2022-2023 BK everything thread

[kennyp2339]

There have been a handful of comments about smoke recently. I'm considering a new install of a BK PE32 on the upper floor of a daylight basement home. Smoke in the house is one of the few remaining issues to check. One important reason for installing a new stove is to replace a too-smoky 1970s Buck stove.

Does the burn time have a major effect? I understand that dry wood helps, but that's easy. 15+ cords in covered storage for 3+ years and more available. Alder, cedar, hemlock, fir, and occasional other species. The stack is expected to be 18', but that could be changed if it helped. There are other variables, but assuming no reverse draft, etc., how good or bad does the indoor smoke get? That's subjective, of course. Is it easily noticeable? Barely present? A single rose, or a houseful of fried onion scent? Would one or two modest-sized HEPA+carbon filters be enough to nearly eliminate it?

Apologies for the imprecise questions. I expect the new stoves to be better than a 1970s stove, but I'm oddly reluctant to spend $$$ on a new stove that that might still lead to a smoky house. I'm hoping to hear about smoke in the home from people who are actually using wood stoves rather than marketing or bureaucratic generalities.

No smoke inside ever from my princess

 

[showrguy]

No smoke inside ever from my princess

Mine either (the Princess)..

Did get a helluva lot of smoke from my King a few years ago when opening the loading door…..
Forgot to open key damper !! That’s something you only do once,, has’nt happened since..

 

[Ashful]

Did get a helluva lot of smoke from my King a few years ago when opening the loading door…..
Forgot to open key damper !! That’s something you only do once,, has’nt happened since..

I am here to tell you that, not only have I done it more than once, I probably do it at least once per month! The only thing that has changed over the years is how quickly I realize it's the problem.

 

[Nealm66]

My princess can get a smell and set the smoke alarm off while bringing it up to temperature to close the bypass. No visible smoke.Its in the entry room and I just open the exterior doors and close the door leading into the rest of the house. Once I close the bypass and turn the draft down there’s no issues

 

[Highbeam]

Zero smoke in my house unless I try a hot reload on top of burning fuel. It only takes a little puff to make a temporary stink in an otherwise smoke free home.

The princess does not have a reputation for leaking smoke.

 

[NHWS]

Much appreciated. I understand the leak during a hot reload. A small, predictable, temporary bit of smoke is not a problem. A bit more thought needed, but it's likely that I'll order one.

The design of the house really calls for two stoves. Two Princesses would be just right to heat the entire house comfortably.

I had been looking for a way to stretch the budget enough to cover that, but the annual cap in the Jan 1 tax credit change is painful. Looks to me like the previous 2023 uncapped 22% is simply gone, replaced by a capped 30%. Does anyone know if there is still some way that it is possible to place an order under the uncapped rules?

 

[QuarryHouse]

Well, this comment got me concerned, so I looked around a little more on these forums and saw some comment that it should be a distinct locking action. It took more force than I would have ever felt good using had I not known it was supposed to lock, but it did cam down into the 4 o'clock position. A few subsequent flips off and on and the force required seems much more reasonable to cam into that locked position.

I feel like a bit of a dunce, but I'd also add that both the manual and the dealer just mentioned rotating the lever forward, and nothing about having to force it down into a locked position.

Same symptoms, same solution on my Chinook. Including feeling like a dunce and being quoted the manual What can I say, I'm a software engineer - our users don't read manuals, why should we?

 

[BKVP]

Much appreciated. I understand the leak during a hot reload. A small, predictable, temporary bit of smoke is not a problem. A bit more thought needed, but it's likely that I'll order one.

The design of the house really calls for two stoves. Two Princesses would be just right to heat the entire house comfortably.

I had been looking for a way to stretch the budget enough to cover that, but the annual cap in the Jan 1 tax credit change is painful. Looks to me like the previous 2023 uncapped 22% is simply gone, replaced by a capped 30%. Does anyone know if there is still some way that it is possible to place an order under the uncapped rules?

There is not a legal work around. "installed and operating by December 31, 2022." I think and will dbl check, but this can be renewed each year.

 

[Diabel]

No smoke inside ever from my princess

Same here. Sometimes in shoulder season i will get some spillage when reloading (human error). No other form of smoke coming from the stove.

 

[TheElementalCashew]

No smoke from my Princess other than reloading spills.

 

[Ashful]

The design of the house really calls for two stoves. Two Princesses would be just right to heat the entire house comfortably.

Do note that owning, feeding, and preparing wood for two big stoves is one good way to take an enjoyable hobby to the point of drudgery. I've been feeding two stoves at a time for most of the last 12 years, and it has come with a pretty serious commitment of time, money, and equipment, any one of which can be traded for a little more of the other.

 

[NHWS]

Ashful: Good point. I've already got more chores to do than I like. Even routine feeding of one stove may become annoying over time.

I'm not thinking of wood heat as a hobby, though. I heated with wood for a few years long ago, so I'm not entirely unfamiliar with the effort. Many things have changed since then. It's more a way to avoid dependence on utility and HVAC companies. The natural gas supply is reasonably dependable, but electricity to run blower fans sometimes goes out, occasionally for days at a time. Gas furnaces break down, and supply problems can make replacement parts unavailable for weeks-to-months.

It's a trade off between large one-time cost plus chores v. smaller continuing cost plus peace of mind.

BKVP: I'm not a lawyer, and haven't even tried to read more than the summary descriptions of the changes. AFAIK, the cap resets each Jan 1. In many ways it would be better to try putting in one stove this year, living with it, and then deciding whether or not to put in a second one next year. That's probably what I'll end up doing. But the house can not be heated fully with a single stove, and without the new cap there was a noticeable cost advantage to putting in two stoves at the same time.

I'm also wary of changes over a year's time in the availability and cost of stoves and installation. It's taken three months to find even one installer who will work in my area.

 

[Ashful]

I'm not thinking of wood heat as a hobby, though.

Oh, definitely not trying to talk you out of it. You know what they say, "misery loves company"! I'm all for having someone to b!tch with.

If you're already a few years in with one stove, you know what you're biting off. All I can add to that is to say, whatever age you are now, you're only getting older. Work and exercise that seems exciting at age 40 becomes less so at age 50, and that ten years goes by in the blink of an eye. All things to consider, but definitely not a show-stopper for everyone.

 

[BKVP]

Do note that owning, feeding, and preparing wood for two big stoves is one good way to take an enjoyable hobby to the point of drudgery. I've been feeding two stoves at a time for most of the last 12 years, and it has come with a pretty serious commitment of time, money, and equipment, any one of which can be traded for a little more of t

Oh, definitely not trying to talk you out of it. You know what they say, "misery loves company"! I'm all for having someone to b!tch with.

If you're already a few years in with one stove, you know what you're biting off. All I can add to that is to say, whatever age you are now, you're only getting older. Work and exercise that seems exciting at age 40 becomes less so at age 50, and that ten years goes by in the blink of an eye. All things to consider, but definitely not a show-stopper for everyone.

That explains why I cut fewer cords every year! We are fortunate to have the Umatilla National Forest 20 miles from my house. A cord permit is $5. Last year they were free. Driving up into the National Forest and dropping big old dead tamarack trees is getting more challenging for me and my 23 year old F350! Doing this 5-6 times each year, well that is the definition of committed (or needs to be committed).

But, I sure feel comfort in knowing my home will always be warm. When ice storms hit, power goes out, natural gas prices surge, others trying to ban natural gas, natural gas disruptions (poor farmer hit the mainline a few years ago digging in his field and did not survive the incident) and others are without heat, I look back on my labors and smile (then help the neighbors when possible).

I am about to wrap up my burning of NIELS exclusively. I have burned 3/4 of the fuel and will begin to phase-in my use of the blend of NIELS and cordwood. The 3rd phase will be cordwood only.

I will post my findings in April/May. I t will be titled Cat Quench Fever!

 

[NHWS]

My backyard is several heavily wooded acres. I've got easy access to power equipment for moving and splitting logs. A neighbor has been burning around 7 cords per year for 40 years from trees that come down in storms and from weeds (e.g., alders).

It's still a fair amount of work, and I'm old enough to feel it, but I've accumulated 15+ cords over the last 4 or 5 years from storm damage and trees removed to make way for a 1/4 acre vegetable garden. I expect I'll continue to have reason to remove and cut logs whether or not I use them for heat.

30+ years ago I used wood heat for a few years. I'm not really looking forward to the chore, but feeding a new-style fire once per day per stove is hopefully easier than feeding a single old-style stove every 4 hours for less heat and too much smoke. I might regret thinking that way if supply chain problems interrupt the availability of voltaren...

 

[kennyp2339]

Thought the stoves cat was running a little sluggish, been noticing the cat probe needle apexing between noon and 1 o’clock then falling back and hanging at 10 o’clock or so for the past 2 burns, decided to check things out and see if I could do a quick fix, knowing that my wood is fully seasoned and hanging around 14%
1st I verified that the chimney cap was free and clear of debris
2nd I check to make sure my door gaskets was properly tensioned
Finding both fine and knowing that I ran the stove pretty hard during the cold snap around Xmas, I figured the cat needed a quick front face blow with compressed air (nothing more then 25 psi)
Did that and now running red again.

 

[Diabel]

Thought the stoves cat was running a little sluggish, been noticing the cat probe needle apexing between noon and 1 o’clock then falling back and hanging at 10 o’clock or so for the past 2 burns, decided to check things out and see if I could do a quick fix, knowing that my wood is fully seasoned and hanging around 14%
1st I verified that the chimney cap was free and clear of debris
2nd I check to make sure my door gaskets was properly tensioned
Finding both fine and knowing that I ran the stove pretty hard during the cold snap around Xmas, I figured the cat needed a quick front face blow with compressed air (nothing more then 25 psi)
Did that and now running red again.
View attachment 307393 View attachment 307394

It’s a great feeling to do a quick fix like this. I only did a soft bristle brush run on my cat once (not burning full time). On my VC I had to do it once every two weeks. But as you found out, I knew exactly what the symptoms of sluggish cat were.

 

[Ashful]

Finding both fine and knowing that I ran the stove pretty hard during the cold snap around Xmas, I figured the cat needed a quick front face blow with compressed air (nothing more then 25 psi)

I did that once, thinking I could be neat and clean about it, with careful aim. But I was wrong, it made a mess! How'd you get away with it?

Ever since that incident, and knowing I can never really get it properly cleaned in place with the vacuum, I've settled for pulling it out for a cleaning, on occasions when it needs it. Of course, since adding a pipe damper and going to the ceramic cat, I haven't needed to do it very many times outside of the summer cleaning.

 

[kennyp2339]

I did that once, thinking I could be neat and clean about it, with careful aim. But I was wrong, it made a mess! How'd you get away with it?

Ever since that incident, and knowing I can never really get it properly cleaned in place with the vacuum, I've settled for pulling it out for a cleaning, on occasions when it needs it. Of course, since adding a pipe damper and going to the ceramic cat, I haven't needed to do it very many times outside of the summer

I was actually careful of that, I had hot coals going, bypass open, damper open and t stat open full, carefully blasted the cells only holding the nozzle parallel to the cat face, did stray upper left and had a small ash plume come at me, all in all very easy, I took longer to get the flame shield off / on then to hit the cat face with air.

 

[BKVP]

I was actually careful of that, I had hot coals going, bypass open, damper open and t stat open full, carefully blasted the cells only holding the nozzle parallel to the cat face, did stray upper left and had a small ash plume come at me, all in all very easy, I took longer to get the flame shield off / on then to hit the cat face with air.

The compressed air cans (think keyboards) is what I have used. No need for hoses, cords etc. For as seldom as I need it, one can last 2-3 years. (Unless grandkids find it...then about 3 minutes!)

 

[Highbeam]

The compressed air cans (think keyboards) is what I have used. No need for hoses, cords etc. For as seldom as I need it, one can last 2-3 years. (Unless grandkids find it...then about 3 minutes!)

I just cranked down the air compressor regulator to only put out 25 psi and then slipped a length of rubber vacuum hose over the blow gun nozzle. I could bend that vacuum line pretty sharp and get all the cells.

Of course, before blowing on the face I made sure to sweep the face off with the soft paint brush. That way you're not blowing more junk into the cells. Then have the bypass closed when blowing. So the debris all went into the cat chamber.

I guess I don't understand how this could be messy.

I don't do it anymore though with ceramics and my short chimney the cells don't pack up.

 

[kennyp2339]

The compressed air cans (think keyboards) is what I have used. No need for hoses, cords etc. For as seldom as I need it, one can last 2-3 years. (Unless grandkids find it...then about 3 minutes!)

The real fun is when your at work and you turn the can upside down

 

[Oakey]

@BKVP or any other happy BK Owners im thinking about switching over to an Ashford 20 . I was wondering are these a N/S or E/W loading stoves and which do you prefer.

Thanks

 

[Oakey]

From the looks of the measurements it appears either?

 

[showrguy]

@BKVP or any other happy BK Owners im thinking about switching over to an Ashford 20 . I was wondering are these a N/S or E/W loading stoves and which do you prefer.

Thanks

N/S works much better in both of my BK’s..