2017-18 Blaze King Performance Thread PART 2 (Everything BK)

[Bullyboy]

Under the category of what was I thinking! Was only supposed to be a low of -15C last night. Loaded stove about 75% with intentions of cleaning ash today. By 9pm we were at -27 so silly me figured I'd crank the air for a few minutes, open the bypass, wait a bit and crack the door for a quick top off. Needless to say when I got to the cracking the door open part things got real hot real fast. Think I came close to melting my chimney. Heard that dreaded roar of rushing fire. I quickly closed the door, about 10 sec later engaged the cat and dialed the air down to 1pm. Went outside everything looked ok from the ground but when I came back inside the house definitely smelled of burning dust and whatever else. Stove burned thru the night ok but the house was a bit colder. Loaded up this morning and all looks well. However just noticed it got hot enough last night to melt the label that had looked brand new up until this. Don't be foolish like I was. Be safe.

 

[Ashful]

I'm letting our primary stove burn out today, despite it being rather chilly out. Got another partially clogged cat. Time for a face vacuum.

I've spent the last two years cutting 21" splits (from my larger Jotuls) down to 17" lengths (for the smaller BK's), and loading a 2 gallon bucket full of 4" offcuts in on top of each load of splits. It's possible the increased surface area to volume ratio of all these four inch chunks is contributing to my seemingly-frequent clogged cats, so I'm going to take to throwing away the chunks from now on.

I had tried saving them all, as cutting down 30 cords of 3-year CSS'd oak was going to generate a good 4 cords of these offcuts. However, I'm down to the last few cords of long wood, so the loss will be less than 1 cord, at this point.

 

[Highbeam]

I'm letting our primary stove burn out today, despite it being rather chilly out. Got another partially clogged cat. Time for a face vacuum.

I've spent the last two years cutting 21" splits (from my larger Jotuls) down to 17" lengths (for the smaller BK's), and loading a 2 gallon bucket full of 4" offcuts in on top of each load of splits. It's possible the increased surface area to volume ratio of all these four inch chunks is contributing to my seemingly-frequent clogged cats, so I'm going to take to throwing away the chunks from now on.

I had tried saving them all, as cutting down 30 cords of 3-year CSS'd oak was going to generate a good 4 cords of these offcuts. However, I'm down to the last few cords of long wood, so the loss will be less than 1 cord, at this point.

Maybe load them on the bottom under the regular fuel load. I hate to waste wood!

 

[oldbluedeer]

Under the category of what was I thinking! Was only supposed to be a low of -15C last night. Loaded stove about 75% with intentions of cleaning ash today. By 9pm we were at -27 so silly me figured I'd crank the air for a few minutes, open the bypass, wait a bit and crack the door for a quick top off. Needless to say when I got to the cracking the door open part things got real hot real fast. Think I came close to melting my chimney. Heard that dreaded roar of rushing fire. I quickly closed the door, about 10 sec later engaged the cat and dialed the air down to 1pm. Went outside everything looked ok from the ground but when I came back inside the house definitely smelled of burning dust and whatever else. Stove burned thru the night ok but the house was a bit colder. Loaded up this morning and all looks well. However just noticed it got hot enough last night to melt the label that had looked brand new up until this. Don't be foolish like I was. Be safe.

This is a good cautionary tale. Thank you!

What's your theory on the root cause of the roaring hot chimney? Is it mostly related to having a very hot stove loaded 3/4 full, and introducing an unrestricted flow of air into it? Or was there something else in the mix, perhaps creosote in the chimney, extra cold temps, extra high chimney, or ?

So far my Sirocco 2.0 has not been inclined to get much above 2:30 pm, and I have never heard the chimney roar, but I have never opened her up hot with a mostly full load in her belly.

 

[Bullyboy]

What's your theory on the root cause of the roaring hot chimney?

Well I'm by no means an expert but I believe it had a lot to do with the fact that the load had only been charred and turned down about 2 or 3 hours before this. It was locked and loaded for a 12 to 15 hr burn. I believe if you add fresh air to that environment, your asking for trouble. Draft was probably better then normal because of the outdoor temps. In the past I've added wood to logs that had been burnt down to the point that you could see that stirring or weight of fresh wood on top would reduce them to coals and it has been a very hot experiment. It was my own fault. Should of just let it burn out and cleaned in the morning but wanted a hot house to enjoy my morning coffee first.

 

[Blazing]

Well I'm by no means an expert but I believe it had a lot to do with the fact that the load had only been charred and turned down about 2 or 3 hours before this. It was locked and loaded for a 12 to 15 hr burn. I believe if you add fresh air to that environment, your asking for trouble. Draft was probably better then normal because of the outdoor temps. In the past I've added wood to logs that had been burnt down to the point that you could see that stirring or weight of fresh wood on top would reduce them to coals and it has been a very hot experiment. It was my own fault. Should of just let it burn out and cleaned in the morning but wanted a hot house to enjoy my morning coffee first.

If I open mine early it will get hair raising as well. Another thing the oak I'm burning will shoot sparks halfway across the living room lol.

 

[Bullyboy]

Lol. I'm prone to learning things the hard way. Not to long ago I was doing a reload on hot coals with a mixed load of birch, ash and maple. Now most people might take the time to think about what might happen if the birch and it's wonderfully flammable bark were put in first and then the ash and maple. Not me! Live and learn, just with slightly less arm hair.

 

[Tar12]

I'm letting our primary stove burn out today, despite it being rather chilly out. Got another partially clogged cat. Time for a face vacuum.

I've spent the last two years cutting 21" splits (from my larger Jotuls) down to 17" lengths (for the smaller BK's), and loading a 2 gallon bucket full of 4" offcuts in on top of each load of splits. It's possible the increased surface area to volume ratio of all these four inch chunks is contributing to my seemingly-frequent clogged cats, so I'm going to take to throwing away the chunks from now on.

I had tried saving them all, as cutting down 30 cords of 3-year CSS'd oak was going to generate a good 4 cords of these offcuts. However, I'm down to the last few cords of long wood, so the loss will be less than 1 cord, at this point.

I have burned a lot of cut offs...often a fire box full and never a clogged cat?

 

[SuperJ]

I burn cut offs and uglies on the weekend when I’m around to tend the stove. Haven’t had a problem yet. I’d hate to see a cord’s worth of seasoned oak go to waste. Maybe try tossing them to the back of the stove when you have the room so they’re further from the cat face.

 

[Poindexter]

I dunno man. On a 30 foot stack he has boo-coo draft. And i bet its well under 20 percent, i think ashful runs oak on a 3 year plan and is pretty darn organized about it.

Wouldnt the surface area of 4" chunks be roughly equal to splitting regular sized 16" splits into quarters ... no not that much... but- ummm- its a lot. Let me get a ruler out.

I got a split in my lap that was 1/4 of a log about 8" in diameter and 16 inches long.

The bare wood faces are 4x16 and theres two of those, 128sq inches. The bark face is about 6x16 inches, 96 sqin of bark.

The two ends are about 25 sqin each....
So the split as one piece is 50 + 128 + 96 = 274 sqin.

If i cut it into quarters and make 4 chunks 4 inches long ill have 8 ends at 25sqin, so there is 200sqin, plus the 128 and 96, 424 sqin.

So the actual surface area only goes up about 50%, but the exposed end grain is quadrupled.

I havent burned much oak lately, but on spruce the sap and wood gas come out my end grain mostly.

With spruce at 12%mc on 15 foot of stack I wouldnt try that.

If ashful were local to me i would buy 4" chunks of seasoned oak for my bbq pits by the truckload, and pay good money for them.

 

[Woody Stover]

I got a split in my lap

Awww, cradling a split in his lap on a cold winter day..ain't that sweet. But the poor critter doesn't realize that he's about to meet his fiery demise!

 

[Ashful]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I actually moved another cord of wood up to the house today, and already tossed the off-cuts into the fire pit. They're burning now.

Poindexter has it right, I have a stack that's almost 30 feet, on the stove in question. Maybe that's a factor. I also wonder if the chips generated from re-cutting the wood are contributing. I try to shake them off of the splits, but it's really impossible, I always end up hauling a lot of saw chips in with me even after shaking off the splits.

 

[Ashful]

Oh, some photos from today's move.

 

[shoot-straight]

I have a tall stack, an ashford and get a clogged cat at times. Ash just gets sucked up into it. Gonna be warm early this coming week, I'll let her die out and give mine a cleaning if it needs it or not. Would love to pull it out, but I hate wasting that gasket.

Burning lots of gum right now. Put simply it's the ashiest wood ever.

 

[Ashful]

I have a tall stack, an ashford and get a clogged cat at times. Ash just gets sucked up into it. Gonna be warm early this coming week, I'll let her die out and give mine a cleaning if it needs it or not. Would love to pull it out, but I hate wasting that gasket.

Burning lots of gum right now. Put simply it's the ashiest wood ever.

Interesting. I burn mostly oak, which also makes a lot of ash, and must take a full ash pan out every 7 loads, or thereabouts. I use a grate over the ash plug hole, to save the coals.

There were two other members last year that had clogging cats on Ashfords, about the same time I first had this issue. Odd we don’t hear the same from our Chinook and Sirocco 30 brethren, but I’d bet the Ashford outsells either of those by multiples, so it may just be a numbers thing.

 

[Poindexter]

Probably varies some by region too. My job takes me to customers homes. When i see a BK up here, it's a princess.

I bet beer money in fairbanks the princess outsells the 30 boxes 10:1 and among the 30 boxes the ashford outsells the combined chin/scir 10:1.

We got a lot of wood stoves up here, but there arent very many of us.

 

[Poindexter]

Actually, i can think of two operating woodstoves in customers homes that probably came up the yukon and tanana rivers by sternwheeler before the railroad was completed in 1923.

I have only ever seen one chinook installed in a house, and zero sciroccos.

 

[Blazing]

Probably varies some by region too. My job takes me to customers homes. When i see a BK up here, it's a princess.

I bet beer money in fairbanks the princess outsells the 30 boxes 10:1 and among the 30 boxes the ashford outsells the combined chin/scir 10:1.

We got a lot of wood stoves up here, but there arent very many of us.

They don't care for smoke smells .

 

[Ashful]

Probably varies some by region too. My job takes me to customers homes. When i see a BK up here, it's a princess.

I’m sure there’s some truth to this, but that may have more to do with having a 20+ year head start, than anything else. Put otherwise, exactly how many of those stoves were purchased new from BK in just the last 3 years, since the Ashford 30 was released?

BKVP would have the numbers, but he seems to indicate the Ashford is selling way beyond any other stove they’ve made, unless I read him wrong.

 

[kf6hap]

BKVP would have the numbers, but he seems to indicate the Ashford is selling way beyond any other stove they’ve made, unless I read him wrong.

The Ashford was a very clear choice for me. 513 pounds of iron (yes more than the King or Princess), Maximum output was not a consideration for me, the excellent turn-down and burn time was. Looks-this stove is an eye grabber. Fire box-just a smidge smaller than the Princess. One not too much talked about important attribute is the is the fact that it is a welded steel stove with cast iron cladding. This makes the stove a combination radiating and convective stove and improves the ability to heat adjacent rooms without scorching you out of the stove room. This is a unique set of attributes. With time it might become the biggest seller of all. End of I like my stove rant.

 

[Ashful]

I thought all BK stoves had some sort of convection jacket? I never looked at any BK other than the Ashford, but yes, the convective design was key for making it work in my house. Masonry houses and radiant stoves are a combination that just doesn’t work, as the exposed masonry soaks up all of that radiant heat.

 

[Highbeam]

The bummer of the 30 series is the lack of an ash belly and lower efficiency. Low emissions though and cleaner glass!

 

[Woody Stover]

The Ashford was a very clear choice for me. 513 pounds of iron (yes more than the King or Princess)

Yep, the cast iron shell brings the weight up quite a bit.

I thought all BK stoves had some sort of convection jacket

Yeah, don't they have sheet metal side shields?

 

[Tar12]

If I open mine early it will get hair raising as well. Another thing the oak I'm burning will shoot sparks halfway across the living room lol.

When I load hot it is like a Chinese fire drill buddy! I have that sucker shut back down in seconds!

 

[Tar12]

Decided to take a look at my BK Princess Cat today since its warm here and I let the fire die out. Other than a very light dusting of ash she looked very good! No cracks...nothing...I vacuumed what little ash was on there off...this is year 2 and all is well.