2021-2022 BK everything thread

[Nealm66]

Hey guys.
Long time lurker short time cat burner.
We replaced our 80's wood electric burner with a ke40 and I'm loving this 2020 king. it's breathing through 32' of double wall pipe inside the interior masonry chimney.
currently sipping pine and loading enough to carry it for 12 hour reloads with PLENTY of room left over.

That looks like a good setup !

 

[clancey]

Sure does look nice and I bet the heat goes up those steps too...clancey

 

[circle_burner]

Sure does look nice and I bet the heat goes up those steps too...clancey

You bet. The heat also goes up via the 3'x3' opening in the floor that is behind and to the right of the stove. Then it's an open all the way to the 2nd floor.

 

[begreen]

it's breathing through 32' of double wall pipe inside the interior masonry chimney.

Is this 2 ply stainless liner or actual double-wall connector pipe?

 

[circle_burner]

That looks like a good setup !

Thanks! I'm heating 3600ft of combo log home that leaks like Swiss cheese.

The stove is in the partially finished basement with a pretty straight shot up to the living areas.

Running it steady and low I'm able to keep the house between 19-21C. This week we've had outside temperatures between -5 and 9C.

 

[circle_burner]

Is this 2 ply stainless liner or actual double-wall connector pipe?

Its all double wall and mostly 48" sections of rigid pipe. We weren't sure it would fit in the 10" clay liner that was NFG

 

[begreen]

Its all double wall and mostly 48" sections of rigid pipe. We weren't sure it would fit in the 10" clay liner that was NFG

What product? It's probably fine, but normally double wall pipe is connector. However, there is an exception. Is this DuraLiner?

 

[circle_burner]

What product? It's probably fine, but normally double wall pipe is connector. However, there is an exception. Is this DuraLiner?

Its Duravent brand duraliner.
Part number 8-dlr 48.
They hosed me over 300$ a section.

The chimney was a big part of the cost of the install, but it pulls like a train.

 

[Nealm66]

Do the smaller 12 hour pine loads work for keeping the house from getting too warm? I played with with smaller fires and found just letting them go out worked better than keeping a small fire burning. Finally cooled off enough around here I can keep it going on low - 24ish -princess. Was curious how that would work with the king

 

[begreen]

Its Duravent brand duraliner.
Part number 8-dlr 48.
They hosed me over 300$ a section.

The chimney was a big part of the cost of the install, but it pulls like a train.

Good deal. That's the right stuff. Ouch on the charge.

 

[circle_burner]

Do the smaller 12 hour pine loads work for keeping the house from getting too warm? I played with with smaller fires and found just letting them go out worked better than keeping a small fire burning. Finally cooled off enough around here I can keep it going on low - 24ish -princess. Was curious how that would work with the king

I imagine it would be the same with the king in your situation.

I'm guessing it's the brand new hyper active cat allowing these long low burns without it stalling. we'll see how it acts in spring shoulder season.

It does leave the logs left along the side walls as coals for next load.

 

[BKVP]

Good deal. That's the right stuff. Ouch on the charge.

$300 Canadian.....

 

[sacountry]

My new BK. What I've learned and what I'd like to know.

I learned that burning low/slow causes creosote building up on the glass. I've also learned that a prolonged "hot" fire with the tstat wide open will self clean the glass, much like a self cleaning oven.

What I've also learned is that my wife likes a very hot stove, but to her credit we leaned on the BK vs turning on the propane furnace when temps dropped into the teens this last week. So it's very encouraging to see the big belly of this BK tackle that challenge.

My concern, and thus what I would like to know, are there any risks with extended "hot" burns vs the low/slow burns this stove is known for? Burning fuels found in NW Montana including larch, Doug fir, and Lodge pole, typically finding stuff that's been seasoned at least a couple of years in full log form . Recall I replaced a BK that had melted internal steel plates that probably was caused from burning duraflame type logs.

 

[kennyp2339]

My new BK. What I've learned and what I'd like to know.

I learned that burning low/slow causes creosote building up on the glass. I've also learned that a prolonged "hot" fire with the tstat wide open will self clean the glass, much like a self cleaning oven.

What I've also learned is that my wife likes a very hot stove, but to her credit we leaned on the BK vs turning on the propane furnace when temps dropped into the teens this last week. So it's very encouraging to see the big belly of this BK tackle that challenge.

My concern, and thus what I would like to know, are there any risks with extended "hot" burns vs the low/slow burns this stove is known for? Burning fuels found in NW Montana including larch, Doug fir, and Lodge pole, typically finding stuff that's been seasoned at least a couple of years in full log form . Recall I replaced a BK that had melted internal steel plates that probably was caused from burning duraflame type logs.

As long as your draft is within the parameters of .05" wc running hot should have no effects other then shorter burn times, the stove is designed to not over-fire or damage internal components. Also if you choose to run at high settings after a few weeks pull the flame shield and check the cat for any scaling between the cells.
When the temps drop by me I'll run the princess on a higher setting, never had an issue, what you'll find though is that the BK can maintain house temps with its steady flat output, Once you find your cruise zone you'll see what I'm saying, I tend to shift to 8-12hr burns once we dip into the lower 20's and below outside, when we get the occasional single digits or below zero I'll use some oil heat to.

 

[MissMac]

My new BK. What I've learned and what I'd like to know.

I learned that burning low/slow causes creosote building up on the glass. I've also learned that a prolonged "hot" fire with the tstat wide open will self clean the glass, much like a self cleaning oven.

What I've also learned is that my wife likes a very hot stove, but to her credit we leaned on the BK vs turning on the propane furnace when temps dropped into the teens this last week. So it's very encouraging to see the big belly of this BK tackle that challenge.

My concern, and thus what I would like to know, are there any risks with extended "hot" burns vs the low/slow burns this stove is known for? Burning fuels found in NW Montana including larch, Doug fir, and Lodge pole, typically finding stuff that's been seasoned at least a couple of years in full log form . Recall I replaced a BK that had melted internal steel plates that probably was caused from burning duraflame type logs.

In deep winter, I will run my Sirocco wide open on a load of jack pine with no problems. The stove pings and groans every once in awhile, but I haven't had any issues. Wide open burns happened a lot my first year before I learned the subtle nuances of the stove. Now I find that even in the coldest weather, I can dial my stove down a bit and use the fan to achieve the same heating results.

 

[kennyp2339]

I also forgot to add that it is recommended by BK in the manual to run one wide open fire a week to burn off creosote that forms in the firebox from low burns.

 

[Highbeam]

Just be sure to close the bypass when the cat temperature gauge indicates active and then the stat is supposed to prevent damage to the stove.

These Bk stoves get very hot but can also can run low and slow. That range of outputs is why they are so valuable.

When burning the pitchy bottom sections of Doug fir I find the flue temperatures can climb higher than I like during high burns so I back it down a bit. Perhaps I’m being overly cautious but I don’t need as much heat as some people so it works out.

Oh and 12 hours on pine in a king is no big deal. Fill that firebox tight with pine and crank the thermostat down to a setting so low that the cat meter stays in the middle of the range and I wouldn’t be surprised if it can do 20.

 

[Nealm66]

I think running on high is a waste of heat. I leave mine at it’s sweet spot and let it do it’s thing. It seems like it kicks up a little when it’s colder out on its own and I even see some rolling flames. I hear you about the Doug fir. Would make me nervous to leave it open

 

[Highbeam]

I think running on high is a waste of heat. I leave mine at it’s sweet spot and let it do it’s thing. It seems like it kicks up a little when it’s colder out on its own and I even see some rolling flames. I hear you about the Doug fir. Would make me nervous to leave it open

I find that it smokes a lot more with the high pitch at higher settings too. Blue to black emissions. Honestly the noncat does it too with pitch. Some pieces have surface pitch and some are soaked all the way through. On lower burn rates, once at steady state, the Bk cat system is able to eat the pitch smoke.

I’m talking real pitch. What some folks would call fat wood. I burn a lot of logging waste which often includes the butts.

 

[stoveliker]

I find that it smokes a lot more with the high pitch at higher settings too. Blue to black emissions. Honestly the noncat does it too with pitch. Some pieces have surface pitch and some are soaked all the way through. On lower burn rates, once at steady state, the Bk cat system is able to eat the pitch smoke.

I’m talking real pitch. What some folks would call fat wood. I burn a lot of logging waste which often includes the butts.

Does that suggest that the cat should have been a bit bigger in order to eat all that is generated when running fast? After all, pine and fir is a "staple" food for BKs in some places, so it's not an exception in its use...

 

[sacountry]

I think running on high is a waste of heat. I leave mine at it’s sweet spot and let it do it’s thing. It seems like it kicks up a little when it’s colder out on its own and I even see some rolling flames. I hear you about the Doug fir. Would make me nervous to leave it open

I don't disagree. There's a little cat n mouse I'm playing with my wife right now. She'll turn the tstat wide open to the 6:00 position before bed and I'll sneak downstairs to close it down to about the 3:00 position. The difference in philosophy....I'm trying to make the wood last through the night, she's trying maintain the home's upper 60 degree temp so we don't have to play catch-up in the morning. Soon the cat n mouse game will involve her running the chain saws and log splitter

 

[stoveliker]

I don't disagree. There's a little cat n mouse I'm playing with my wife right now. She'll turn the tstat wide open to the 6:00 position before bed and I'll sneak downstairs to close it down to about the 3:00 position. The difference in philosophy....I'm trying to make the wood last through the night, she's trying maintain the home's upper 60 degree temp so we don't have to play catch-up in the morning. Soon the cat n mouse game will involve her running the chain saws and log splitter

Let her win. Its results in dresscode at home may please you.

 

[sacountry]

Let her win. Its results in dresscode at home may please you.

That was the hardest I've laughed on a message board in a long time.

 

[Nealm66]

Lol. This is my second season. I told my wife if she got could she could adjust the swoosh and she did a couple times but hasn’t messed with it much at all. House is pretty well insulated and creeps into the mid to upper 70’s towards the evening this time of year but I have it on a nice 24 hour setting so I’ll let it be.

 

[Nealm66]

One thing I tried this year was to open the door to insulated 3 car garage. Odd but doesn’t make any difference. Guessing it just heated it and that heated the above space. No clue. Princess didn’t care