2020-21 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK)

[begreen]

Yes. I will be due for some replacement bricks in a few years I think. They've held up very well, but I have carelessly cracked a couple. I figured I could buy several now if the price was good.

 

[Highbeam]

We like to sell our own bricks for certain. Our brick are manufactured in Oregon and we've used them for decades. We did at one time manufacture a secondary combustion model and in that model we used the more dense (for thermal assistance) bricks. Also U.L. is only one of about 6 safety test agencies. Few folks use U.L. in our stove industry, most use OMNI, PFS-Teco, Interteck Warnock Hersey etc. The actual brick density is not measured during safety tests for our units.

With a combustor being used, we don't require the thermal assistance provided by the more dense bricks. As to cost, I have often found our pumice bricks to be less costly than the more dense bricks. I guess it depends upon where you are looking. As to warranty in our stoves, you can use either.

Well now isn’t that just delightful? Thank you Chris! I’m happy that the safety police weren’t right and I can use whatever bricks I like the most! Rather than tolerate a cracked side brick I think I’ll replace them this year.

The side bricks on my princes are at an outward angle like a bowl and are not supported in the middle so it’s pretty easy to crack them. Behind the bricks is this void space that fills with debris.

I would use pumice if the lumberyard had them at the same price but they don’t even have them and online sources show them as more expensive.

 

[begreen]

It's hard to imagine the solid bricks replacing pumice bricks not affecting the clearances. Solid ceramic bricks are better conductors of heat than porous pumice brick. Probably not an issue on a stove with full side and rear shielding like the T6. But it seems like it could be on unshielded stoves.

 

[Boxer]

I finally got around to cleaning my chimney and glass on my insert. The flue pipe was very clean so this leads me to believe the combustor is still doing its thing. The problem is when I took the flame guard off to inspect the combustor it was loose in its slot. The gasket had just fell apart.
the honeycomb part is warped pretty good also. I don’t know if this even matters. The question is what should I do about this? Should I buy a new Cat, buy a new gasket or try to warranty a new one? I went to my dealer today and was blown away that they didn’t even want to talk to me! I was ready to buy a new cat if that’s what it takes. He wouldn’t even look up parts for me. Blaze King has a real problem with this dealer if they treat everyone like they did me today. I paid more for this stove because of the warranty and all I got today was told to call the factory!! The factory says to call the dealer.
Rant over…. should I buy a new cat, if so what one and where?
thanks in advance

 

[begreen]

If the cat is in good shape then just get a new Interam gasket for it. There are several how to and resource postings in the all things BK thread on this topic. I'll move this posting over there to make it easier to find. Search for "gasket" in this thread.

2020-21 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK)

Time to start a new thread for the upcoming season.

www.hearth.com

 

[BKVP]

I finally got around to cleaning my chimney and glass on my insert. The flue pipe was very clean so this leads me to believe the combustor is still doing its thing. The problem is when I took the flame guard off to inspect the combustor it was loose in its slot. The gasket had just fell apart.
the honeycomb part is warped pretty good also. I don’t know if this even matters. The question is what should I do about this? Should I buy a new Cat, buy a new gasket or try to warranty a new one? I went to my dealer today and was blown away that they didn’t even want to talk to me! I was ready to buy a new cat if that’s what it takes. He wouldn’t even look up parts for me. Blaze King has a real problem with this dealer if they treat everyone like they did me today. I paid more for this stove because of the warranty and all I got today was told to call the factory!! The factory says to call the dealer.
Rant over…. should I buy a new cat, if so what one and where?
thanks in advance

PM me dealer contact information please.

 

[Poindexter]

I finally got around to cleaning my chimney and glass on my insert. The flue pipe was very clean so this leads me to believe the combustor is still doing its thing. The problem is when I took the flame guard off to inspect the combustor it was loose in its slot. The gasket had just fell apart.
the honeycomb part is warped pretty good also. I don’t know if this even matters. The question is what should I do about this? Should I buy a new Cat, buy a new gasket or try to warranty a new one? I went to my dealer today and was blown away that they didn’t even want to talk to me! I was ready to buy a new cat if that’s what it takes. He wouldn’t even look up parts for me. Blaze King has a real problem with this dealer if they treat everyone like they did me today. I paid more for this stove because of the warranty and all I got today was told to call the factory!! The factory says to call the dealer.
Rant over…. should I buy a new cat, if so what one and where?
thanks in advance

The gasket starts falling apart before the first reload, in my experience. If you pulled the combustor, you will need to reinstall it with a new gasket, every time. My honeycomb shape is distorted after the first cord through the new combustor, my life expectancy for a combustor is fairly low, but I look for 15-20 cords through a combustor before efficiency starts falling off. That is two years up here, but for a typical lower 48 user burning four cords per year you should be good for four years if you leave it alone, the stove was running fine and your pipe is clean.

In previous threads here 10-15k active hours per combustor is pretty average. I get about 8k active hours out of mine, but my wife wanted a little smaller stove than I would have picked so I run my BK higher/hotter than most.

I notice my combutor is ready to change when I have to turn the throttle knob on the side up higher than I am used to, to keep the house as warm as I want, given outdoor ambient conditions. Usually takes me about a week to notice I am carrying more wood up the stairs than I ought to be.

As far as I know all the flame guards are loose in their slots in every model. I have only tried two or three floor models, but gravity is dependable and that piece does not need to be bolted in. If my combustor is working good I have never tried wiggling it, I have no idea if working combustor is loose in its slot. I am on I think my fourth combustor now and all of them the honeycomb was plenty out of square long before they stopped working good.

My opinion is BK is just moving east of the Mississippi in the last three to four years. The dealers in eastern and central time zones just don't have the experience with alien technology yet, compared to mountain, pacific and eastern and western Alaska. On the combustors I have changed earlier than most, only one of them so far had pieces falling out when I took it out of the stove. Even the one with pieces falling out was working just fine a week or two ago.

Please do post some pictutures of your combustor so we can cogitate, but if you got less than 20 cords through that stove your biggest problem is going to be coming up with the three bucks to replace your combustor gasket, and re-installing your perfectly fine combustor with a new gasket on it.

 

[Boxer]

Thanks for the reply. Here are some pictures of what I have. My main concern is the actual honeycomb part is bowed and out of the metal retainer. I didn’t intend to pull it. I always just usually take a brush on the shop vac and clean off the fly ash periodically. This time the combustor was just sitting loosely in there. The gasket was mostly gone. It was always very tight in the slot before. I did order a new gasket and have no problem putting it back in if it’s ok. It’s like the whole assembly is bowed. Maybe I burned it too hot? I just don’t want to be caught without a working stove come fall.

 

[Poindexter]

I just don’t want to be caught without a working stove come fall.

If BKVP or begreen say to replace that with a new combustor I would take their advice and replace it. At my house on my fourth combustor (I have an Ashford 30, a much bigger stove) I wouldn't have taken that combustor out in the first place.

I was unable to talk my local dealer into letting me beta a 25 insert as a Boxer 24 freestander for them. I think those innards as a Boxer 24 freestander will work very well in a home a (quite a) bit smaller than mine. BKVP didn't seem super interested in me running, I think it was Boxer 24 serial number 2, like a red headed step child either. Given my Ashford 30 is a bit smaller than I really need (but my wife likes the look) and I really should be running a Princess (except my wife doesn't like the look) , I can't blame them for not wanting me to test a much smaller stove to destruction.

So I have never personally run one exactly like yours, but on my Ashford 30 you would be showing me a combustor that is broken in and probably working good.

With the right envelope, sqft and climate the 25insert/24 freestander should be a really good working heater. I have seriously considered, more than twice, building a shed in my back yard so I could install a Boxer24 in it to see how good the stove is.

How many cords have you burnt? Have any of the foil pieces fallen out? Have you noticed a drop off in the stove's performance? I suspect @BKVP or @begreen will respond before your new gasket comes in.

 

[BKVP]

If BKVP or begreen say to replace that with a new combustor I would take their advice and replace it. At my house on my fourth combustor (I have an Ashford 30, a much bigger stove) I wouldn't have taken that combustor out in the first place.

I was unable to talk my local dealer into letting me beta a 25 insert as a Boxer 24 freestander for them. I think those innards as a Boxer 24 freestander will work very well in a home a (quite a) bit smaller than mine. BKVP didn't seem super interested in me running, I think it was Boxer 24 serial number 2, like a red headed step child either. Given my Ashford 30 is a bit smaller than I really need (but my wife likes the look) and I really should be running a Princess (except my wife doesn't like the look) , I can't blame them for not wanting me to test a much smaller stove to destruction.

So I have never personally run one exactly like yours, but on my Ashford 30 you would be showing me a combustor that is broken in and probably working good.

With the right envelope, sqft and climate the 25insert/24 freestander should be a really good working heater. I have seriously considered, more than twice, building a shed in my back yard so I could install a Boxer24 in it to see how good the stove is.

How many cords have you burnt? Have any of the foil pieces fallen out? Have you noticed a drop off in the stove's performance? I suspect @BKVP or @begreen will respond before your new gasket comes in.

We did speak regarding this. I suggested that if a new gasket and the reinstall does not result in a nice seal (once burned to allow for the gasket to expand) the OP can use the 10 year, 100% no fault warranty. We can work to make certain the replacement does fit snug after the first fire.

Headed to FAI next week! Flying back to the fires tomorrow from RDU.

 

[BKVP]

Found new source for smaller pieces! Guy makes horse stall boards of Doug fir. Anything from 16' trees not large enough gets bundled. Each bundle is 4,000 lbs. 16' x 4' x 4'

He has agreed to sell them $50 per bundle. Purchased 4 bundles, got 2 home yesterday. Have to get rest when I return from AK.

I need to get 10 more at this price! Plenty of space to store them.

 

[Nealm66]

That’s a lot of bark. Will be interesting to see how it works for you.

 

[stoveliker]

Found new source for smaller pieces! Guy makes horse stall boards of Doug fir. Anything from 16' trees not large enough gets bundled. Each bundle is 4,000 lbs. 16' x 4' x 4'

He has agreed to sell them $50 per bundle. Purchased 4 bundles, got 2 home yesterday. Have to get rest when I return from AK.

I need to get 10 more at this price! Plenty of space to store them.View attachment 280510

Should have cut more trees a few years ago, or is this for some standard testing?

 

[Highbeam]

Those slabs will burn well and the price is right but are contrary to the directions for ideal fuel in the BK which is large splits for a long, low, even burn giving maximum efficiency and minimum emissions. Even in a noncat you’ll have rapid off gassing.

Best place to burn those is a modern wood boiler.

 

[begreen]

That’s a lot of bark. Will be interesting to see how it works for you.

Bark will burn, but there's a lot of silica in it. This looks like clinker city.

 

[Nealm66]

Going to be nice for stacking. I used to have a bark weekend in my old pre epa stove. Had to be a cold weekend cus that stuff would get hot

 

[stoveliker]

I had the experience (maple bark.fallen off of splits) that bark does give quite some soot and particulates. I don't burn stacks of closely packed bark anymore.

 

[Nealm66]

I guess I should add that what I burned on bark day was thick Doug fir bark. The thin stuff really didn’t do much but the thick stuff would eventually get to a red glow and I was always told not to over load when burning bark.

 

[BKVP]

That’s a lot of bark. Will be interesting to see how it works for you.

Bark is Biomass. Makes lots of ash, but heck it's a Blaze King King 40, plenty of room for bark!

 

[BKVP]

I guess I should add that what I burned on bark day was thick Doug fir bark. The thin stuff really didn’t do much but the thick stuff would eventually get to a red glow and I was always told not to over load when burning bark.

The bark is rather thin. I am just getting ready for the whole Woodstove Tetris contest I have wanted to conduct! I have 12 cords of regular fuel, but this stuff will be great for "attended fires" and filling in voids for "unattended fires". Those are the new terms for the test method in development.

He also has many more giant trees that were too dry for his projects. He burns a Princess and buys trees year round from a logging outfit. I think he can store about 30-50 cords in my yard! I'll take good care of them....

 

[Nealm66]

Pretty sure that’s going to pack a long burn time. Might have to make gaps lol.

 

[kennyp2339]

I think @Poindexter should get the honors of starting the 21-22 thread this year, when Alaska is ready to burn, then we're all ready to get started, what does everyone think?

 

[Tron]

I think @Poindexter should get the honors of starting the 21-22 thread this year, when Alaska is ready to burn, then we're all ready to get started, what does everyone think?

I guess I'll join in sometime in November, then ;-)

 

[BKVP]

I think @Poindexter should get the honors of starting the 21-22 thread this year, when Alaska is ready to burn, then we're all ready to get started, what does everyone think?

I'll ask him when I land in Fairbanks in a couple of hours...but I support it!

 

[begreen]

Have him check in. At 90 pages, it will get started at the beginning of August regardless.