the cat was burning bright orange and there wasn't a flame in the stove. I'd have to get close enough to almost burn my nose trying to figure out where it was coming from. It seemed to be around the double wall adapter but even with furnace cement on the connector it would still happen, even used furnace cement to cement the cat probe to the stove top which didn't change anything. Once I swapped a 90* connector out for 2 45's the problem pretty much disappeared.

I'd like to see a better flue pipe welded to the stove. My Lopi used a well casing so it was a perfectly round piece of steel. The welds on mine were a mess, I had to clean the up before I could get a decent fit. Maybe now and solid piece and not a wrapped/welded piece?

 

[blueguy]

Mine is coming from the front of the stovetop, but not when the cat is glowing, unless the temps are in the mid 20s+. On the sirocco, the cat probe sits on top of convection deck, with the stalk of the probe open all the way down into the stove, which is why I originally thought it was coming from the probe hole. I don't think it's coming from the door gasket, although I did just notice a slight line of clear glass in amongst the darkness at the very edge of the glass [emoji53]

Edit: I too would like to see a better connector, there shouldn't be any reason why they cannot use a seamless piece of tube there....

 

[Rossco]

I promised photos of the load I would leave in the ol' King as I walked out the door for 3 weeks to New Zealand.
As you can see, ONLY a King can handle this load! First piece in was 57lbs of black walnut 4 years old and 16% (yes I did a fresh split off one side) Next an 8lbs piece of silver maple followed by 6 NIELS.

Hope it's still burning when I get back!

Ah. Man of his word.

So if that piece went into the King technically it should go into a Princess?

Anyhow, enjoy your trip and don't forget to watch the movie 'Once were Warriors' on the plane.

 

[Calentarse]

I promised photos of the load I would leave in the ol' King as I walked out the door for 3 weeks to New Zealand.
As you can see, ONLY a King can handle this load! First piece in was 57lbs of black walnut 4 years old and 16% (yes I did a fresh split off one side) Next an 8lbs piece of silver maple followed by 6 NIELS.

Hope it's still burning when I get back!

Holy. Crap. I'd be afraid she'd stall...

 

[Calentarse]

Mine is coming from the front of the stovetop, but not when the cat is glowing, unless the temps are in the mid 20s+. On the sirocco, the cat probe sits on top of convection deck, with the stalk of the probe open all the way down into the stove, which is why I originally thought it was coming from the probe hole. I don't think it's coming from the door gasket, although I did just notice a slight line of clear glass in amongst the darkness at the very edge of the glass [emoji53]

Edit: I too would like to see a better connector, there shouldn't be any reason why they cannot use a seamless piece of tube there....

My odor comes from the font of the stovetop as well and fades with increased draft. Like someone on here told me previously, it's finding its way out cause my draft isn't sucking hard enough

 

[bobdog2o02]

I have some rock maple that is AWFULL to split. I see me making a few huge chunks like this.

 

[Calentarse]

There have been quite a few people on this site who have mentioned they have a slight wood smoke smell at various temps over the last couple of years, myself included. On my Sirocco, it only happens when the temps outside are in the mid 20s+. I originally thought it was due to the oversized cat probe hole. Once this season is done, I'm going to rig something up to rule that out for sure as well as check a couple others possibilities. Of course, that doesn't help you, but rest assured you're not alone.

I personally am not worried as at those temps, my HEPA-equipped HRV is exchanging the air in the house anyways

My temps are most often above 20...I'm fact, at those temps or below, I have no noticeable smoke smell problems. Here on the Eastern Shore, we have cold mornings sometimes in the teens but most of the time it is in the 30s or higher for lows and I think that's why I'm getting those smells....

 

[BKVP]

I have some rock maple that is AWFULL to split. I see me making a few huge chunks like this.

Sitting in SEATTLE....Come on PATS! Anyway, I used a 28 ton splitter to "size the walnut". It won't stall, it even took off with fresh load of new smoke to eat.

 

[Tenn Dave]

My temps are most often above 20...I'm fact, at those temps or below, I have no noticeable smoke smell problems. Here on the Eastern Shore, we have cold mornings sometimes in the teens but most of the time it is in the 30s or higher for lows and I think that's why I'm getting those smells....

Did you VC also have this smoke smell issue in this house?

 

[bobdog2o02]

Sitting in SEATTLE....Come on PATS! Anyway, I used a 28 ton splitter to "size the walnut". It won't stall, it even took off with fresh load of new smoke to eat.

I think I'll be using an echo 670 to size mine.....

 

[Poindexter]

Finally turned the Tstat down on my Ashford30. Our thermal inversion layer broke last night after a week or so at -25F for highs to -39dF for lows. -15dF now, I turned the stat down from 3/3 to 2/3 for a little while.

I don't have any oak to try, but I have been running a full load of 12% MC spruce down to coals in about four hours between getting home from work and going to bed, with full loads of 16% birch at bedtime and before leaving for work.

The enamel looks great, the stove can take it. My birch typically runs about 22M BTU per cord, the birch about 18M. If you got something up above 25M BTU per cord I can see waiting for BKVP to chime in before you let it rip just to be sure, but I have thrown a couple baseball sized chunks of spruce sap in there with the cat preheated on a good bed of coals I am not worried about any piece of tree honestly.

 

[Dieselhead]

Yeah good luck I couldn't melt butter on mine after 40 hrs no matter 3 weeks lmafo

 

[Parallax]

I thought we had the smoke problem solved. So frustrated to discover it's not. I'm just about at the point of shutting down the stove, which is ridiculous given how much money, time and effort I've invested in this project. Hopefully the dealer and Blaze King will help. We cannot expose the baby to wood smoke. It's not enough to say the CO2 detectors aren't going off. There are particulates which are not healthy for anyone to breathe; most of all not healthy for him.

 

[Quentin2]

Not trying to minimize anyone's smoke smell problems, I think it's worth noting that heating a home with a wood burning stove 24/7 through the cold temps and the warm temps, strong draft, weaker draft, a little spillage during reloads, the smoke coming out your chimney during reloads etc. one might expect to live with a little smoke smell now and again.

Heating with wood has a great many benefits but it also has its drawbacks, mess, labor, time, smell.
Cheers, I hope everyone gets their stove working.

 

[drz1050]

Those are CO detectors, not CO2..

This is your first kid?

 

[rdust]

I thought we had the smoke problem solved. So frustrated to discover it's not. I'm just about at the point of shutting down the stove, which is ridiculous given how much money, time and effort I've invested in this project. Hopefully the dealer and Blaze King will help. We cannot expose the baby to wood smoke. It's not enough to say the CO2 detectors aren't going off. There are particulates which are not healthy for anyone to breathe; most of all not healthy for him.

Sounds like your wood supply is less than ideal. It may be best to shut it down and try again next year. Are you experiencing the smoke smell all the time, when the stove is turned down low or on reloads?

As Quentin has pointed out burning wood is going to produce some level of "smoke" smell on occasion. You obviously shouldn't be experiencing this all the time but having this happen on occasion is part of wood burning. People shouldn't be able to tell you heat with wood by smelling it when they walk into your home, if they can something is wrong.

I find it funny, sometimes when I'm going for that perfect load I'll move pieces around after the door should be closed and I'll get a little smoke smell back in the house. When I'm loading some of the better smelling woods my wife likes to ask "what type of wood did you load, it smells good".

 

[jeff_t]

I find it funny, sometimes when I'm going for that perfect load I'll move pieces around after the door should be closed and I'll get a little smoke smell back in the house. When I'm loading some of the better smelling woods my wife likes to ask "what type of wood did you load, it smells good".

I was having a little trouble with some big blocks of walnut last night, and got the same reaction.

How's the snow? Hard to tell how much here, as it's blown all over. I've seen one pickup go by this morning, and he was struggling. I don't think my car is going anywhere.

I shoulda been at work about ten hours ago.

 

[rdust]

I was having a little trouble with some big blocks of walnut last night, and got the same reaction.

How's the snow? Hard to tell how much here, as it's blown all over. I've seen one pickup go by this morning, and he was struggling. I don't think my car is going anywhere.

I shoulda been at work about ten hours ago.

I'm more north so it's not as bad as you guys got it! We might have 8-10 but it's blowing so much so I can't tell. Stayed home with the kids today, I'll know more when I get outside to plow the drive. I'm not looking forward to that.

 

[OhioBurner©]

I didn't want to make a new thread for this quick question so hope y'all don't mind me asking here. Its a slim chance, but would really like the output and long burn of the King. Only issue... would it burn ok in a 15' high interior masonry chimney that if memory serves has a flue of like 7"x13" ID?

 

[Highbeam]

I didn't want to make a new thread for this quick question so hope y'all don't mind me asking here. Its a slim chance, but would really like the output and long burn of the King. Only issue... would it burn ok in a 15' high interior masonry chimney that if memory serves has a flue of like 7"x13" ID?

Well 7x13 is 91 in^2.

8" is 16*3.14 or way less but more than half. Read the owner's manual for the king and check but most often as long as your masonry flue is bigger than the appliance collar but not more than double you're good.

 

[Calentarse]

Sounds like your wood supply is less than ideal. It may be best to shut it down and try again next year. Are you experiencing the smoke smell all the time, when the stove is turned down low or on reloads?

As Quentin has pointed out burning wood is going to produce some level of "smoke" smell on occasion. You obviously shouldn't be experiencing this all the time but having this happen on occasion is part of wood burning. People shouldn't be able to tell you heat with wood by smelling it when they walk into your home, if they can something is wrong.

I find it funny, sometimes when I'm going for that perfect load I'll move pieces around after the door should be closed and I'll get a little smoke smell back in the house. When I'm loading some of the better smelling woods my wife likes to ask "what type of wood did you load, it smells good".

My wood was cut from a red oak that fell August 2012 in superstorm Sandy I believe. It has been split since November that year. The MM shows 16%-18%. Limbs always seem to have more moisture?

Anyhow, if my draft is set to anything lower than 3 one could easily detect that I heat with wood nearly anywhere in my home in the first half of the burn. Once I hit the charcoaled stage, all smoke smell problems disappear. So, in practice, I actually only have the problems for like 40% of the time when heating 24/7. Sorry to all those that have read my situation more than once and roll your eyes, but rdust, I'm hoping single wall pipe in the house is to blame and this issue will go away when I put in double wall. I'm weary though bc there are people who smell it who have double wall too.

 

[Parallax]

My wood was cut from a red oak that fell August 2012 in superstorm Sandy I believe. It has been split since November that year. The MM shows 16%-18%. Limbs always seem to have more moisture?

Anyhow, if my draft is set to anything lower than 3 one could easily detect that I heat with wood nearly anywhere in my home in the first half of the burn. Once I hit the charcoaled stage, all smoke smell problems disappear. So, in practice, I actually only have the problems for like 40% of the time when heating 24/7. Sorry to all those that have read my situation more than once and roll your eyes, but rdust, I'm hoping single wall pipe in the house is to blame and this issue will go away when I put in double wall. I'm weary though bc there are people who smell it who have double wall too.

Thanks for your posts, Calentarse; it's good to know my wife and I are not alone. This has been really frustrating.