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

[shoot-straight]

Yep retainers were removed, cleaned and I put them back.

And always a new gasket. ( bought 12 feet of it to keep on hand, can’t get it locally)

Was lube the right fix?

 

[Highbeam]

Popped a fresh, new, ceramic cat in last night to replace the steel cat that has been in for about 12000 hours. That’s just over two years. It’s like when your eyes go bad over time and then you get glasses. You just don’t realize how bad it is until you fix it.

Anyway, got a low burn running now. I had lost so much ability to turn it down without stall. It had become more like a noncat with reduced burn times at higher temps.

It is very easy to drop a new cat in. You have nothing to prove, no record to set, no gold star for using a cat past its useful life.

12000 hours is not much for those of us that use our stoves for primary heat.

 

[Blazing]

Use the copper colored high temp anti seize lubricant. It’s thick grease. Apply a thin layer to the whole loop where the operating rod might touch. Use your finger. It will burn off and leave behind a lubricating powder.

That solved my same problem a month or so ago. The copper anti seize is some great stuff.

 

[Ashful]

Been wrestling with my bypass for a bit this am- seems tighter, but now the bypass plate wants To jump out it’s track every time I open and close?help!

Sooteated the liner, cleaned the fire box, removed cleaned and inspected cat. Of course I think the bypass is a bit tighter now, will see how it goes.

When you clean the Ashford, it seems any creo that falls down is likely to land on the mating surface between the bypass damper and frame, causing it to be very difficult to close the bypass, until that crap is burned or vacuumed out. It happened on both of my stoves this year, when the stove shop came out to clean them.

12000 hours is not much for those of us that use our stoves for primary heat.

My oil-fired boiler also requires yearly maintenance, the parts for which costing much more than a cat every second year.

 

[shoot-straight]

The unit was completely clean before I did the bypass work. The lube seemed to do the trick. Gotta see how it does long term though. 3000 deg is pretty warm! If it gets that high I will be left with a molten mass-

https://education.jlab.org/qa/meltingpoint_01.html

 

[kf6hap]

Has anybody lubed the thermostat? Mine is getting a little stiff. Graphite perhaps? I don't think any type of grease is wise as it might char into carbon and make it bind worse. Yes, I know graphite is carbon but so too are diamonds.

 

[Highbeam]

Has anybody lubed the thermostat? Mine is getting a little stiff. Graphite perhaps? I don't think any type of grease is wise as it might char into carbon and make it bind worse. Yes, I know graphite is carbon but so too are diamonds.

You bet! Annually with, you guessed it, copper anti seize. What you feel getting tight and scritchy is a spring washer. It’s under the stat cover on the freestanders.

 

[BKVP]

Yep retainers were removed, cleaned and I put them back.

And always a new gasket. ( bought 12 feet of it to keep on hand, can’t get it locally)

Was lube the right fix?

Yes. It was correct.

 

[Tar12]

Popped a fresh, new, ceramic cat in last night to replace the steel cat that has been in for about 12000 hours. That’s just over two years. It’s like when your eyes go bad over time and then you get glasses. You just don’t realize how bad it is until you fix it.

Anyway, got a low burn running now. I had lost so much ability to turn it down without stall. It had become more like a noncat with reduced burn times at higher temps.

It is very easy to drop a new cat in. You have nothing to prove, no record to set, no gold star for using a cat past its useful life.

12000 hours is not much for those of us that use our stoves for primary heat.

My stove is my primary source of heat and this is why I have and will keep a spare cat on hand at all times.

 

[shoot-straight]

Yes. It was correct.

thanks good to know

 

[Tegbert]

@BKVP on the ashford 25 when the bypass is shut should it hit the stop collar on the rod? Only reason I ask is because mine will only go in and stop about 1/4” from the collar when closed. I took a picture before the install of the bypass plate and it hits the gasket on the backside but doesn’t sit on top of it. Gonna test to see if it seals all the way today but wanted to see if that is normal. Probably should have done that before it was done but oh well.

Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

 

[BKVP]

It should slide and sit on gasket. It bottoms out when rear edge of plate reaches back of flue collar area.

Open it up, press down on gasket with flat blade screwdriver. Close on gasket, press down on plate.

If it doesn't seal, which it should, call my office at 509-522-2730. Ask for Charlie. He can explain the adjustment. I don't think you'll need him, but if so please call.

I'm in a deer stand in Indiana or I'd call you...

 

[Tegbert]

Thanks for the reply. Will try it out when I get home.


Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

 

[Blazing]

It should slide and sit on gasket. It bottoms out when rear edge of plate reaches back of flue collar area.

Open it up, press down on gasket with flat blade screwdriver. Close on gasket, press down on plate.

If it doesn't seal, which it should, call my office at 509-522-2730. Ask for Charlie. He can explain the adjustment. I don't think you'll need him, but if so please call.

I'm in a deer stand in Indiana or I'd call you...

Deer you say..

 

[Blazing]

Looking at the local Craigslist and found this Glaze King.

 

[BKVP]

Deer you say..View attachment 216151

Plenty here, too small. My Oregon buck was decent.

 

[Blazing]

Plenty here, too small. My Oregon buck was decent.

You win this round sir lol.

 

[BKVP]

Looking at the local Craigslist and found this Glaze King. View attachment 216153

That could be a KFF, which is a non cat King model.

 

[gunpowda]

@BKVP on the ashford 25 when the bypass is shut should it hit the stop collar on the rod? Only reason I ask is because mine will only go in and stop about 1/4” from the collar when closed. I took a picture before the install of the bypass plate and it hits the gasket on the backside but doesn’t sit on top of it. Gonna test to see if it seals all the way today but wanted to see if that is normal. Probably should have done that before it was done but oh well.

Did you get anywhere looking into this? When my AF25 was first installed, I noticed the same thing and that it took some "love" to push the bypass in the last 1/2". It did not feel "smooth" and still doesn't. I noticed I need to push up on it slightly and it seems to close easier. My stove has been installed for 3 weeks now, been burning a good amount. What would the symptoms be if it wasn't closing the bypass properly? Should it feel completely smooth when pushing in the bypass control? When I first got the stove, it actually bent the tool slightly when closing....

 

[gunpowda]

messed up previous post:

Did you get anywhere looking into this? When my AF25 was first installed, I noticed the same thing and that it took some "love" to push the bypass in the last 1/2". It did not feel "smooth" and still doesn't. I noticed I need to push up on it slightly and it seems to close easier. My stove has been installed for 3 weeks now, been burning a good amount. What would the symptoms be if it wasn't closing the bypass properly? Should it feel completely smooth when pushing in the bypass control? When I first got the stove, it actually bent the tool slightly when closing....

 

[Tegbert]

messed up previous post:

Did you get anywhere looking into this? When my AF25 was first installed, I noticed the same thing and that it took some "love" to push the bypass in the last 1/2". It did not feel "smooth" and still doesn't. I noticed I need to push up on it slightly and it seems to close easier. My stove has been installed for 3 weeks now, been burning a good amount. What would the symptoms be if it wasn't closing the bypass properly? Should it feel completely smooth when pushing in the bypass control? When I first got the stove, it actually bent the tool slightly when closing....

So I was able to push down on the gasket to get it to close all the way but there is some uneven spots that a note card slides into. With it being installed I can’t push down like bkvp said to do. I too bent the tool before trying to get it to close all the way but now it slides like it should.

The reason I asked is from medium up to high it burns clean but as soon as I go below that to do a long burn with no flames in the box at all it smokes. First thought was my wood so I have to test the moisture content but on my lopi (I know it doesn’t go as low as the ashford) it burns clean and strong even shut all the way. I measured moisture in September and the highest reading I got was 18 I have a slight feeling that the draft is pulling smoke through the bypass on low burns and on higher burns is burning through secondary combustion before it can be pulled through.

On low burns the cat is glowing and staying active and doing better now that I got it shut more but still something isn’t quite right. I’ll check here shortly that it’s been set on the 3 o’clock position for about an hour to see if it’s still active.


Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

 

[gunpowda]

I cant burn below 3. seems to smolder and drop out of active...I mentioned this in another forum, I also notice a smoke smell when I try to burn below 3. My wood is well seasoned oak...I have been hoping it is due to shoulder season temps but we have been in low 40s and now low 30s.

 

[Ashful]

I cant burn below 3. seems to smolder and drop out of active...I mentioned this in another forum, I also notice a smoke smell when I try to burn below 3. My wood is well seasoned oak...I have been hoping it is due to shoulder season temps but we have been in low 40s and now low 30s.

Oak makes a mighty tough “test wood”, as it is very hard to dry it. I know, as various species of oak make up 90% of what I’ve been burning, the last several years. It takes easily twice as long to dry (think 3+ years) as any other hardwood I burn.

So, before making any conclusions, try it on some 2 years split and stacked maple, ash, or walnut. If you don’t have that, try some 1 year soft woods.

 

[gunpowda]

how would changing the type of wood im burning help if we are talking about the bypass potentially not closing fully?

Sure, let me sit around and season new wood for 1-2 years and then try it in my new stove.

My oak is consistently under 15%....is that not dry enough for a BK?

 

[Tegbert]

I haven’t ruled out my wood yet but my moisture meter crapped out so I have to pick another one up today. Along with some compressed logs from north Idaho or home fire to see if it still does it.

The bypass not sealing well at least on mine is part of the problem I believe but I don’t think it is all of my problems.


Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25