2017-18 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK)

[coutufr]

What are you burning now? What setting on the t-stat?

I’ll be honest, my wood isn’t the best this year. We moved in 2015 and I gave up my wood supply with the house because the new house had pellet. Now I’m rebuilding the supply. But I am burning pine; so poorly seasoned pine might still burn better than a mediocre hardwood. Nonetheless, I know the smell you’re talking about. We had the same issue year 1. I wish I kept pictures of the old gasket so you could compare it to yours.

When you applied your gasket, what did you use as an adhesive? Maybe it’s seeping through and around the back of the gasket?

Where did you put the join? I made sure to put it away from the hinge end since I noticed a problem there before the replacement.

I read on the forum that the leak is on the hinges side. Odor is stronger on mine at the top on the hinges side because the fume rises. I don’t think we can adjust the door on that side. Maybe we can put an extra gasket there. I have no idea how to fix this. Again I started having the smell on my first burns and the stove is less than a year old... Am I supposed to change that gasket every 6 months?

 

[Heftiger]

I read on the forum that the leak is on the hinges side. Odor is stronger on mine at the top on the hinges side because the fume rises. I don’t think we can adjust the door on that side. Maybe we can put an extra gasket there. I have no idea how to fix this. Again I started having the smell on my first burns and the stove is less than a year old... Am I supposed to change that gasket every 6 months?

I have to confess here.
Just a day or two ago my 5 year old said “why does it smell like burned stuff over here”. I went and put my nose up to the hinge side and I can smell it. Must’ve just gotten used to it! [emoji37]

 

[coutufr]

I have to confess here.
Just a day or two ago my 5 year old said “why does it smell like burned stuff over here”. I went and put my nose up to the hinge side and I can smell it. Must’ve just gotten used to it! [emoji37]

They say that identifying the problem is half the solution. It is 50 f outside and thermostat is at 1 o’clock. Maybe if I decrease the pressure of the door on the handle side will it help...

 

[kf6hap]

The smell might get somewhat reduced after several days of burning.

 

[kf6hap]

To improve the "smoke smell" situation I placed 17" strips of Rutland No. 93 flat graphited gasket over the areas where the gasket is dark on each side of the door. It is self-sticking and removable later on. $9.00 at Ace. It helped a lot.

 

[BKVP]

Metal coatings on nails can be released in the process of combustion. This can, over time, overplate the palledium and plaatinum precious metals, essentially diminishing the ability of the combustor to do its job.

If you have extra cash, burn away...otherwise, don't burn nails and save the cash for grandkids college fund or a bottle of Middleton Very Rare 31. About the same cost.

 

[coutufr]

To improve the "smoke smell" situation I placed 17" strips of Rutland No. 93 flat graphited gasket over the areas where the gasket is dark on each side of the door. It is self-sticking and removable later on. $9.00 at Ace. It helped a lot.

I will try to find it in a store close by this is a good idea! Thanks!

 

[Tar12]

After I cleaned the pipe and checking the by pass gasket(which need tweaked a tad) I checked the door gasket and all was well there and I have begun season 2 with the Princess. Not sure how much I burned last year but I am thinking approx.2 cord +/-....far,far,less than the boiler! My wife was against a inside stove at first....she has grown to love this stove! She marvels over the fact that it sips woodland her hair does not have that Cavewoman essence smell to it ! She is a hard core convert now! I hope all is well with everyone here and you have a prosperous year!

 

[shoot-straight]

Metal coatings on nails can be released in the process of combustion. This can, over time, overplate the palledium and plaatinum precious metals, essentially diminishing the ability of the combustor to do its job.

If you have extra cash, burn away...otherwise, don't burn nails and save the cash for grandkids college fund or a bottle of Middleton Very Rare 31. About the same cost.

thanks- gonna just burn them in the pile!

 

[lsucet]

Here is the progress of my second Princess. I just need to do some trimming between the flooring and hearth and the surrounding behind the stove. The picture looks weird but it looks good. Also I need to do the pass thru the 2nd floor ceiling and roof with a firestopper, flashing, etc. Plus do the cage for the piping. Trying to get it done next weekend that i am off 3 days.

 

[Ashful]

They say that identifying the problem is half the solution.

Ray Zalinsky reference? Nice recall.

 

[SuperJ]

Here is the progress of my second Princess. I just need to do some trimming between the flooring and hearth and the surrounding behind the stove. The picture looks weird but it looks good. Also I need to do the pass thru the 2nd floor ceiling and roof with a firestopper, flashing, etc. Plus do the cage for the piping. Trying to get it done next weekend that i am off 3 days.

Looks good.
Here's my newly installed Ashford. Just got a bit of trim work to do.

 

[Highbeam]

Doing some poking around in the firecatcombusters site where they have a blog. These guys made the ceramic cat that was original equipment in your (and my) BK that came with a ceramic cat. They specify in this year's writing that the "the catalyst should be replaced every 12000-14000 hours". Not years, but hours. Also that "all catalytic combustors...have a life of at least 10,000 hours".

Interesting. My first cat was ceramic and made it to 18000 hours, second cat is steel and made it to just over 12000 before failure but I gave it an acid bath which rejuvinated it pretty well and it is now to 13.5k hours but getting tired. I'm thinking about buying #3, going back to ceramic. Burning PNW softwoods and hardwoods at 13% on low most of the time with a tight door seal.

I am looking forward to see how many hours you folks get out of your catalysts. We seem to have a lot of new 30/20 series stoves that were delivered with steel cats that should be houring out soon. Do you know what to look for to identify a failing cat?

 

[SuperJ]

What do you figure the min amount of wood would be required to run 24/7 from Nov to March in a 30 series firebox (I assume all BK are similar)? Assuming low fire the whole time.
I have a gas furnace too so I don't have a high need to crank it up, but I'd rather keep the stove idling away on low fire, than start a fire every evening or other day.
Or, I'm curious how much would people like Ashful put thru a single stove running on 24hr reloads.

Other question, do all BK thermostatic air inlets have the same size min fresh air hole in the blade, or does it increase with firebox size/design?
My 30 runs so long on low that I think I would've been quite happy with a 20 too.

 

[Hardtopseadan]

Doing some poking around in the firecatcombusters site where they have a blog. These guys made the ceramic cat that was original equipment in your (and my) BK that came with a ceramic cat. They specify in this year's writing that the "the catalyst should be replaced every 12000-14000 hours". Not years, but hours. Also that "all catalytic combustors...have a life of at least 10,000 hours".

Interesting. My first cat was ceramic and made it to 18000 hours, second cat is steel and made it to just over 12000 before failure but I gave it an acid bath which rejuvinated it pretty well and it is now to 13.5k hours but getting tired. I'm thinking about buying #3, going back to ceramic. Burning PNW softwoods and hardwoods at 13% on low most of the time with a tight door seal.

I am looking forward to see how many hours you folks get out of your catalysts. We seem to have a lot of new 30/20 series stoves that were delivered with steel cats that should be houring out soon. Do you know what to look for to identify a failing cat?

I am on our 4th season with a ceramic [emoji250] in our Princess, we average 5000 plus hrs. a year so somewhere north of 15000 hrs. going into this season. As for identifying a failing [emoji250] I am not sure other than what the owners manual says. As of today my cat will still be in the active zone when there's almost not enough coals to restart, if I let it get much below active I am better off to let it go out and then restart, usually happens " maybe " 3 or 4 times a year. Shoulder season different story. Thinking about ordering a new gasket and giving it a soak, but then again if it ain't broke.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[Ashful]

They specify in this year's writing that the "the catalyst should be replaced every 12000-14000 hours". Not years, but hours.

12,000 years is a very long time.

I am looking forward to see how many hours you folks get out of your catalysts. We seem to have a lot of new 30/20 series stoves that were delivered with steel cats that should be houring out soon. Do you know what to look for to identify a failing cat?

I have been thinking about this, and have a few issues:

1. I really don’t know how many hours I burn in a year. I always start off strong, near Halloween, but always seem to fizzle out for one reason or another later in the season. For my first several years, burning less choice species in the Jotuls, it was because I would blow thru 10 cords and be out of budgeted dry wood for that year. With the BK’s, I seem to go thru about half as much wood, but the two years I’ve had them have been unusually warm. If we get a warm week in March, I might just hang it up for the year, as I’m getting pretty busy with outdoor stuff about then.

2. Unless the change in performance was drastic and sudden, I’m not sure I’d even catch it. Don’t these usually degrade slowly, and almost unnoticed by many? What’s your metric for “failed”?

 

[kennyp2339]

12,000 years is a very long time.


I have been thinking about this, and have a few issues:

1. I really don’t know how many hours I burn in a year. I always start off strong, near Halloween, but always seem to fizzle out for one reason or another later in the season. For my first several years, burning less choice species in the Jotuls, it was because I would blow thru 10 cords and be out of budgeted dry wood for that year. With the BK’s, I seem to go thru about half as much wood, but the two years I’ve had them have been unusually warm. If we get a warm week in March, I might just hang it up for the year, as I’m getting pretty busy with outdoor stuff about then.

2. Unless the change in performance was drastic and sudden, I’m not sure I’d even catch it. Don’t these usually degrade slowly, and almost unnoticed by many? What’s your metric for “failed”?

I'd like to join in on this, I went into last year strong, good tight gaskets long burn times, come the from the end of February into March it was like my bottom end suddenly dropped off.
The trigger for me was since the days were getting longer I was outside a little more and noticed more smoke than usual, I also started to notice less heat with shorter burn times. I figured I needed a good chimney sweep because the chimney cap had so crud build up. I also noticed a lot of fly ash build up on my flame shield. After doing a burn test with some red stone fire bricks and getting poor results my suspicions of the cat being dead were confirmed. By then it was a ready late in the season and I hung it up anyway. I got a new cat and now rocking and rolling, but in truth it kind of happened real quick for me.

 

[Ashful]

I'd like to join in on this, I went into last year strong, good tight gaskets long burn times, come the from the end of February into March it was like my bottom end suddenly dropped off.
The trigger for me was since the days were getting longer I was outside a little more and noticed more smoke than usual, I also started to notice less heat with shorter burn times. I figured I needed a good chimney sweep because the chimney cap had so crud build up. I also noticed a lot of fly ash build up on my flame shield. After doing a burn test with some red stone fire bricks and getting poor results my suspicions of the cat being dead were confirmed. By then it was a ready late in the season and I hung it up anyway. I got a new cat and now rocking and rolling, but in truth it kind of happened real quick for me.

Other than the crud build up on the chimney cap, everything you describe here could be explained by a cat that’s clogged with fly ash. I had that happen 2x last year, on one of my Ashford 30’s, both times while operating on a higher setting.

 

[tarzan]

With my failing ceramic cat, I had the symptoms much the same as KennyP described above along with a consistently clogging cat which had never clogged in the past.

 

[Ashful]

The guys (from the stove shop where I bought the stoves) who did my yearly service this summer seem to have tightened some adjustement the bypass on each of my stoves so damn tight that I feel like I'm going to break the lever off trying to engage and disengage it. The one stove has been used two weeks now, and it's stretched the mechanism or compressed the gasket to where it's starting to feel normal again. I just started using the second stove tonight, and I honestly thought I was going to break the lever off before it cammed over into the locked position. Anyone else have this experience?

... and before anyone asks, I've put 20'ish cords thru these Ashfords and 60'ish cords thru other cat stoves with bypass dampers, I do know what the bypass should feel like by now.

Can I assume it's an adjustment they made, and not something like chunks of creosote left on the mating surface of the damper frame, which is causing interference?

 

[Poindexter]

My metric for a failed cat is a noticeable drop in heat output. Usually takes me 3-5 days to conclude it's the cat, but when I am burning enough wood to heat the house and the back bedrooms are cold, I get to head scratching.

 

[Poindexter]

I got to do the bypass door tension adjust dance last year. The goal is just a good seal at the gasket between the bypass door and firebox gasket. It will never be as tight as the loading door knife edge because it is flat to flat, but you should have to work at it gently to get a dollar bill out without tearing it.

With a cold stove lift the pipe off the collar, shine a light down in the hole and behold the wonderous mechanism in operation. When you tighten the nut - this will make sense when you are looking at - when you tighten the nut the ramp the gets steeper and the latch gets harder to operate. As a biologist I look at the system in awe. An engineer might operate it once and say "Oh that's a Simmon's latch" or "Oh, that's a Freidman mechanism." Once I figured it out I just had a cold beer in honor of whoever invented it.

The trouble with adjusting that bolt is the metals get heat treated every time the stove is operated. There is a real high chance you'll wring the head off the bolt trying to loosen it, like I did.

Then you got to pull the cat (got new gasket ready?) and take those little sheet metal ear shaped stampings out from beside the cat, then get the bypass door unhooked from the operating rod (there is some cussing involved here, and maybe another cold beer), finally slide the bypass door out through the hole the cat was in.

I annealed mine with just a propane blowtorch, it was enough to get the bolt fragment and another 5mm or so around the bolt cherry red held for about a minute and then air cool overnight. I got the bolt fragment out while the thing was smoking hot, and it was fairly easy to drill and tap one size up the next day. Standard SAE size, I -think- I took mine up from 5/16" to 3/8". Either BKVP or my local dealer told me to use a SS bolt.

You'll want some high temp anti sieze from NAPA for re-assembly. About $10 for a small jar. Permatex brand is what I used.

NB: with those nasty sharp little pieces of sheet metal out from beside the cat the bypass door can get loose from it's hinge points. Those stampings are part of the hinge assembly.

Reassembly is a relative breeze. Getting the operating rod back in its wee bracket is not bad with the bolt removed. Then put the bolt in, but you got to have those nasty sharp edge bastard stampings back installed to adjust the bolt tension because they are part of the hinge assembly. Once you are close use your new gasket and put the cat back in to hold those damn razor blades in place while you finish adjusting the bolt tension.

I didn't do any heat treating on mine other than annealing so I could drill and tap. I figure running the stove will get that job done for me.

Have fun.

 

[Poindexter]

I guess you could check for chunks of creosote between the gasket and the the bypass door before you lift the pipe off the collar, but I would expect those to burn off once you had the stove hot the first time.

Just reach up in there bare handed when the stove is cold to see if you can feel anything on the gasket.

 

[BKVP]

The guys (from the stove shop where I bought the stoves) who did my yearly service this summer seem to have tightened some adjustement the bypass on each of my stoves so damn tight that I feel like I'm going to break the lever off trying to engage and disengage it. The one stove has been used two weeks now, and it's stretched the mechanism or compressed the gasket to where it's starting to feel normal again. I just started using the second stove tonight, and I honestly thought I was going to break the lever off before it cammed over into the locked position. Anyone else have this experience?

... and before anyone asks, I've put 20'ish cords thru these Ashfords and 60'ish cords thru other cat stoves with bypass dampers, I do know what the bypass should feel like by now.

Can I assume it's an adjustment they made, and not something like chunks of creosote left on the mating surface of the damper frame, which is causing interference?

Ashful,

Ask them. A quarter turn of the bolt is usually enough.

 

[BKVP]

My metric for a failed cat is a noticeable drop in heat output. Usually takes me 3-5 days to conclude it's the cat, but when I am burning enough wood to heat the house and the back bedrooms are cold, I get to head scratching.

That’s called “Cat Scratch Fever”.