2018-19 Blaze King Performance Thread Part 2 (Everything BK)

[Highbeam]

So hypothetically, let’s say the cat thermometer falls to inactive while I’m away from home and the bypass remains closed because no one is there to turn up the stay or open bypass. What happens to the stove/cat? Anything to be concerned about? I’m assuming it wouldn’t have enough air and it will just die out.

Nothing would be damaged and it would be safe. Fire might totally die, almost certainly will smoke out of the chimney a lot. Go to 50% stat setting until you have time to figure out your low setting.

 

[Highbeam]

Looks like my chimney cap is icing up again! Supposed to be into the mid teens the next couple of nights. Flue probe temps above the stove are 400 but I hope we don’t get pluggage!

 

[Diabel]

Nothing would be damaged and it would be safe. Fire might totally die, almost certainly will smoke out of the chimney a lot. Go to 50% stat setting until you have time to figure out your low setting.

His cat stalls at 5 o’clock. Unless the Ashford stat setting is different, on the P. this would be 80% open stat.

 

[Diabel]

Looks like my chimney cap is icing up again! Supposed to be into the mid teens the next couple of nights. Flue probe temps above the stove are 400 but I hope we don’t get pluggage!

That is interesting.

Here are my caps at -20*C. No issues with clogging.

 

[Tegbert]

Looks like my chimney cap is icing up again! Supposed to be into the mid teens the next couple of nights. Flue probe temps above the stove are 400 but I hope we don’t get pluggage!

I have yet to see that on mine but that could be because the wife runs it warmer than I do.



Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

 

[Highbeam]

His cat stalls at 5 o’clock. Unless the Ashford stat setting is different, on the P. this would be 80% open stat.

Maybe reading the back of the knob?

 

[begreen]

No, stove was on high (and burning on high for a few hours) when the pics were taken

That looks ok. The Ashford has a convective top lid. Lift the lid off if you want to take stove top temps.

 

[Diabel]

Maybe reading the back of the knob?

Could be
Thanks

 

[Diabel]

I have yet to see that on mine but that could be because the wife runs it warmer than I do.

View attachment 240233

Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

All I see is softwood! Wait, I see a cap!
Nice pic.

 

[Bartman23]

I have a sirroco 30.1 I believe the thermostat and firebox are the same as the Ashford. If your cat is stalling at 5 o'clock something isnt right. The amount of rise of pipe off the stove before an elbow hopefully isnt an issue? Is there surface moisture on your wood like from rain or snow? I bring my wood in and warm it up for atleast 24 hours near the stove before I think about putting it in ideally I bring in a weeks worth at a time. Here is a picture of my stat settings 8-12-24 hr burns of course this is just a guideline outside temps and wood species play a large role. Also dont be afraid to pack that thing as full as you can.

 

[Dave K]

His cat stalls at 5 o’clock. Unless the Ashford stat setting is different, on the P. this would be 80% open stat.

Okay, I’m a dope. I meant 3 o’clock, not 5 o’ckock. So from what it sounds like it’s about normal for some setups

Maybe reading the back of the knob?

I have a sirroco 30.1 I believe the thermostat and firebox are the same as the Ashford. If your cat is stalling at 5 o'clock something isnt right. The amount of rise of pipe off the stove before an elbow hopefully isnt an issue? Is there surface moisture on your wood like from rain or snow? I bring my wood in and warm it up for atleast 24 hours near the stove before I think about putting it in ideally I bring in a weeks worth at a time. Here is a picture of my stat settings 8-12-24 hr burns of course this is just a guideline outside temps and wood species play a large role. Also dont be afraid to pack that thing as full as you can.
View attachment 240235 View attachment 240236

Thanks. Sorry, I meant 3 o’clock. I also keep my wood indoors for a few weeks to get it as dry as possible (even though it’s already below 20%)

 

[Diabel]

3 sounds normal.

 

[lsucet]

Okay thanks. So I just have to find that sweet spot where it’s the lowest I can go with keeping the cat active.

So far, I can’t go any lower than 5 o’clock. Is that normal for some setups?

Can you check if the dial stop at 6 o'clock pointing to the floor? If it goes pass 6 o'clock to the dead stop then it needs to be calibrated.

 

[Ashful]

I can’t go any lower than 5 o’clock. Is that normal for some setups?

Not normal.

Okay, I’m a dope. I meant 3 o’clock, not 5 o’ckock.

Yes, this is totally normal. Put an insulated liner in that masonry stack, and you'll likely be able to run a bit lower yet, if you even find that necessary.

Watch the stack top for icing and creosote, if you're dumping a BK into a masonry (assuming clay tile lined) flue. Super high efficiency means very little heat up the flue. In addition to being a factor in the draft stalling you describe, it can also cause condensation of the water vapor in your exhaust, and increased deposition of creosote.

 

[Woody Stover]

Were you on low at the time of the pictures?

I'd guess all the pics were taken at the same time.
Yes, @Dave K , the cat probe will be falling when the load is down to coals, since there's little smoke left for the cat to burn. Those temps look like the stove should still be heating, running on coals, but that may or may not be enough heat for your house to get you to the next re-load...

 

[lsucet]

I'd guess all the pics were taken at the same time.
Yes, @Dave K , the cat probe will be falling when the load is down to coals, since there's little smoke left for the cat to burn. Those temps look like the stove should still be heating, running on coals, but that may or may not be enough heat for your house to get you to the next re-load...

By what I see with a family member crossing the street from me, is that the ashford convect real good. I can see those temperatures that he posted but walking toward the stove you can feel the heat. I really will like to try an Ashford here to see cause I have been noticing that.

 

[Highbeam]

By what I see with a family member crossing the street from me, is that the ashford convect real good. I can see those temperatures that he posted but walking toward the stove you can feel the heat. I really will like to try an Ashford here to see cause I have been noticing that.

Unlike the princess that previously was specified for a 12’ minimum chimney, the 30 box stoves have always required a big 15’. I would hesitate to spend the big bucks on an ashford without the minimum spec 15. Do you have that isucet?

 

[lsucet]

Unlike the princess that previously was specified for a 12’ minimum chimney, the 30 box stoves have always required a big 15’. I would hesitate to spend the big bucks on an ashford without the minimum spec 15. Do you have that isucet?

Well I have 19 on one and almost 24on the other cause it goes through the two story part of the house. I think either will be ok for sure. I am okay with the princess but I have noticed the convection ability on the ashford. Also their house is a tight construction and an open floor plan compare to my house. That can make a big difference. I think the princess are better for my house but i just wil like to try it like I will like to try an IS.

 

[bigaar]

I’ve been having problems with my cat clogging, and/or just not seeming like it is doing its job even when plenty air seems to be getting through it. Also, my chimney cap started to creosote up bad. I’ve had it since 2/17 (I was wrong about its age in a previous post).

Brushing and vacuuming the firebox side of the cat was only doing so much and I could see that there was still ash deeper into the cat. So, I finally took the stove pipe off and checked out the back side of the cat, and it was clogged something fierce. There was also some wavy-ness to the longitudinal lines in the cat that have me worried.

I removed it to clean the back side with a brush vac attachment. The final product is the picture with a white background. I could not get everything out, and I did not want to use any method that was frowned upon in the manual.

I’m burning the first load through it now since the cleanout and it seems to be doing much better for now. Lit up nice and orange for the first time in a long time. I understand that isn’t necessarily important though.

What do you guys think? Is it on its last leg?

By the way, yes, I have 2 year seasoned wood, tight door gasket, and know and use the bypass protocol from the manual.

 

[Woody Stover]

Yeah, I see the waviness, maybe caused by higher heat in the area that wasn't plugged? I don't think it's anything to worry about.
You can blow through the cat to try to dislodge more dust. Or you can use compressed air gently...don't blast it or you can harm the catalytic coating.
You can eventually try the distilled vinegar/distilled water wash after it starts declining in performance when you get up around three years on the cat of regular use.

 

[Ashful]

I went ahead and used a small and soft pipe cleaner on mine. You know, wire core, soft polyester’ish nap on it. I’m not sure if it was bad for the cat, but I figured if it’s plugged it’s not doing anything, so potentially slightly damaged is better.

 

[Firetech]

Newbie to BlazeKing here. Six days into an Ashford 30 in a place where low temps outside only get down to the teens. Love the stove but have these questions/concerns: Burnzone on dial starts at 10 o'clock but I wait until it reaches noon. Air control is on high at 6 o'clock, but if I dial it down (counterclockwise) past 3 the fire just about goes out and the temp eventually drops to lowest of burn zone or below. So this idea that you can set the stove on the lowest (about 10 o'clock) seems to not be true. I wonder why. Also the airwash system sucks at keeping my glass clean. My chimney is 15' high. I'm going to add 18" of pipe when the snow is off the roof. Any other ideas/suggestions?

 

[lsucet]

Newbie to BlazeKing here. Six days into an Ashford 30 in a place where low temps outside only get down to the teens. Love the stove but have these questions/concerns: Burnzone on dial starts at 10 o'clock but I wait until it reaches noon. Air control is on high at 6 o'clock, but if I dial it down (counterclockwise) past 3 the fire just about goes out and the temp eventually drops to lowest of burn zone or below. So this idea that you can set the stove on the lowest (about 10 o'clock) seems to not be true. I wonder why. Also the airwash system sucks at keeping my glass clean. My chimney is 15' high. I'm going to add 18" of pipe when the snow is off the roof. Any other ideas/suggestions?

10 o'clock is way too down. 2 ocloo'c is more like it.

 

[Highbeam]

So this idea that you can set the stove on the lowest (about 10 o'clock) seems to not be true.

You're right. It is a very rare installation that can have the stat set at max low and make it through the load without stalling the cat. It's been done but is not normal. My personal lowest setting to maintain clean burning is somewhere around 2 o'clock.

You can use any thermostat setting high enough to keep your catalyst meter from falling below the inactive line.

 

[pjohnson]

should've included that I don't have a blower for it.

I’ll set a box fan on the side of the stove blowing up and it really helps move the air around. It will raise the temp on the other side of the room by 5 degrees or more.