2014-2015 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)

[becasunshine]

I tried my high temp at startup to clean up the firebox, saw 650 temp above the cat on the ir temp gun and got that new stove smell again (pancakes) so I wussed out and backed it down. This was about 10 min past closing the bypass so what's safe max stove temp above the cat?

Yes, what he said! I should read the owner's manual again, but I don't remember seeing a top end temp mentioned.

 

[tarzan]

I don't think you were in any danger at 650f. I used a 1/2 load for my clean out burn. Was thinking things would get to hot with a full load but I can't say for sure.

Until I here different I will consider 750f the stopping point.

 

[Highbeam]

I don't think you were in any danger at 650f. I used a 1/2 load for my clean out burn. Was thinking things would get to hot with a full load but I can't say for sure.

I also chose a half load so that the steel from above the firebrick would all be exposed to the heat. If temps had gone past 650 I might have kicked the fan on or chickened out a bit too. Target was 600.

 

[rdust]

I tried my high temp at startup to clean up the firebox, saw 650 temp above the cat on the ir temp gun and got that new stove smell again (pancakes) so I wussed out and backed it down. This was about 10 min past closing the bypass so what's safe max stove temp above the cat?

650 is fine, most steel stoves list an over-fire temp around 800.

 

[Dieselhead]

I could have easily exceeded 650 I had it stuffed to the gills and wide open. I'll try a half load next time

 

[tarzan]

I also chose a half load so that the steel from above the firebrick would all be exposed to the heat. If temps had gone past 650 I might have kicked the fan on or chickened out a bit too. Target was 600.

That was good thinking. I chose 1/2 load, actually a little less, just because I truly doubt I could have done it without over firing on a full load. Never gave any thought to the steel above the bricks getting better exposure.

 

[rdust]

I could have easily exceeded 650 I had it stuffed to the gills and wide open. I'll try a half load next time

You have to remember even with it on a high setting the t-stat will close it down some as it heats up. If Chris says it can take wot for a hour I see no reason to doubt him.

Of course I'll never find out since I'm not worried about a little crap building up inside my stove during the shoulder season.

 

[Rossco]

Yeah I can get more than 650 ontop No worries.

Anyhow, loaded it last night 22:40 and its now 16:30. Fresh load.



And she's off. Won't open the door for another 20 hrs. Due in off nights at 08:00 MST.

 

[tarzan]

You have to remember even with it on a high setting the t-stat will close it down some as it heats up. If Chris says it can take wot for a hour I see no reason to doubt him.

Of course I'll never find out since I'm not worried about a little crap building up inside my stove during the shoulder season.

Chris also said a hot fire for about an hour each week was a good idea to get rid of the acidic creosite.....do you doubt him

 

[jeff_t]

Sheesh, if it starts to get too hot, all you have to do is turn the knob.

I've been at 750 a few times. It's not easy to do, but I need some heat sometimes. Maybe if I had a bunch of tiny splits like y'all.

 

[Rossco]

Sheesh, if it starts to get too hot, all you have to do is turn the knob.

I've been at 750 a few times. It's not easy to do, but I need some heat sometimes. Maybe if I had a bunch of tiny splits like y'all.

Sheesh. Maybe you should haul @ss and split some wood. I do it I the fly to ensure a full load. Probably take OAK 10 year to dry if you split the size I do Ha Ha Ha.

Not bothered about build up in the box either. Don't care about corrosion or the precious CAT.

Oh and I ain't a slave to this thing either. Imagine If I had time to sit in front of the BK and adjust the Thermo 1* every 15mins. Too busy with life and kids.



Good night, god bless, see y'all in the morning.

 

[Dieselhead]

Sheesh, if it starts to get too hot, all you have to do is turn the knob.
.

Yep it was well off and I turned it from 6 o'clock down to about 3 o'clock knocked the flames right down

 

[BKVP]

Chris also said a hot fire for about an hour each week was a good idea to get rid of the acidic creosite.....do you doubt him

Especially during shoulder season when low burns are the norm....

 

[rdust]

Chris also said a hot fire for about an hour each week was a good idea to get rid of the acidic creosite.....do you doubt him

Nope, I don't doubt him at all. I just don't care if the stove lasts a couple years less than it could have.

 

[jeff_t]

Sheesh. Maybe you should haul @ss and split some wood. I do it I the fly to ensure a full load. Probably take OAK 10 year to dry if you split the size I do Ha Ha Ha.

There's some pics around here of a King pretty well stuffed with eight splits

I don't have them anymore. Lost them with a phone somewhere.

 

[Niko]

Tried using the hole to clean out the ashes but you guys are right i have plenty of time before i need to really clean it. Cant have to much coals in their either cause its freaking hot in their lol.

I do have this scenario tho. i was a little cold so i cranked up the thermo to 2.8-3 somewjere around their with the fan on low just to move the air around. Did that around 6am around 7:30 the power went out as i heard a tree go boom lol. Went downstairs just to check out the stove again and obviously the fan was off but the cat was past its active zone so i immediatley turned the thermo down to 2. But why did it go past the active zone? Also i know the cat is active when its in the actove zone. But i only see hear glow usually when the active zone is at 1oclock and over.

Any help would be awesome.

 

[rdust]

Tried using the hole to clean out the ashes but you guys are right i have plenty of time before i need to really clean it. Cant have to much coals in their either cause its freaking hot in their lol.

I do have this scenario tho. i was a little cold so i cranked up the thermo to 2.8-3 somewjere around their with the fan on low just to move the air around. Did that around 6am around 7:30 the power went out as i heard a tree go boom lol. Went downstairs just to check out the stove again and obviously the fan was off but the cat was past its active zone so i immediatley turned the thermo down to 2. But why did it go past the active zone? Also i know the cat is active when its in the actove zone. But i only see hear glow usually when the active zone is at 1oclock and over.

Any help would be awesome.

The fan was cooling off the probe so your reading was false with the fan running. I'm assuming your stove is new, the cat will settle in after a while and won't be so sensitive. The probe is far from perfect, it is affected by stove top temps and the fans influence the reading. Just burn the stove how you need to and don't sweat the small details.

 

[webby3650]

Sheesh. Maybe you should haul @ss and split some wood. I do it I the fly to ensure a full load. Probably take OAK 10 year to dry if you split the size I do Ha Ha Ha.

Not bothered about build up in the box either. Don't care about corrosion or the precious CAT.

Oh and I ain't a slave to this thing either. Imagine If I had time to sit in front of the BK and adjust the Thermo 1* every 15mins. Too busy with life and kids.



Good night, god bless, see y'all in the morning.

How could you not care about corrosion if its avoidable? This is a real issue with a BK that is ran low too often. The creosote can and will eat up the metal over time. A good hot fire is an easy remedy. If you heat seriously with it, there is probably never gonna be an issue. It's an issue if you never crank it up though.

 

[rdust]

How could you not care about corrosion if its avoidable? This is a real issue with a BK that is ran low too often. The creosote can and will eat up the metal over time. A good hot fire is an easy remedy. If you heat seriously with it, there is probably never gonna be an issue. It's an issue if you never crank it up though.

You'll never own a stove long enough for this to matter!

For me I burn hot enough without having to burn hot for an hour once a week. I burn hot for 15 minutes or so at the beginning of every burn and very seldom go below 1 1/2.

 

[Highbeam]

Tried using the hole to clean out the ashes but you guys are right i have plenty of time before i need to really clean it. Cant have to much coals in their either cause its freaking hot in their lol.

I do have this scenario tho. i was a little cold so i cranked up the thermo to 2.8-3 somewjere around their with the fan on low just to move the air around. Did that around 6am around 7:30 the power went out as i heard a tree go boom lol. Went downstairs just to check out the stove again and obviously the fan was off but the cat was past its active zone so i immediatley turned the thermo down to 2. But why did it go past the active zone? Also i know the cat is active when its in the actove zone. But i only see hear glow usually when the active zone is at 1oclock and over.

Any help would be awesome.

The cat gauge is a pass/fail indicator, once above the active line it doesn't matter how active you are.

 

[BrotherBart]

The cat gauge is a pass/fail indicator, once above the active line it doesn't matter how active you are.

Along about 1,800 degrees I would disagree.

 

[Rich2343]

How could you not care about corrosion if its avoidable? This is a real issue with a BK that is ran low too often. The creosote can and will eat up the metal over time. A good hot fire is an easy remedy. If you heat seriously with it, there is probably never gonna be an issue. It's an issue if you never crank it up though.

My Princess needs the by pass door bold tightened. It doesn't latch as tight like she use to. However the cat is cracked in 3 pieces and am concerned that when I take it out to access the bolt easier I will not get the cat back in. Has anyone delt will this before.?

 

[RustyShackleford]

... why screw around trying to sift them through a tiny plug in the firebox floor?

I believe that almost all ash pans are installed as a marketing trick...

Disagree. One thing I dislike about shoveling into a bucket is that it creates a cloud of ash that I think deposits around the room. The ash pan containsall that mess. It takes me about 30 sec to "screw around trying to sift" enough ashes to fill the pan. And I typically take about 3 pan loads when I do empty the stove. I could wait longer - and so more ashpan-fulls - but I like having more room in the firebox to load her up.

 

[RustyShackleford]

My Princess needs the by pass door bold tightened. It doesn't latch as tight like she use to.

Why is this important and how do you test ? The manual doesn't seem to say anything about it. Gravity pretty much hold it closed, right ?

 

[tarzan]

Why is this important and how do you test ? The manual doesn't seem to say anything about it. Gravity pretty much hold it closed, right ?

You do know the bypass door latches shut, right?

I only ask this because I thought it sealed under its own weight for the first couple weeks. Wasn't until a thread here that I realized it actually latched shut.