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

[Woody Stover]

Ok, so HB is 100% correct with this statement; but many and I mean many people don't have draft within spec of what BK calls for (.05" while running at max setting, cat engaged) I myself never really gave 2 cents of my time to draft until this season when I went through my second cat on the stove (within 5 years) Having a higher draft than what is called for by spec allows more air to travel though the system, yes the t-stat can reduce flow but sometimes finding that sweet spot is nearly impossible, it will click over then the flames die out and loss of heat occurs during colder times when higher stove top temps are needed, or the draft is strong enough (my case) that the t-stat wont kick over unless ran extremely low (stall area) or the heat gets sucked out faster and up the flue creating less transfer for stove top temps to rise, allowing more air and fuel to hit the cat and make it self destruct with heating temps over 1500 deg f.
In an earlier post I asked a member to post pics of there underside of the cat - case, this metal will turn brown / red when overheated, just like steel in after a building fire.

Very good post. I have no idea what my draft is. As I am positive 95% of all wood stove (including BK) are in the same boat.

Yeah, I had a feeling that the thermo was a tradeoff between benefits and drawbacks..kenny fleshed out those suspicions in that post.
95%? Maybe more like 99.something. Yet they call them "set and forget." Hmmm..
We need an "unlike" button..

 

[bholler]

So no garages doesnt really mean no garages? And no gasoline present doesnt really mean no gasoline present?

The code is clear you just wont admit you are wrong and your install is not compliant.

 

[Woody Stover]

So no garages doesnt really mean no garages? And no gasoline present doesnt really mean no gasoline present? The code is clear you just wont admit you are wrong and your install is not compliant.

That's the problem with "rule of law." Law is words, and words are open to interpretation.

 

[bholler]

That's the problem with "rule of law." Law is words, and words are open to interpretation.

True but there is no room for interpretation in solid fuel burners shall not be installed in garages or spaces where gasoline is present.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I really try to ignore this thread, but sometimes I just can't resist and have to stop by to see what is going on.

On one hand, these stoves are perfect, "state of the art", foolproof. On the other hand, there are literally thousands of posts over the years about how people are operating them wrong and endless advice about how to get them to work right.

In today's episode, we are debating how the manual is written to leave everything in doubt.

Definitely entertaining. Thanks fellas!

 

[Woody Stover]

True but there is no room for interpretation in solid fuel burners shall not be installed in garages or spaces where gasoline is present.

Yeah that's pretty straightforward, and good enough for any reasonable person to interpret. But at the same time, in a larger sense, words are stretchy. What is a garage, and a "space" can be the world. I'm talking big-picture, just for amusement's sake..

I really try to ignore this thread, but sometimes I just can't resist and have to stop by to see what is going on...Definitely entertaining. Thanks fellas!

You nailed it. The thread is pretty much gibberish but we can't help stopping by once in a while, just for a laugh.

 

[Highbeam]

Best laugh I’ve had this week. You do realize who you’re arguing with, right?

Argue, debate, teach, or be taught. It’s good to have different opinions and talk about them openly to either firm up your position or change your opinion. None of us are so smart that we can assume we know all the answers.

This is high level stuff. Most people don’t even know what a manometer is. Or that any structure with an overhead door is automatically a garage.

 

[lsucet]

I really try to ignore this thread, but sometimes I just can't resist and have to stop by to see what is going on.

On one hand, these stoves are perfect, "state of the art", foolproof. On the other hand, there are literally thousands of posts over the years about how people are operating them wrong and endless advice about how to get them to work right.

In today's episode, we are debating how the manual is written to leave everything in doubt.

Definitely entertaining. Thanks fellas!

There is something that need to be addressed, including with overdraft conditions this stoves are completely controllable to the burn rates that we want. We are just looking for perfection and better performance. Including those with high overdraft maybe they report going through wood too quick, not getting long burn out of it but rarely, you hear of an overfire and everything glowing unlike....... Well you know.

 

[showrguy]

Hey fellas,
I ran my BK for 2 1/2 years with a draft of between .23-.26 before checking draft>...
Never had an overfire, it ran on lowest setting most of the time, unless it got realllyyy cold..

This draft deal has been beat to death..... It's not a HUGE factor !!

 

[lsucet]

I did put key dampers for the sake of spending time doing some testing and have something to do, but I am not using them.
I am only at 0.12 and 0.13.
I just wait for the wood to catch good and dialed down to 4 o'clock or so and let it go. If I forgot to dial it lower, anyway it
goes into black box on it's on. No worries.

 

[jetsam]

One thing I don't get is how does bk get away with making a stove that when installed normally you can easily turndown to a point the clean burn system stops working while noncats are not allowed to do that?

Not trying to start a fight I just wish all stoves we're allowed to be set up like that so they could easily deal with a wider range of draft

I've got a simple guess!

How come BK is just about the only stove company that specifies in the manual what your draft should be, within a narrow range?

Because in that narrow range, you can turn the dial down to minimum and have a 600° cat.

This is great for geeky BK owners, because they can hook up manometers and dampers and run that sucker as designed!

It's not bad for non-geeks either. We tell 'em "Play with the dial, you'll figure out where your lowest setting is". That method is also fine.

 

[lsucet]

How come BK is just about the only stove company that specifies in the manual what your draft should be, within a narrow range?

Many companies mentioned the draft specs in their manual but it is something that is overlook for many including professional installers. That can be the reason of many horrible stories with overfires, glowing stoves, pipes etc. Taking into account other issues as doors and glass gaskets etc, not related to overdraft conditions.

We tell 'em "Play with the dial, you'll figure out where your lowest setting is". That method is also fine

With this stoves that dial is all you need, control wise, unless you have an extreme situation, setup, location etc. That's the way everybody do it till they get more technical or have a not desirable conditions like just a few here.

I think I am spoiled and addicted to that dial.

 

[bholler]

I've got a simple guess!

How come BK is just about the only stove company that specifies in the manual what your draft should be, within a narrow range?

Because in that narrow range, you can turn the dial down to minimum and have a 600° cat.

This is great for geeky BK owners, because they can hook up manometers and dampers and run that sucker as designed!

It's not bad for non-geeks either. We tell 'em "Play with the dial, you'll figure out where your lowest setting is". That method is also fine.

I am within that range and can't turn the dial down all the way without stalling. Even when burning compressed wood blocks.

 

[Dieselhead]

Anyone ever get a shower of paper-thin black creosote out of the top of their stack fly all over the yard?

Fired my Ashford 30 back up this morning after 3 weeks of inactivity due to a repair that needed to be done (stack connection needed tightening) After starting the fire, I went outside to observe the smoke coming out of the chimney and the flakes were a flyin’.

Have had my chimney professionally swept twice in the past 4 months since I burn a lot. I typically burn hot. Flakes were definitely hot, as they melted down into the snow.

Any advice or words of caution or concern much appreciated.

normal. Cold flue contracts. When heated up it expands kicking the thin film loose, draft sucks it up and expels from the cap. The color black gets hotter then the white snow it rests against, melting it into the snow.

 

[Eclipse2380]

Can I stuff it better then this?

 

[Alpine1]

On

Can I stuff it better then this?

only if you measure carefully and cut a single big piece of wood that barely fits in...

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Can I stuff it better then this?

Get some 2x4s.

 

[Eclipse2380]

On a serious note after the cat goes active how long should I let it burn on high?

 

[lsucet]

It depends. 15 to 20 minutes. Maybe more. It all depends how the wood catch up. Go by your eyes till you get the hang of it.
BTW good way to start a top/down fire.

 

[Eclipse2380]

@Tegbert figured I give you a little update since you have been responding to some of my posts. Tried something a little different tonight, stuffed it full of wood as I normally do but really paid attention to how cold the bottom of the stove stayed even has the heat was radiating off the glass, engaged the cat prior to active but very close , it was already glowing. I usually have a full box of flames before the cat is active and all wood is burning, I truly believe the cat is active before the needle is in the active zone after tonight.

 

[Diabel]

Next time I am at the lake I will set this up.

 

[rdust]

Can I stuff it better then this?

Decided to fill the stove with kindling tonight? So much extra work to split that small.

 

[Eclipse2380]

First time I got the Ashford 25 running right , normally 8-10 hours of wood , and 4-6 of active cat , just got 8 hour mark of active cat, definitely was waiting to long to close the bypass.
So 10 hours active cat , fan on low whole time, not having all wood engulfed in flames made a huge difference on run times , normally cat doesn't hit active till that point , engaging earlier and seeing cat glowing definitely leads me to believe thermostat isn't reading accurately.

 

[kennyp2339]

First time I got the Ashford 25 running right , normally 8-10 hours of wood , and 4-6 of active cat , just got 8 hour mark of active cat, definitely was waiting to long to close the bypass.
So 10 hours active cat , fan on low whole time, not having all wood engulfed in flames made a huge difference on run times , normally cat doesn't hit active till that point , engaging earlier and seeing cat glowing definitely leads me to believe thermostat isn't reading accurately.

I 'll pull the temp probe out carefully and gently brush it occasionally, sometimes build up accumulates on it.

 

[Eclipse2380]

I 'll pull the temp probe out carefully and gently brush it occasionally, sometimes build up accumulates on it.

I may need to do that as well