2015-2016 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)

[sequoia]

Probably about the same, and most likely will end up breaking apart anyway. I'd take them out whole and leave the ash, less airborne dust!

True

 

[Ashful]

Got home from work today with 21F outside, and was pleased with what I found:

Ashford30 no.1: Last loaded 12 hours prior, holding 70F in 3600 sq.ft. of un-insulated 1770's stone house.
Ashford30 no.2: Last loaded 24 hours prior, holding 69F in 2000 sq.ft. of mixed 1890's/1990's framed house with miles of glass.

My old Jotuls couldn't have held those temps if loaded just 9 hours prior, let alone 12 and 24 hours.

 

[rdust]

Got home from work today with 21F outside, and was pleased with what I found:

Ashford30 no.1: Last loaded 12 hours prior, holding 70F in 3600 sq.ft. of un-insulated 1770's stone house.
Ashford30 no.2: Last loaded 24 hours prior, holding 69F in 2000 sq.ft. of mixed 1890's/1990's framed house with miles of glass.

My old Jotuls couldn't have held those temps if loaded just 9 hours prior, let alone 12 and 24 hours.

When I got my Princess I was pretty much speechless with its performance. I think my description was "super silly".

 

[MtnBURN]

Thanks for the update on the 2 new BK's, Ashful. As we say here.... BURN!

I've been "silly" amazed here as well by my >Royal Little Lady<, rdust. I bend down and look up into that glowing cat and it just makes me smile.

I stretched my luck and got a serious head nod/dirty look from the boss when I first called and ordered TWO Princesses instead of one....but after 3 weeks with this stove running constantly and keeping us evenly/toasty warm 24/7 (with a 10 day string of 0F mornings)... when I said "I think i'm gonna buy a 3rd for the greenhouse all I got from the boss this time was a big nod YES...and a "Why would you buy anything else?" as the sole commentary.

Yes...even the Princess loves the Princess...LOL.

Thanks again guys...... i coulda really screwed up here and bought something/anything else! BIG mistake.

 

[Ashful]

Just loaded both Ashford 30's. This one, on a 15 foot chimney, will be run with dial set around 2:45 and will cruise 24 hours:



This one, on a 30 foot chimney, will be run with dial set around 4:00 for 12 hours:



Both loads are mostly oak, and that big split on the left must be 10" on the long sides, as I used to split mighty big for the Jotuls.

Yes, I know I have the big stuff in the stove I want to run fast, but I've found I don't need to fret much over sizing my splits to my desired run time, in these stoves. They run at pretty much the rate I set on the thermostat, in almost complete disregard for the size of the splits.

No, that's not green wood in there. I'm cutting 4" off every damn last split of 20 cords, to make them fit the smaller fireboxes of these Ashford 30's, so you're just seeing the fresh cut ends there. The Jotuls took 20" - 22" splits.

 

[HarvestMan]

No, that's not green wood in there. I'm cutting 4" off every damn last split of 20 cords, to make them fit the smaller fireboxes of these Ashford 30's. The Jotuls took 20" - 22" splits.

Sometimes music says it best "... You know you got to go through hell before you get to heaven ..."

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[webby3650]

Got home from work today with 21F outside, and was pleased with what I found:

Ashford30 no.1: Last loaded 12 hours prior, holding 70F in 3600 sq.ft. of un-insulated 1770's stone house.
Ashford30 no.2: Last loaded 24 hours prior, holding 69F in 2000 sq.ft. of mixed 1890's/1990's framed house with miles of glass.

My old Jotuls couldn't have held those temps if loaded just 9 hours prior, let alone 12 and 24 hours.

That's pretty amazing! No oil furnace running in the back ground during this time?

 

[mwhitnee]

Well last night in MA was a big night for me with my King, it got down into single digits overnight. Hasn't been this cold so far this year and this is the first year with my stove, trying to heat 2400 sq. feet.

It did well. During the evening it was chugging merrily along but the house was of course a little cooler. Stuffed it around 10:30 and made it to 6:30, still very large coals left, all cherry and some a little punky. Had the fans on medium low, don't think the heat turned on all night but it just barely made it. The morning was cold though, around 64 throughout the house. Tonight I might try stuffing it with the fans on high and see how it does.

I added wood in the morning and ran the fan on full blast and I was surprised by the amount of heat it made in such a short time, don't usually run the fans on high.

 

[Rossco]

I added wood in the morning and ran the fan on full blast and I was surprised by the amount of heat it made in such a short time, don't usually run the fans on high.

Yeah I only run the fans on high. Either on or off.

Must be throwing a voracious amount of heat if you burn a box full of wood, over night.

 

[Ashful]

That's pretty amazing! No oil furnace running in the back ground during this time?

Oh, the boiler ran plenty, but not in the zones with the two stoves! House is broken up into 6 zones, and the stoves directly serve two of those, with a third getting a lot of indirect heat (up the stairs). Basement, third floor, and master bath / dressing room get very little from the stoves, so the furnace is still carrying those. I keep the basement and third floor both set around 63F, dressing room & bath cycle 63F to 73F.

 

[mwhitnee]

Yeah I only run the fans on high. Either on or off.

Must be throwing a voracious amount of heat if you burn a box full of wood, over night.

It threw a lot, I want it to throw a little more. Still going through some punky cherry and I'm determined to get rid of it.

Last night set the stat to around 6/8 on the swoosh and had the fans on high all night. Little warmer downstairs in the morning- around 67, large hunks of wood left after 8 hours. Upstairs still at 64 degrees which is uncomfortably cool when you crawl out of bed at 6:30.

Now I will see what happens if I just max it out with the firebox full and fans on high all night, and see if it can contribute more to the second floor.

 

[fireplacenoob]

That's pretty low. To verify that your pointer hasn't slipped on the shaft. Spin it to full max and confirm that the pointer in pointing straight down. Then rotate back to 1 slowly and listen for the clack of the intake blade closing at around 1.25 on a cold stove or higher on a warm stove.

When you close the bypass, are you feeling the cam over clunk from full engagement?

Dollar bill test the door gasket?

When I close the bypass on my princess I do feel the loud clunk and I then have to turn handle with little more force for the full turn of the handle. Is this normal?

Also, I was thinking, could I be getting the 6-10 burn times on my princess because my cold air intake is perhaps allowing to much air in? I have the cold air kit on my stove. I have confirmed that the thermostat pointer is accurate and not slipped. Its been getting colder, and it seems the colder its getting the less burn time I get, even with the same thermostat setting?

 

[Highbeam]

When I close the bypass on my princess I do feel the loud clunk and I then have to turn handle with little more force for the full turn of the handle. Is this normal?

Also, I was thinking, could I be getting the 6-10 burn times on my princess because my cold air intake is perhaps allowing to much air in? I have the cold air kit on my stove. I have confirmed that the thermostat pointer is accurate and not slipped. Its been getting colder, and it seems the colder its getting the less burn time I get, even with the same thermostat setting?

The first paragraph and the short burn times worry me. Which way are you rotating the bypass damper to close it? The loud clunk is at the end of the lever's travel, right as the bypass is closed which engages the cat. After the clunk, you're done. You wrote that after the clunk then you have to turn the handle to close the bypass. Sounds like your doing it backwards. To review, start the fire with the bypass handle turned fully counter clockwise. It will be pointing towards the loading door. After warmup, engage the cat by rotating the lever clockwise, no clunk or noise until the very end of the lever travel when it "cams over" or locks into place. The level will be pointing at about 5 o'clock.

The cold air intake has nothing to do with shorter burns. Colder weather will automatically reduce burn times since your stove will have to burn more wood to keep the thermostat satisfied.

 

[fireplacenoob]

The first paragraph and the short burn times worry me. Which way are you rotating the bypass damper to close it? The loud clunk is at the end of the lever's travel, right as the bypass is closed which engages the cat. After the clunk, you're done. You wrote that after the clunk then you have to turn the handle to close the bypass. Sounds like your doing it backwards. To review, start the fire with the bypass handle turned fully counter clockwise. It will be pointing towards the loading door. After warmup, engage the cat by rotating the lever clockwise, no clunk or noise until the very end of the lever travel when it "cams over" or locks into place. The level will be pointing at about 5 o'clock.

The cold air intake has nothing to do with shorter burns. Colder weather will automatically reduce burn times since your stove will have to burn more wood to keep the thermostat satisfied.

correct, when im close to reaching full clockwise position, I hear the clunk, then I have to push the lever a little more clockwise to lock it in. I guess im going to do the dollar bill test and make sure my gasket isnt leaking, but its only been burning for 3 months now. FYI the original thread concern was why im getting short burn times of 8-10 hours, using dry hardwoods (oak).

 

[Highbeam]

the original thread concern was why im getting short burn times of 8-10 hours, using dry hardwoods (oak).

Something is not right, 8-10 hours is a long ways from 30 hours on low and 12 hours on high that others are getting.

 

[fireplacenoob]

Something is not right, 8-10 hours is a long ways from 30 hours on low and 12 hours on high that others are getting.

well, to kind of revive a previous conversation, my chimney is 30' stainless steel triple wall, in a wooden chase, I start with kindle, thermostat around 2.5, load the box to the top, wait for the thermometer to hit active, then I turn the handle clockwise to the closed position, and set my thermostat down 1.3-1.5. Thermometer with blower on will idle right around 11-12 o clock.

People with long burn times, where are your thermometers at when thermostat is set at 1.5?

 

[webby3650]

Are you loading the firebox full? I'm talking 12 good size pieces of wood, loaded Straight in the door.

 

[fireplacenoob]

Are you loading the firebox full? I'm talking 12 good size pieces of wood, loaded Straight in the door.

To the absolute max that I can, without about 1-2 inches of ash under.

 

[Highbeam]

well, to kind of revive a previous conversation, my chimney is 30' stainless steel triple wall, in a wooden chase, I start with kindle, thermostat around 2.5, load the box to the top, wait for the thermometer to hit active, then I turn the handle clockwise to the closed position, and set my thermostat down 1.3-1.5. Thermometer with blower on will idle right around 11-12 o clock.

People with long burn times, where are your thermometers at when thermostat is set at 1.5?

I do exactly the same thing, but load all at once on top of the kindling so less fuel. I use very low btu softwoods (mostly cypress/juniper/cedar right now) but still get 20 hours on my worst day when running low.

How are you identifying the end of your burn time? Is it when the cat meter goes inactive? That's what BK uses. Also, when the stove is cold, does your cat meter point to the bottom of the inactive range or way below.

The fans being on will on will reduce burn time but will also artificially lower the cat probe reading.

 

[fireplacenoob]

I do exactly the same thing, but load all at once on top of the kindling so less fuel. I use very low btu softwoods (mostly cypress/juniper/cedar right now) but still get 20 hours on my worst day when running low.

How are you identifying the end of your burn time? Is it when the cat meter goes inactive? That's what BK uses. Also, when the stove is cold, does your cat meter point to the bottom of the inactive range or way below.

The fans being on will on will reduce burn time but will also artificially lower the cat probe reading.

Cold stove has meter pointed at the exact bottom of the inactive range. I measure my burn time right when the needle enters the inactive range on the meter.

 

[BKVP]

Cold stove has meter pointed at the exact bottom of the inactive range. I measure my burn time right when the needle enters the inactive range on the meter.

With fans off? Also, check to see if the glass is tight in the door frame. When room temp, place hand on each side of the glass and make certain it is tight within the door frame.

Thank you
Chris

 

[fireplacenoob]

when I check offical temp I turn off b

With fans off? Also, check to see if the glass is tight in the door frame. When room temp, place hand on each side of the glass and make certain it is tight within the door frame.

Thank you
Chris

when checking official temp I turn off blowers and let meter adjust accordingly for a couple minutes

 

[ohiojoe13]

I can't figure out a 12 hour load schedule. I'm burning soft maple and cherry. It's been colder here so I have been running the stove at like the 4 o'clock position. And I'm still going 18 or so hours. Should I just load the stove half full? And hope it last 12 hours? What do you guys do for 12 hour reloads. The stove is an ashford 30.1.

 

[rdust]

Are you loading the firebox full? I'm talking 12 good size pieces of wood, loaded Straight in the door.

12 splits in a Princess? Whatcha filling it with kindling!?

 

[blueguy]

I can't figure out a 12 hour load schedule. I'm burning soft maple and cherry. It's been colder here so I have been running the stove at like the 4 o'clock position. And I'm still going 18 or so hours. Should I just load the stove half full? And hope it last 12 hours? What do you guys do for 12 hour reloads. The stove is an ashford 30.1.

Figure out how many splits at a given setting will last for 12 hours and go with that [emoji846]