2020-21 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK)

[jetsam]

The so big satisfaction from BK owners is exactly what brings me here, one satisfied owner is good but as many satisfied ones like for the BK products is certainly not the fruit of the hazard. I think that all ( probably all ) wood stoves have some good points and lower ones , find the one fitting each owners preferences is the question. Good to have forums cause the stove manufacturers informations lead sometimes to unsatisfactions.
Anyway, wood stoves are boxes for burning wood but some have different technology placing them on different levels.

Some of the levels are more different than you'd think. (Though they did get this perennial junkpile though EPA certification again somehow.)


The fact that they used a photo of a bad install for a promotional photo is icing on the cake there.

 

[nortcan]

Some of the levels are more different than you'd think. (Though they did get this perennial junkpile though EPA certification again somehow.)

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The fact that they used a photo of a bad install for a promotional photo is icing on the cake there.

I thank you very much for your comment but, being A french Québecois with limited translation ability , could you please explain me what you mean by : **(Though they did get this junkpile though EPA certification again somehow)** ?

 

[jetsam]

I thank you very much for your comment but, being A french Québecois with limited translation ability , could you please explain me what you mean by : **(Though they did get this junkpile though EPA certification again somehow)** ?

It's a famously bad stove. Boxwoods are known for poor quality control, durability, and not being especially controllable. There's plenty of threads about them here if you're curious.

There were new EPA emissions standards for this year, so the fact that a similar-looking stove is still for sale means that they made some changes and got the revised model to pass the emissions tests. (Though emissions tests are easier to pass at high burn rates, and a single burn rate stove that is famous for air leaks will definitely have a high burn rate.)

Maybe the new one's better, but I wouldn't hold my breath. They did change the name, so maybe they fixed some of the problems too.

 

[GreenMountain]

I'd probably hammer and file that original tee nut back into service, just use anti-sieze on it from here on out. Finding a new one isn't going to be a matter of going down to Home Depot. (They do sell tee nuts but they're punched for use in wood.)

You're right - but I decided to abandon the whole weld nut/tee nut idea. It just seems like it's going to be a pain in the future, unless I grind flats on the nut first. The local Ace had a variety, but most were punched as you say.

If you have a pair of calipers handy, measure the diameter of the fastener and the spacing between threads (I like to measure 10 threads and divide by 10 to reduce measurement errors).

It turns out to be simple - 1/4 by 20. I replaced everything with stainless, using a pair of jam nuts. The handle hole is a lot bigger than 1/4 (forgot to measure) so I lined it with a sleeve. Works great! Naturally it's too warm for a fire now.

 

[BKVP]

The so big satisfaction from BK owners is exactly what brings me here, one satisfied owner is good but as many satisfied ones like for the BK products is certainly not the fruit of the hazard. I think that all ( probably all ) wood stoves have some good points and lower ones , find the one fitting each owners preferences is the question. Good to have forums cause the stove manufacturers informations lead sometimes to unsatisfactions.
Anyway, wood stoves are boxes for burning wood but some have different technology placing them on different levels.

Under Promise: Over Deliver

BKVP

 

[kf6hap]

Stainless steel galls badly during disassembly. I would suggest using anti seize.

 

[kennyp2339]

Well, Thats a wrap for me this season 20-21 burn season was very successful. probably my best year as far as decreased wood consumption, clean burning, and heat output. Thank you BK staff & reps for making a great product, and thank you Chris for giving me that pep talk back in January when I had a lot of questions about cat life and performance. Cant wait till next season.

 

[BKVP]

Well, Thats a wrap for me this season 20-21 burn season was very successful. probably my best year as far as decreased wood consumption, clean burning, and heat output. Thank you BK staff & reps for making a great product, and thank you Chris for giving me that pep talk back in January when I had a lot of questions about cat life and performance. Cant wait till next season.

Thank you....enjoy the warm weather. Utah and Wyoming this week.....

 

[stoveliker]

Thant most definitelycan contribute to the smoke issue....you'll need 2" wide masking tape as well. Wrap it like this...tape will burn off with fire.

I'm a bit surprised by the "tape will burn off with fire" - not surprised that it'll burn, but given the "don't burn trash" mantra (and the "no glossy paper"), apparently the occasional plastic (tape) is not that bad (immediately) for the cat?

 

[Nealm66]

Started a fire this am for the first time in quite a while. Set off the smoke alarms while it was just about to temp.No idea why it does that. Gets a smell for a while. Kinda funny in my situation as I don’t have close neighbors and gets the cats out of the house and the wife out of bed lol. No issues other wise. Wonder if it’s burning some built up creosote inside the stove from low and slow burning? Not really a big deal in my situation as I can leave the entry door open when I start a fire which isn’t too often, just curious

 

[stoveliker]

You should not be smelling anything that is burning inside the firebox. If you do, you have a problem (or left the door of the stove open).

Could be dust burning off that has accumulated on the stove in the time you didn't use it.

 

[Highbeam]

Started a fire this am for the first time in quite a while. Set off the smoke alarms while it was just about to temp.No idea why it does that. Gets a smell for a while. Kinda funny in my situation as I don’t have close neighbors and gets the cats out of the house and the wife out of bed lol. No issues other wise. Wonder if it’s burning some built up creosote inside the stove from low and slow burning? Not really a big deal in my situation as I can leave the entry door open when I start a fire which isn’t too often, just curious

Just dust and junk that settled on it while cold. Will stink in the fall at first burn too. Mine doesn’t set off smoke alarms though, maybe your cats add to the funk coating.

We’re at 65 in the house this morning. Will burn the BK tonight and probably every other day for awhile.

This is the real shoulder season. Upper 70s just a couple of days ago.

 

[stoveliker]

maybe your cats add to the funk coating.

lol, I was wracking my brain trying to understand your remark above, but could not make head nor tail of it - and then it dawned on me that "cats" here were animals rather than (multiple...?!) catalysts...

 

[Diabel]

Is your house super air tight? Likely not, since you guys dont get the massive cold spells.

 

[Nealm66]

You should not be smelling anything that is burning inside the firebox. If you do, you have a problem (or left the door of the stove open).

Could be dust burning off that has accumulated on the stove in the time you didn't use it.

Ya, it’s not dust. No idea. It’s done it a few times but I burn 24/7 for the most part and so it’s not really even a thing. Guessing the smell is burning creosote but just a guess. I had a feeling it might do it this am but it was time to get butts out of bed anyways.

 

[Nealm66]

Is your house super air tight? Likely not, since you guys dont get the massive cold spells.

Not sure, it does have one of those timer fans but I did/helped with most of the construction so I’d question how airtight it is

 

[Nealm66]

That’s a good call though, I’ll leave the door cracked next time ( probably this fall) and see if that eliminates

 

[Poindexter]

I took my old combustor to the local metals place today. We have had a rash of folks cutting catalysts out from under cars and trucks lately, according to the local paper anyway.

The guy at the counter had never been asked to buy a used up wood stove combustor before. I had my receipt in the truck for the new one in case there were questions. He made two phone calls, got two return phone calls and told me he would not give me any money for it but it could be recycled.

So I didn't get any money for it, but there is a wood stove combustor in the recycle system now. I wonder if they will give me any money for the next one fifteen cords from now. Glad it didn't go to the landfill either way.

 

[Highbeam]

I took my old combustor to the local metals place today. We have had a rash of folks cutting catalysts out from under cars and trucks lately, according to the local paper anyway.

The guy at the counter had never been asked to buy a used up wood stove combustor before. I had my receipt in the truck for the new one in case there were questions. He made two phone calls, got two return phone calls and told me he would not give me any money for it but it could be recycled.

So I didn't get any money for it, but there is a wood stove combustor in the recycle system now. I wonder if they will give me any money for the next one fifteen cords from now. Glad it didn't go to the landfill either way.

Worth a try.

 

[nortcan]

I remember some yrs ago , I had the VC Encore and we got smell from a place we didn't know where it came from...One day I removed the stove pipe for cleaning it and I saw some heat insulation from where the stove pipe was connecting to the chimneys starter at the ceiling, I sealed the gap with HT silicone and that was the end of the smell.

 

[stoveliker]

I remember some yrs ago , I had the VC Encore and we got smell from a place we didn't know where it came from...One day I removed the stove pipe for cleaning it and I saw some heat insulation from where the stove pipe was connecting to the chimneys starter at the ceiling, I sealed the gap with HT silicone and that was the end of the smell.

I'd be careful with (even HT) silicone touching stove pipe...

 

[nortcan]

I'd be careful with (even HT) silicone touching stove pipe...

You'r right, but in my case the silicone was not touching the stove pipe.

 

[clancey]

I know this is a stupid question but I would like to know what a combustor is on a stove? Where is it anyway--lol lol..clancey

 

[nortcan]

I know this is a stupid question but I would like to know what a combustor is on a stove? Where is it anyway--lol lol..clancey

Not a stupid question, just a normal one, you certainly know a lot of things that I don't know. A combustor or catalytic device is like a car catalytic gases burner to get a cleaner combustion. In a stove you close a by-pass to route the gases from the combustion to the cat, the combustor ignites at a lower temp. and is fed from the wood burning smoke. that way you can run the stove at lower temp. and get a longer and cleaner burn. It is generally placed inside of the stove at the top before the gases exit to the stove pipe. Well, if all the *by the book* ingredients are included in the recepie. Many other members will come on and give you much more scientific explanations, my English is limiting me for it.

 

[jetsam]

A normal fire emits a lot of flammable byproducts including woodgas and other VOCs.

A catalyst is anything that promotes a reaction without itself being changed.

A wood stove catalyst reburns those flammable emissions, getting you a bunch of "free" heat that would have gone up the chimney otherwise.

More complete combustion gets you more heat, less wood used, and less nasty emissions. If you sniff the stack on a burning cat stove, it doesn't smell like a wood fire because all that stuff got burned off.