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

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

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.

View attachment 241601

Ugh! Hope that doesn't put you out of commission for too long. Sorry that happened.

 

[Woody Stover]

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.]

Ugh! Hope that doesn't put you out of commission for too long. Sorry that happened.

No problem, just stack a few washers to take up the gap.
That was one thing I didn't like when I went to the stove shop recently, the latches. A lot had rollers, or relied on a spring to apply tension between the door gasket and the stove. Just give me an old fashioned, positive-engagement type. The Buck had one that, if you pressed the handle harder, the door closed tighter. The Dutchwest and Keystone have this type..not variable tension in the handle but at least you can adjust it. Eventually you could wear the striker out, I guess, but it's just a bolt or thread stock.

 

[Highbeam]

Seems like I read more about the buck and woodstock stoves on this BK thread than I do about BKs. Weird!

 

[Woody Stover]

Seems like I read more about the buck and woodstock stoves on this BK thread than I do about BKs. Weird!

Not all that weird; The subject of latches was brought up, and I posted my observations on stoves I've had. I don't think the Princess has a roller, but I haven't seen the latch to know if I like it or not. How about I mention PE stoves so it's not all Buck and Ws ...I think people posted trouble with PE roller latches, too. I guess you could keep 'em lubed and they will probably last. But I don't want to mess with extra maintenance if it can be avoided by a better design.

 

[bholler]

Not all that weird; The subject of latches was brought up, and I posted my observations on stoves I've had. I don't think the Princess has a roller, but I haven't seen the latch to know if I like it or not. How about I mention PE stoves so it's not all Buck and Ws ...I think people posted trouble with PE roller latches, too. I guess you could keep 'em lubed and they will probably last. But I don't want to mess with extra maintenance if it can be avoided by a better design.

Honestly I don't see many latches with springs at all and every design should be lubricated occasionally to prevent wear

 

[Woody Stover]

Honestly I don't see many latches with springs at all and every design should be lubricated occasionally to prevent wear

What would you lube on the Dutchwest pic above, the shaft?
At the stove shop, they had Buck, Enerzone, Hearthstone Manchester, and Drolet I think. I'd have to look again but I thought one relied on spring tension. I don't think the Manchester was adjustable. I shoulda paid more attention, but I mainly went to see if they had a Buck non-cat. I like that Buck latch..pretty simple.

 

[chazcarr]

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?

Am I reading that right that the Princess Insert I just bought is already no longer being manufactured? Guess I should have waited until next winter to buy.

 

[jetsam]

2020 EPA regs are coming.

Some stove manufacturers are adapting; others are embracing the "single burn rate appliance".

 

[Hogwildz]

Not all that weird; The subject of latches was brought up, and I posted my observations on stoves I've had. I don't think the Princess has a roller, but I haven't seen the latch to know if I like it or not. How about I mention PE stoves so it's not all Buck and Ws ...I think people posted trouble with PE roller latches, too. I guess you could keep 'em lubed and they will probably last. But I don't want to mess with extra maintenance if it can be avoided by a better design.

No issues with PE roller latches, unless the owner over tightens the adjustment. PE's system, works great, and is very simple to adjust.

 

[Highbeam]

Am I reading that right that the Princess Insert I just bought is already no longer being manufactured? Guess I should have waited until next winter to buy.

Or look at it the other way, you lucked out and got one of the old proven ones. The new ones might come with new problems or a higher price tag. Might also be better, cleaner, and cheaper.

I’m struggling with whether or not I should replace my noncat with a pre-ban or pre2020 stove.

 

[jetsam]

Or look at it the other way, you lucked out and got one of the old proven ones. The new ones might come with new problems or a higher price tag. Might also be better, cleaner, and cheaper.

I’m struggling with whether or not I should replace my noncat with a pre-ban or pre2020 stove.

The best time is likely to start a few years after the new laws hit. Then the innovative products will have some bugs hammered out, and the compliance-only products (like single burn rate stoves) will have had some time to be crushed by the market.

I wouldn't rush into it right before all the good stuff shows up!

 

[bholler]

2020 EPA regs are coming.

Some stove manufacturers are adapting; others are embracing the "single burn rate appliance".

Who is making single burn rate stuff. The only one i know of is us stove.

 

[bholler]

Or look at it the other way, you lucked out and got one of the old proven ones. The new ones might come with new problems or a higher price tag. Might also be better, cleaner, and cheaper.

I’m struggling with whether or not I should replace my noncat with a pre-ban or pre2020 stove.

Your noncat is already clean enough for 2020.

 

[Highbeam]

Your noncat is already clean enough for 2020.

I’m not worried that my old stove won’t be compliant but that my choices after 2020 will be limited to only 2020 stoves. The alderlea t5 for example will no longer exist as it is today.

When jetsam says “single rate stoves” he probably just means the ability to adjust output will be severely reduced in order to keep them hot and clean.

 

[Ashful]

When jetsam says “single rate stoves” he probably just means the ability to adjust output will be severely reduced in order to keep them hot and clean.

Making non-cats even less attractive as an adjustable heating appliance?

 

[Highbeam]

Making non-cats even less attractive as an adjustable heating appliance?

For me, yes. Pump and glide.

 

[bholler]

Making non-cats even less attractive as an adjustable heating appliance?

How many noncats have you heated with? How many 2020 compliant noncats have you used?

 

[bholler]

For me, yes. Pump and glide.

Again the one you have that you say is very controllable burns clean enough already. So what is the big deal?

 

[Highbeam]

Again the one you have that you say is very controllable burns clean enough already. So what is the big deal?

I’ll need to replace this one eventually. It’s just a cheapo. There is no big deal, not sure what you’re talking about.

I might even consider pellet out in the shop but many of them are going away too.

 

[bholler]

I’ll need to replace this one eventually. It’s just a cheapo. There is no big deal, not sure what you’re talking about.

I might even consider pellet out in the shop but many of them are going away too.

You agreed 2020 regs will make noncats a less attractive adjustable heating appliance. I simply pointed out the noncat you are using which you always say is very controllable is complaint. Those two things just seem contradictory to me.

 

[Highbeam]

You agreed 2020 regs will make noncats a less attractive adjustable heating appliance. I simply pointed out the noncat you are using which you always say is very controllable is complaint. Those two things just seem contradictory to me.

Again, I’ll need to replace my current noncat at some point. My choices will obviously be limited/different in the future. Not sure what your misunderstanding is.

I like the nc30, it is relatively controllable for a noncat but takes a lot of attention to load every few hours and it can be too much effort. Wood furnaces, pellet stoves, boiler of some sort, all are on the table and as an enthusiast I would be mistaken to ignore the new regulation’s impact on the choices.

Nobody is arguing with you. You don’t need to get all worked up bholler.

This isn’t really bk related so I’ll start a new thread when I’m ready for input. Thanks

 

[bholler]

Again, I’ll need to replace my current noncat at some point. My choices will obviously be limited/different in the future. Not sure what your misunderstanding is.

Yes some will be different. But you can simply replace it with another of what you have and seem to like. Or go up to one of the compliant furnaces that will be coming out.

I agree personally I wouldn't buy a new model in the first year or two but there will be plenty of good noncats available.

 

[AlbergSteve]

Ugh! Hope that doesn't put you out of commission for too long. Sorry that happened.

Not really out of commision just yet, it still latches, but lightly. I've lubed the latch so it doesn't wear on the remaining pin while I wait and hear back from the dealer. I'm already thinking of fabbing something myself.

 

[AlbergSteve]

Well, I thought I could just replace the roller, but no joy. The latch roller is a welded assembly that would require some drilling and grinding to get the pin out then re-weld it. Guess I'll wait for the dealer response.

 

[jetsam]

I bet you could cut an aluminum bushing in half longways and JB weld the halves back together around that pin.

I've got no idea what the rest of the latching mechanism looks like, but I'm assuming that broken plastic bushing was on the pin originally.