2015-2016 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)

[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.

Ok, I might be on to something here. So, first, an issue. I tried the dollar bill test, and if I pull hard and carefully, I can slide a dollar bill sized paper without it tearing in about all locations of the door. This is a 6month old stove, maybe it came adjusted incorrectly? Thoughts?

Secondly, time measuring. I played around with my thermostat settings and listened for the clink, and I could keep my meter at 2o clock position active, with the thermostat at level 1 and burned for easily 12 hours, could have kept going. But the heat output was insignificant and served no purpose, my furnaces were still running as usual (2800+ sqft home, 2 story, new home). So I guess I really can get 12-16 hour burns, but the heat output is insignificant and Im guessing it is simply because the square footage of the home. Correct me if im wrong?

If I burn at around 1.5-1.75 I can keep the entire house warm for about 7-8 hours at 72 degrees (got little babies)

 

[kennyp2339]

Ordering some parts for my princess, OAK adapter and a convection deck, I figure since im insulating the basement I'll install a oak before I put in the foam board, The convection deck to optimize the blower air.

 

[BKVP]

Ok, I might be on to something here. So, first, an issue. I tried the dollar bill test, and if I pull hard and carefully, I can slide a dollar bill sized paper without it tearing in about all locations of the door. This is a 6month old stove, maybe it came adjusted incorrectly? Thoughts?

Secondly, time measuring. I played around with my thermostat settings and listened for the clink, and I could keep my meter at 2o clock position active, with the thermostat at level 1 and burned for easily 12 hours, could have kept going. But the heat output was insignificant and served no purpose, my furnaces were still running as usual (2800+ sqft home, 2 story, new home). So I guess I really can get 12-16 hour burns, but the heat output is insignificant and Im guessing it is simply because the square footage of the home. Correct me if im wrong?

If I burn at around 1.5-1.75 I can keep the entire house warm for about 7-8 hours at 72 degrees (got little babies)

Our stoves and doors are shipped in separate containers. There is a tag on the stove door latch and multiple warnings in the manual as to the need to adjust the door at the time of installation, 30-60 days later (allowing gasket to seat) and once a season thereafter. If you replace the gasket, the process repeats. An unaddressed air leak around the door is the leading factor to combustor failure. Good on you for addressing it now. Spread the word.

 

[mwhitnee]

I noticed the glass turned to a grey color the other day. Anyone know what this is?

possibly moisture from a new load of wood?

 

[mwhitnee]

OK had a little problem last night I went to turn the fan kit on my King and it crapped out. This was new this year and started burning in October, so in service around 3-4 months.

It always had a visible spark when turning it on which I knew was not good. This morning it is now working and funny I didn't see a spark when turning it on today.

I don't want to pay for a new one and have to check the warranty on the fan kit, if someone knows about the warranty please let me know. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[webby3650]

OK had a little problem last night I went to turn the fan kit on my King and it crapped out. This was new this year and started burning in October, so in service around 3-4 months.

It always had a visible spark when turning it on which I knew was not good. This morning it is now working and funny I didn't see a spark when turning it on today.

I don't want to pay for a new one and have to check the warranty on the fan kit, if someone knows about the warranty please let me know. Has anyone else had this problem?

The store you bought it from should stand behind it for a full year. BK will warrant it for at least that long, maybe longer. It's probably just the rheostat, your hearth store should have a replacement.

 

[BKVP]

OK had a little problem last night I went to turn the fan kit on my King and it crapped out. This was new this year and started burning in October, so in service around 3-4 months.

It always had a visible spark when turning it on which I knew was not good. This morning it is now working and funny I didn't see a spark when turning it on today.

I don't want to pay for a new one and have to check the warranty on the fan kit, if someone knows about the warranty please let me know. Has anyone else had this problem?

1 Year. Visit with your dealer.

 

[drastic]

I do not post a lot. I mostly just read what you guys post but I felt the need to point out That I have learned a lot from you guys. I had a few bumps and bruises so to speak with a few minor adjustment issues and maybe a little user error also.... but now that that is all worked out, my house never drops below 76F now it's usually at 80F and I think my worst run times are around 14 hours. That is when was playing around with semi loosely packed small splits. I'd like to see how good my burn times would be if I kept the house the temperature I would like it, but we all know the old saying. Warm wife happy life.. I have learned to love slightly dirty glass and a dark firebox I couldn't imagine running another stove and having to wake up in the middle of the night to pack it. If I ever own another stove again it will really have to be something spectacular to compare. The guys and few gals. on this forum really changed my life and my power bill thanks again. oh I should also point out Chris who we all know has the best info & top notch customer service.

 

[showrguy]

Howdy all,
Finally got my King Ultra's stove pipe through the roof and finished last thursday..
Yesterday was the first fire, after a short burn to clear the paint fumes, I loaded it at 4[00 pm, 24 hrs later I still have fuel left..
Most of the burn the t-stat was set at the 3 oclock position..
It did kinda warm up here overnight to 48 deg. so it was'nt the best test for it............. Tonight will be a different story..
So far I'm very impressed with the stove and it's operation............I'm heating 5600 sq. ft..( well, I'm gonna try too)

 

[kennyp2339]

Welcome to the club

 

[mwhitnee]

Howdy all,
Finally got my King Ultra's stove pipe through the roof and finished last thursday..
Yesterday was the first fire, after a short burn to clear the paint fumes, I loaded it at 4[00 pm, 24 hrs later I still have fuel left..
Most of the burn the t-stat was set at the 3 oclock position..
It did kinda warm up here overnight to 48 deg. so it was'nt the best test for it............. Tonight will be a different story..
So far I'm very impressed with the stove and it's operation............I'm heating 5600 sq. ft..( well, I'm gonna try too)

This my first year with my King and it's being tested now as the temps get colder. My venting set up isn't ideal, and I need a door fan (which I'm going to order today) to push some of the cold air towards the stove as many a forum member has suggested for more even heat.

I'm finding it is heating about 2400 square feet relatively comfortably- two floors, stove on one end of the 1st floor. The house needs to get "saturated", (this is a key term I use) for it to really start feeling really toasty. Once it's there it cruises very well. Obviously the second floor isn't as warm but is comfortable, and my house has 2 zones, so if the 2nd floor gets cold the furnace kicks in.

I do test the stove at night though when it gets in the single digits, essentially having the thing on full blast throughout the night on a full load and so far she has made the night without a problem, and I just reload in the morning. I have used 1/8 of a tank of oil this year. It's an amazing stove I am happy I bought it. It was a great investment and it was great to have the forum members here to help with the decision.

 

[BKVP]

I do not post a lot. I mostly just read what you guys post but I felt the need to point out That I have learned a lot from you guys. I had a few bumps and bruises so to speak with a few minor adjustment issues and maybe a little user error also.... but now that that is all worked out, my house never drops below 76F now it's usually at 80F and I think my worst run times are around 14 hours. That is when was playing around with semi loosely packed small splits. I'd like to see how good my burn times would be if I kept the house the temperature I would like it, but we all know the old saying. Warm wife happy life.. I have learned to love slightly dirty glass and a dark firebox I couldn't imagine running another stove and having to wake up in the middle of the night to pack it. If I ever own another stove again it will really have to be something spectacular to compare. The guys and few gals. on this forum really changed my life and my power bill thanks again. oh I should also point out Chris who we all know has the best info & top notch customer service.

Thank you and thanks to all that help wood burners.

 

[Highbeam]

So I visited a BK dealer yesterday to check out the king and to look over the new stoves. These things aren't as expensive as everybody keeps saying, the king model was right at 2200$. Anyways, what really caught my eye was the door gaskets. The gasket material on the floor models was significantly larger, softer, and more effective looking than what is on my door right now. This new gasket not only filled the gasket channel but almost filled the entire door channel. It looks to me like there must have been a material change? Or my door was sold new to me with the wrong gasket somehow.

I asked for a new gasket. They pointed at the roll of bulk white rope and I said no, I need real BK gasket that looks like that, and pointed at the door. No dice so I will be ordering it from somewhere. Any recommendations for online ordering?

Funny thing I noticed was that 90% of the BKs had their cats removed. We know they ship with the cats installed so I suspect that the dealer is stealing them for warranty on customer stoves and then installing the replacements in new stoves.

That king sure is wide. It's bigger in other ways too but the width is most noticeable to me. I would have to use a 6" chimney for a king in the shop but I am told that with 19' of vertical flue it will work.

 

[Rossco]

Err - Hmmmm

 

[Sushiyummy]

Advice please.
Take advantage of yesterday warm. I shutdown the stove.
-Clean the chimney
-Check by pass door gasket = failed. Making adjustment and now good
This is I'm worry:
My CAT walk about 1/2 inch form the cage was able to push it back in with just a light push.

Here the question:
- Will it be OK?
- Do I need a new gasket?

 

[blueguy]

My cat was doing the same thing last season - I just kept pushing it back in every month or so. I replaced the cat gasket this season, and so far it hasn't moved at all. I think the gasket it ships with may be too compressed by the way the masking tape was installed. When I reinstalled it, I only used a little bit of tape on the very end to hold the gasket until it was installed and fired up.

Just keep an eye on it - there should be no ill effects.

 

[Sushiyummy]

Thanks blueguy. Do you have any idea of what make it move? stove movement when we load wood or heat?

 

[Highbeam]

Thanks blueguy. Do you have any idea of what make it move? stove movement when we load wood or heat?

Things like that can walk. They expend when hot and contract when cold. Many folks even have their stoves walk around on the hearth and have to relocate it every so often.

 

[Sushiyummy]

Interesting. Will keep an eyes on it from now on

 

[showrguy]

How do you novice BK owners handle reloading, when there's still lots of coals/chunks, cat in active zone..

I've been opening t-stat to 6 oclock position, pulling most of the coals/chunks to the front, reload, close the door, let it burn on 6 for awhile, reset t-stat to 4 oclock, or so, position ....done..
Should I be opening the bipass ?? My cat never leaves the active zone.....

 

[Sushiyummy]

How do you novice BK owners handle reloading, when there's still lots of coals/chunks, cat in active zone..

I've been opening t-stat to 6 oclock position, pulling most of the coals/chunks to the front, reload, close the door, let it burn on 6 for awhile, reset t-stat to 4 oclock, or so, position ....done..
Should I be opening the bipass ?? My cat never leaves the active zone.....

Should I be opening the bipass ??
CAT stove 101 is ALL WAY OPEN BYPASS BEFORE OPEN THE DOOR. Hope you did not do opposite.

 

[Sushiyummy]

Especially when CAT is active

 

[rdust]

This is gonna be long and boring.

5th season with my stove and have been noticing it's not performing a well as it used to. I thought it was the cat losing some efficiency which I've mentioned on occasion.(I'm sure it is to some extent) I wanted to sweep the chimney over the holiday break but needed a replacement rod for my sooteater to reach the top of the chimney.(almost 30' up so need 10 rods) I swept earlier this season but didn't have that extra rod to reach the top. Saturday I received the new rods to reach the top and it was warm so figured I'd give it a go. While I was there I checked the door gasket(fine) and the bypass gasket(failed miserably). It only took a small amount of adjustment and the bypass was holding a dollar tight enough to almost rip it. I adjusted this one or two season in with the stove but have neglected it since.

Not sure if it's a combo of the top of the chimney needing to be cleaned or just the bypass adjustment alone but the stove is performing much closer to it's original form. As it was it was still burning 12 hours + with the blowers on but not keeping the house as warm/comfortable. Last night was windy and single digit cold and today only warmed up to the mid teens. I loaded this morning at 7am and the stove room was 78*, I just walked in the door and the room is still 78 with a 12* outside air temp. with a fair amount of fuel in the stove.

Long story short I've always thought this talk about adjusting a heavy bypass plate was over talked. I can now say it's a pretty important piece of the stoves performance!

 

[drz1050]

How do you novice BK owners handle reloading, when there's still lots of coals/chunks, cat in active zone..

I've been opening t-stat to 6 oclock position, open bypass, crack the door first, then open all the way. Pulling most of the coals/chunks to the front, reload, close the door, let it burn on 6 for awhile, reset t-stat to 4 oclock, or so, position ....done..
Should I be opening the bipass ?? My cat never leaves the active zone.....

Definitely open the bypass before opening the door. Steel cats are better at thermal shock than ceramic, but it's not good for either. I also let the new splits catch fire for a bit with the door open before latching, but depending on size of splits/ dryness, this might not be necessary for you.

One of the things I really liked about the Woodstock Ideal Steel design is that with the cat engaged, the lever goes over the door opening- impossible to forget.

 

[drz1050]

Novice question here: I'm trying to limit my flue cleanings, so have been burning reloads with the door open in order to get the flue hot and limit the creo buildup. How long is safe to burn like this? I remember a warning from BKVP a while ago about potentially warping the bypass brackets.. is that glowing stove territory? I don't have a stovetop thermometer, just the cat probe. No flue probe either.