2022-2023 BK everything thread

[TheElementalCashew]

Not familiar with this adjustment, but having spent two decades with my primary hobby being the restoration of antique machinery, and before that old cars, I know a thing or two about freezing frozen fasteners. If you can get air to the stove, get yourself a small (i.e. 1/4" hex) pneumatic impact driver. Several seconds or minutes of impact on a fastener is infinitely more likely to un-stick a frozen threaded fastener without snapping it, than any amount of constant torque.

If you can't get air to the stove, then a battery-powered impact driver is your second best bet. These have several times less torque per drive size, so try 1/4" hex, but you may find yourself having to move into 3/8" or 1/2" square drive tools, to get the thing moving.

Soaking a day or three with penetrating oil before applying tools is always advisable, you're already on the right path, there.

It looks like this:

The nut on the left sits outside the stove, the nut on the right is inside. It's the one on the left that is frozen, so the part can be removed from the stove, but the adjustment function can't be done.

I do have an electric impact driver, but getting the leverage needed to hold something this small in place is difficult. I may give it another shot with more time soaking, but I won't put a ton more time into it with how inexpensive the part is to replace.

 

[DonTee]

Maybe not all the BK stoves have that kind of door latch? Looks like it is what my Princess has.

If the back nut will come off I’d take it off the stove and put the frozen part in a vice. Easier to work on that way.

 

[Ashful]

Dang. I haven’t had to adjust mine on it’s 3rd season and it was a floor model. Hopefully the adjustment isn’t frozen when the time comes.

I've never adjusted anything on either of my BK's, and they're now starting their 8th season. Original gaskets, never touched door latch or anything else, and they've been fine. I replaced both cats after third season, which was probably unnecessary, but curiosity got the better of me. The only things I ever do with these stoves are:

1. Empty ash 1x per week, and vacuum a little around outside of it.
2. Remove combustor, sweep chimney, and vacuum all crud out each September. Re-wrap combustor in new gasket, and slide it back into its hole.
3. I did lube the thermostat on one around year 4, helped immensely, the other one hasn't been touched yet.

I'm usually the guy who over-maintains all his equipment, if anything, but these stoves really haven't needed anything.

 

[Ashful]

It looks like this:
View attachment 302932
The nut on the left sits outside the stove, the nut on the right is inside. It's the one on the left that is frozen, so the part can be removed from the stove, but the adjustment function can't be done.

I do have an electric impact driver, but getting the leverage needed to hold something this small in place is difficult. I may give it another shot with more time soaking, but I won't put a ton more time into it with how inexpensive the part is to replace.

I'd hold the wing in a vice, and put a socket on the stuck nut. But if that doesn't do it right-quick, a day or three in the electrolysis tank will free up anything. Let me know if you need instructions. About the easiest work you'll ever do.

 

[kennyp2339]

It looks like this:
View attachment 302932
The nut on the left sits outside the stove, the nut on the right is inside. It's the one on the left that is frozen, so the part can be removed from the stove, but the adjustment function can't be done.

I do have an electric impact driver, but getting the leverage needed to hold something this small in place is difficult. I may give it another shot with more time soaking, but I won't put a ton more time into it with how inexpensive the part is to replace.

Had the same issue with mine, soaked in oil for 30min or so, then instead of loosening it, I broke the seal with tightening, then hit the thread with a wire brush, some more oil and turned the nut right off, hand tools only used.

 

[Highbeam]

It looks like this:
View attachment 302932
The nut on the left sits outside the stove, the nut on the right is inside. It's the one on the left that is frozen, so the part can be removed from the stove, but the adjustment function can't be done.

I do have an electric impact driver, but getting the leverage needed to hold something this small in place is difficult. I may give it another shot with more time soaking, but I won't put a ton more time into it with how inexpensive the part is to replace.

If the left nut is fully rotated into the wing and its other side up against the stove then it can appear frozen just because the inside nut is locking it. Either way, loosen up the inside nut first.

My 2012 princess still has the bent over bolt style and the welded interior nut. I like the newer wing style with the non welded interior nut. Easily replacable if the threads get boogered up and infinitely adjustable. The old 2012 style you could only adjust tension in full turns.

 

[kennyp2339]

The other tip is, once you get it squared away and you replace the gasket, back off the retention as far as it wall go and slowly re-adjust the door tension so it passes the paper test, my original gasket / door combo was way to tight and lead to premature failure, did the new gasket 2 years ago and found the minimum threshold to pass all sides and still haven’t had the need to re-adjust, takes a little fineness from the start.

 

[TheElementalCashew]

I'd hold the wing in a vice, and put a socket on the stuck nut. But if that doesn't do it right-quick, a day or three in the electrolysis tank will free up anything. Let me know if you need instructions. About the easiest work you'll ever do.

Thanks, I'll get back to you if I can't get it moving.

Had the same issue with mine, soaked in oil for 30min or so, then instead of loosening it, I broke the seal with tightening, then hit the thread with a wire brush, some more oil and turned the nut right off, hand tools only used.

If the left nut is fully rotated into the wing and its other side up against the stove then it can appear frozen just because the inside nut is locking it. Either way, loosen up the inside nut first.

My 2012 princess still has the bent over bolt style and the welded interior nut. I like the newer wing style with the non welded interior nut. Easily replacable if the threads get boogered up and infinitely adjustable. The old 2012 style you could only adjust tension in full turns.

The inner nuts spins freely so I'm able to remove the entire latch from the stove. The outer nut is about halfway through the threads, I tried tightening and loosening it after letting it sit with penetrating oil with no luck. I'm going to replace the latch and then I'll be able to soak the stuck nut for a while longer and use the suggested vice/impact methods. Worst case I ruin it, best case it comes free and I have a spare latch on hand.

The other tip is, once you get it squared away and you replace the gasket, back off the retention as far as it wall go and slowly re-adjust the door tension so it passes the paper test, my original gasket / door combo was way to tight and lead to premature failure, did the new gasket 2 years ago and found the minimum threshold to pass all sides and still haven’t had the need to re-adjust, takes a little fineness from the start.

Good tip, thank you, sounds like a good way to maximize gasket longevity. I have to wonder if the installer overtightened it from the start, one season seems really short for a new stove/gasket.

 

[Ashful]

It goes without saying, this thread gets high-temp anti-seize compound, when you re-install. No need to deal with frozen nuts (pun intended) a second time.

 

[stoveliker]

Pitch pine tonight. Biggest piece I ever burned. 8" or so, more or less square. At 17.85" long and with some ash between the bricks and the front steel, I had a hard time putting it in. So I could not get it flush in the corner, unfortunately.

A similar piece tested 16 pct after splitting.

Took off before I was done loading...

 

[Poindexter]

Took off before I was done loading...

Welcome to my world. I have never burned pitch pine, but look for surprisingly high heat output and surprisingly short coaling stage compared to red oak. If you wake up (woke up?) around 0200 local because your nose is cold, it is time to reload right now.

 

[Poindexter]

There’s melting snow and burning off spider juice, and then there’s completely drying out a 20% log to zero. I think leaving the bypass open while snow and spider juice burns off is good idea but after that, if the cat meter is in active range, flip that bypass closed and let her eat.

I was trying to do a multiquote.... I agree with Highbeam. I leave the bypass door open on hot reloads while the snow melts and the spider juice burns off, and then run the stove on high with the combustor engaged for a "few minutes." There is very little snow or ice accumulation on my incoming fuel, but plenty of spider juice. Love that term spider juice.

I think I saw a recent post from @Ashful where he likes to run with the bypass door open for five minutes so as not to give the combustor a face full of cold smoke. I probably do that in shoulder seasons, but most of my hot reloads look more like the recent post from @stoveliker where his pitch pine lit off before he could get the loading door closed and I don't run in bypass for 5 minutes on the reloads hot enough to singe my forearm hair. If I see the gates of hell in my glass window and the probe is in the active zone, the combustor gets engaged right now.

I am pretty sure the 30 minutes on high throttle for bake down, to get the new fuel from 20% MC down to 0% MC, is based on the new fuel being at 20% MC, and I think I saw a post from BKVP this season saying with fuel at 12-15%MC we can run on high for about 15 minutes before turn down.

I have been thinking about this sort of idea for about a week now, and I really don't obsess on this sort of fine point with my stove anymore. I just run it. First thing in the morning I flip the lever to bypass and go pee. Then grab the canvas tote and head downstairs. Let the cat out. Fill the canvas tote. Head upstairs and look at the stove. If it is ready, open the loading door and fill the stove. If it isn't ready, go put the coffee on and look again. When it is ready, (no smoke rollout into the house) open the loading door and fill 'er up.

On work days I am looking at a 0500 alarm and need to be pulling my truck out of the driveway by 0615 at the latest. I am not a slave to my BK, my BK is my tool. Mine is an excellent tool and is doing fine adapted to my regimen. Even with my relatively short combustor life expectancy at roughly 8k active hours, I am confident I am burning about 30% less wood now than I was in my previous EPA non cat. My savings on cordwood more than covers my combustor replacement price, and I don't have to work as hard humping cordwood upstairs every morning.

 

[Poindexter]

@bholler , I am glad you are here and I don't dispute any of your data points. I simply do not have the capacity to talk about (or continue to talk about) my day job in my off hours and admire you for being able to do so.

I readily agree my circa Y2K Country Flame Ovation (or something like that) was making more BTU per hour max than my current BK A30 can do. Same house, same chimney, blah blah.

But my BK is close on the top end. Same house, same insulation, at -30dF outdoors my BK A30 can maintain ~+95dF to keep my wife in summer outfits, where the Ovation Country Flame could push ~+104dF which wasn't enough to significantly alter my wife's wardrobe.

At more moderate temperatures with the BK I can keep my wife in summer outfits all the way up to about +40dF, where with the previous stove running it above about +20dF resulted in my wife opening windows, putting on socks and wrapping up in a blanket. I prefer the summer outfits.

So you are right, the non cats can burn a bit hotter. Choosing a stove is only part of the trouble. The other variables I see are outdoor temps, insulation envelope, air sealing, desired indoor temp, chimney height, and desirable outfits for partner.

I do not miss the "roller coaster ride" of my old noncat, though I have seen enough threads here to believe the non-cat technology has improved dramatically since Y2K. But I don't remember ever seeing a BK owner complaining about the roller coaster ride.

If you are ever going to be in Fairbanks, please drop me a line. I will be delighted to serve a tomahawk to both you and your plus one, just on your contributions to this community. You are likely preventing at least one chimney fire per month around here, and that is a big deal.

If you desire a liquid other than Guinness with your steak I do request advance to notice to shop for lesser beverages. Side will be smoked beef sausage, appetizer will be AK crab, dessert will be salmon candy with mint chocolate chip ice cream as the leafy green vegetable. Your money is no good in Fairbanks.

May the good Lord bless and keep you.

 

[DonTee]

@stoveliker
I was just splitting some pitch pine last night. I’ve never burned it before. How long did yours take to season down to 16%?

We have some pitch pine by the road that are coming out to plant other trees. I figure I’ll either burn them in the BK, or in the sap evaporator in the spring (if it’s ready to burn by then).

 

[stoveliker]

@stoveliker
I was just splitting some pitch pine last night. I’ve never burned it before. How long did yours take to season down to 16%?

We have some pitch pine by the road that are coming out to plant other trees. I figure I’ll either burn them in the BK, or in the sap evaporator in the spring (if it’s ready to burn by then).

I split and stacked (covered) it off the ground in I believe March. I was surprised. I thought it'd be around 20% (and I would have burned that). But I split about 8 pieces from various places in the stack, and 6 of them were 14%, 2 were 16%. At 70 F (outside, at 4 pm), parallel to the grain, and the pins all the way in (which was nice when comparing with oak...).
We had a very dry summer though.

 

[stoveliker]

Welcome to my world. I have never burned pitch pine, but look for surprisingly high heat output and surprisingly short coaling stage compared to red oak. If you wake up (woke up?) around 0200 local because your nose is cold, it is time to reload right now.

Well, I guess my heat needs (climate (see below), home insulation, chimney set up, and what not) are different than yours.


The low last night was 29 and quite windy.
The high today 41. The home was 70-71 all the time. And now (3 pm, rather than 2 am), I still have three baseball sized chunks in the back and a whole crispy black split on the left.
I'll update when I reload, but I suspect I'll be reaching 19 hrs on that load.
The swoosh is just past 3 o'clock (horizontal), not yet 4 o'clock (with the max straight down at 6 o'clock).

Pitch pine seems to be 17 million BTUs per cord, so not that great (despite some pieces being like 4" thick fatwood...).

 

[stoveliker]

The promised follow up. It's 6 pm. Down to 39 F. 71 in the home. I just opened the Tstat and damper for a reload of two small pieces to get me to 10 pm or so for a real reload. Turns out there was more left in the obscured left corner that started burning. So I engaged the cat and will leave it for a bit longer. This was at 19 hrs of pitch pine. Tstat setting pic as well. Have not touched that since yesterday reload.

So, no. Pine is fine, and for my home with a near freezing night (I know it's not Alaska, or Buffalo...), it'll last more than 19 hrs rather than 3 or 4.

Which sucks, because 12 or 24 is nicer scheduling.


Edit: and a pic from 7 pm, the 20th hr. Cat was nearly falling out of the active range.

And now I'll stop spamming here.

 

[Nealm66]

It’s been pretty cold for here, was 24 last night and 40 now. Not sure what the high was. Been doing 12 hour reloads roughly. Threw some cotton wood in the mix the last couple days during the day and seems to be doing fine although I’ve got my heat pump so it could be picking up the slack as I’m gone during the day. Been sawing lumber with my new mill and getting quite the pile of waste. 12 more Doug fir logs and a few cedar. Really enjoying it but definitely some work involved

 

[Poindexter]

View attachment 303145

This looks to me ( as a softwood burner) as more or less a perfect time to reload. You can probably get another hour or two of active combustor time out of that load, but basically it is burnt out. Have you done a load (or half load) of hardwood lump charcoal to see where your combustor probe sits when you are burning pure carbon?

At my house in the moment pictured I would pull the ash plug (of a BK 30 box) to push the ash at the front down into the drawer, replace the plug. Then wrangle remaining coals to the left, remaining ash to the right in a thinner layer, and fill it up with more softwood. For a big chunk of my burn season, say Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb, my goal is to keep the combustor in the active zone 24/7.

For me I think of hot reloads where the combustor stays in the active zone during the reload process, warm reloads as where the combustor has dropped out of active, and cold reloads being where the I need a flame (or blow on the few remaining coals) to restart the stove and have to burn off about a third of the new load to get back up into the active zone. I hate wasting a third of load to get back into active - it decreases the active time of the new load and pumps pollution out the chimney.

The quoted firebox pic is super familiar to me and I would reload on that without a second thought but with a satisfied smile. With the active coals pushed to the left bottom corner of the box, sort of a phantom glowing "split," I can place one split just to the right of the phantom glowing split to contain the glowing coals, fill the rest of the box, and with fuel at 14% it will light off (and get the combustor re-engaged) pretty darn quick. Like seconds, not minutes. Cordwood isn't napalm by any stretch of the imagination, but at 14% MC on a freshly split face S-P-F will light off right now.

For @stoveliker I would say if you get some unusually cold weather like -30dF and you are burning down pitch pine (at 17M BTU/ cord) in 4-5 hours at WOT, the stove can take and will come back for more. For at least 8 years. It is hard on the combustor, but not fatal.

Local to me a bag of Royal Oak brand or Cowboy brand hardwood lump charcoal is about 20 bucks. Both are recognizable chunks of tree that have been through a retort to leave behind pure(ish) carbon. I know where my combustor probe indicator sits burning pure carbon, from having done it. At that point on the combustor probe scale I am either just converting a bit of CO to CO2 and not really recovering any appreciable BTUs, or I might be passing a few VOCs through the combustor but the jacket and deck fans are pulling the BTUs off the steel box fast enough to make it look like I am burning pure carbon. I can tell by what knickers my wife is wearing, you're welcome to invest in a precise thermometer. That stove, in my world, is ready to reload.

I like feeding my combustor the smoke from burning or smoldering tree sap with a higher indication from the combustor probe, charcoal is for BBQ.

On the one hand I am glad burning pure carbon is enough to keep my combustor in the active zone to widen my hot reload window, but burning pure carbon with an active combustor is not enough BTUs into the envelope to keep my wife in the outfits I prefer her to wear.

 

[stoveliker]

Given that my basement is an extra reservoir that evens out the temperature in my living floor, I let it go down an hour more from that pic. No change in temps upstairs. Then reloaded (same line) and it lit off within 15 seconds. So there was enough left an hour after that pic (and I'm indeed not pushing it at this time).

-30 won't ever happen here, half a mile from the water of the Sound.

 

[Ashful]

Just brought a wagon load (~4000 lb) of white oak up to the house. Rare treat, 90% of my burning has been the lowly red oak. We are in for a treat, the next three weeks! Hopefully it stays cold.

 

[Teachme]

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.

Ty that has worked much better!

 

[TheElementalCashew]

Happy Thanksgiving!
I picked up the new door latch and gasket for the Princess and installed it today. The new gasket doesn’t look like the old one, but it was the correct part number from BK so hopefully it works out fine.
The area on the bottom of the door that was failing the dollar bill test had basically no RTV attaching to the door and it seemed to be crumbling. I installed the new gasket with copper RTV, using much more than was on before, I’m sure I’ll regret that next time.
I also found almost all of the small nuts holding the window in were loose to the point of turning by hand. I tightened them all back down as well.

 

[stoveliker]

My latest little project.

A plug to block the air inlet on my BK. (It's warm here, so the stove is cold.) I sometimes get a.smell in the basement the stove is cold, due to cold air in the flue sinking down thru the (creosote covered cat stove) firebox. Presumably associated with a negative pressure in the basement.

I took a 2*8 cut off, cut it to size (1/16" smaller than the opening), routed.a groove in the center of the sides, put some rubber foam like weather stripping in the groove so it sticks out by 1/8". Seals and accounts for slightly warped plate steel of the inlet.

Used the lid of an old Elijah Craig bottle (top against the wood, cork side facing out) for a handle.

Slid the thing snugly in the opening. Sealed. No more smell coming out. Nice.to have only one air inlet on the stove.

 

[DonTee]

I still have to get the rest of my OAK installed, but I’ve thought about making a block off for it on the outside of the house. For during the warmer months.

My stove smells bad during the warm times also. Especially if it’s damp or raining outside.