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

[SpaceBus]

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.

Does your BK have an airwash intake of some kind? If I hold an incense stick right up to the intake on my stoves the smoke is pulled in. I actually used incense sticks to test draft on my cooker until I got the hang of lighting it. Generally speaking once the stove is up to temp the heat causes the incense smoke to travel around the hot metal and rise unless the tip of the incense stick is right at the air inlet opening.

 

[MissMac]

Does your BK have an airwash intake of some kind? If I hold an incense stick right up to the intake on my stoves the smoke is pulled in. I actually used incense sticks to test draft on my cooker until I got the hang of lighting it. Generally speaking once the stove is up to temp the heat causes the incense smoke to travel around the hot metal and rise unless the tip of the incense stick is right at the air inlet opening.

ya i was more curious about the incense smoke traveling through the door gasket? i've got a couple spots that pulls through, but those spots pass the dollar bill test.

 

[webby3650]

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

I had one of the first Ashfords being burned. They updated the fan blades and sent them to me overnight. Not only me, but any other stoves that had the original fan blades were updated with no cost to customer.

The wire loom being out of place and contacting the fan blade can and does happen with many brands, it’s something that needs to verified by the installer.

 

[Indiana wood]

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.

Thanks ash. I’ll be using mine for many more years. A little smoke here and there isn’t a problem where im at. I also have unlimited hardwood. This bk king rocks compared to my woodchuck 2900. Amazing quality and customer service [emoji3]


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[SpaceBus]

ya i was more curious about the incense smoke traveling through the door gasket? i've got a couple spots that pulls through, but those spots pass the dollar bill test.

I've never had smoke travel through the gasket. Another easy test is to use a butane lighter around all the seams.

 

[Ashful]

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

Thinking back over this more thoroughly, I suspect hours burned is the primary factor, with cords burned being a secondary factor.

I noticed the performance of the cat in my stove that burns 6+ cords per year starting to diminish around the end of the third year. I noticed roughly the same change in performance somewhere in the fourth year of the stove that burns 3+ cords per year. Let’s say the cat in the stove burning 3 cords per year degraded at a rate only ~30% slower than the one burning 6 cords per year, whereas a “per cord” basis would have it lasting twice as long (i.e. 100% slower).

Conversely, while I don’t specifically keep track of it, I will say that in shoulder season I am often loading the “6 cord” stove while letting the “3 cord” stove go out. I am reasonably sure the difference in their hours is not as high as 30%, but there is definitely a difference in their hours of yearly operation, likely over 10% and less than 20%.

All of this indicates that hours are the primary determinant of what I experience as cat “lifetime”, but cords burned does clearly have some effect, even if to a smaller degree.

 

[Highbeam]

Going on a weekend trip this month and need to teach the wife how to run the bk. She’ll need to push about 250# of wood through it. We’re both happy for the thermostat since it really does make this stove only complicated at cat engagement time.

I’m thinking I’ll have her run it like a noncat with a solid medium setting to maximize simplicity.

We’ll probably also have plumbing leaks, roof leaks, animals needing killed, and power outages while I’m gone too. Just my luck!

 

[Indiana wood]

I have a wood question? I cut down a white oak about the size of my thigh yesterday and tested the moisture content it was anywhere from 22 to 25%. I’m looking for something that burns longer than ash that I could burn this year. It’s bound to get cold, really cold in Indiana at some point. If I brought this inside and let it sit for a week or so by the stove is this OK to burn on overnight Burns?


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[Indiana wood]

I have a wood question? I cut down a white oak about the size of my thigh yesterday and tested the moisture content it was anywhere from 22 to 25%. I’m looking for something that burns longer than ash that I could burn this year. It’s bound to get cold, really cold in Indiana at some point. If I brought this inside and let it sit for a week or so by the stove is this OK to burn on overnight Burns?


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Also this was tested outside in 40° weather I did not bring it inside and let it sit before I tested it


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[MissMac]

I have a wood question? I cut down a white oak about the size of my thigh yesterday and tested the moisture content it was anywhere from 22 to 25%. I’m looking for something that burns longer than ash that I could burn this year. It’s bound to get cold, really cold in Indiana at some point. If I brought this inside and let it sit for a week or so by the stove is this OK to burn on overnight Burns?


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no. it needs to season.

 

[showrguy]

Also this was tested outside in 40° weather I did not bring it inside and let it sit before I tested it


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With the correction for temperature, it’s probably 30% or more..
It won’t dry in a week..

 

[Indiana wood]

With the correction for temperature, it’s probably 30% or more..
It won’t dry in a week..

Oh ok, it goes up inside. I thought the opposite


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[Highbeam]

I have a wood question? I cut down a white oak about the size of my thigh yesterday and tested the moisture content it was anywhere from 22 to 25%. I’m looking for something that burns longer than ash that I could burn this year. It’s bound to get cold, really cold in Indiana at some point. If I brought this inside and let it sit for a week or so by the stove is this OK to burn on overnight Burns?


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If you need some denser wood you can always acquire some of the compressed wood logs like NIELs. They are an acceptable alternative to cordwood in the BK, totally dry, and pack a lot of heat.

 

[Woody Stover]

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.
I should mention that “loafing along on coals” means maintaining 400 degree flue temps

When I say "coaling," I mean that the load is no longer emitting smoke for the cat to burn, not that the splits are merely covered with coals but have wood inside that's still gassing. If your flue temp is at 400, maybe the cat probe is still showing over 500 but not actually burning anything.
I'd think that with the insulation in your house and your mild climate, you probably often ride the coals for quite a while, whereas Ashful, in the stone Hobbit house, may have to load sooner to keep the cats cranking and thus be working the cats harder.

Going on a weekend trip this month and need to teach the wife how to run the bk.
We’ll probably also have plumbing leaks, roof leaks, animals needing killed, and power outages while I’m gone too. Just my luck!

You haven't showed her how to run the stove yet? I was guilty of the same thing, but have been getting her up to speed of late.
What will need to be exterminated, all the birds that flew down the flue because you don't have wire on the cap?

I cut down a white oak about the size of my thigh yesterday and tested the moisture content it was anywhere from 22 to 25%. I’m looking for something that burns longer than ash that I could burn this year. It’s bound to get cold, really cold in Indiana at some point. If I brought this inside and let it sit for a week or so by the stove is this OK to burn on overnight Burns?
Also this was tested outside in 40° weather I did not bring it inside and let it sit before I tested it

With the correction for temperature, it’s probably 30% or more..
It won’t dry in a week..

That's what I've read but I've never done an A/B test to confirm it. I'm sure several others have, though.
Those White Oak splits might get appreciably drier over the summer, unless they are bigger than 4" on a side.

 

[Indiana wood]

When I say "coaling," I mean that the load is no longer emitting smoke for the cat to burn, not that the splits are merely covered with coals but have wood inside that's still gassing. If your flue temp is at 400, maybe the cat probe is still showing over 500 but not actually burning anything.
I'd think that with the insulation in your house and your mild climate, you probably often ride the coals for quite a while, whereas Ashful, in the stone Hobbit house, may have to load sooner to keep the cats cranking and thus be working the cats harder.
You haven't showed her how to run the stove yet? I was guilty of the same thing, but have been getting her up to speed of late.
What will need to be exterminated, all the birds that flew down the flue because you don't have wire on the cap?

That's what I've read but I've never done an A/B test to confirm it. I'm sure several others have, though.
Those White Oak splits might get appreciably drier over the summer, unless they are bigger than 4" on a side.

Like I said they are about the size of my thigh I brought them into the house and stack them by the stove thinking I could burn them so in a few days after they are completely warmed up I’m going to split them and test again I will let you know

 

[lsucet]

Like I said they are about the size of my thigh I brought them into the house and stack them by the stove thinking I could burn them so in a few days after they are completely warmed up I’m going to split them and test again I will let you know

There is information missing here, what is the size of your thigh?

 

[Indiana wood]

There is information missing here, what is the size of your thigh?

Just measured
Thigh 7”
White oak log 8”

 

[Indiana wood]

Here’s my white oak logo cut down yesterday. 21 to 25% mc. 40 degrees outside when split. Gonna warm for 48 hrs then split and check

 

[Woody Stover]

Here’s my white oak logo cut down yesterday.

The King of all Firewoods. With that rotted sapwood, those have been curing a while. It's gonna smell heavenly when you split it.

 

[Highbeam]

Just measured
Thigh 7”
White oak log 8”

circumference?

 

[SpaceBus]

circumference?

I think even children would have more than 7" of circumference around a thigh.

 

[Diabel]

Here’s my white oak logo cut down yesterday. 21 to 25% mc. 40 degrees outside when split. Gonna warm for 48 hrs then split and check
View attachment 254671

Solid thigh you show there

 

[jetsam]

Oh, my.



This thread is heating up!

 

[kennyp2339]

Oh, my.

View attachment 254676

This thread is heating up!

If she was showing her ankle I'd report you for posting porn pics.

 

[Ashful]

8” is a mighty big piece of oak. How’d you dry it? We’re talking 3 years under cover or a kiln to get an 8” split of white oak sufficiently dry. I split most of mine closer to 5” for drying in 2-3 years.