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

[rdust]

I have visible smoke way more often than i would like with the princess.

My Princess has always been smokey if I have a lot of active flames in the stove. Once it’s dialed down it’s smoke free. If the t-stat opens and flames become active it’ll also smoke a bit.

Chimney has always been a lot dirty than my Lopi ever was.

 

[Diabel]

My Princess has always been smokey if I have a lot of active flames in the stove. Once it’s dialed down it’s smoke free. If the t-stat opens and flames become active it’ll also smoke a bit.

Chimney has always been a lot dirty than my Lopi ever was.

I find the Princess smokes intermittently throughout the burn cycle. It smokes more than the old VC with four year old cat in it.


Time to get one of these Sooteaters!

Are there different brands of sooteaters? Any recommendations...

 

[tarzan]

What a huge difference a brand new cat makes! After questioning the installation of fire cat steel cat in my King, first time ever changing the cat is was simple as eating a piece of baklava. Now taking the original cat out after 5 years was simple and the tabs do help. The new cat does not have tabs but i guess pushing it out from the back would be the best for now.. I got 2 days using it so i hope it lasts at least 2-3 years. I wont stretch the cat longevity anymore. I was wasting fuel leaving the thermometer up. Now once i see my flu pipe hit 400 i close my bypass and boom instance cat take off. I know that wont last forever but for now i can enjoy being spoiled lol.

I can splurge 300 bucks every 2-3 years..

Scratching my head about the whole “no tab” thing. Was this a mistake or the cat of the future?

 

[ratsrepus]

ILL replace the cat on the princess after this season,

What a huge difference a brand new cat makes! After questioning the installation of fire cat steel cat in my King, first time ever changing the cat is was simple as eating a piece of baklava. Now taking the original cat out after 5 years was simple and the tabs do help. The new cat does not have tabs but i guess pushing it out from the back would be the best for now.. I got 2 days using it so i hope it lasts at least 2-3 years. I wont stretch the cat longevity anymore. I was wasting fuel leaving the thermometer up. Now once i see my flu pipe hit 400 i close my bypass and boom instance cat take off. I know that wont last forever but for now i can enjoy being spoiled lol.

I can splurge 300 bucks every 2-3 years..

I will replace mine after two seasons

 

[Twodawgs]

I purchased a new princess about 3 weeks ago. I bought the ash drawer option with it. When installing the ash drawer I noticed the cap/plug for the ash hole fit very poorly. I can rock it forward and back. When rocked back the front looks to be up about 1/8 inch. Putting a sraight edge on the cap, I can see the piece of plate is warped, maybe from welding the mall loop on the top of it. The tube stock edge in the stove where the ash goes is also not true when resting the straight edge on it, but only slightly off. So I figure this would let a bit of air in. Has anyone else seen this?

 

[kf6hap]

The plug in my Ashford is dead flat. Have your dealer swap it out for a flat one out of his stock. They should be able to get a good one from BK.

 

[-goose-]

Ok, i finally got a picture to post

 

[AlbergSteve]

I always fill it up and let it burn. I’d venture to say it is very rare that any of us burn a kindling fire before loading firewood. Some folks use the “ top down method” some use fancy super cedar fire starters. I build the entire fire before ignition.

Does anybody do the kindling fire thing? This is applicable to cold starts.

Yep, still do it. Not often mind you. A 4 inch cedar split on each side, a lattice bridge of 1/2'' and 1'' cedar kindling on top of the splits then a couple of splits on top/side of that. One ball of paper under the bridge generally works every time.

 

[mcdeadstein]

After a few more fires in my Ashford insert i am starting to get the swingof things. Today it is low 40's and spitting rain, loaded up the stove with a bunch of mixed hardwood splits of 2-4" in diameter and to cap it off I threw in a major split of oak 6-8" diameter 16" long... 3yrs of seasoning on it. I am referring to that piece as my "dead man". Fired up quickly with a mostly top down fire, got a good char and set it to about 1/3-1/2 of the swoosh but today I went with fans off. I want to see how that will extend the burn time plus its not too cold here that i need all that heat blowing in the room.

Couple observations, cat really took off today i think I got the right amount of char and engaged the cat at the right time. Also, with the fan off the cat thermometer seems to be at a more realistic reading...i do think the fans mess with the thermometer reading even though the cat is active. Finally...went to check on it just now and thought "i'll throw it on high and see what the fuel is looking like at 4 hours in".... instant exposion of secondary combustion. Tons of fuel left. I see this fire going into the 12-16 hour range. Only negative is i think i hit a new high stove temp with the fans being off...def got a period of fumey smell which i think didn't happen during other break in fires because of running the fans.

 

[Jeff in Maine]

I have a question concerning "Char time" if you Char the load less than the recommended time what is the out come, what happens because of that?
I usually Char my load about 15 min instead of the recommended time. I forget how much 15-20 minutes maybe? I would have to look in the book. I just get the feeling that I am letting awfully good heat roar up the flue when Charring more than what I do. Is it about pollutants or longer burn times or both. Could someone explain why longer Char times are better. Thanks

 

[kennyp2339]

I have a question concerning "Char time" if you Char the load less than the recommended time what is the out come, what happens because of that?
I usually Char my load about 15 min instead of the recommended time. I forget how much 15-20 minutes maybe? I would have to look in the book. I just get the feeling that I am letting awfully good heat roar up the flue when Charring more than what I do. Is it about pollutants or longer burn times or both. Could someone explain why longer Char times are better. Thanks

Its all dependent on your fuel, when I load a warm stove, lets say coals with the cat probe right on the active / in-active line; I'll turn the t-stat to the max, load it to the gills, shut the door, let the flames start catching (2-5min), close the by-pass, let the fire cook, as soon as I start seeing positive needle movement on the cat probe I lower the air, so if the active / inactive line is 8 o'clock, I'll lower the air to my desired setting when in hits the 10 / 11 o'clock area. This system works well for me and can take anywhere from 10-20 min from time of loading. Wood species, loading orientation (n/s, e/w) and split size will make it no set time, actually large oak splits (5-6" thick) loaded e/w takes the longest.

 

[Jeff in Maine]

Yes I agree with that.
For instance I just raked out the coals leveled them out the cat was almost active. I put in a couple pieces of cedar on the bottom then loaded it to the gills with very dry beech splits . The wood caught almost immediately I left the loading door cracked open the by-pass open all the way and the thermostat wide open.
In about 8 more minutes she was all a blaze good so I latched the loading door and checked the cat it was active so I closed the by-pass door. I left the thermostat wide open for another 8 minutes ( I have a timer by my chair so I don't forget the stove and 8 minutes was already on it) when it dinged I went out and the cat indicator was at 12- O' clock so I turned the thermostat down to the desired lever about 3- O'clock and that is it she is running now till probably this evening when I will hot reload for the night.

 

[Diabel]

I am trying to understand this charring concept. I always thought that charring was to drive the water out of the wood and it is to be done in a bypass mode (bypass door open). This is essential to a healthy cat. What is being said here is to run the stove in bypass mode until the cat meter shows active then shut the bypass door, let the t stat fully open for 20min, then turn the t stat to desired heat output. Is this mean that the charring process (driving moisture out is the wood) is being all done through the cat?

 

[kennyp2339]

I am trying to understand this charring concept. I always thought that charring was to drive the water out of the wood and it is to be done in a bypass mode (bypass door open). This is essential to a healthy cat. What is being said here is to run the stove in bypass mode until the cat meter shows active then shut the bypass door, let the t stat fully open for 20min, then turn the t stat to desired heat output. Is this mean that the charring process (driving moisture out is the wood) is being all done through the cat?

I cant answer that question because all the wood I burn is bone dry, sits in a woodshed for 2 years and then in a rack located in the garage for up to 8 days, then inside by the stove for up to 3 days, the charring for me is just to get ample light off so the cat doesn't stall out during the burn cycle

 

[Jeff in Maine]

I think I am in agreement with Kenny I feel I am doing the same thing. My main question I guess on my mind is does this amount of Char time make a difference in the overall length of burn time? I will guess that it does not,.. so a short Char on Dry wood or a longer Char on more Moist wood? The stove would end up with the same or close to the same overall burn times... Maybe close enough for me to wrap my brain around I guess.

 

[mcdeadstein]

I've been making sure the logs are pretty well charred before engaging the cat since my area of the country has had a historically wet season. That being said the entire firebox is not engulfed. I get it to the point where i feel there is sufficient heat to force out the moisture throught the bypass and ensure the burn continues. some logs are engulfed and others are toasty/smokey.

Also, a question about smell. This is day 2 of running my insert without fans on and both days I am getting a almost burning plastic smell from around the insert. It was strong enough yesterday I thought maybe one of my plastic appliances died on me or i left a plastic spatula touching the oven element. I opened the windows to be safe. Its definitly not coming from the air vents. Its coming from the area around the insert so I know its coming from the exposed part of the insert that is within the fireplace. I am hoping this goes away soon. there is no smoke along with it, just a smell.

 

[Alpine1]

If the cat is active, I let the wood “char” for 25-30 minutes. But my splits are on the large side (6-8 inches, a few even bigger) and I find this char time just right for the cat to go inactive when all the wood is reduced to coals. Last year (my first with the Ashford) I gave 20 min (and sometimes less) for the load to char, and found the cat inactive but with still some good fuel inside the stove, usually at the corners. Maybe the short char time did not boil all the water out, hence the inactive cat but still some usable wood. All this when running the stove low & slow. In mid winter, with my 12 hrs reload schedule, I only find glowing red coals, no matter how long the char time.

 

[chemie]

I've been making sure the logs are pretty well charred before engaging the cat since my area of the country has had a historically wet season. That being said the entire firebox is not engulfed. I get it to the point where i feel there is sufficient heat to force out the moisture throught the bypass and ensure the burn continues. some logs are engulfed and others are toasty/smokey.

Also, a question about smell. This is day 2 of running my insert without fans on and both days I am getting a almost burning plastic smell from around the insert. It was strong enough yesterday I thought maybe one of my plastic appliances died on me or i left a plastic spatula touching the oven element. I opened the windows to be safe. Its definitly not coming from the air vents. Its coming from the area around the insert so I know its coming from the exposed part of the insert that is within the fireplace. I am hoping this goes away soon. there is no smoke along with it, just a smell.

The smell will eventually go away. When you heat a new level of high temperature, smell come back for another short time of period. So I was advises to run it hot before weather gets too cold so that windows can be opened to air out.
I do have AF25 insert too.How long burn time did you get with your last oak load with no fan on?

 

[lsucet]

I think a good char can help too with the emissions for the rest of burn. My observations make me think that the stove run hotter at same settings with a good char. The probe stays more steady.
Burn time? I think a good bed of ash helps more than less charring time of the wood. Manual mentioned 30 minutes, but I think that all depends on hot reload, wood species, how tight is loaded, etc.

 

[Highbeam]

During this char period, full throttle after cat engagement, are you folks pegging our your cat meters? If you have flue temp gauges are you getting high temperatures there too? I know the thermostat is supposed to protect everything from getting too hot but do you notice that you’re almost too hot during the char?

 

[Diabel]

In this so called “char” when my flue probe reaches 450 and the cat meter is at around 1:00 o’clock I reduce the t stat to about 2:30 and I am good for about 15h.

My wood is dry, I suppose by running like this (20min on full throttle t stat) I am trying to burn off the black shiny creo in the firebox and clean the glass somewhat.

 

[lsucet]

During this char period, full throttle after cat engagement, are you folks pegging our your cat meters? If you have flue temp gauges are you getting high temperatures there too? I know the thermostat is supposed to protect everything from getting too hot but do you notice that you’re almost too hot during the char?

I can peg the cat and flue temp around 6-700. Sometimes closed to 800. At that time I close the air enough to make flue temp stays there or it start moving down. Next step minutes later is the magic mark for long burn.

 

[mcdeadstein]

The smell will eventually go away. When you heat a new level of high temperature, smell come back for another short time of period. So I was advises to run it hot before weather gets too cold so that windows can be opened to air out.
I do have AF25 insert too.How long burn time did you get with your last oak load with no fan on?

Well that is encouraging about the smell. I did 3 high burns before this but all were with fans on. I think that kept the surface temps down and was why I thought the smell was very light. This was concerning but the smell would go away almost instantly with the fans on...i guess it just cools it back down to where the smell stops. It was just the plasticy smell that took me off guard.

As far as burn times, i need to take a more scientific approach as I move forward but the summary of last night is that I started the fire around 4pm with thermostat at 1/3-1/2 swoosh and came down at 8am this morning to just enough coals to get it relit. I did check the stove at 9pm (tons of fuel) and 1am (thanks to our baby waking) and it was active so thats 9 hours for sure. The room was colder so I turned the fans on. i'd feel confident saying it was ~12 hours active time with a cold start and wide open thermostat/fans the last 2 hours.

 

[Tumpin' Wood]

We have been using our Ashford for a couple of weeks per year for the last two seasons. It appears that we are going to move to our island home so it is time to spruce up (finish) the install. My question - Can roxul insulation be placed in contact with the ICC chimney box? There is currently an air space and I would like to block it off before putting a moulding around the ceiling support box.

 

[kennyp2339]

We have been using our Ashford for a couple of weeks per year for the last two seasons. It appears that we are going to move to our island home so it is time to spruce up (finish) the install. My question - Can roxul insulation be placed in contact with the ICC chimney box? There is currently an air space and I would like to block it off before putting a moulding around the ceiling support box.

Yes, it can be installed right up against the outside of the box, nothing in the box or covering the top of the box because that's how the chimney can stay cool to the touch and have combustibles within 2" of the pipe sections.