2022-2023 BK everything thread

[Nealm66]

I wonder too if the smaller sirocco size ratio to the cat might play a part?

 

[Crummy]

I wonder too if the smaller sirocco size ratio to the cat might play a part?

I have no idea. I would assume the cat is smaller in a smaller stove but once again I don't know.

 

[stoveliker]

Could be the fancy cat but I'm guessing it's the amount of wood through it so far. I just measured the void in the woodshed and we are just barely over a cord so far. Looks as though stuffing the Sirocco 20 full morning and night takes just about .45 cord a month. I have been doing a small evening load sometimes just for fun and a little extra heat but probably not enough to change the average much. Lately the evening has been some 2" cutoffs I took off a 1/4 cord of 18" wood I had.

We've dipped below zero several times already but are currently sitting at +13° this morning. House sticks around 70°-72° most the time until about -20°. Seemed like -20° was the magic number where the house dropped to 68° and the boiler kicked on for a few minutes.

So you have the 20 firebox, and run 12 hr loads at <20 F temps.
What is the square footage of your home again?

 

[Crummy]

I just did my morning reload and this is after about 15 minutes on high. It was at about 11:00 before the reload so it didn't have far to go

 

[Crummy]

So you have the 20 firebox, and run 12 hr loads at <20 F temps.
What is the square footage of your home again?

Well I would have to get out a tape measure to figure out the exact space we are heating. The whole house is just shy of 2000 sqft plus a 2 car garage but the stove just does the living room, kitchen, dining area and upstairs bedroom/bathroom. I would have to guess 1200ish sqft is heated with the stove. Halfway downstairs is a 1/2 bath and then two bedrooms, bathroom and family room on the lower level that doesn't get heat from the stove. I imagine some boiler heat from the lower level also radiates up to the level with the woodstove so there is that too. I believe it was -17° or -18 the other morning when I noticed that the temperature had dropped to 68° and the baseboards were warm so the little stove doesn't do too bad. I could tell it was the first time the baseboards had kicked on because after several months with no heat in them there is a dust burning smell when they do kick on.

 

[Nealm66]

That’s impressive!

 

[Ashful]

I wonder what

Better than -30 or -40° that will be here way too soon. Seems like down to about -20° it's business as usual but once it's colder than that things in general start falling apart.

I wonder what teenagers do in North Pole, AK, when ours are sneaking out for a smoke, beer, or to piss in the back garden. -30 to -40F is way too cold for that.

 

[Crummy]

I wonder what

Just things in general. Examples would be that people who park outside start having trouble getting their vehicle's started, plumbing freezes up where not properly insulated, equipment becomes brittle and more prone to failure and many more things along that line. At those temperatures it often seems like everything you touch just breaks and life is simpler to just stay by the woodstove.

As far as the kids they just carry on with business as usual. I don't know if they're climatized or just dumb.

 

[BKVP]

They don't pee on electric fence wires...

 

[Diabel]

I've never seen a cat die in any dramatic fashion

Really!

I have, and I do not drive that much😜. Work from home.

 

[stoveliker]

I have too (In fact, the dying was quick but only after I encountered them in prolonged suffering on the road. With a bicycle... This was one of the more impactful things I've done in my life. But the right thing to do. I was 13, and riding my bicycle to work at 6.30 am on a Saturday morning.)

I think the drama on combustor cats occurs when one is slowly dying without that being noticed, until at some point chit hits the fan - or in this case, creosote hits the cap. I.e. the drama depends on how tuned-in one is on the timing (see bkvp) and the stack (smoke and deposits). But this is all without having gone thru this myself, yet.
I do have a spare one in my "stove shelf" in the garage.

 

[Ashful]

They don't pee on electric fence wires...

Almost did that once. Then a friend warned me, and I didn't believe him, that it was electrified. So, I did something almost as stupid, by breaking a too-short green branch out of a live tree and using that to touch the fence. Still got hit, thru the branch.

 

[Nealm66]

Some of those fences are hot. I’ve seen cattle bull through blackberry bryers like nothing but hit a hot fence and jump and fart and run like hell the other direction. Definitely not something to pee on

 

[Nealm66]

How’s those Idaho logs treating you bkvp? I’m running a small load of fir in the am and press logs at night in our cold snap. Perfect princess weather

 

[BKVP]

How’s those Idaho logs treating you bkvp? I’m running a small load of fir in the am and press logs at night in our cold snap. Perfect princess weather

Love them. No complaints by wife while I was in Nashville and now in Denver...back Monday. She loads 3 logs in a.m. and 3 at bedtime. I'll update later. I'm still working on combustor warranty data to validate hardwoods versus softwood on combustor lifespan.

 

[moresnow]

Love them. No complaints by wife while I was in Nashville and now in Denver...back Monday. She loads 3 logs in a.m. and 3 at bedtime. I'll update later. I'm still working on combustor warranty data to validate hardwoods versus softwood on combustor lifespan.

Will you be providing the hardwood/softwood combustor lifespan results? Some of us would find this very interesting. Thanks

 

[BKVP]

Will you be providing the hardwood/softwood combustor lifespan results? Some of us would find this very interesting. Thanks

Yes, but remember margin of error because hardwoods are in available everywhere and softwood are also widespread.

 

[moresnow]

Yes, but remember margin of error because hardwoods are in available everywhere and softwood are also widespread.

Roger that.

 

[Teachme]

Ok So I have my new Bk 40 In and running and wow am I impressed so far (ITs only been 3 days so I wont say much till I have more time in.) My one ? is this with my VC I ran a kettle on top to add water to the air. With the bk 40 it doesn't boilie and steam out what can or should I do? advice?

 

[BKVP]

Place it near the cat thermometer. That is hottest surface area. I used a steamer in the past, works best when burning at higher burn temps.

 

[Ashful]

Steamers help, but generally don't add as much moisture to the air as your house really needs. You'd do better just running a humidifier, no matter which stove you operate. I have three of these going in my house, all winter:

Honeywell HEV620 Cool Moisture Humidifier with Humidistat

This Honeywell Cool Mist humidifier delivers comfortable humidity to help keep throat and nasal passages hydrated.

www.kohls.com

 

[shgRUSS]

I try to hang dry as much clothes as possible. You get free humidity and the clothes last longer without banging around in the dryer.

 

[Ashful]

I try to hang dry as much clothes as possible. You get free humidity and the clothes last longer without banging around in the dryer.

I have hooks across the facia of one of my fireplaces specifically for hanging snow gear. The kids use them constantly, hanging their wet gear here when they come in from playing in the snow. I leave them there until the next reload, when I want them out of the way for the hot part before turning down to cruise on low again. Even on low, you want a reasonably large fireplace to get away with this, such that the garments are kept at some reasonable distance from the stove.

 

[BKVP]

I have hooks across the facia of one of my fireplaces specifically for hanging snow gear. The kids use them constantly, hanging their wet gear here when they come in from playing in the snow. I leave them there until the next reload, when I want them out of the way for the hot part before turning down to cruise on low again. Even on low, you want a reasonably large fireplace to get away with this, such that the garments are kept at some reasonable distance from the stove.


View attachment 302553

What about stockings!

 

[Ashful]

What about stockings!

Yep, they get that spot one night per year. Other than 2020, which was absolutely insane, we only get a half dozen snow days per year.