2016-17 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK)

[Tar12]

Tar, my King has a 18' chimney. No way in hell I'm getting on my roof, way too steep.

My first section of pipe is double wall slip joint (adjustable section). This is the piece that slides down onto the stove collar.

When I clean my chimney, I simply slide the section up towards the ceiling support box. I have a 5 gallon paint bucket with a 3/4" hole in the bottom.

I insert my first section of cleaning rod into the bucket from the bottom. I reach down into the bucket and attach the brush. I insert the brush into the exposed double wall and hold the bucket tight to the bottom of the pipe. I have a 2 x 4 cut to length and wedge it between bottom of bucket and the top of the thermostat cover, this holds the bucket tight to the bottom of the pipe.

I place a rag where the rod goes through the bottom of the bucket and push up and down, cleaning as I go up. I then add a length and repeat the process until I reach the cap. NEVER turn the rod counter clockwise as you do not wish to unscrew the brush in the pipe. As I come back down, I just remove sections of cleaning rod. You can also build your own cleaning rod with 1/2, schedule 40 PVC pipe. Using male to female threaded ends. If you do this process, drill a hole through each glued PVC fitting and put a screw or cotter pin so in the even the glue gives way, you can still remove all the lengths.

By this process I am able to clean my entire chimney is less than 10 minutes.

You have that process down!

 

[Ashful]

Curious. Ashful, do you see the same thing?

I'm going to be watching it more carefully, now. I used to always peek in at it, in the first few minutes of the burn, and it was never half-on with a right-left split. Sometimes only the center would glow for several minutes, before the ends would eventually get hot enough to glow, but that's all I ever noticed. This year, having more hours on these BK's than most would in three years, I don't even look very often anymore. You need to get down on your hands and knees, and look up thru the glass to see the cat, something I don't like doing in my work clothes.

 

[Jeff in Maine]

so lets say your cat fails falls apart , cracks , flakes away...she is done. What if you never replaced it? Is the cat mainly about emissions? Or is it mainly about heat? or is it equal parts of both heat and emissions? Just curious . When it is time to replace it is that a big issue?

 

[Woody Stover]

Sometimes inly half the cat in my ashford glows, usually rhe right side glows while the left side is dark. I always figured it was turbulent flow because of the corners of the firebox. I wonder if owners south of the equator see the ledt side glowing more often.

Curious. Ashful, do you see the same thing?

Hi, to all. In my princess i get sometimes the same thing and it is a new stove. i think it depends in what side of the firebox the wood is out gassing more. I noticed too that when chunks collapse sometimes one side fed the cat more than other. i think it is normal. sometime i rake everything together and to the front and it lights up even. maybe i wrong.

Hmmm, same thing here. Not sure about the Coreolis effect, though...I just figured it was either the way that particular load was burning, or that the air being fed to the fire wasn't quite symmetrical. I think that if only one side is glowing in my cat, it is usually the right side...will have to observe that more closely. That's not to say that the other side isn't burning, it may just not be glowing. IIRC, I can see this happen at the beginning of the load when there should be plenty of gas for both sides, so maybe it's an air-feed thing. Merits closer observation...

 

[Woody Stover]

I've had both steel and ceramic cats. I prefer the ceramic over steel. While the steel fires up much faster, I found the cat would go inactive much sooner on the tail end of fire. With my shorter flue, it was more finicky. With my ceramic cat it's almost alway still reading active once it's time to reload. These differences are very minor, but if I get to choose, I'd choose ceramic.

Hmmm. I've got the original ceramic in my 'stone right now. It's probably into its third full season...hard to say since I've run a couple other stoves in the interim. I have also run a diesel-foil in the Keystone, so if I go back to it soon I'll have to take note if it drops out much sooner than the ceramic. I haven't run a DuraFoil yet...

I've used both wouldn't have a problem with either ceramic or steel. The steel has way more surface area to do work on the smoke than the ceramics so it should be better at it.....When manufacturers are trying to hit peak efficiency and minimum emissions they move to steel. Steel costs more so if the ceramics were equal then I doubt the manufacturers would use steel.....All guesses of course. Based on the observations.

Yeah, I wonder about the price difference. Do they use more catalyst wash coat in the steel, higher mfg. cost, or what? ,If as webby said, the steel lights quicker but also drops out quicker, you'd think efficiency and emissions might be a wash. Have you hear BKVP or anyone say anything about steel vs. ceramic?
I certainly wasn't too thrilled to see this in the Applied Ceramics (OE) that I got for the Buck 91...wash coat looks a bit scant. What do I know though....you really can't see coverage as well when you look at a steel cat. Can't remember if I got that one from Buck, AC, or some other supplier...

so lets say your cat fails falls apart , cracks , flakes away...she is done. What if you never replaced it? Is the cat mainly about emissions? Or is it mainly about heat? or is it equal parts of both heat and emissions? Just curious . When it is time to replace it is that a big issue?

If it just cracks, but all the smoke still has to pass through it, you are OK. Just go out and look at the plume after you close the bypass; You should see no smoke...only heat or maybe some steam. It's about emissions and heat. You ain't gonna get your heat out of an EPA stove, cat or non, or get the heat out of your fuel, if you don't burn the smoke. Not to mention, it's illegal to operate the stove without the cat.

 

[BKVP]

Hmmm, same thing here. Not sure about the Coreolis effect, though...I just figured it was either the way that particular load was burning, or that the air being fed to the fire wasn't quite symmetrical. I think that if only one side is glowing in my cat, it is usually the right side...will have to observe that more closely. That's not to say that the other side isn't burning, it may just not be glowing. IIRC, I can see this happen at the beginning of the load when there should be plenty of gas for both sides, so maybe it's an air-feed thing. Merits closer observation...

Woody has it correct. Just because it is glowing in only a portion does mean anything other than that is where a bunch of gases went through and it is hyper active. Keep in mind on the BK units, the flame shield plays several roles. (proprietary)

 

[webby3650]

I'm going to be watching it more carefully, now. I used to always peek in at it, in the first few minutes of the burn, and it was never half-on with a right-left split. Sometimes only the center would glow for several minutes, before the ends would eventually get hot enough to glow, but that's all I ever noticed. This year, having more hours on these BK's than most would in three years, I don't even look very often anymore. You need to get down on your hands and knees, and look up thru the glass to see the cat, something I don't like doing in my work clothes.

My Ashford cat would glow on one side, no real reason, it was totally random. I've never seen the ceramic cat on my King or Princess do this.

 

[Highbeam]

I recall that BKVP uses a ceramic cat in his personal king. In my climate I benefit more from a fast light off of steel than I do from a slow cool down of ceramic if that makes sense. I go through a lot of kindling.

Oh and you might think that the steel would be prone to clogging with the thousands of tiny cells but I have not found that to be an issue.

 

[Jeff in Maine]

Hmmm. I've got the original ceramic in my 'stone right now. It's probably into its third full season...hard to say since I've run a couple other stoves in the interim. I have also run a diesel-foil in the Keystone, so if I go back to it soon I'll have to take note if it drops out much sooner than the ceramic. I haven't run a DuraFoil yet...
Yeah, I wonder about the price difference. Do they use more catalyst wash coat in the steel, higher mfg. cost, or what? ,If as webby said, the steel lights quicker but also drops out quicker, you'd think efficiency and emissions might be a wash. Have you hear BKVP or anyone say anything about steel vs. ceramic?
I certainly wasn't too thrilled to see this in the Applied Ceramics (OE) that I got for the Buck 91...wash coat looks a bit scant. What do I know though....you really can't see coverage as well when you look at a steel cat. Can't remember if I got that one from Buck, AC, or some other supplier...
View attachment 190449 View attachment 190450

If it just cracks, but all the smoke still has to pass through it, you are OK. Just go out and look at the plume after you close the bypass; You should see no smoke...only heat or maybe some steam. It's about emissions and heat. You ain't gonna get your heat out of an EPA stove, cat or non, or get the heat out of your fuel, if you don't burn the smoke. Not to mention, it's illegal to operate the stove without the cat.

Well I was just curious,... jest don't call the smoke police on me that would be bad ha ha ha ha

 

[Woody Stover]

never seen the ceramic cat on my King or Princess do this.

I see it in both steel and ceramic.

I'm going to be watching it more carefully, now....Sometimes only the center would glow for several minutes, before the ends would eventually get hot enough to glow....You need to get down on your hands and knees, and look up thru the glass to see the cat, something I don't like doing in my work clothes.

It's weird; Sometimes the center will glow first and the corners will be the last to glow, other times it will be the exact opposite.
Why are you worried about your work clothes? Aren't your knees under the desk all day long, as you loaf on the internet?
Use my old-man's stove aid...a mirror. I don't need it for the cat, though, I can see that from the couch. Both sides blazing on a load of Oak and BL as I try to keep room temp up. Luckily the wind has laid down.

you might think that the steel would be prone to clogging with the thousands of tiny cells but I have not found that to be an issue.

Nah, gotta blow fly ash out of either one from time to time, no biggie.

 

[jetsam]

It's apparently time to clean my glass!



Huzzah for cold nights.

 

[kf6hap]

My neighbor is looking to burn a pallet of NIELs in his Princess. This was discussed a while back and I need to know best practice for using these. I do remember you can't just stuff the stove to the top or it would overwhelm the stove and produce a lot is white smoke. BKVP uses them (or at least his wife does). Recommendations? Lo/ Med/ Hi burn times?

 

[kf6hap]

 

[kf6hap]

Not too bad BK! I sold my previous stove because of the red (indicating never resolved problems) square above it's rating. 2013 BBB chart. I can't tell you how nice it is to have this forum and BKVP accessible to resolve problems.

 

[begreen]

It's apparently time to clean my glass!

View attachment 190471

Huzzah for cold nights.

LOL Cat owners finally see da light.

 

[begreen]

Not too bad BK! I sold my previous stove because of the red (indicating never resolved problems) square above it's rating. 2013 BBB chart. I can't tell you how nice it is to have this forum and BKVP accessible to resolve problems.

What is deceptive in that graph is that it lacks an indication of the volume of units sold. Jotul sells boatloads more stoves than Woodstock, yet has very few complaints.

 

[rwhite]

What is deceptive in that graph is that it lacks an indication of the volume of units sold. Jotul sells boatloads more stoves than Woodstock, yet has very few complaints.

I agree, whether you like the companies or not it has to be an even playing field. % of complaints per units sold would get to closer but there's no way to surmise what would happen if woodstock increased volume.

 

[jetsam]

I googled for sales figures after seeing that chart, but came up dry for anything after 2003.

Chart's pretty meaningless without that (and not so great even with; for example a company with high sales, great stoves,and poor technical support would get low marks on the chart with or without sales figures; a company with very low sales, poor stoves, and a really friendly helpful tech support guy would likely get top marks.)

BBB ratings are kind of a crapshoot too... For example we have a complaint that will never, ever go away because we installed an exterior door for this angry, angry old man. Told him he needed a wheelchair threshold or the wheelchair would destroy the standard nonadjustable aluminum threshold he wanted; absolutely not, looks ugly. Made him sign a waiver that he knew his threshold was going to get demolished. Couple weeks later, guess what. It's been replaced three times now. The part that would work for him is still "ugly". Consumer affairs, BBB, at least one very confused 911 operator... they've all been pulled in. For a small company, getting that one insane old guy on your case can ruin you.

 

[kf6hap]

The whole story is here:

http://forgreenheat.blogspot.com/2013/07/better-business-bureau-and-wood-stove.html

 

[Woody Stover]

BBB ratings are kind of a crapshoot too..

Yeah, a lot of the complaints are probably bunk. Not everyone is a stove nerd. Lotta folks trying to burn wet wood, or burn on a bad chimney, then blaming poor performance on the stove.

 

[BKVP]

My neighbor is looking to burn a pallet of NIELs in his Princess. This was discussed a while back and I need to know best practice for using these. I do remember you can't just stuff the stove to the top or it would overwhelm the stove and produce a lot is white smoke. BKVP uses them (or at least his wife does). Recommendations? Lo/ Med/ Hi burn times?

Two at a time, mixed with cord wood will give excellent results.

 

[Gotrek]

I read on here (right there ^^^^) that you can burn NIELs in your blaze king and other compressed logs but are their types you should not use?

These are made in my province for example http://www.flaxfire.com/ they are a compressed log made from roasted flax straw

 

[mellow]

I have been mixing in wood bricks in mine with good success, I did notice that just burning wood bricks alone the cat did not seem like it was getting enough fuel in the smoke, it was not getting as high in temp on low as with cordwood. But take this with a grain of salt as I haven't had that much time with the SC25.

 

[kennyp2339]

I read on here (right there ^^^^) that you can burn NIELs in your blaze king and other compressed logs but are their types you should not use?

These are made in my province for example http://www.flaxfire.com/ they are a compressed log made from roasted flax straw

Do not burn any compressed product that has wax binders...perfect example - dura flame logs, also I would stick with products made from wood due to the understanding of burn temps.

 

[raypa]

It's been a while since I posted. I'm now joining the BK club. Have a King Parlor with blower on order. Should be a week or so.