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

[zvholk]

I’ll ask this question again as it didn’t get an answer. My installer is coming tomorrow and I have heard here talks of too much draft. What is too much draft, how do you avoid it and are there things I need to ensure my installer does/knows when installing for a Princess?

How do you like your new stove? We haven’t heard from you since you got it installed

 

[mcdeadstein]

The fan speed on my Ashford Insert is still a bit too high for me even when i set it on low. On low I want it to be just a very gentle flow of air. More than turning the fans off though. I know the fan has a potentiometer to control speed...i'd like to add a 2nd one and get hopefully a second reduction step.

Something like this controller (link)

Anything I should be worried about?

 

[Eclipse2380]

The Ashfords redesigned home

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

View attachment 241074 View attachment 241075
The Ashfords redesigned home

That's real nice. Like the heat shield to protect the wood mantle.

Where do you get your wood on Staten Island?

 

[Eclipse2380]

Jerseyfirewood.com for delivered kiln dried, Holmdel firewood for picked up kiln dried and a local tree service for the "seasoned stuff" that needs more drying

 

[chemie]

View attachment 241074 View attachment 241075
The Ashfords redesigned home

Good to see another Newyorker with an Ashord! It looks nice!

 

[Wildbilljp]

If you’re getting 10 splits in a princess insert and not filling it completely then I would suggest you consider splitting larger in the future. These things seem to love large, dry, splits. Then use the thermostat to set your output.

Need to mention the splits I am talking about are a mixture of oak splits and biobricks....

 

[chazcarr]

As a follow-up to anyone who was waiting for a resolution. My stove was fixed on Wednesday by replacing the stat with a new one, and cementing the area where the liner meets the stove.

This has drastically changed how my stove operates for the better. Much more control over the heat output and burn time. Also, no more smoke leaking into the room.

So thank you to Blaze King and my dealer Berkshire Hearth for coming together to solve the problem. I'm a pretty happy stove owner now.

The only sad note is that after examining the old stat, there was no obvious reason for it performing so erratically. It just wasn't very temperature responsive.

 

[Ashful]

The only sad note is that after examining the old stat, there was no obvious reason for it performing so erratically. It just wasn't very temperature responsive.

I’m no metallurgist, just had a few basic materials courses, but I wonder if it ever got hot enough to lose its temper? Was this stove purchased used?

 

[lsucet]

The only sad note is that after examining the old stat, there was no obvious reason for it performing so erratically. It just wasn't very temperature responsive.

I really think that having a leak at the stove connector can cause draft issues not letting the stove gets to temp and tstat working erratically. the good thing is that now is working like it should and you are happy and back to staying warm. I will start sealing everything good and try it and then replace the tstat if concern still present. I like to play and find the root/cause of a malfunction, that is me, but i know is hard if it is the only source of heat plus no time to spend on it. at the end what you need is get it fix. Good to hear everything is working.

 

[chazcarr]

I’m no metallurgist, just had a few basic materials courses, but I wonder if it ever got hot enough to lose its temper? Was this stove purchased used?

nope brand new

 

[Ashful]

nope brand new

Interesting. So we’re left with two possibilities:

1. Defective t’stat from BK
2. The t’stat had nothing to do with the fix, it was all in the piping.

Right?

 

[chazcarr]

Interesting. So we’re left with two possibilities:

1. Defective t’stat from BK
2. The t’stat had nothing to do with the fix, it was all in the piping.

Right?

It was definitely the tstat. New one is much more functional. The tstat wouldn't close, even with the fire blazing away. this new one I can close at any time.

 

[shoot-straight]

my stat has become "sluggish" for lack of a better term. im guessing the thing has got dust and stuff all over it. after the season i intend to take the cover off and blow it out.

 

[Bartman23]

Can you use compressed air to blow out a cat? How much psi would be too much?

 

[Highbeam]

Can you use compressed air to blow out a cat? How much psi would be too much?

It has been reported that those keyboard canned air things are not too much. Those things are supposed to put out 60-70 psi but it’s also a small nozzle. I cranked the regulator down to 20 psi and used a 1/4”
Vacuum hose on a blowgun with no apparent ill effects. It was plenty.

 

[kenmal]

my stat has become "sluggish" for lack of a better term. im guessing the thing has got dust and stuff all over it. after the season i intend to take the cover off and blow it out.

Mine Also started this a couple weeks ago and getting a little worse. Almost feels like "Bearings" going out .
Can these or should they be oiled? Or is it just caused by dust collection and needs to be blown or cleaned out every now and then?

 

[bholler]

Mine Also started this a couple weeks ago and getting a little worse. Almost feels like "Bearings" going out .
Can these or should they be oiled? Or is it just caused by dust collection and needs to be blown or cleaned out every now and then?

I cleaned mine and lubed it with anti seize. It works much better now

 

[Ashful]

Mine Also started this a couple weeks ago and getting a little worse. Almost feels like "Bearings" going out .
Can these or should they be oiled? Or is it just caused by dust collection and needs to be blown or cleaned out every now and then?

Yes. There is a wave washer pinched between a collar on the shaft and the housing, and you can lube that with some hi-temp anti-seize compound. Last two to three years. I'll let another King owner post the exact procedure for your stove.

edit: doh... bholler beat me.

 

[kenmal]

I cleaned mine and lubed it with anti seize. It works much better now

I will give that a try when it warms up enough to shutdown for a while. Thanks.

edit: doh... bholler beat me.

From what I have seen here you are a little behind sometimes.

 

[Bartman23]

New gasket arrived today in the mail so tomorrow I'll pull the cat and see if I can get it back in running order again. Last good vacuum I gave it it ran great again for about 2 weeks than slowly got sluggish again so hoping for the best. Besides vacuuming and gently blowing some air through it anything else I can try?? Supposed to warm up to 15°f tomorrow too 2nd warmest day we've had since November sometime might be a good day to climb through the 2ft of snow on the roof and brush the chimney/check the cap!

 

[lsucet]

Well I already picked up my NIELs.

 

[Highbeam]

(broken link removed to https://www.epa.gov/compliance/list-epa-certified-wood-stoves)

Uh oh, looks like BK introduced/tested some new stoves. The princess I have is too dirty for 2020 but this new princess has just 0.4 gph of particulate emissions, or half as much as the ashford but still is 80% efficient and has the similar range of btu outputs. Hmmmm.

so @BKVP can you tell us about the PE32?

 

[AlbergSteve]

Sooo, has any other Ashford owner had the door latch roller/bushing disintegrate on them when latching the door? These pieces were stuck to the latch when I opened the stove this morning.

 

[Ashful]

Not yet!

I'm getting a weird metal on metal sound from the hinge side of my door when I close it today, though. Wasn't able to spot the source of the trouble with a hot reload taking off, but it shut down fine when the time came to do that.