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

[kf6hap]

Do you have a guess at what outside temperatures you would find it too warm to run?

This is not a fixed number!

Just keep opening doors to other areas of the house. When they are all open I prop the louvers to an exhaust fan and let the heat into the attic. On days that I know are going to be cold in the mornings and warm in the afternoon I load 2 x a day The 4:00PM load is full, the 4: AM loading is a half load of pine. I try to match the wood load to the anticipated heating needs. The solar heating of the house plays a big part, so I look at "Weather Underground" with the cloud cover feature turned on. Lastly if the house gets too hot, crack a window and enjoy the heat. Make sure it is a window on the back of the house so the BTU police don't fine you.

 

[coutufr]

I think your heating needs are low and what you really need is a wood stove you will enjoy looking at and make some nice little heat (radiant). A nice little fire in the morning and another one in the evening. Do not look for long burn times you will find it boring and probably useless. I have the Ashford 30 and temperature is around 0 F with some wind. The house is very warm and I don’t even see flames in it because I lowered the dial to 2.5. It would probably work in your location but you would be a bit frustrated not to be able to use it at full throttle very often.

 

[kf6hap]

I don't consider the lack of visible flames 24/7 a problem as I burn to heat my house. It is the main heat source for most of the house. A lot of the time I am not even in the stove room. The firebox is black %90 of the burn cycle. You will be amazed by how long a few sticks of wood will produce heat.

 

[17vljoe]

Its 9F outside this morning and im getting condensation droplets off of my chimney cap, and a icicle hanging off of it also. Could this be a problem? Or is this normal for a cat stove?

 

[kennyp2339]

Its 9F outside this morning and im getting condensation droplets off of my chimney cap, and a icicle hanging off of it also. Could this be a problem? Or is this normal for a cat stove? View attachment 219278

I checked mine this morning, I figured by now I would have the same with temps near zero the past few nights, to clear the ice run the stove on high and see if it melts off with the extra heat coming off the stack, if not, manually clear the ice if it start impeding air flow from the cap.

 

[kennyp2339]

Todays BK job will be to take the rear fans off and clean everything, I noticed a little dust build up so today would be a good day to take the fan kit off, blow it out with compressed air and oil up the fan parts.
I am so happy with this stove, its been cold and windy, yet the stove heats so well and the burn times for the outdoor temps are great, I loaded mine 3 times yesterday, I have hardly any major coal build it, I do use the poker and ruffle everything in the fire box to loosen it all up, I then use my hand rake and push all the ash and coals to the back, re-ruffle again then pull just the coals forward to the front. The method is working great and I'm able to fit some 6" thick pieces in the fire box along the bottom, then fill in the gaps with smaller splits. I am truly enjoying this cold outbreak.

 

[jetsam]

Todays BK job will be to take the rear fans off and clean everything, I noticed a little dust build up so today would be a good day to take the fan kit off, blow it out with compressed air and oil up the fan parts.
I am so happy with this stove, its been cold and windy, yet the stove heats so well and the burn times for the outdoor temps are great, I loaded mine 3 times yesterday, I have hardly any major coal build it, I do use the poker and ruffle everything in the fire box to loosen it all up, I then use my hand rake and push all the ash and coals to the back, re-ruffle again then pull just the coals forward to the front. The method is working great and I'm able to fit some 6" thick pieces in the fire box along the bottom, then fill in the gaps with smaller splits. I am truly enjoying this cold outbreak.

This is far and away the coldest weather my little princess insert has ever had to cope with. I am running it like a rented mule. I am starting to worry that I will run out of pine before I run out of cold. I have tons of oak and maple ready to go, but the pine has been saving me from coaling issues. I will be sure to lay in at least a full cord of pine per year going forward.

I need to tighten a couple bolts to get rid of a loud blower rattle, but it'll be a couple weeks before it cools down enough for that. I have a rolled up piece of cat gasket jammed in there for now.

I had the living room at 80 when it was 10 out yesterday though, so that little stove is getting the job done.

I have a couple days off coming up; looking forward to burning off some odds and uglies, and staying very warm.

Princess Puppy says, "More wood, stoveboy!".

 

[gregbesia]

This is far and away the coldest weather my little princess insert has ever had to cope with. I am running it like a rented mule. I am starting to worry that I will run out of pine before I run out of cold. I have tons of oak and maple ready to go, but the pine has been saving me from coaling issues. I will be sure to lay in at least a full cord of pine per year going forward.

I need to tighten a couple bolts to get rid of a loud blower rattle, but it'll be a couple weeks before it cools down enough for that. I have a rolled up piece of cat gasket jammed in there for now.

I had the living room at 80 when it was 10 out yesterday though, so that little stove is getting the job done.

I have a couple days off coming up; looking forward to burning off some odds and uglies, and staying very warm.

View attachment 219322

Princess Puppy says, "More wood, stoveboy!".

So what kind of burn times are you getting while pushing the stove like that?

 

[moresnow]

Its 9F outside this morning and im getting condensation droplets off of my chimney cap, and a icicle hanging off of it also.

MIne builds significant icicle's as do the other 2 BK's in my neighborhood. Normally a nice warmer day will get rid of them. Not happening anytime soon here.

 

[jetsam]

So what kind of burn times are you getting while pushing the stove like that?

Burning softwood on high with the blowers on high? I put some more wood (not a full load) in every 2-3 hours. At bedtime I pack it full of hardwood and run it on medium thermostat and low blowers. In the morning, throw some pine on top of the coals to burn them off, and I'm ready to either do another low hardwood load if nobody's going to be home, or another hot load if somebody is.

This is not typical operation; we're having much colder than usual temperatures for a couple weeks.

A cold snap is bigger deal for my stove here than it would be in, say, Alaska, since our island bungalows here aren't very tight and are relatively poorly insulated.

The insert is definitely too small to be the only heat source in the house in 10 degree weather, unless someone's home all day to feed it. It has been doing a hero's work; the oil burner has only gone on once that I know of (and that was kind of unavoidable due to work schedules.)

 

[gregbesia]

Burning softwood on high with the blowers on high? I put some more wood (not a full load) in every 2-3 hours. At bedtime I pack it full of hardwood and run it on medium thermostat and low blowers. In the morning, throw some pine on top of the coals to burn them off, and I'm ready to either do another low hardwood load if nobody's going to be home, or another hot load if somebody is.

This is not typical operation; we're having much colder than usual temperatures for a couple weeks.

A cold snap is bigger deal for my stove here than it would be in, say, Alaska, since our island bungalows here aren't very tight and are relatively poorly insulated.

The insert is definitely too small to be the only heat source in the house in 10 degree weather, unless someone's home all day to feed it. It has been doing a hero's work; the oil burner has only gone on once that I know of (and that was kind of unavoidable due to work schedules.)

Thanks for the reply. My insert is probably 1/2 size of yours. Getting up every 3 hours at night to feed it sucks . This global warming stinks!

 

[kennyp2339]

Burning softwood on high with the blowers on high? I put some more wood (not a full load) in every 2-3 hours. At bedtime I pack it full of hardwood and run it on medium thermostat and low blowers. In the morning, throw some pine on top of the coals to burn them off, and I'm ready to either do another low hardwood load if nobody's going to be home, or another hot load if somebody is.

This is not typical operation; we're having much colder than usual temperatures for a couple weeks.

A cold snap is bigger deal for my stove here than it would be in, say, Alaska, since our island bungalows here aren't very tight and are relatively poorly insulated.

The insert is definitely too small to be the only heat source in the house in 10 degree weather, unless someone's home all day to feed it. It has been doing a hero's work; the oil burner has only gone on once that I know of (and that was kind of unavoidable due to work schedules.)

Thanks for the reply. My insert is probably 1/2 size of yours. Getting up every 3 hours at night to feed it sucks . This global warming stinks!

Well the 2 of you better be paying attention to the weather, there is an increasing chance of a Nor'easter for Thursday / Friday followed up by colder temps then now being pumped in by the Siberian High pressure..dam Russians

 

[Diabel]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year All!

Question to BK owners and higher powers perhaps.

It appears like I will be a new owner of BK Chinook soon. For my new house construction that is under way.

Why does the Chinook come with (what it looks like) stain less steel handles (door and bypass) and the rest of the BK lines with wooden covered handles?

 

[kennyp2339]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year All!

Question to BK owners and higher powers perhaps.

It appears like I will be a new owner of BK Chinook soon. For my new house construction that is under way.

Why does the Chinook come with (what it looks like) stain less steel handles (door and bypass) and the rest of the BK lines with wooden covered handles?

just how it is I guess, if your ordering for new construction factor in a outside air kit and heave it installed while building the hearth, these new houses are built so tight now at days and the oak will help you a lot.

 

[Diabel]

just how it is I guess, if your ordering for new construction factor in a outside air kit and heave it installed while building the hearth, these new houses are built so tight now at days and the oak will help you a lot.

OAK will be part of the install for sure.

Does OAK stop functioning if it becomes snow covered?

Thanks

 

[kennyp2339]

OAK will be part of the install for sure.

Does OAK stop functioning if it becomes snow covered?

Thanks

yes, if the intake is blocked then no air will get through, so be mindful and keep the intake clear of snow and other debris.

 

[kf6hap]

Does OAK stop functioning if it becomes snow covered?

Yes, that will choke off the stove air. Muy mala. It must be higher than the snow line. You could build a doghouse around the terminus. Screen it for critters My stove sucks air rom under the house. No wind or snow to deal with.

 

[Diabel]

yes, if the intake is blocked then no air will get through, so be mindful and keep the intake clear of snow and other debris.

Hm,
Does that mean the stove will start drawing combustion air from the house envelope or will the lack of air flow from the outside cause the cat to stall and therefore produce a dirty burn?

 

[Highbeam]

Hm,
Does that mean the stove will start drawing combustion air from the house envelope or will the lack of air flow from the outside cause the cat to stall and therefore produce a dirty burn?

The bk takes all air through the oak tube. If you plug the intake, you stop combustion air supply. Cat will stall and fire will go out.

It’s actually a good thing That 100% of intake air is supplied by the oak connection.

 

[webby3650]

Hm,
Does that mean the stove will start drawing combustion air from the house envelope or will the lack of air flow from the outside cause the cat to stall and therefore produce a dirty burn?

If it were plugged, then the stove would starve for air. The OAK hooks onto the stoves air inlet. It would only be able to get air from leaks in the system.

 

[webby3650]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year All!

Question to BK owners and higher powers perhaps.

It appears like I will be a new owner of BK Chinook soon. For my new house construction that is under way.

Why does the Chinook come with (what it looks like) stain less steel handles (door and bypass) and the rest of the BK lines with wooden covered handles?

Different stove, different style. All the stoves in the BK line have differences. They used the same box for the Ashford/sirrico/chinook and just dressed them up differently.

 

[jetsam]

Well the 2 of you better be paying attention to the weather, there is an increasing chance of a Nor'easter for Thursday / Friday followed up by colder temps then now being pumped in by the Siberian High pressure..dam Russians

That would be awesome, because I bought a trashed 1976 Dodge W200 Sno Fiter this year, and fixed it up to the point that it can plow. I've used it twice this year, but both times on just an inch or three of snow.... MOAR SNOW! (Also, while I'm wishing for things, I want a freestanding King to go with that snow.)

 

[gregbesia]

That would be awesome, because I bought a trashed 1976 Dodge W200 Sno Fiter this year, and fixed it up to the point that it can plow. I've used it twice this year, but both times on just an inch or three of snow.... MOAR SNOW! (Also, while I'm wishing for things, I want a freestanding King to go with that snow.)

Yes, I bought a brand new Ariens 28 deluxe, hard to really test it on 2 inches of wet snow.

 

[kennyp2339]

That would be awesome, because I bought a trashed 1976 Dodge W200 Sno Fiter this year, and fixed it up to the point that it can plow. I've used it twice this year, but both times on just an inch or three of snow.... MOAR SNOW! (Also, while I'm wishing for things, I want a freestanding King to go with that snow.)

Take pics if it happens... I'm more worried about the cold that comes in after the storm.. at least 3 days of negative temps at might all the way down to philly, possibly down to MD, DE, with highs only in the single digits.

 

[becasunshine]

51'F spread between the outdoor temperature at 18.5'F (9:40pm) and the indoor temps in our living room at 69.5'F, not over nor adjacent to the stove, which is several feet away in the area between the living room and the dining room.

Burning dried oak in the Princess at the straight on medium thermostat setting, with a standard box fan on the floor in the hallway adjacent to the Princess blowing cold air from the floor of the bedrooms and bathrooms toward the area where the stove is located.

YOU GO, BLAZE KING PRINCESS- AND YOU AREN'T EVEN BREAKING A SWEAT! <:3~