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

[Diabel]

Agreed. I don’t believe I let the P. rip through the load wide open once last season. Only for the 15-20min at reloads.

 

[lsucet]

Agreed. I don’t believe I let the P. rip through the load wide open once last season. Only for the 15-20min at reloads.

I do rip mine several time a year just to not light up the other cause I am lazy.
Never either of mine clogged before with ceramic cat. I run around 4 to 5 cords last winter. It was a some kind of bad winter here with almost a few weeks going bellow 0. A family member crossing the street from me with an Ashford and SS cat, using it just like supplemental heat, around half way of the winter they clogged the cat. I gave them gasket cause they removed it and give it a bath.

 

[jetsam]

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.

When I took my original ceramic cat out of my PI to give it a vinegar bath after ~2 years, I found that there was hidden clogging on the back face. It was probably only about 20% obstructed, but 20% is a significant chunk of your airflow.




After a gentle brushing with a soft brush



In the cat's defense, I put cords of awful, soggy, wet nasty wood through that stove the first couple years.

 

[Diabel]

Jetsam

Great pics. Thank you for sharing, very educational for all to view.

 

[tarzan]

In my experience with the Princess and a ceramic cat, I expect to see something closely resembling the pic jetsam posted above at the end of a burning season. With a steel cat I was forced to shut down and clean it at least once or twice a season.

That’s with dry wood and a shorter than recommended (11.6’) stack.

I never need too run the Princess WFO for heat but do run it hardest in January and February and those are the months the steel cat clogged.

 

[jetsam]

I need mid-season cat cleanings with steel in that stove too.

I will probably go back to ceramic on the next cat. Steel worked great, and I love that thermal shock isn't an issue, but steel costs more and needs more cleaning.

 

[jetsam]

Jetsam

Great pics. Thank you for sharing, very educational for all to view.

Lots more here -> https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/cat-bath.162849/

 

[Poindexter]

Who is up on the combustor probe situation? My local dealer said more or less BK is simplifying the lineup and here is the new probe for my stove (Ashford 30.0). My local dealer is usually pretty on the ball.

However, my old probe, with the hole in the jacket, has a 3 inch probe, the replacement I brought home today has a 4 inch probe.

I _think_ the new probe will probably work fine, but my stove is hot with an active cat, so I can't really jam the new product in there without losing the NIB status on my replacement probe.

Does any one know for sure? I am inclined to believe my dealer, but I do want a second opinion and it is too far into burn season to let the stove go cold again right away.

 

[Diabel]

Poindexter
Not sure what you are asking here (just about to go out to dinner and did not read your total comment ) but your probe (the one one short side ) looks burnt from over heat (like my VC probes before they went kaput).

Now that I follow the BK thread closely I see a bit of resemblance in terms of occurrences with over heating the cat.

 

[Ashful]

...it is too far into burn season to let the stove go cold...

I have no knowledge to share on this, but I did get a kick out of this one small part of your post, as it's still sailing season here.

 

[Poindexter]

On the older, in active service 3 inch probe part of the outer jacket is burnt away. It seems to be working OK for now.

On the new four inch probe the outer jacket is complete - but if 4 inches is too long it will be easier to return for full credit if I don't stick it down in the hole on my stove - because the stove is hot and my combustor is active.

 

[tarzan]

Why not just cut an inch off the 4” probe?

 

[Diabel]

Why not just cut an inch off the 4” probe?

Nope
Don’t do that

 

[tarzan]

Nope
Don’t do that

Why not? Wouldn’t it just make it a 3” probe? Same as the one he’s comfortable with.

 

[Diabel]

Why not? Wouldn’t it just make it a 3” probe? Same as the one he’s comfortable with.

I am not an engineer, but I believe if you cut one you will sever the probes.

 

[SpaceBus]

I think the worst that would happen is you can't sent it back.

 

[Poindexter]

Why not? Wouldn’t it just make it a 3” probe? Same as the one he’s comfortable with.

I don't know where inside the probe the sensor is located.

 

[Diabel]

At the tip
I have cut up a used one before

 

[lsucet]

The sensor is the coil. The rod is just copper and coated to transmit heat efficiently. The coil is the one calibrated for the scale in use. The length is due to different distance from the point that it is mounted to the combustor in this case. Maybe I am wrong.

 

[Diabel]

You could be totally correct, but I cut one up and there were two wires inside the probe that i cut through and i assumed what I said. Again, I am no expert. Some might contribute.

 

[lsucet]

I am not sure it is my theory. I assume that the tip should be around half way of the side of the cat and possibly about 1 to 2" away. It is coated preventing corrosion.
I think that it is just transmitting heat to the coil and not changing resistance like a thermocouple. Possibly?

 

[Diabel]

Yeah
I am not questioning it. We have many engineers here , I just cut one at one point and and saw two copper wires there. I assumed, what I assumed.

 

[lsucet]

Yeah
I am not questioning it. We have many engineers here , I just cut one at one point and and saw two copper wires there. I assumed, what I assumed.

I respect your opinion I just saying cause I cut one right now and lets see what other have to say.

 

[lsucet]

I believe that it is not a good idea to cut it cause you lose the bottom copper and coating at the tip and possibly will affect accuracy. For sure is better to get the correct one.

 

[Diabel]

I think, I might be confusing it with a thermocouple probe. That I cut. Sorry