2021-2022 BK everything thread

[stoveliker]

Ok. It can be hard to distinguish smoke from water vapor, but smoke it is.

There are folks here with two dampers - though I'm not sure that was for a BK. But 32' straight up may need this. Be aware that if this is indeed the problem, it will get worse as winter weather gets colder.

 

[ABMax24]

Definitely smoke. Too much draft was my thought, but I haven't purchased a manometer yet. The current damper is closed all of the way but the Excel damper's internal plate has cut outs so it doesn't block 100% of the air. I can add another damper at the support box if it's needed.

I have the same damper and just modified mine, took a couple stainless bolts and fender washers and blocked the ICC in the damper. There are still times I wish it was a little more restrictive but this works fine 95% of the time. I've got 36 vertical feet in my flue setup on an easy breathing SBI box, and this worked wonders.

 

[kennyp2339]

Back in the saddle here, red oak, cherry and splash of maple

 

[MissMac]

Coming back to my original question. Doesn't appear as though my wife can overburn/harm the BK King, but I do need to highlight to her the wasted gas/fuel that goes out the stack when burning on high....not to mentioned that she remain comfortably dressed all winter long in the 3:00-3:30 position on the tstat.

I have to admit I really like the control the stove has over the flame. I can dial right down to a flicker of a slow flame further yet to just keeping the coals hot, "black in the box" as I'm learning you guys like to say. I never imagined that kind of control in a stove. With propane prices set to spike by 40% in my area, I'm really hoping our 8 cord wood supply is enough. Might have to go harvest a couple more logs just to make sure.

Holy smokes, I think you'll be good with the 8 cords man! I will be giving you 157 shocked emoji faces if you somehow put all 8 through your BK this winter.

 

[dh1989]

Temperature going down to the 40s tonight here. I just cleaned up the stove and swept with the Sooteater. Last season's creosote is ready to be burned up, along with a piece of charred log that was left behind. Note the new metal gate around the stove which I recently set up to keep our 1 year old away. It will probably be a smelly start as I just lubricated the squeaky door hinge with some copper lubricant.

 

[kennyp2339]

First burn is in, I need to let the stove cool off and make some adjustments, My door gasket seems ok but I think I'm going to change it out, along with the window gasket (never changed in the previous 6 seasons)
I need to adjust and grease the cam shaft for the bi-pass, it was a little crunchy this morning when I disengaged the cat. Other then that, all systems go, the stove worked great for its first burn of 2021 -2022 season.

 

[Bill in the U.P.]

Midwesthearth.com

Finally getting around to putting in an order and notice there is a space for a discount code. I'd love to save a few dollars ($275 price tag for the combuster). Did a quick search online and didn't find anything that would work. Any ideas or help?

 

[BKVP]

Finally getting around to putting in an order and notice there is a space for a discount code. I'd love to save a few dollars ($275 price tag for the combuster). Did a quick search online and didn't find anything that would work. Any ideas or help?

I believe that is for retailers that purchase volume based orders...but heck if I know.

 

[Highbeam]

Finally getting around to putting in an order and notice there is a space for a discount code. I'd love to save a few dollars ($275 price tag for the combuster). Did a quick search online and didn't find anything that would work. Any ideas or help?

Maybe even contact Midwest and ask what is needed to get a code. Sometimes it's easier for them to just give you one.

 

[bikedennis]

My new Sirocco has been in use for a week and I have been burning very dry pine and have not observed smoke out of the chimney. Now, burning dry fir (18% MC) the stove is emitting a steady stream of smoke from the chimney with the thermostat at 2 o'clock. Not a lot o f smoke but being a worrier, I'm wondering if this is normal or did I have the false notion that BK's produced very little to no smoke.

 

[stoveliker]

My new Sirocco has been in use for a week and I have been burning very dry pine and have not observed smoke out of the chimney. Now, burning dry fir (18% MC) the stove is emitting a steady stream of smoke from the chimney with the thermostat at 2 o'clock. Not a lot o f smoke but being a worrier, I'm wondering if this is normal or did I have the false notion that BK's produced very little to no smoke.

Is it colder now?
18% should be good. If your cat is active (and your flue stack is not too tall), that all appears to work. If it is colder now, could it be steam?

 

[Highbeam]

My new Sirocco has been in use for a week and I have been burning very dry pine and have not observed smoke out of the chimney. Now, burning dry fir (18% MC) the stove is emitting a steady stream of smoke from the chimney with the thermostat at 2 o'clock. Not a lot o f smoke but being a worrier, I'm wondering if this is normal or did I have the false notion that BK's produced very little to no smoke.

I too burn fir, 100% doug fir right now. It makes light blue smoke more often than other woods. Some folks blame the bark, some blame the higher pitch content, who knows. If the cat meter is well up into the active zone and the stove is at equilibrium (thermostat has been untouched hours) then it is what it is and there's nothing you can do.

Oh and it's almost never steam with an active cat. That very remote possibility is evident by the detached plume where there is a clear gap between the chimney cap and the appearance of a white plume.

 

[stoveliker]

Oh and it's almost never steam with an active cat. That very remote possibility is evident by the detached plume where there is a clear gap between the chimney cap and the appearance of a white plume.

... which was the almost standard mode I saw for my stove burning last winter. A break (though small - cooler chimney here, I guess), and then dissolving rather than diluting.

I think it happens more often than people think.

I haven't burned fir. It was mostly maple, cherry, sassafras last winter.

 

[Highbeam]

... which was the almost standard mode I saw for my stove burning last winter. A break (though small - cooler chimney here, I guess), and then dissolving rather than diluting.

I think it happens more often than people think.

I haven't burned fir. It was mostly maple, cherry, sassafras last winter.

Remember though, you have a 27' exterior masonry stack that makes you fall into an outlier camp. Your flue temperatures have a much higher chance than most of cooling to the dewpoint. Yes, there is dissolved water in all of our exhaust streams so yes it is possible to get steam.

Perhaps "almost never" was too strong but it is also pretty obvious when it's just pure steam.

 

[stoveliker]

Remember though, you have a 27' exterior masonry stack that makes you fall into an outlier camp. Your flue temperatures have a much higher chance than most of cooling to the dewpoint. Yes, there is dissolved water in all of our exhaust streams so yes it is possible to get steam.

Perhaps "almost never" was too strong but it is also pretty obvious when it's just pure steam.

I agree- hence the cooler remark.
You're on the other side of the spectrum. Maybe the frequency is someplace in the middle between almost never and often.

We don't know the OPs stack height. At least it's clear that steam is a possibility.

 

[bikedennis]

My stack height is about 20 feet from top of stove to the cap.

 

[BKVP]

Immediately after lighting or refueling, there can be some smoke for a very short period of time. However, if you are locking down the bypass (cam over) you should not see smoke 95%+% of the time....

 

[Highbeam]

My stack height is about 20 feet from top of stove to the cap.

What color is the smoke? Is it thick or is it almost see through like a haze? One person's smoke is another person's no smoke. I estimate that more than 50% of the time I have something visible leaving the stack. Steam, smoke, blue, white, grey, or a combination. That's with an always fresh cat, doug fir with bark in the low teens MC, and flue temps over 400.

The smoke emissions are not bad enough to be illegal in my regulated area because the opacity must be pretty bad before it's illegal but there is no missing that I am burning. We also have burn bans occasionally and stealth burning is always a good thing. I've given up on stealth burning for the most part.

The stove performs like new though and is a real pleasure to operate. My bypass gasket passes the dollar bill test, door seals tight, very controllable burn and warm home.

 

[Diabel]

My bk will always smoke immediately after closing the bypass (cat probe just in active zone) for about 20min.

During the burn cycle, sometimes it will smoke other times it will not. Some days it will go through the whole burn without any visible smoke/steam. Sometimes it will start smoking 8h into the burn then stop after 30min or so. I stopped paying attention.

 

[Diabel]

My bk will always smoke immediately after closing the bypass (cat probe just in active zone) for about 20min.

During the burn cycle, sometimes it will smoke other times it will not. Some days it will go through the whole burn without any visible smoke/steam. Sometimes it will start smoking 8h into the burn then stop after 30min or so. I stopped paying attention.

Btw my VC sometimes will do the same.

 

[Nealm66]

I don’t notice blue smoke when I’m burning Doug fir except right after reloading on a late refuel. I do notice steam when it’s cold for a bit after reloading when it’s an early refuel. No bark on mine though to speak of

 

[kennyp2339]

And yes, I will try to rationalize what I see - that's the defect in my brain... But I enjoy that.

Your an addict to the BK lol, now go count the holes in your flame shield

 

[stoveliker]

Your an addict to the BK lol, now go count the holes in your flame shield

Lol. When I first light it. I'll report back
Unfortunately that may be near the start of December...

 

[kennyp2339]

So one of the things I noticed after lighting my stove and letting it warm up the other day with the pipe damper open was a whistling sound at the flue collar, would a leaky connection there be the reason why I have strong draft? It goes away when I close the damper. My rational thinking is the warm air from the stove and the cooler air outside is creating a greater imbalance and giving me more draft, plus low pressure to high pressure - basement to roof line. Maybe some experimental gasket work needs to happen.

 

[stoveliker]

I'd think any air entering the flue at the collar or above decreases the pull on your stove...?

I mean the pull of your chimney is partially satisfied by air leaking in rather than by air being pulled through your stove...