2020-21 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK)

[Diabel]

Is three yrs standard for bk gaskets full time use?
Hope not....

 

[jetsam]

Why did he have air leaks in the door causing insufficient air in the firebox? That sounds backwards to me.

Is three yrs standard for bk gaskets full time use?
Hope not....

I'm finishing up year 6 on my original gaskets, one door latch adjustment. No sign the door gasket is going to need to be changed out this season.

 

[Nealm66]

Definitely an interesting time of year for a rookie princess owner. Even on a low simmer I came home the other day and it was 77. Wife was nice and cozy though and didn’t even notice it. Left the door open for about an hour and it cooled off for a little bit. Making smaller fires and no reloading in the am seems to be working pretty good. Still a few coals left to get things going.

 

[begreen]

Definitely an interesting time of year for a rookie princess owner. Even on a low simmer I came home the other day and it was 77. Wife was nice and cozy though and didn’t even notice it. Left the door open for about an hour and it cooled off for a little bit. Making smaller fires and no reloading in the am seems to be working pretty good. Still a few coals left to get things going.

Yes, it is a challenge for any stove owner when there is a 20+ swing in outside temp and a lot of solar gain during the day. We've hit 75º inside which is tshirt time for me, but my wife loves it too. In a few months though she will complain when it's 77º outside.

 

[jetsam]

I have been loading her mostly full twice a day. I think I like that cycle better than 24 hour reloads with an older cat, since the cat gets a temperature bump from operator interaction every 12 hours to make sure it doesn't fall out.

With a BK you can load whatever you want whenever you want, very different from every other stove I've ever had.

Got a couple more cold days on the forecast, but I am ready for the end of this season.

 

[stoveliker]

Last fire of the season. Got a bed of coals, put 9 small splits (3 cherry, rest sassafras) criss cross on top. Ripping on high.

As it'll freeze tonight, I'll fill r up with maple later tonight - but won't run low. Instead it'll run on high until it's done. That should give me enough heat tomorrow morning.

After that it's stove cleaning time, minisplit time (as the last few weeks), and the summer.

Happy Easter weekend all!

 

[Highbeam]

You guys and your warm climates and heat pumps. We’ve still got months of burning left. Snow is in the forecast. We insulated so there’s no significant solar gain even when the sun does come out.

Don’t forget to burn her hot a few times before shutting down for the summer. Convert the firebox goo into something flakey that can be cleaned.

 

[stoveliker]

You guys and your warm climates and heat pumps. We’ve still got months of burning left. Snow is in the forecast. We insulated so there’s no significant solar gain even when the sun does come out.

Don’t forget to burn her hot a few times before shutting down for the summer. Convert the firebox goo into something flakey that can be cleaned.

That's what I'm doing now. Two loads all hot. One crisscross and the next one in a few minutes more stuffed, but all on high. Blazing hot already for 3 hours.

 

[kennyp2339]

Last fire of the season.

I got a few more fires left here, what I do know is that I'm either one or two wheel barrel loads away from being done, going to miss it when its over this year, normally I'm tired of burning by the end of the season, this year.. just didnt seem that bad and the heat was really nice.

 

[71montess]

If I’m installing a BK Ashford 30.2, and it’s in a alcove type install. Keeping all the clearances, I know it needs a blower in alcoves. I would still like it to be 1/2 out of the alcove. Could I offset with double wall stove pipe 45s back to keep in my cathedral ceiling alcove ? The stove is a top flue only if I’m right. But was mentioned need to rise up 2’ before an offset?

 

[kennyp2339]

If I’m installing a BK Ashford 30.2, and it’s in a alcove type install. Keeping all the clearances, I know it needs a blower in alcoves. I would still like it to be 1/2 out of the alcove. Could I offset with double wall stove pipe 45s back to keep in my cathedral ceiling alcove ? The stove is a top flue only if I’m right. But was mentioned need to rise up 2’ before an offset?

Remove that front wall / blocker and take your offset up to the ceiling support box. If you keep the wall there then you'll need class A pipe all the way down (supported) to were there's a visible break, then transition to double wall black pipe.

 

[71montess]

Remove that front wall / blocker and take your offset up to the ceiling support box. If you keep the wall there then you'll need class A pipe all the way down (supported) to were there's a visible break, then transition to double wall black pipe.

I wish I could ken, my wife doesn’t like the full pipe to ceiling look and she a strong willed woman. for a number of reasons she wants it enclosed as low as possible.

 

[stoveliker]

2 ft minimum straight vertical before any bends indeed.
You can check the manual for the required height when not going straight up.

If you have to keep that alcove, make an opening at the top (e.g. with a register) so you can convect out the heat from there. And a ceiling fan to bring it down.

 

[71montess]

2 ft minimum straight vertical before any bends indeed.
You can check the manual for the required height when not going straight up.

If you have to keep that alcove, make an opening at the top (e.g. with a register) so you can convect out the heat from there. And a ceiling fan to bring it down.

The alcove will have a cieling height +-6' below is double wall stove pipe. Above is all fuel pipe. Attic space will keep me from doing what you said. Thanks for the idea though.

 

[stoveliker]

The alcove will have a cieling height +-6' below is double wall stove pipe. Above is all fuel pipe. Attic space will keep me from doing what you said. Thanks for the idea though.

I meant to convect the heat out into the room (not outside or the attic, of course). Your sketch will result in a nice pocket of unused hot air in the alcove.

 

[71montess]

I meant to convect the heat out into the room (not outside or the attic, of course). Your sketch will result in a nice pocket of unused hot air in the alcove.

Sketch is a little simplified. Behind alcove is bedrooms with 8' ceilings then attic above. Really can't as back of upper alcove is attic.

 

[Diabel]

I have not followed nor read this thread in detail. Just make sure the stove meets/exceeds all the distance requirements, invest in side heat shields, blower, make sure you put electrical outlet at the back wall. The blowers are pretty laud when running at full speed and from your pic you will need them running hard. As per bk, the two feet vertical from the stove up is there for a reason. If you get undesired stove performance like smoke spillage for example do not complain (btw it will be the wife who will complain in most cases......hahah). You will need to disconnect your flue every time you need to clean behind the bypass. Just some friendly points. Cheers

 

[71montess]

I have not followed nor read this thread in detail. Just make sure the stove meets/exceeds all the distance requirements, invest in side heat shields, blower, make sure you put electrical outlet at the back wall. The blowers are pretty laud when running at full speed and from your pic you will need them running hard. As per bk, the two feet vertical from the stove up is there for a reason. If you get undesired stove performance like smoke spillage for example do not complain (btw it will be the wife who will complain in most cases......hahah). You will need to disconnect your flue every time you need to clean behind the bypass. Just some friendly points. Cheers

Is disconnecting the flue to clean behind the bypass a normal thing either all BKs ? Or is there an easier way ? Collapsible double wall parts ? Would need to disconnect to clean flue anyways?

 

[Diabel]

Is disconnecting the flue to clean behind the bypass a normal thing either all BKs ? Or is there an easier way ? Collapsible double wall parts ? Would need to disconnect to clean flue anyways?

Telescopic pipe is the way to go. In your potential set up it will not be possible if you go 45* right off the stove. Disconnecting the pipe is not the end of the world but messy.

 

[71montess]

This is the ranch style house I’m building.

The architect took liberties with a generic stove detail.

 

[begreen]

If I’m installing a BK Ashford 30.2, and it’s in a alcove type install. Keeping all the clearances, I know it needs a blower in alcoves. I would still like it to be 1/2 out of the alcove. Could I offset with double wall stove pipe 45s back to keep in my cathedral ceiling alcove ? The stove is a top flue only if I’m right. But was mentioned need to rise up 2’ before an offset?

Add a forward sloping block-off plate right at lintel level and it may not need a blower. You could also add a vent higher up on the wall to vent heat out of the chase. ( it could vent into BR3) Is there a ceiling fan planned for the stove room? That would help. The MB bath is going to be the coldest. It could be supplemented with a heated towel rack or a ducted blower system could pull cool air out of the bath and blow it into the stove room. That would pull heat from the stove room thru the MBr and into the MB bath.

 

[stoveliker]

Add a forward sloping block-off plate right at lintel level and it may not need a blower. You could also add a vent higher up on the wall to vent heat out of the chase. ( it could vent into BR3) Is there a ceiling fan planned for the stove room? That would help. The MB bath is going to be the coldest. It could be supplemented with a heated towel rack or a ducted blower system could pull cool air out of the bath and blow it into the stove room. That would pull heat from the stove room thru the MBr and into the MB bath.

That vent (and ceiling fan) is what I had suggested earlier, but it is my understanding based on the response that the sketch is not complete and the vent would not be possible.

 

[Tron]

Since burning season is slowly coming to an end down here, does anyone have good advice on how to clean behind the metal side shields in the firebox that hold the firebricks on the sides? It looks like there is quite a bit of flaky black residue behind them, but I have not found a way to reach there. Or is it not necessary?

 

[71montess]

That vent (and ceiling fan) is what I had suggested earlier, but it is my understanding based on the response that the sketch is not complete and the vent would not be possible.

You’re idea might work if it would be ok with building inspector or I wait till I get final inspection and do it after. Which with Begreens idea of ducting from my Master Bath back into my cathedral room to pull warm air through open doors to the bedroom/ bath !

 

[MissMac]

Since burning season is slowly coming to an end down here, does anyone have good advice on how to clean behind the metal side shields in the firebox that hold the firebricks on the sides? It looks like there is quite a bit of flaky black residue behind them, but I have not found a way to reach there. Or is it not necessary?

Rip a nice hot fire in there to bake that creo into nice flaky bits, then try a bottle brush or something similar. That's what i've threaded through there to break up some of it. I don't get it all, but i can get some. Having a real good ripping hot fire first is key. Last fire in the stove for the season should be wide open to clean the guts up!