2017-18 Blaze King Performance Thread PART 3 (Everything BK)

[ratsrepus]

been running on the hole the last week or so. I love that term. 30 hrs or better on a medium size load

 

[jetsam]

This thread is getting so dirty.

 

[Cast Iron]

This is so true. My neighbor's Princess looks great in person and with the heat radiating out with the fans on, he says now the kitchen is warm, not so with the old (1991) Lopi. Holds a huge amount of wood too.

kf6hap ---- Ok, so you drank the BK kool-aid. Understood.
What were the problems with the VC 2in1 from when you got it and heated in 2013 ? Dealer or VC warranty claims done ? We need to know.
Do we really really have to re think the "new and improved" Flexburn 2in1 ? Is this relationship to last if no top load, no pretty enamel color, no 2in1 ?

 

[Highbeam]

been running on the hole the last week or so. I love that term. 30 hrs or better on a medium size load

Man I wish I had access to high btu woods. I need a full load of Doug fir to get 30 hours on the hole.

 

[Ashful]

Man I wish I had access to high btu woods. I need a full load of Doug fir to get 30 hours on the hole.

I'll send you a load of red oak, if you think we could get away with shipping it via "media mail".

 

[Highbeam]

I'll send you a load of red oak, if you think we could get away with shipping it via "media mail".

We should extend your new firewood conveyor system to my house!

I suppose Neils qualify as high btu fuel. I’m not looking forward to getting through the 2.5 cords of straight red cedar I have stacked. It was a little light already.

 

[Ashful]

Red cedar isn’t even wood. It’s kindling!

 

[Highbeam]

Red cedar isn’t even wood. It’s kindling!

It does make great kindling but when the tree is 3 feet across it would be way too much. Smells nice! Since I switched to using a torch to start fires I am a lot less picky about kindling.

 

[ratsrepus]

I assume that when one says running on the hole it means that the thermostat is fully closed and the only air getting to the fire is through a hole in the flaper doo dad

 

[Highbeam]

I assume that when one says running on the hole it means that the thermostat is fully closed and the only air getting to the fire is through a hole in the flaper doo dad

Yes. Some will twist their stat knob fully to the cold side but I want my flapper to open up at the very end to burn down the leftover chunks so I don’t turn it to zero.

Some of have thermostat labels with a “normal” range on it and I go right to the low end of that for my hole riding experience.

 

[Ashful]

I assume that when one says running on the hole it means that the thermostat is fully closed and the only air getting to the fire is through a hole in the flaper doo dad

See post #756 of this thread.

 

[MissMac]

Stove is doing awesome, been running on 24 hrs reloads for the last 2-3 weeks or so..
Burning cherry, so not a super great hardwood, but makes btu's..

House has stayed 72-74 deg..

You're probably the only person in this thread that's actually seen the space I'm heating ??
I think the rest of em think I'm full of CHITT.. Lol

Outside air kit made a big difference for me..

I bought a princess for in the garage too !!

Curious to hear how the OAK improved your stove’s performance?

 

[showrguy]

Curious to hear how the OAK improved your stove’s performance?

I don't think it actually improved my stove's performance at all...
What it did do, is eliminated all or most of the cold area's where my house is not 100% sealed, causing cold air to be drawn in from areas of least resistance,,, if that makes sense ??
So, my stove is no longer pulling my house into a vacuum for the entire heating season..
The 1st two seasons I did'nt really notice it, but, this winter we've had much colder/longer weather..

 

[Shayne]

How many hours do you get on a cat? Mine is up to about 8 - 10000 hours. I note that I no long can stay in the active zone at the same throttle; use to be able at 25 30% air now it must be higher (40%). Still see no smoke but running it on higher air obviously burns more wood and therefore is not as efficient when not required as spring comes. Understand there is variables but what, for your set up, did you note?

 

[jetsam]

I replaced my first one after 2.25 years and one cleaning (~12000-15000 hours maybe). It still glows red on high, but doesn't handle low burns like it used to. I went from ceramic to steel, which has been educational.

Manufacturers rate cats at around 10k hours; BKVP says his current cat has gone 10 years?? There's not much clarity on actual service life; I guess a lot depends on how much performance degradation you are prepared to accept.

 

[AlbergSteve]

I'm working with a fellow that has owned a BK for nine years and hasn't replaced the cat yet. He's off grid and heats exclusively with the BK.

 

[Ashful]

I’ve got three years on each of mine at ~4000 hours per year. One is still working like new, the other is still working but a little aged. I put twice as much wood per day thru the one that’s aged, but they’re both running and in active range 24 hours per day, so it seems to me there is more to this than just hours burned. There is a cordage dependency, as well, based on my limited experience.

 

[showrguy]

How many hours do you get on a cat? Mine is up to about 8 - 10000 hours. I note that I no long can stay in the active zone at the same throttle; use to be able at 25 30% air now it must be higher (40%). Still see no smoke but running it on higher air obviously burns more wood and therefore is not as efficient when not required as spring comes. Understand there is variables but what, for your set up, did you note?

Pull your CAT probe outa it's place and clean the buildup off of it, see if that makes a difference, let us know..
I replaced my combuster after about 10,000 hrs, but my digital readout was about the same,,,, CAT probe had a bunch of buildup on it, cleaned it off, and it was much better..

 

[gregbesia]

I feel really silly. Only now , after using my stove since middle of January, I noticed the needle position on my thermometer. When the stove is dead cold, should the needle be down like mine in the picture? I think someone here was able to adjust his in the past, but now I can't find it.

 

[kennyp2339]

I feel really silly. Only now , after using my stove since middle of January, I noticed the needle position on my thermometer. When the stove is dead cold, should the needle be down like mine in the picture? I think someone here was able to adjust his in the past, but now I can't find it.[/QUO
I'm right around there also

 

[webby3650]

I feel really silly. Only now , after using my stove since middle of January, I noticed the needle position on my thermometer. When the stove is dead cold, should the needle be down like mine in the picture? I think someone here was able to adjust his in the past, but now I can't find it.

When the stove is cold, the needle should point at the last mark at the bottom of the inactive zone. Take 2- 5/16” wrenches and loosen both nuts. Turn the dial to the mark and retighten.

 

[jetsam]

When the stove is cold, the needle should point at the last mark at the bottom of the inactive zone. Take 2- 5/16” wrenches and loosen both nuts. Turn the dial to the mark and retighten.

At the green line or at the red line?

 

[webby3650]

At the green line or at the red line?

View attachment 225256

The red line. There really isn’t a green line.

 

[jetsam]

My thermometer has always been WAY off then! My cold mark is roughly where gregbisia's is.

And there IS a green line; I drew it myself!


I'll pull the themometer and let it cool off and adjust it tonight.

 

[gregbesia]

My thermometer has always been WAY off then! My cold mark is roughly where gregbisia's is.

And there IS a green line; I drew it myself!


I'll pull the themometer and let it cool off and adjust it tonight.

Thanks Jetsam. I don't feel so bad now!