2015-2016 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)
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Joe dirt
New Member
Did a little reading on the thermometer and read that turning it will mess with the higher temps. Anyone know this to be true?
Woody harrelson
Feeling the Heat
how much creosote does everyone get in their stove during the shoulder seasons? mine looks pretty nasty. Lots in the corners and up behind those plates above the side fire bricks. I can and do run my stove at the lowest setting for the entire burn except for a little while after a reload when I run it WOT for maybe 15-20 minutes, if that. The other day was the first time I had it cranked after a reload for about 40 minutes, it just gets so hot in here due to the mild temps. It does look like that longer hot burn took care of some of the buildup.
Woody harrelson
Feeling the Heat
I just installed an SBI probe thermometer in my double wall pipe. Stove is cold right now because the temps are too mild outside. I would like to know how everyone checks the accuracy of these probe style thremometers and if they are off can you adjust them?
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Put thermocouple probe in flue, get temp, then put your cheapo probe thermometer in flue and adjust till it reads the same. Pretty simple.
BKVP
Minister of Fire
I made friends with the local tree trimmer/arborist. He often has so many trees down after a major wind storm, getting them loaded and unloaded is mor important than getting funds. So he has my authorization to drop trees in my back yard, even if I am not home. He is NOT allowed to drop cottonwood, paradise or other crappy trees. Those he just burns off during the winter.
BKVP
Minister of Fire
I I'll usually scrape off the larger stuff with my poker about once a week during the shoulder season, allowing the higher temps of a hot fir to burn off the smaller stuff. Once it gets cold, it's not an issue.
Joe dirt
New Member
Woody harrelson
Feeling the Heat
I just put mine in boiling water. It read about 240, so pretty accurate. Maybe you could do this and adjust it so it reads 212?
MacinJosh
Feeling the Heat
Good info, thanks. I need to find a similar guy for a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Jeff in Maine
Feeling the Heat
I have a fan question, I have the princess new about 3 weeks ago . It has the blower kit and I use it.., all the time mostly on low for now. We have pets so last Sunday I vacuumed off the intake / screen area free of pet hair. If I do this vacuum regimen every couple weeks and what ever else you may tell me to, how long will the fans last? And when they quit do you have to buy an entire new blower set up or can I just buy new fan and motors ?
That is where mine needle is when room temp. And I am using the same brand.
I believe you said after 8h (basswood) so maybe it has completely offgassed by then hence the low flue temp. I am sure experts will chime in....
I believe you said after 8h (basswood) so maybe it has completely offgassed by then hence the low flue temp. I am sure experts will chime in....
Joe dirt
New Member
So you'd say that's normal and don't adjust the faceplate? Stove runs great. Just super low flue temp.
Unless mine is also messed up.
I am looking at mine and is also sitting at 250 after 4h
on 3 pieces of basswood. But I do not have the alien tech stove.
Stove top 500
Cat no idea
I am looking at mine and is also sitting at 250 after 4h
on 3 pieces of basswood. But I do not have the alien tech stove.
Stove top 500
Cat no idea
Woody harrelson
Feeling the Heat
check it in boiling water and see what it reads so you know if it's accurate or not
Boiling water is fun but it is not the way to check for proper operation of a flue probe meter designed to read a temperature on the other side of a double wall pipe.
The bimettalic spring is calibrated to move the needle the appropriate amount when the probe is in the flue gas but the bimettalic spring well shielded by the double wall. Sticking the probe in boiling water means the bimettalic spring is exposed to hot steam and will read high. I bet it would read about 28 degrees high.
Thermocouple is a great way to test and calibrate.
And yes, you can calibrate the probe meter by adjusting the dial but not messing with the spring. Unless you just want to take the numbers off and replace them with a swoosh!
BKVP
Minister of Fire
Keep them clean and they should last a few years. And yes, you can order just the fan motors.
We have BK blowers out there that are approaching 10 years and they are running fine. With other brands I've seen them fail in the first year. Sometimes a defect, typically it's from an insert without a raised hearth in a pet friendly home. Flush to the floor is a blower killer for sure!
Dieselhead
Minister of Fire
I was debating putting the thin charcoal filters you would stick up in your range hood around the blower housing. They are cheap at home depo I had a decent amount of dust etc around the housing but not too much on the blades themselves.
Pull them off and blow them out every year, if you have the ability to provide compressed air. It's amazing how much dust will be generated.
I know a few long term BK users, 5-10 years still running original Ultra Fans.
Jeff in Maine
Feeling the Heat
Well thanks for the replies I will keep an eye on the dust. My stove is u on a pedestal kit and the stove is up on a brick hearth so another 2" up off the flush to the floor scenario.
Your test will be guys like @Poindexter that run them all winter at full blast. Guys like me that run them once every couple of weeks for an extra boost should get a longer life.
I wouldn't want to choke the fan system with a filter. That convection path needs to remain clear so that natural gravity convection can take place. Remember, the fan system takes the place of the rear heat shield for reduced clearances. Heat shields need to be open top and bottom to allow air flow to keep that space cooled. Also, the fans could be damaged by higher heat if their homes are not allowed sufficient ventilation.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Ditto on the filters. I'll be running mine 24/7 on the lowest setting, just to keep air moving out of the fireplace. No need for a "horsepower boost", as my burn rate is dictated by my free time for processing and loading, more than demand.
Woody harrelson
Feeling the Heat
so my thermostat is getting pretty hard to turn. what is everyone lubricating them with and do you need to take off the cover to get to the part to lubricate?
Take the cover off and lube the spring and washers with some copper anti-seize. I just put it on my finger and then turn the dial back and forth.
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