2019-20 Blaze King Performance Thread Part 1 (Everything BK)

[MissMac]

Is your pipe to stove connection not pretty dang air tight? I could see smoke rolling out of the open door during a reversal but to have smoke visibly pouring out of a joint in the flue system would have me looking at the integrity of that joint. You don't want leaks in the flue. Those will spoil your draft and introduce cold air.

I have a stove collar adapter which connects my telescoping double wall pipe to the collar on the stove. Smoke puffed out of where the telescoping pipe rests in the stove top adapter. So the inner layer is crimped, and sits like a V down in the adapter piece. I would say it is likely not super air tight no. It's a connection. Chimney sweeps retract that piece of pipe up to vacuum out the top chamber after a sweep. I can't imagine I'd be the only one with this type of set up? I think it was just a really freaky gust of wind that rushed down the chimney. It was howling when i lit the fire. In response to your suggestion though Highbeam, I don't really know how I could make that connection any less leaky? It is kind of inherently designed to be moved around (i.e. retract).

 

[MissMac]

Does anyone have a wind directional chimney cap installed? I am looking at installing the Famco cap because of my high chimney and lack of good draft. I think this would also help with the issue that MissMac is having with the wind puffs. I have experienced the same in the past.

I don't, but like i said earlier, this is the first time this has happened in my set up in 3 years. and i've had a lot of fires in a lot of wind. i can only imagine the winds on the island though!

 

[Diabel]

I don't, but like i said earlier, this is the first time this has happened in my set up in 3 years. and i've had a lot of fires in a lot of wind. i can only imagine the winds on the island though!

I would not loose any sleep over this. Once in three years.....
Windy, relatively warm, maybe not so seasoned kindling and you just lit the fire...a perfect set up for a smoke overwhelmed firebox.

If you want to see real back puffs watch some YouTube vids on VC back puffs!!

 

[Ashful]

If you want to see real back puffs watch some YouTube vids on VC back puffs!!

...or an old Jotul cat stove.

 

[charger4406]

If you want to see real back puffs watch some YouTube vids on VC back puffs!!

My Vc Defiant will, if conditions are just right, will lift the griddle a half inch of the stove with a back puff.

 

[moresnow]

I don't really know how I could make that connection any less leaky?

Some telescoping pipe does not need the adaptor. Went through this with another user last year trying to eliminate potential leakage/draft issues. He swore he needed it because the installer had naturally installed one. Then he removed it Super snug fit after that. As is mine and a couple others in my group. Not saying you should tear yours apart but!
On another note. If you have a sweep cleaning your system. Why is he not retracting the pipe first to catch everything before it enters the stove? Tough enough cleaning the normal build up on the back side of the Cat etc. Dunno. Just the way I do it. And maybe I misunderstood your post.

 

[Ashful]

If you have a sweep cleaning your system. Why is he not retracting the pipe first to catch everything before it enters the stove? Tough enough cleaning the normal build up on the back side of the Cat etc. Dunno. Just the way I do it. And maybe I misunderstood your post.

I used to disconnect the pipe, but I eventually realized it’s easier to just sweep with a soot eater thru the bypass. The last two pros I had out did the same.

I want to pull the cat to vacuum the back side anyway, and clean the whole chamber behind the cat. I don’t even shovel out the stove after sweeping any more, I just vacuum out the cat chamber, slide the cat back into the hole with a new gasket, and light up.

 

[MissMac]

I would not loose any sleep over this. Once in three years.....
Windy, relatively warm, maybe not so seasoned kindling and you just lit the fire...a perfect set up for a smoke overwhelmed firebox.

If you want to see real back puffs watch some YouTube vids on VC back puffs!!

Ya it was a bit different than that - the fire was ripping pretty good in the kindling and birch bark, but then a huge wind gust blew down my stove pipe - like blowing through a straw into a milkshake. but agreed, i don't think i'm going to really worry about it. thanks!

 

[MissMac]

Some telescoping pipe does not need the adaptor. Went through this with another user last year trying to eliminate potential leakage/draft issues. He swore he needed it because the installer had naturally installed one. Then he removed it Super snug fit after that. As is mine and a couple others in my group. Not saying you should tear yours apart but!
On another note. If you have a sweep cleaning your system. Why is he not retracting the pipe first to catch everything before it enters the stove? Tough enough cleaning the normal build up on the back side of the Cat etc. Dunno. Just the way I do it. And maybe I misunderstood your post.

My set up needs the adapter. I've seen the whole thing torn apart, i've confirmed with my own eyes and hands. My style of telescoping pipe absolutely wont match up with the stove collar. Now, knowing what I do now, if/when I get a new stove many years from now, I am definitely going to be making some decisions a little more differently, and leaving less up to the contractor. And I don't think you misunderstood. The sweep did raise the pipe to vacuum out the top chamber (and he did a half-cocked job of it, which i later completed). I didn't have a cat gasket on hand. I think that ashful mentioned vacuuming through the gap of the catalyst - definitely the easier approach, and what i will likely do moving forward.

 

[Diabel]

I used to disconnect the pipe, but I eventually realized it’s easier to just sweep with a soot eater they the bypass. The last two pros I had out did the same.

I want to pull the cat to vacuum the back side anyway, and clean the whole chamber behind the cat. I don’t even shovel out the stove after sweeping any more, I just vacuum out the cat chamber, slide the cat back into the hole with a new gasket, and light up.

When you remove the cat, can you then fit the soot eater through the firebox up the pipe?

 

[Ashful]

When you remove the cat, can you then fit the soot eater through the firebox up the pipe?

Soot eater goes up thru the bypass door, you don’t even need to remove the cat to do it. But all the crud coming down the chimney will collect behind the cat, so you’ll want to pull the combustor out to vacuum that area.

I just buy 10 or 20 feet of that interam gasket (2” x 1/16”) every few years, now. With two Ashfords, I go thru 5 to 10 feet of the stuff per year. Pulling the cat is so quick and easy, that I don’t even hesitate to do it now, if I need to clean or diagnose any issue. It costs me about $7 in gasket each time I do it, since I think I use about 2.5 feet and the stuff costs $2.50 - $2.75 per foot.

 

[PNWfirburner]

The is a huge range of prices for the same stove as you travel across the country. Not just actual shipping costs but additional distributor levels adding excessive profits. There used to be a terrible penalty for crossing the Mississippi.

Even between dealers there can be quite a difference.

7 years ago my princess ultra with every option plus 10% sales tax was under 3500$ in western Washington.

Highbeam,
Where in Western WA did you buy from? I am in Kitsap County and will be shopping for a BK here real soon. We have one dealer her in Kitsap that sells BK products. I have a new house with a heat pump so Im in no hurry to buy. Still want to get back to wood heat by next winter at least.

 

[Highbeam]

Highbeam,
Where in Western WA did you buy from? I am in Kitsap County and will be shopping for a BK here real soon. We have one dealer her in Kitsap that sells BK products. I have a new house with a heat pump so Im in no hurry to buy. Still want to get back to wood heat by next winter at least.

I grew up in Silverdale, bought the stove at Kitsap lumber in Bremerton. They had burning models on the floor and a decent inventory without high pressure salesmen. I have also bought a door gasket since then and the service was just fine. They fork lifted the stove into my truck and I did the rest so I can't vouch for their installation services.

 

[Highbeam]

Soot eater goes up thru the bypass door, you don’t even need to remove the cat to do it. But all the crud coming down the chimney will collect behind the cat, so you’ll want to pull the combustor out to vacuum that area.

I use the sooteater to clean from the bottom up on my stoves. Both stoves have all vertical flues. On the princess you open the bypass and run the sooteater right up through the loading door, through the bypass, and into the flue. The open bypass plate actually funnels the majority of debris into the firebox but there will be some debris left up in the cat chamber. Not as much as you would think but enough that I want it gone.

The manual doesn't really talk about this at all. Doesn't even mention whether it is necessary to clean the debris or will it burn off. You certainly want to be sure that there is not a pile of debris on the bypass gasket sealing surface. You certainly don't want to block the back of the cat either. Some of us are over the top clean freaks that take it too far.

You have three options to clean the chamber depending on how flexible you are. One is to remove the stove pipe and suck it all out from above, this is what I do and it is 100% thorough plus you can adjust the bypass tension. I don't like removing stove pipe but it is free and mine slides pretty easy. Second is to remove the cat which I think the least desirable method unless you planned on removing the cat for some other reason. Third is to just suck it all out from the firebox with a vacuum. You need to be a little flexible for this one but the bypass plate can actually be hoisted up out of the way with one hand and blocked up with a thin piece of kindling (or just held with one hand)so that you can access the full lower backside of the cat for cleaning. Really, if the cat back is clear and the bypass gasket is clean then the rest is just being obsessive.

IME (the kids think I'm cool when I use their acronyms) the BK chimney will need to be swept annually. Unlike a noncat that just has some light brown soot and ash, the BK runs so cool that there will be a decent amount of black crunchy stuff every year. Especially up top. I like to let the sooteater really beat the heck out of the chimney cap in forward and reverse to try and get everything down. Stuff will fling out onto the roof!

 

[Diabel]

I use the sooteater to clean from the bottom up on my stoves. Both stoves have all vertical flues. On the princess you open the bypass and run the sooteater right up through the loading door, through the bypass, and into the flue. The open bypass plate actually funnels the majority of debris into the firebox but there will be some debris left up in the cat chamber. Not as much as you would think but enough that I want it gone.

The manual doesn't really talk about this at all. Doesn't even mention whether it is necessary to clean the debris or will it burn off. You certainly want to be sure that there is not a pile of debris on the bypass gasket sealing surface. You certainly don't want to block the back of the cat either. Some of us are over the top clean freaks that take it too far.

You have three options to clean the chamber depending on how flexible you are. One is to remove the stove pipe and suck it all out from above, this is what I do and it is 100% thorough plus you can adjust the bypass tension. I don't like removing stove pipe but it is free and mine slides pretty easy. Second is to remove the cat which I think the least desirable method unless you planned on removing the cat for some other reason. Third is to just suck it all out from the firebox with a vacuum. You need to be a little flexible for this one but the bypass plate can actually be hoisted up out of the way with one hand and blocked up with a thin piece of kindling (or just held with one hand)so that you can access the full lower backside of the cat for cleaning. Really, if the cat back is clear and the bypass gasket is clean then the rest is just being obsessive.

IME (the kids think I'm cool when I use their acronyms) the BK chimney will need to be swept annually. Unlike a noncat that just has some light brown soot and ash, the BK runs so cool that there will be a decent amount of black crunchy stuff every year. Especially up top. I like to let the sooteater really beat the heck out of the chimney cap in forward and reverse to try and get everything down. Stuff will fling out onto the roof!

Thank you Highbeam. Very nice write up.

 

[PNWfirburner]

I grew up in Silverdale, bought the stove at Kitsap lumber in Bremerton. They had burning models on the floor and a decent inventory without high pressure salesmen. I have also bought a door gasket since then and the service was just fine. They fork lifted the stove into my truck and I did the rest so I can't vouch for their installation services.

Nice, I live in Silverdale. Bought my non-cat stove for my last house from Kitsap Lumber as well. Was planning on going there for my BK. I installed the last one myself(in 32 degree rain) and was debating paying to have this one installed. I think they were charging $300 for the install which comes with the inspection for the insurance companies. The inspection on my last stove cost me like 120 bucks so in the end it probably wouldve been worth paying to have someone do it. I know a lot more now (from this website) so I am a little particular about how the install should go.

Anyway, thanks to all on here for the endless stream of knowledge and laughter.

 

[jetsam]

I use the sooteater to clean from the bottom up on my stoves. Both stoves have all vertical flues. On the princess you open the bypass and run the sooteater right up through the loading door, through the bypass, and into the flue. The open bypass plate actually funnels the majority of debris into the firebox but there will be some debris left up in the cat chamber. Not as much as you would think but enough that I want it gone.

The manual doesn't really talk about this at all. Doesn't even mention whether it is necessary to clean the debris or will it burn off. You certainly want to be sure that there is not a pile of debris on the bypass gasket sealing surface. You certainly don't want to block the back of the cat either. Some of us are over the top clean freaks that take it too far.

You have three options to clean the chamber depending on how flexible you are. One is to remove the stove pipe and suck it all out from above, this is what I do and it is 100% thorough plus you can adjust the bypass tension. I don't like removing stove pipe but it is free and mine slides pretty easy. Second is to remove the cat which I think the least desirable method unless you planned on removing the cat for some other reason. Third is to just suck it all out from the firebox with a vacuum. You need to be a little flexible for this one but the bypass plate can actually be hoisted up out of the way with one hand and blocked up with a thin piece of kindling (or just held with one hand)so that you can access the full lower backside of the cat for cleaning. Really, if the cat back is clear and the bypass gasket is clean then the rest is just being obsessive.

IME (the kids think I'm cool when I use their acronyms) the BK chimney will need to be swept annually. Unlike a noncat that just has some light brown soot and ash, the BK runs so cool that there will be a decent amount of black crunchy stuff every year. Especially up top. I like to let the sooteater really beat the heck out of the chimney cap in forward and reverse to try and get everything down. Stuff will fling out onto the roof!

"IME" (getting in on the cool bandwagon there), if you leave a pile of crud behind the cat after sweeping, it will not all burn off, and it can easily be high enough to impede air flow through the cat.

I typically put on my longest welding gloves and scoop it down into the firebox. On the last sweep of the season I even do this without losing any arm hair (the stove is cold for that one).

 

[Diabel]

I have a small vacuum hose attachment (very flexible) would I be able to wiggle that behind the cat?

 

[Woody Stover]

Soot eater goes up thru the bypass door, you don’t even need to remove the cat to do it. But all the crud coming down the chimney will collect behind the cat, so you’ll want to pull the combustor out to vacuum that area.

When I had the Buck 91 at my MIL's, seemed like some of the crud that was brushed down collected on or behind the sliding bypass plate, it didn't reach the cat, and was easy to brush most of it off with my hand, or stick a vacuum hose up there. There was no gasket, just the sliding plate, so I didn't worry about the creo in that area too much. Nevertheless, I mulled over the idea of using a rag and a few magnets to form a temporary "deflector curtain" that would direct all of the creo straight into the stove, which would have saved me from any other cleaning. I never did actually try out the idea in the Buck, but maybe it would work in the BKs..?

 

[Woody Stover]

I have a small vacuum hose attachment (very flexible) would I be able to wiggle that behind the cat?

I think that works, if I remember previous BK posts. If you are also dusting the cat when you do your yearly sweep of the stack, it should be easy to get all the crud cleaned from the cat area. I had a ceramic cat in the Buck and it didn't seem to collect a lot of dust, so I wouldn't always dust the cat when I swept. The cat was contained by a big cast-iron housing which weighed a ton, so it was kind of a pain to take the cat out for dusting..

 

[Highbeam]

I have a small vacuum hose attachment (very flexible) would I be able to wiggle that behind the cat?

Yes, easily. You can touch the back bottom of the cat with your fingers and clean the trough out right behind the cat. You'll need to grasp the upper end of the open bypass plate and lift it up towards the stove top. That will lift the plate and expose the back of the cat. My hands are huge and I have no problem doing it this way. Give it a try next time the stove is cold.

What you can't do is verify or clean cat cloggage from the upper parts of the cat itself. You really can't do that even if you remove the flue since there is a steel curtain/baffle/deflector that hangs down behind the cat. I've never had cat cloggage though on my princess.

 

[Diabel]

Yes, easily. You can touch the back bottom of the cat with your fingers and clean the trough out right behind the cat. You'll need to grasp the upper end of the open bypass plate and lift it up towards the stove top. That will lift the plate and expose the back of the cat. My hands are huge and I have no problem doing it this way. Give it a try next time the stove is cold.

What you can't do is verify or clean cat cloggage from the upper parts of the cat itself. You really can't do that even if you remove the flue since there is a steel curtain/baffle/deflector that hangs down behind the cat. I've never had cat cloggage though on my princess.

Great. That is good to know. My installer was supposed to put in a double wall telescopic section but he never did. I did not feel like moving the stove to get in there for cleaning. I will use the vacuum.
As for clogging, I have a ceramic cat and last year I have put through it maybe 3/4 of a cord, zero sign of fly ash on the fire box side of the cat.

 

[Highbeam]

Great. That is good to know. My installer was supposed to put in a double wall telescopic section but he never did. I did not feel like moving the stove to get in there for cleaning. I will use the vacuum.
As for clogging, I have a ceramic cat and last year I have put through it maybe 3/4 of a cord, zero sign of fly ash on the fire box side of the cat.

Ceramic cats are more resistant to clogging since the holes are so much bigger, and princess stoves also seem more clog resistant than the new models. I have a little paintbrush that I use to sweep the face of the cat occasionally just because I'm a stove nerd and like to look for clogs, chips, cracks, and even color of the cat.

If you ever suspect cat cloggage you can use a cell phone camera from the front as a sort of periscope to verify that the cells are clear.

When it comes time to adjust the bypass tension you will need access into the cat chamber by removing the cat or by removing the flue. Maybe every couple of years at first and then not so much after that since the bypass gasket kind of stops compressing.

 

[Diabel]

Ceramic cats are more resistant to clogging since the holes are so much bigger, and princess stoves also seem more clog resistant than the new models. I have a little paintbrush that I use to sweep the face of the cat occasionally just because I'm a stove nerd and like to look for clogs, chips, cracks, and even color of the cat.

If you ever suspect cat cloggage you can use a cell phone camera from the front as a sort of periscope to verify that the cells are clear.

When it comes time to adjust the bypass tension you will need access into the cat chamber by removing the cat or by removing the flue. Maybe every couple of years at first and then not so much after that since the bypass gasket kind of stops compressing.

The bypass lever works the same as when it was new, same amount of tension when engaging. Cannot say the same about the door latch. That I will be adjusting a bit next week.

 

[Ashful]

Ceramic cats are more resistant to clogging since the holes are so much bigger, and princess stoves also seem more clog resistant than the new models.

This is all true, but also... he's only putting 0.75 cord thru the stove in an entire year. If I were burning at that rate, I'd never clog the Ashford, either. It's only an issue when I'm letting it rip wide open.