2018-19 Blaze King Performance Thread Part 1 (Everything BK)

[Tegbert]

Is your combustor gauge background black?


Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

 

[chemie]

Yes, it is black.
Here is a better pic.

 

[Tegbert]

I kinda like that better mine has a white background


Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

 

[chemie]

You will have to find your own low mark. You will most likely stall the cat going all the way low.

On my ashford 25 on a cold stove the thermostat flap is closed all the way between 1-2 o’clock so there is extra travel on the dial. I run mine usually at 3 and sometimes a between 2-3. That’s my low but yours will be different.

The marked swoosh is just there for a guide. Showing you high to low.


Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

I hear flap sound from going high to low 2-3 o’clock.

 

[chemie]

I kinda like that better mine has a white background


Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

The plastic screen is like hazy plastic.I like every details of Ashford 25.
I hope burning process goes well too. I will postpone the first fire to tomorrow morning. I will start the fire, set it low, open the windows and leave the house for avoiding bad smell. Will come back after kids’ story writing class and spending some time at Central Park.
Do you do two sets of load like stated in the manual or one single load to start the fire?

 

[mcdeadstein]

Had my first couple fires in the Ashford 25 and I am noticing some slight rattle in the fans. It will go away on high and it will temporarily go away if i go from Low->High->Low. But there is a definite sound coming from it like a slight imbalance or something. Anyone know how easy it is to get to the fans on this stove to see how they are operating? I really don't want to have to pull the insert.

Other than the fan noise I also noticed a slight smoke smell from the left top of the door but that didn't start until hours into the burn and went away when I turned the stove up. Hoping it is just the gasket seating. I will do the dollar bill test once it cools and readjust if necessary.

fwiw, burning oak that has sat split inside the house in a warm dry room for years. So i know these first loads are bone dry. Also, ~22' chimney with full stainless insulated liner (aside from the supplied flex piece that came with the stove).

 

[mcdeadstein]

The plastic screen is like hazy plastic.I like every details of Ashford 25.
I hope burning process goes well too. I will postpone the first fire to tomorrow morning. I will start the fire, set it low, open the windows and leave the house for avoiding bad smell. Will come back after kids’ story writing class and spending some time at Central Park.
Do you do two sets of load like stated in the manual or one single load to start the fire?

fwiw, there was a smell but it wasn't overpowering. I opened some windows. I started a small fire, let it get to active cat zone, engaged cat on medium and let it go. Then i reloaded with 1 larger split, Repeated process, finally loaded with 2 larger splits and let it rip for a while. After 6-7 hours of burning it today i think its good to go.

 

[Highbeam]

I do not burn a “kindling fire” before loading firewood. No. I start with 6 pieces of kindling and then load dry firewood before ever lighting a match. In fact, right now in my cold bk sits an unlit fire ready to go. It’s a partial load due to this being just October but I’ll ignite it tonight and it will still be burning at noon tomorrow.

 

[Tegbert]

Had my first couple fires in the Ashford 25 and I am noticing some slight rattle in the fans. It will go away on high and it will temporarily go away if i go from Low->High->Low. But there is a definite sound coming from it like a slight imbalance or something. Anyone know how easy it is to get to the fans on this stove to see how they are operating? I really don't want to have to pull the insert.

Other than the fan noise I also noticed a slight smoke smell from the left top of the door but that didn't start until hours into the burn and went away when I turned the stove up. Hoping it is just the gasket seating. I will do the dollar bill test once it cools and readjust if necessary.

fwiw, burning oak that has sat split inside the house in a warm dry room for years. So i know these first loads are bone dry. Also, ~22' chimney with full stainless insulated liner (aside from the supplied flex piece that came with the stove).

No need to pull the insert. Just need to take the two Allen bolts off the lower front trim piece and the fans are in the back. They are on plates and slide out through the front but the wiring may need to be disconnected before being able to take them all the way out. UNPLUG THE CHORD FIRST. But you can see them running in there if you want.

I have had the smoke smell too on mine. I only seemed to get it when burning less than stellar wood. But we will see later this year.


Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

 

[Tegbert]

The plastic screen is like hazy plastic.I like every details of Ashford 25.
I hope burning process goes well too. I will postpone the first fire to tomorrow morning. I will start the fire, set it low, open the windows and leave the house for avoiding bad smell. Will come back after kids’ story writing class and spending some time at Central Park.
Do you do two sets of load like stated in the manual or one single load to start the fire?

Like what was said by others I load the stove full and use a fire starter or torch. During break in I did a bunch of kindling and some small splits and ran it on high after it reached active for and hour or so. Then I reloaded with about a half load and ran it till it ran out. It smoked a lot more than my lopi did but wasn’t too bad with the slider open.


Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

 

[estepracing]

Had my first couple fires in the Ashford 25 and I am noticing some slight rattle in the fans. It will go away on high and it will temporarily go away if i go from Low->High->Low. But there is a definite sound coming from it like a slight imbalance or something. Anyone know how easy it is to get to the fans on this stove to see how they are operating? I really don't want to have to pull the insert.

Other than the fan noise I also noticed a slight smoke smell from the left top of the door but that didn't start until hours into the burn and went away when I turned the stove up. Hoping it is just the gasket seating. I will do the dollar bill test once it cools and readjust if necessary.

fwiw, burning oak that has sat split inside the house in a warm dry room for years. So i know these first loads are bone dry. Also, ~22' chimney with full stainless insulated liner (aside from the supplied flex piece that came with the stove).

My king polar had the same rattle in the fans I had to go through and tighten up all the screws and that seem to do the trick....

Blaze King King Parlor Wood Stove

 

[BKVP]

The AF25 fans are each mounted "sleds". This is designed so they can be easily serviced...I've done it with a showroom model that was burning.

I'll bet one or both sleds have popped up out of a recessed groove at the front. So before you think of removing them, check this first.

If it's anything more than this, please contact the dealer where you made your purchase and have them take a look.

 

[mcdeadstein]

The AF25 fans are each mounted "sleds". This is designed so they can be easily serviced...I've done it with a showroom model that was burning.

I'll bet one or both sleds have popped up out of a recessed groove at the front. So before you think of removing them, check this first.

If it's anything more than this, please contact the dealer where you made your purchase and have them take a look.

The AF25 fans are each mounted "sleds". This is designed so they can be easily serviced...I've done it with a showroom model that was burning.

I'll bet one or both sleds have popped up out of a recessed groove at the front. So before you think of removing them, check this first.

If it's anything more than this, please contact the dealer where you made your purchase and have them take a look.

Thank you! I will take a look once the stove totally cools down.

 

[MissMac]

About to reload the stove after the birch run - 17.5 hrs for the birch, which i was a little disappointed with. I was thinking i might be able to get up into those day-long burns that you fellas talk about. Although, most of the wood was smaller because i split 3 pieces to take MC readings before burning. So, we’ll see how much more i can stretch a load of Bw next time with some fatter pieces. Thoughts? I guess I should also mention that the load was still going and the needle was still active when I reloaded - was down to a bed of coals. Now that I’ve reloaded and stirred them up, i’m sure they woulda kept going for another hours at least.

 

[Alpine1]

What was the t-stat setting? I do get 24hrs burn, but I must “ride the hole” for the whole burn. Cat indicator is always barely in active zone.
Are you sure you’ve found the absolute minimum setting? I stalled the cat 3 or 4 times before finding the “sweet spot”.

 

[MissMac]

What was the t-stat setting? I do get 24hrs burn, but I must “ride the hole” for the whole burn. Cat indicator is always barely in active zone.

3 o’clock position, which is pretty much my low - load will stay well up in the active zone for the first hours, and then drops down to hover above the zone. I’ve dialled it slightly lower (about 2.5 o.c.) but don’t leave it there unattended in case it stalls.

 

[Alpine1]

With my setup, a hair above 3 o’clock is the minimum setting in shoulder season. I can go at 2:30 in the middle of winter when draft improves, but seldom go that low since heat requirement goes up.

 

[Alpine1]

Oh, I forgot to mention: if you start from a dead cold stove, you loose a couple of hrs... bringing the cat up to operating temp uses a good amount of fuel.

 

[MissMac]

With my setup, a hair above 3 o’clock is the minimum setting in shoulder season. I can go at 2:30 in the middle of winter when draft improves, but seldom go that low since heat requirement goes up.

Agreed - this is really the first shoulder season i’ve been burning and therefore able to experiment with low and slow. Once we get into winter, i need the stove turned up to work against the minus 40 below!

 

[MissMac]

Like what was said by others I load the stove full and use a fire starter or torch. During break in I did a bunch of kindling and some small splits and ran it on high after it reached active for and hour or so. Then I reloaded with about a half load and ran it till it ran out. It smoked a lot more than my lopi did but wasn’t too bad with the slider open.


Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

This is what i did too - got super Smokey, but at least i got the curing over and done with in a hurry.

 

[MissMac]

Oh, I forgot to mention: if you start from a dead cold stove, you loose a couple of hrs... bringing the cat up to operating temp uses a good amount of fuel.

I try to keep the stove going for that reason. It’s pretty much been running since Sept. 21 - 12 hr loads, works perfect!

 

[Alpine1]

Last year, I did exactly what you’re doing: wham the needle approached the “inactive” zone, I couldn’t resist to move the t/stat knob a little... be brave and let the stove do its thing. If it stalls nothing bad happens, apart from having to start a new fire.

 

[lsucet]

3 o’clock position, which is pretty much my low - load will stay well up in the active zone for the first hours, and then drops down to hover above the zone. I’ve dialled it slightly lower (about 2.5 o.c.) but don’t leave it there unattended in case it stalls.

What is the total length of your chimney?

 

[MissMac]

What is the total length of your chimney?

It’s in my signature - 16’4”.

 

[chemie]

This is what i did too - got super Smokey, but at least i got the curing over and done with in a hurry.

We set our first fire this morning.House is in the smoke. Set it to midpoint. Open the windows and left the house. Wife had to stay home incase it gets smokier and triggers smoke detector.
What is your BK model?