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

[bholler]

Here the main house is from the late/early 50s if I remember correctly. Is a prefab. Early 70s my wife's grand parents bought it used moved and installed it here. From there, they did additions and when they did used better insulation on those additions added over the years, it is far from modern times. Many parts are not even insulated. 80% of the part of the house facing North is the main house that has like newspaper for insulation in the walls.
On the last 2 years I have been doing some remodeling but still far, far, far from be perfect and never will. It is what it is.
The whole point is that I have no issues keeping the house to a decent temperature with one of the BK when I did the switch. The house still on a bad shape and leaky as hell at that time. I really don't know what to say. @bholler for long time without burn on one, you have that negativity that a BK will not heat your place. Possibly you just have that in your mind. Everything is possible, but anyway it has been said so many times here, what work for some, don't work for others.

You are also in newmexico. I am in a 70s ranch ontop of a windy ridge in the pa mountains. You can blame what ever you want on my attitude but it doesnt change my experiences.

 

[jetsam]

And no matter how much you think it is something different it is just a stove.

You got to try a Damascus blade and you're unhappy that it's not as good as your old hammer.

No offense, but the awesome part about that stove isn't what it can do on high. If you need a hammer, put the blade away and get a hammer.

We'll still love you if you use either or both.


(Also, the Princess is a pretty good hammer too, so I see that my ability to craft coherent analogies hasn't improved lately... maybe someone else can do a better one to fix it for me. )

 

[bholler]

You got to try a Damascus blade and you're unhappy that it's not as good as your old hammer.

No offense, but the awesome part about that stove isn't what it can do on high. If you need a hammer, put the blade away and get a hammer.

We'll still love you if you use either or both.


(Also, the Princess is a pretty good hammer too, so I see that my ability to craft coherent analogies hasn't improved lately... maybe someone else can do a better one to fix it for me. )

It makes sense to me

 

[jetsam]

With that 8 hour burn it was already turned up pretty high i doubt i could burn through a load of oak in 4 hours unless i let the bypass open which wouldnt make much heat.

There is a reasonably big difference between 3/4 thermostat and full thermostat, though the stove might level off sooner than you are used to. I've never seen mine go much over 650 stove top, but then the fans are blasting at that temp. I am not sure how hot it would get without the fan.

 

[bholler]

There is a reasonably big difference between 3/4 thermostat and full thermostat, though the stove might level off sooner than you are used to. I've never seen mine go much over 650 stove top, but then the fans are blasting at that temp.

The highest i was able to get the top other than directly over the cat was 678. I havnt run it that high for a whole load yet because i havnt needed it yet.

 

[jetsam]

I kind of like running it that high because the whole firebox fills with secondary flames and it's really pretty.

For best efficiency, the goal is to never have to run it that high, but polar vortexes happen!

 

[lsucet]

You are also in newmexico. I am in a 70s ranch ontop of a windy ridge in the pa mountains. You can blame what ever you want on my attitude but it doesnt change my experiences.

I am not blaming you at all. Don't take it that way. Yeah is true I am in New Mexico but that don't change anything. Yeah I know the weather over there can be brutal and I know. Not the same as you but I am real familiar with the weather all over the country. I was over the road truck driver for almost 13 1/2 years here in US. Weather here is not as you think. It can be bad. I get here everything coming from North and West. Here temp has been for almost a week 14 to 17 during the night and it is just November. Wind is always here going on. Elevation is around 5500ft and I am in the valley at the bottom of the jemez mountains that always hell is going on in there.

 

[kf6hap]

The BK stoves self limit the BTUs/Hr with the thermostatic control. Most air tubers and smoke dragons lack this limiting feature so they can be pushed well beyond design specs giving the impression they can produce more heat than an equivalent BTU BK stove. They can and do produce more heat, but at a cost of efficiency, pollution, burn time, safety and stove life.

Can you overfire your BK stove and turn the top red? I cant. I have tried several times. All of my other stoves could attain a red top. The maximum rate of a BKs combustion has been fixed at the factory.

My perspective anyway.

 

[Ashful]

I dont want it to come across as me bashing bk stoves. I really like how it heats. I just think my current btu load is to high.

Sounds like you need a second one.

 

[jetsam]

Sounds like you need a second one.

Nobody's THAT big of a fanboy!

 

[Woody Stover]

My intention was not to take the heat off you. I am relaying my experiences burning a bk. You seem to just be trying to pick fights for no reason.

I didn't think it was your intention, but thanks nonetheless.
Me? Pick fights? No, I just don't buy everything that everyone says, and if I disagree I'll say so.

Boy all this talk about Blaze King not putting out the heats got me concerned to buy one. Wish I could just put an old Fisher in and be done with it

I had trouble opening the other EPA stove page that I previously linked...some .xlsx file bullcrap; This one may be easier for you to open. You can compare the output of what you have now (PE Vista) to other stoves that are out there. You'll note that a lot of the BKs are about the same as what you have now, as far as high-end output. The King is a big jump.
https://19january2017snapshot.epa.g...ist_of_epa-certified_wood_stoves_oct_2015.pdf
Cat stoves are gonna give you a low burn for a longer time than your tube stove does now.
We also live in a 1000 sq.ft. cabin with no insulation and some air leaks. We burn a Woodstock Keystone, which the EPA rates at 35000 BTU/hr. at high output. That's about 9000 BTU/hr. more than your Vista. If it's cold out (single digits) and windy, I burn three loads a day. Small firebox, 1.4 cu.ft. usable space. If it's spring or fall I load once at night, burn low, and let it burn down to a few coals over 24 hrs. The cabin isn't losing heat very fast when it's not too cold out, so inside temp doesn't vary more than a couple degrees. I imagine that a lot of folks with tube stoves are doing the same thing...burning a smaller fire and lower-output wood like Cherry or soft Maple, then just letting it burn out. Their temp swings in the house may be a couple degrees more though.
Now, we live in southern IN so heat load isn't as high as it is further north. Where is your cabin located?

Elevation is around 5500ft and I am in the valley at the bottom of the jemez mountains that always hell is going on in there.

Yeah, my sister took us up there..probably drove right past your house! On some of those ridges, the wind is howling and it's definitely colder than down below. We ended up that evening in Los Alamos at the Pyramid Cafe..serious grub!

 

[Ashful]

What I find amusing is all these people getting all bothered about bholler speculating that his Princess *might* fall short of his needs this January, before even knowing whether or not that will hold true. Let's wait and see folks, it might just surprise him. If not, no biggie... there's always the King.

 

[jetsam]

What I find amusing is all these people getting all bothered about bholler speculating that his Princess *might* fall short of his needs this January, before even knowing whether or not that will hold true. Let's wait and see folks, it might just surprise him. If not, no biggie... there's always the King.

We're just breaking him in. It's part of the standard conditioning process for new recruits who have difficult backgrounds.

 

[Highbeam]

I think a few guys have two bk stoves but I would rather not keep two running in my home.

Are two stoves, a bk and any other stove, that each blow through the same amount of wood in the same 6 hours making different amounts of heat? Seems that so long as efficiency is relatively close and fuel input rate is relatively close that both stoves are doing the same job.

 

[Ashful]

I think a few guys have two bk stoves but I would rather not keep two running in my home.

Are two stoves, a bk and any other stove, that each blow through the same amount of wood in the same 6 hours making different amounts of heat? Seems that so long as efficiency is relatively close and fuel input rate is relatively close that both stoves are doing the same job.

This is exactly what I was getting at in post #1387. bholler has been doing this a long time, and so he has certain expectations based on the first few weeks' observation in shoulder season, but the Princess might just surprise him.

Or not.

As to keeping two stoves running, it's pretty easy when they're as low-fuss as a BK. I load one twice a day, the other once per day. Stick wood in, let it char 5 minutes, throw bypass lever, wait 20 minutes, set thermostat for next 12 or 24 hours. Not much to it.

 

[bholler]

This is exactly what I was getting at in post #1387. bholler has been doing this a long time, and so he has certain expectations based on the first few weeks' observation in shoulder season, but the Princess might just surprise him.

Or not.

As to keeping two stoves running, it's pretty easy when they're as low-fuss as a BK. I load one twice a day, the other once per day. Stick wood in, let it char 5 minutes, throw bypass lever, wait 20 minutes, set thermostat for next 12 or 24 hours. Not much to it.

Yes i was pretty clear i dont know if it will or not. From my measurements i know it wouldnt have last year the regency barely kept up and i know it had more surface area at higher temps than the princess does on high. But i have done allot of work so it may be fine

 

[lsucet]

Like @Ashful said is easy. The decision of install a second stove was the best solution in my case. When one stove was doing the job and at least I was able to sleep all night without have to load 4 to 5 hrs later i have to use the fans to better distribution of the heat to the other part of the house. I did some changes on the house and still doing some but to get a good distribution of the heat I will need a more open floor plan that requires to mess a lot with the main framing of the house. That also will require a professional that know what is doing. NOT ME.
The cheapest route was do some remodeling done by me and installed a second stove. Mentioning that was not cheap, was more economical that make most of the house new and be messing with the support of the upper level. And it is giving me the ability to run them for the most part on low and no fans.

 

[Woody Stover]

Or the stove specs are right and they dont make the same btus as many other stoves as the numbers say.

The four stoves I have run, Dutchwest 2460, Buck 91, Woodstock Fireview and Keystone, I'd say pretty much matched what the EPA BTU numbers predicted. The Fireview was a notch up in output from the Keystone, which was a notch up from the Dutchwest. The Buck 91..she was a flame-thrower.

 

[jetsam]

I've called a few dealers now about the princess and one asked me about my chimney which is about 16 feet 8 inch diameter but is reduced down to 6 inch from the 8 foot ceiling down to the stove. He said the 6 inch flue on the princess would not work properly and suggested moving to the King and running 8 inch all the way up or replacing the chimney or another stove.

Based on problems other people have had, he's right.

You could possibly drop a 6" liner down the 8" pipe and use the princess. If I was in your shoes, I would be all over the King.

 

[Ashful]

Yes i was pretty clear i dont know if it will or not. From my measurements i know it wouldnt have last year the regency barely kept up and i know it had more surface area at higher temps than the princess does on high. But i have done allot of work so it may be fine

You may find yourself adopting my modus operandi, using the stove like a nuke plant to maintain your base load, while modulating with your central heating in very cold weather. I find it the best way to keep the house, and my personal life, balanced. It has the added advantage of keeping your central heating system exercised, and ready for when you might need it for other reasons.

Of course, running two stoves gives similar flexibility, in terms of keeping the house balanced. But that doesn’t seem like the best solution for someone who was already able to heat their house from a single stove, if it was doing a satisfactory job of it.

... and yes, I know I’m running two stoves, plus a boiler, plus two heat pumps. I have a habit of over-doing things, but there’s fun in that, too.

 

[lsucet]

and yes, I know I’m running two stoves, plus a boiler, plus two heat pumps. I have a habit of over-doing things, but there’s fun in that, too.

I am in the process of over-doing it too. Planing to install a Mitsubishi mini split on the 3 bedrooms facing North. My mom will be 84 years old in January and when i bring her, i have to crank up more one of the stoves to keep the rooms warmer. Over heating some other areas. Plus it will be good in the summer for those rooms also.

 

[showrguy]

What I find amusing is all these people getting all bothered about bholler speculating that his Princess *might* fall short of his needs this January, before even knowing whether or not that will hold true. Let's wait and see folks, it might just surprise him. If not, no biggie... there's always the King.

He's not getting my King,
I gotta draw the line somewhere !!
Lol

 

[MtnBURN]

Nobody's THAT big of a fanboy!

Snickers...looks around...counts 1, 2, 3....

And all of 'em are those incredibly "ugly" Princesses!

 

[tarzan]

Bholler can correct me if I’m wrong but I think his other stove is a 3cuft Regency that puts out roughly 80,000 btu’s and in the coldest nights of winter he is pretty much squeezing all 80,000 out of it with >6 hour burn times. He even questioned if he would be able to burn through a load in the BK in 4 hours!

I love my BK but if his insulation upgrades aren’t enough, I don’t think the thermostatically controled Princess can put out the kind of heat he described as needing last year on the coldest of nights.

He could open the valve a little on that home heating oil, and that’s what I would likely do because the trade off is you get even, long heating cycles the overwhelming majority of winter, but that’s ultimately up to him.​

 

[kennyp2339]

Snickers...looks around...counts 1, 2, 3....

And all of 'em are those incredibly "ugly" Princesses!

Don’t make fun of my fat girlfriend