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

[Ashful]

I’m surprised BKVP didn’t have you keep that on the down-low.

Yeah, it was for two years. But he let the cat out of the bag a month ago, pun intended.

...What is possible however is to have washcoat that will go active faster. We call it B3. There are a few beta testers in USA and Canada. So far, initial reports are they do in fact respond quicker. But they are more reactionary, meaning the temps respond more quickly to all temp changes. Still working on it!

 

[Indiana wood]

Yeah, it was for two years. But he let the cat out of the bag a month ago, pun intended.

Are you able to list the pros and cons? Possible availability date? Cost?


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[Ashful]

Are you able to list the pros and cons? Possible availability date? Cost?

It lights off very quickly, even a little quicker than the SteelCat, I think. The obvious pro for me is that I was having cloggage issues trying to run a SteelCat at 3x the maximum allowable draft, and wanted a ceramic cat. The only con that I can find (other than price and availability) is that it's a ceramic cat, so it's going to be more prone to all of the mechanical failures that have been long documented for ceramic cats.

I'm not sure if it will ever be available, it's not for me to say, but I believe it is just an experiment or curiousity at this point. The cost is apparently too high to make it a practical option for most, which probably has a lot to do with why it's just a curiosity.

I suspect BKVP was looking for someone to give some objective feedback at the same time I was having some clogging issues with the SteelCat. Having two of the same stove (Ashford 30's) in the same house with the same operator running the same wood probably has a lot to do with why I was asked to be one of the beta testers.

 

[webby3650]

It lights off very quickly, even a little quicker than the SteelCat, I think. The obvious pro for me is that I was having cloggage issues trying to run a SteelCat at 3x the maximum allowable draft, and wanted a ceramic cat. The only con that I can find (other than price and availability) is that it's a ceramic cat, so it's going to be more prone to all of the mechanical failures that have been long documented for ceramic cats.

I'm not sure if it will ever be available, it's not for me to say, but I believe it is just an experiment or curiousity at this point. The cost is apparently too high to make it a practical option for most, which probably has a lot to do with why it's just a curiosity.

I suspect BKVP was looking for someone to give some objective feedback at the same time I was having some clogging issues with the SteelCat. Having two of the same stove (Ashford 30's) in the same house with the same operator running the same wood probably has a lot to do with why I was asked to be one of the beta testers.

Sounds Like an awesome opportunity!

 

[jetsam]

I doubt you'll see that one go to market in its current iteration. Not everyone has clogging issues, and those that don't will not be keen to pay double for a cat that lights off and drops out faster.

It is great to hear that people are actively developing new cats though! What they learn from the B3 may lead to the Bx that makes things better for everyone.

 

[Highbeam]

I doubt you'll see that one go to market in its current iteration. Not everyone has clogging issues, and those that don't will not be keen to pay double for a cat that lights off and drops out faster.

It is great to hear that people are actively developing new cats though! What they learn from the B3 may lead to the Bx that makes things better for everyone.

I just want one that lasts 50,000 hours!

 

[lsucet]

I just want one that lasts 50,000 hours!

That's easy, don't replace it till then.

 

[Highbeam]

That's easy, don't replace it till then.

right, it will be good as new if I leave it on the shelf unused. 10 years even!

really, the current cats work great but just don’t last very long.

 

[jetsam]

right, it will be good as new if I leave it on the shelf unused. 10 years even!

really, the current cats work great but just don’t last very long.

I can't help but feel that the substrate's low melting point is 90% to blame (for users who clean the masking off their cats anyway).

Surely there's some kind of cheap carbon structure that holds up to 2500 degree heat and grows in funky fractal patterns!

 

[kennyp2339]

I can't help but feel that the substrate's low melting point is 90% to blame (for users who clean the masking off their cats anyway).

that is so me lol, cant help it with my strong draft, you can sometimes smell the cat over cooking outside, it has a funk smoke smell, I figure I get 2 seasons tops out of one, but I'm operating out of the BK spec of draft >.05

 

[Indiana wood]

right, it will be good as new if I leave it on the shelf unused. 10 years even!

really, the current cats work great but just don’t last very long.

How do you know when a ceramic cat isn’t working anymore? Not glowing? More smoke?
No overdraft problem on my 6”[emoji4]


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[shoot-straight]

i am another that needs dampers to slow my draft and frequently get a clogged cat.

 

[Jeff in Maine]

I am getting some very annoying noise from one if not both of my Princess blower fans. Each fall I take the whole fan assemblys off the stove and to the workshop where I blow off all the dust and clean them well. The stove is about 3 years old we run the fans about 50% of the time mostly on low. Anyone else have this issue before?

 

[webby3650]

I am getting some very annoying noise from one if not both of my Princess blower fans. Each fall I take the whole fan assemblys off the stove and to the workshop where I blow off all the dust and clean them well. The stove is about 3 years old we run the fans about 50% of the time mostly on low. Anyone else have this issue before?

Make sure the blade isn’t hitting a wire. My Ashford had that happen. If you’ve got plastic blades, makes sure they didn’t melt, I also had that happen.

 

[kennyp2339]

I am getting some very annoying noise from one if not both of my Princess blower fans. Each fall I take the whole fan assemblys off the stove and to the workshop where I blow off all the dust and clean them well. The stove is about 3 years old we run the fans about 50% of the time mostly on low. Anyone else have this issue before?

Very occasionaly I get a rattling noise, I just lightly tap the fan cage and it stops

 

[Jeff in Maine]

well I will check the wire thing for sure good idea. The noise is ,...less... now I hit it with some compressed air from my portable tank.

 

[kennyp2339]

How do you know when a ceramic cat isn’t working anymore? Not glowing? More smoke?
No overdraft problem on my 6”

Per the manual, load the fire box up, close by-pass once cat is active, burn on medium setting for an hour to establish the fire, turn t-stat back between low and medium setting, the cat probe should remain active for the whole burn, you can also check and see if you have a reduction of smoke when the by-pass damper is engaged after the cat lights off.

 

[MissMac]

Random question for you fellas. If you were to light a stick of incense and hold it close to your stove door during a normal cruise setting, would the vacuum in the box be enough to pull the smoke through? Assuming your door tension was adjusted properly and everything was working as it should be? Curious to know what you think.

 

[Ashful]

How do you know when a ceramic cat isn’t working anymore? Not glowing? More smoke?

You don't. I will bet more than 95% of the people on this forum are replacing their cats when they are only slightly degraded, which isn't really a criticism of anyone, these are demanding and particular customers.

For me, I replace them when I notice them falling out of active sooner. Usually that means checking everything else on my setup and wood supply, and waiting several days to be sure the behavior is consistent, and even then I'm sure I'm replacing them with plenty of life left in them. The two I replaced so far were 3 and 4 years old, and still working fine... just not holding active quite as long as they had before.

I know some of the PNW forum members (ahem... Highbeam) talk about burning 5000 hours per year, and I don't doubt that's true. But also keep in mind that I'm putting 6+ cords thru one of my stoves every year, and 3+ thru the other, and not seeing particularly short cat life on either of them. I would suspect cords burned matters more than hours burned, when discussing cat life, but have to admit I'm not an expert on that.

 

[Diabel]

Very occasionaly I get a rattling noise, I just lightly tap the fan cage and it stops

I get that too. And that is what I do.
One of my side shields will rattle sometimes. Tightening the screws does not help. Strange. Not a big issue.

Random question for you fellas. If you were to light a stick of incense and hold it close to your stove door during a normal cruise setting, would the vacuum in the box be enough to pull the smoke through? Assuming your door tension was adjusted properly and everything was working as it should be? Curious to know what you think.

no, there should be no pull toward the door. Unless you have a gasket leak. I own a VC and trust me I know a bunch about leaking gaskets and using incense sticks to find them.

if you have such situation, then adjust your door or replace the gasket, but I am not an expert.

 

[Highbeam]

If the cat is so worn out that you have to run it hot line a noncat all the time then what’s the point? Might as well run a noncat.

Some people remove the cat and run it like a fool! I suppose if you don’t care about running your stove properly then you too can use a worn out cat.

Myself, I like how the stove runs with a fully functioning catalyst and that only happens for about 12000 hours which is just what the cat manufacturer tells us to expect.

 

[Woody Stover]

Highbeam) talk about burning 5000 hours per year, and I don't doubt that's true. But also keep in mind that I'm putting 6+ cords thru one of my stoves every year, and 3+ thru the other, and not seeing particularly short cat life on either of them. I would suspect cords burned matters more than hours burned, when discussing cat life, but have to admit I'm not an expert on that.

I'm no expert either but it makes sense. If you are burning through loads faster, while he's loafing on coals, I'd think your cat will run hotter, work harder and wear out sooner. They say the catalyst isn't consumed, so I don't know exactly what it is that wears out on 'em..

If you’ve got plastic blades, makes sure they didn’t melt, I also had that happen.

The quality really shines through on these premium stoves, doesn't it?

 

[Highbeam]

I'm no expert either but it makes sense. If you are burning through loads faster, while he's loafing on coals, I'd think your cat will run hotter, work harder and wear out sooner. They say the catalyst isn't consumed, so I don't know exactly what it is that wears out on 'em..
The quality really shines through on these premium stoves, doesn't it?

it doesn’t work like that. Not sure why but while loafing along on coals my catalyst is just as hot as when running flat out. Right up in the 1300-1500 range according to the condar cat meter.

the cat manufacturer doesn’t rate the cat for cords burned, they rate them for hours active.

 

[Diabel]

it doesn’t work like that. Not sure why but while loafing along on coals my catalyst is just as hot as when running flat out. Right up in the 1300-1500 range according to the condar cat meter.

the cat manufacturer doesn’t rate the cat for cords burned, they rate them for hours active.

Time for a new probe, if I understand your comment right.

 

[Highbeam]

Time for a new probe, if I understand your comment right.

I should mention that “loafing along on coals” means maintaining 400 degree flue temps. Not running on the ragged edge of stall.

here’s my stove right now! 1200 cat, glowing Doug fir, 450 flue gas.