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

[Diabel]

Yes, this ash pan thing is boring. Wait, BK thread is usually boring.....

One of the fan blades on my Princess started to make some unpleasant noise. Is there an easy way/procedure to clean dust of the blades? I am sure that is the case here.

 

[MissMac]

Every year there's one thread where someone asks how to get rid of ash, and twenty people say "Put it in a bucket and take the bucket outside".

The ash pan threads are never that simple. But I will still take them over the threads where we argue over what is and is not a garage.

Bahahahaha, you’re welcome

 

[Highbeam]

Yes, this ash pan thing is boring. Wait, BK thread is usually boring.....

One of the fan blades on my Princess started to make some unpleasant noise. Is there an easy way/procedure to clean dust of the blades? I am sure that is the case here.

I blow the off with an air gun from an actual air compressor. Works great even through the grates. It does send that dust all over the house but the blades get clean.

 

[Diabel]

I blow the off with an air gun from an actual air compressor. Works great even through the grates. It does send that dust all over the house but the blades get clean.

Hm, I have not graduated to an air compressor yet. Any other option to blow the fins without taking apart the mechanism?

 

[moresnow]

Hm, I have not graduated to an air compressor yet. Any other option to blow the fins without taking apart the mechanism?

Worth a peek

Robot or human?

www.walmart.com

 

[Diabel]

Worth a peek

Robot or human?

www.walmart.com

I like it. Thank you

 

[ethanhudson]

I posted a couple times in this thread about my new king ultra. I couldn't be more excited for it's maiden fire. I've wanted this stove since I first started burning and joined this forum 7 years ago. Finally got it set in place today (carrying it up the stairs was a load!) And the flue hooked up. Only thing left is to get the mantel installed.

Will update after the first fire

 

[lsucet]

Is it a straight shot through your chimney? If so check out Duravent's ovalized rigid Duraliner. The 6" version will fit in your chimney without breaking out the clay.

(broken link removed to http://www.duravent.com/Product.aspx?hProduct=6)

I posted a couple times in this thread about my new king ultra. I couldn't be more excited for it's maiden fire. I've wanted this stove since I first started burning and joined this forum 7 years ago. Finally got it set in place today (carrying it up the stairs was a load!) And the flue hooked up. Only thing left is to get the mantel installed.

Will update after the first fire

Congrats, welcome to the dark side.

 

[TheIglu]

Got my new Princess Ultra installed and fired up on Saturday after picking it up. Installation was a breeze. Tip it on it's back, install pedestal base, tip it up, install fan kit, move it into place, hook up to chimney.

What threw me for a bit is that they installed my convection deck onto the firebox already. I kept looking around for the missing box since it was an add on, but after unwrapping it, it was already screwed onto the unit.

After coming off a downdraft Harman TL-300, my mind is blown at how easy it is to use this thing. Just put wood in, hit the bypass, set the dial, and come back 12 hours later. Just amazing. Man. I wish I had gotten one of these instead of that Harman.

For reloading, the manual states to never reload while the cat indicator is still in the active zone. Is this a hard rule, or if I have a decent bed of coals sitting there, but the indicator is at 12:00, can I reload the stove?

 

[MTASH]

Note that the grate I posted is just the right thickness that, when dropped into the hole for the ash plug, ends up resting on the metal lip for the plug and sitting perfectly flush with the firebrick floor. Expanded metal can work, but it’s going to sit down in the hole more, with coals falling into that depression and making it tougher to plow cleanly across the top.

You want something with thickness similar to the top part of the ash plug, roughly 3/8” thick.

I ended up making an ash grate yesterday with some 3/8" tubing I had laying around. Was going to use #3 rebar, but this is easier to bend. Used a chain link for the lifting eye. Gaps are 1/2" +/-. I tried it out last night and it worked good, just have to be careful not to snag it with my rake.

Now, as to what I did with the ashes afterward, I'll leave that to the imagination.

 

[BKVP]

Reload away. I have to get to engineering to address that....

 

[Highbeam]

Got my new Princess Ultra installed and fired up on Saturday after picking it up. Installation was a breeze. Tip it on it's back, install pedestal base, tip it up, install fan kit, move it into place, hook up to chimney.

What threw me for a bit is that they installed my convection deck onto the firebox already. I kept looking around for the missing box since it was an add on, but after unwrapping it, it was already screwed onto the unit.

After coming off a downdraft Harman TL-300, my mind is blown at how easy it is to use this thing. Just put wood in, hit the bypass, set the dial, and come back 12 hours later. Just amazing. Man. I wish I had gotten one of these instead of that Harman.

For reloading, the manual states to never reload while the cat indicator is still in the active zone. Is this a hard rule, or if I have a decent bed of coals sitting there, but the indicator is at 12:00, can I reload the stove?

If you “screwed on” the pedestal then you must be one of the first owners of the new 2020 princess model. The old pedestals were welded on.

Many folks keep their stoves running 24/7 and some don’t let the cat fall out of the active range all winter meaning that this new rule you found is not valid.

 

[Ashful]

For reloading, the manual states to never reload while the cat indicator is still in the active zone. Is this a hard rule, or if I have a decent bed of coals sitting there, but the indicator is at 12:00, can I reload the stove?

Just go to bypass for a short time (eg. 5 minutes) before opening the door, then do your reload, and char the new load another 5 minutes on bypass. Then you can close the damper again, and you’re off to the races. No need to ever let that cat go out of Active region, and mine probably doesn’t, but once or twice from December into March.

I usually go to bypass while grabbing my satchels, before heading out to get more wood. By the time I get back in with them, I’m ready to open the door.

 

[MissMac]

Alright fellas, looking for another piece of advice. Have some company over enjoying the stove and fresh snow. About 1.5hrs into the burn, cat needle right around the 2/3 active mark (1.5 o.c.-ish), and all of a sudden it smelled like someone was having a campfire in my living room. Went to investigate and my company says - sorry, i just opened the door to throw some scrap paper in and a bunch of smoke rolled out. Don’t care so much about the smoke, but the door was opened 2/3 in the active zone with the bypass closed (cause the company has never seen a cat stove before). Used it as a segue into explaining the marvels of my BK to my friends. It’s a steel cat, which i know are a bit less fussy than ceramic when it comes to thermal shock, but what should i be looking for next time i reload in terms of potential damage to cat? Thoughts?

 

[Diabel]

Alright fellas, looking for another piece of advice. Have some company over enjoying the stove and fresh snow. About 1.5hrs into the burn, cat needle right around the 2/3 active mark (1.5 o.c.-ish), and all of a sudden it smelled like someone was having a campfire in my living room. Went to investigate and my company says - sorry, i just opened the door to throw some scrap paper in and a bunch of smoke rolled out. Don’t care so much about the smoke, but the door was opened 2/3 in the active zone with the bypass closed (cause the company has never seen a cat stove before). Used it as a segue into explaining the marvels of my BK to my friends. It’s a steel cat, which i know are a bit less fussy than ceramic when it comes to thermal shock, but what should i be looking for next time i reload in terms of potential damage to cat? Thoughts?

The cat will be fine. With my VC (top loader) I have people regularly try to peak inside the stove, and are faced with a puff of smoke in their face.

 

[TheIglu]

If you “screwed on” the pedestal then you must be one of the first owners of the new 2020 princess model. The old pedestals were welded on.

Yup, you thread in 4 allen head bolts partially into the firebox (after removing the ash plug), then put the pedestal on via large holes over the screw heads, then slide it back 1/4 of an inch to the notches just big enough for the threaded part of the bolts. Tighten it up (even provided an allen key) and you are off to the races.

 

[TheIglu]

Reload away. I have to get to engineering to address that....

That's great news! I got a bit worried when I read that last night in BOLD LETTERING in the manual saying never to reload while the cat was in the active zone.

Being able to turn this thing down so low is amazing. Window/inside was a bit black this morning because I had it shut way down overnight, but the cat was still registering at about 1:00pm on the dial and it was still giving off good heat. I'll get it hot tonight to burn it off.

Trying to run my Harman like this would of resulted in back-puff explosions every 15 minutes as the off-gassing ignited if I didn't babysit the bypass damper constantly trying to get enough thermal momentum and a stinky putrid smell in the house. Not with this stove. I got up once just to check on it overnight while running it on low. Still active, still pumping heat, no smoke smell in our house. Love it.

 

[TheIglu]

Now to try to find the outside air plate for it. I can order the 3" online from a retailer, but I can't find anyone that carries the 4" and my closest dealer is 45 minutes away. Also will be looking for a can of touch up paint. Must of gotten a small ding in shipping, had a couple dime sized spots where the paint chipped away.

 

[Woody Stover]

I got a bit worried when I read that last night in BOLD LETTERING in the manual saying never to reload while the cat was in the active zone.

They might have put that in there to keep newbies from having smoke roll out the door when they carelessly just fling it open..

 

[moresnow]

Alright fellas, looking for another piece of advice. Have some company over enjoying the stove and fresh snow. About 1.5hrs into the burn, cat needle right around the 2/3 active mark (1.5 o.c.-ish), and all of a sudden it smelled like someone was having a campfire in my living room. Went to investigate and my company says - sorry, i just opened the door to throw some scrap paper in and a bunch of smoke rolled out. Don’t care so much about the smoke, but the door was opened 2/3 in the active zone with the bypass closed (cause the company has never seen a cat stove before). Used it as a segue into explaining the marvels of my BK to my friends. It’s a steel cat, which i know are a bit less fussy than ceramic when it comes to thermal shock, but what should i be looking for next time i reload in terms of potential damage to cat? Thoughts?

You are not alone. Picture a new Princess installed in the mancave shop that used to be heated by a smoke dragon. Thought I was going to have a coronary every time one of the boys opened her up to chuck some trash etc. into her! Infidels I say! Eventually after much scolding and sharing of fine beverage/discussion they learned the new stove was hands off. No apparent harm done and its still chugging away nicely a few years later.

 

[Highbeam]

Alright fellas, looking for another piece of advice. Have some company over enjoying the stove and fresh snow. About 1.5hrs into the burn, cat needle right around the 2/3 active mark (1.5 o.c.-ish), and all of a sudden it smelled like someone was having a campfire in my living room. Went to investigate and my company says - sorry, i just opened the door to throw some scrap paper in and a bunch of smoke rolled out. Don’t care so much about the smoke, but the door was opened 2/3 in the active zone with the bypass closed (cause the company has never seen a cat stove before). Used it as a segue into explaining the marvels of my BK to my friends. It’s a steel cat, which i know are a bit less fussy than ceramic when it comes to thermal shock, but what should i be looking for next time i reload in terms of potential damage to cat? Thoughts?

This is a “water under the bridge” moment. What’s done is done and all involved know not to do it again. You won’t see any damage, nothing to inspect, you may have just shortened the cats life by a day. As always, monitor for a failed cat and when it fails just pop a new one in.

 

[ratsrepus]

A bucket and shovel works great. 10sec job.

Your right, I have a pan that fits right in the stove, with the bypass open, all the dust goes up the chimney when I shovel them into the pan, now dont get me wrong, the BK's have great ash holes, but I think my way turned out to be easier

 

[Ashful]

BK's have great ash holes...

Hey... my eyes are up here.

 

[Diabel]

Nice

 

[BKVP]

You are not alone. Picture a new Princess installed in the mancave shop that used to be heated by a smoke dragon. Thought I was going to have a coronary every time one of the boys opened her up to chuck some trash etc. into her! Infidels I say! Eventually after much scolding and sharing of fine beverage/discussion they learned the new stove was hands off. No apparent harm done and its still chugging away nicely a few years later.

Don't burn trash! Staples has shredders....Paper can plug a cat right now.... A little here now and then can turn into a habit.

Visited a buddy recently. 3 years ago he used newspaper to start the fire....now he's burning cardboard!

Pulled his flame shield and said "Hey, your stoves getting constipated!" I hope it sank in.