2022-2023 BK everything thread

[kennyp2339]

Well I hope they don’t start forcing us all to burn press logs.

The good news is the gas stove ban hype sparked interest in a lot of gov interest programs which are now being reviewed closely by congress according to some media outlets, I’m only guessing but there could be some good correlation to future overzealous wood stove rules too.

 

[crstrode]

My Ashford 25 insert is beautiful and operates really nicely, but I’m basically positive I could be doing things better. I’ve owned two other inserts that I can confidently say I have mastered, but I still feel like an amateur running this unit.

Any other Ashford 25 insert or Sirocco 25 insert owners who think they have the unit mastered? I’d love to hear some tips and strategies that work for you. Thanks!

View attachment 307099

Third season with a Sirocco 25 insert. We put it in a basement masonry fireplace as a backup heat source for our big drafty house. We burn ponderosa pine, which is particularly handy since we live in a ponderosa pine forest - go figure. The pine does end up with a lot of ashes, but even with a fire every day, scooping the ash once a week is about right.

What I originally envisioned as an emergency heater has now become a daily routine as long as the outside temp is 40F or below. Now my basement man-cave has become the de-rigueur hangout.

Even with the supposedly marginal firewood, the Sirocco does a great job at putting out heat for many many hours. I can get it to go for well over half a day with no problem - as long as I don't care about the glass going opaque. Turning the thermo-damper up a bit so there are a few flames now and then, the glass stays mostly clear.

I usually run with the thermostat adjusted to near, or just past, the end of the "swoosh". Remember - most of the guys with uber-long burn times are doing so with a much larger fire box and bigger loads of wood. I will give good odds that they have black glass as well. Us insert folks are just a bit more genteel . . .

The blowers are always running and the indicator is usually at the 9:00 o'clock position, - I figure this is about 50% speed.

I usually use some low pressure air to blow the fine ash from the cat every other time the ashes are scooped. There have times when fly ash has begun to restrict air flow thru the cat and impair proper operation.

This season I noticed one or two of the rear fire bricks have cracked. I believe this is due to over zealous cramming of big chunks into the little oddly shaped fire box. The bricks are still in place, and I think they will be OK as is as long as they don't fall out or begin to crumble (is that correct BKVP?)

 

[crstrode]

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.

The only time I ever had significant smoke was due to my idiot brother-in-law trying to help. He opened the door to my Sirocco insert with the bypass closed, damper turned to low, and the cat fully engaged. His explanation was: "but I couldn't see any fire!"

 

[kennyp2339]

@crstrode nice write up, lots of people have the same experience, as far as the bricks, I believe there are 2 layers, if there staying in place leave a sleeping dog lie.

 

[BKVP]

Third season with a Sirocco 25 insert. We put it in a basement masonry fireplace as a backup heat source for our big drafty house. We burn ponderosa pine, which is particularly handy since we live in a ponderosa pine forest - go figure. The pine does end up with a lot of ashes, but even with a fire every day, scooping the ash once a week is about right.

What I originally envisioned as an emergency heater has now become a daily routine as long as the outside temp is 40F or below. Now my basement man-cave has become the de-rigueur hangout.

Even with the supposedly marginal firewood, the Sirocco does a great job at putting out heat for many many hours. I can get it to go for well over half a day with no problem - as long as I don't care about the glass going opaque. Turning the thermo-damper up a bit so there are a few flames now and then, the glass stays mostly clear.

I usually run with the thermostat adjusted to near, or just past, the end of the "swoosh". Remember - most of the guys with uber-long burn times are doing so with a much larger fire box and bigger loads of wood. I will give good odds that they have black glass as well. Us insert folks are just a bit more genteel . . .

The blowers are always running and the indicator is usually at the 9:00 o'clock position, - I figure this is about 50% speed.

I usually use some low pressure air to blow the fine ash from the cat every other time the ashes are scooped. There have times when fly ash has begun to restrict air flow thru the cat and impair proper operation.

This season I noticed one or two of the rear fire bricks have cracked. I believe this is due to over zealous cramming of big chunks into the little oddly shaped fire box. The bricks are still in place, and I think they will be OK as is as long as they don't fall out or begin to crumble (is that correct BKVP?)

Even genteel folks cracks bricks, which are just fine to use.

 

[Ashful]

Hell, I've been missing the top half of several bricks in the back row of one of my stoves for a few years now. Been meaning to replace them, but it's not that high on my priority list. Stove still runs, still cranks out heat... no sweat.

 

[hardcore]

So it looks like I'm another victim of the Ashford 30.2 smoke smell. I just can't for the life of me get it to go away. I thought maybe it had to do with burning it in lower temperatures. This week we have -20 to -30 celcius and still have a lot of smoke smell. I have tightened the door latch, made sure the gasket is tight all the way around the door frame but nothing seems to help....

I have sent a message to Blaze king but no reply yet. I love the stove and it's amazing even heat for extended periods but I definitely don't love the smell of creosote/smoke. I'm burning very very dry pine (standing dead from a fire in 2015). Some of the driest wood I've ever burned. I have about 6' of straight stove pipe connected to my chimney for another 8 feet or so. No bends.

Any help would be appreciated. I did notice the catalytic probe has a lot of brown soot on it... is that normal? Could it be leaking from there?

Thanks in advance!

 

[kennyp2339]

Check to make sure you dont have any plug ups, chimney cap, cap face itself, your cat may also be near the end of its useful lifecycle.

 

[hardcore]

Check to make sure you dont have any plug ups, chimney cap, cap face itself, your cat may also be near the end of its useful lifecycle.

Okay, I'll check the cap.... The stove is brand new this season so I hope the cat isn't near the end of life! lol

 

[kennyp2339]

Okay, I'll check the cap.... The stove is brand new this season so I hope the cat isn't near the end of life! lol

Oh thats different set of circumstances, check the cap, check the front face of the cat behind the flame shield to make sure it doesnt have fly ash accumulation.
The cat should be good.
I have a princess and have experimented / toyed with a pipe damper, during warmer weather periods, I keep the damper opened because if I close it and burn at a lower setting, I'll also get a minor smoke smell from the stove, this is because of minimal draft, reducing the natural vacuum the stove created while burning.

 

[shgRUSS]

Okay, I'll check the cap.... The stove is brand new this season so I hope the cat isn't near the end of life! lol

Just a thought but I vaguely remember some of the ashford smoke problems were coincidence and not from the stove. Did you a have a previous stove or is this a whole new install. Check for air leaks from outside that suck in the smoke from there. A test you could do is to find an window / opening of the outside of your house that is out of the smoke path from the chimney. Install a fan in the there and pressurize your house with clean air. There are guys around that will do this as a leak test for replacing windows and doors. If the smell disappears it is most likely not the stove.

 

[hardcore]

Just a thought but I vaguely remember some of the ashford smoke problems were coincidence and not from the stove. Did you a have a previous stove or is this a whole new install. Check for air leaks from outside that suck in the smoke from there. A test you could do is to find an window / opening of the outside of your house that is out of the smoke path from the chimney. Install a fan in the there and pressurize your house with clean air. There are guys around that will do this as a leak test for replacing windows and doors. If the smell disappears it is most likely not the stove.

Good idea! I'll try that! Thanks. I had a jotul that I replaced with the ashford.

 

[hardcore]

Oh thats different set of circumstances, check the cap, check the front face of the cat behind the flame shield to make sure it doesnt have fly ash accumulation.
The cat should be good.
I have a princess and have experimented / toyed with a pipe damper, during warmer weather periods, I keep the damper opened because if I close it and burn at a lower setting, I'll also get a minor smoke smell from the stove, this is because of minimal draft, reducing the natural vacuum the stove created while burning.

Cat looks good. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Highbeam]

So it looks like I'm another victim of the Ashford 30.2 smoke smell. I just can't for the life of me get it to go away. I thought maybe it had to do with burning it in lower temperatures. This week we have -20 to -30 celcius and still have a lot of smoke smell. I have tightened the door latch, made sure the gasket is tight all the way around the door frame but nothing seems to help....

I have sent a message to Blaze king but no reply yet. I love the stove and it's amazing even heat for extended periods but I definitely don't love the smell of creosote/smoke. I'm burning very very dry pine (standing dead from a fire in 2015). Some of the driest wood I've ever burned. I have about 6' of straight stove pipe connected to my chimney for another 8 feet or so. No bends.

Any help would be appreciated. I did notice the catalytic probe has a lot of brown soot on it... is that normal? Could it be leaking from there?

Thanks in advance!

So you only have “about” 14’ of chimney vs. the 15’ minimum specified for this stove. Is your 6’ interior pipe double wall?

Are you at elevation? Do you have outside air connected?

It’s too bad they can’t design this stove to be dependably stink free but it is a good looker.

 

[hardcore]

So you only have “about” 14’ of chimney vs. the 15’ minimum specified for this stove. Is your 6’ interior pipe double wall?

Are you at elevation? Do you have outside air connected?

It’s too bad they can’t design this stove to be dependably stink free but it is a good looker.

I'm just guessing approx heights on the chimney so it could be 15' too.... Double wall interior. I don't have an outside air kit but was definitely thinking about getting one. I will do some more experimenting with opening a window. Thanks all for the help! Ya Definitely love the stove's looks and operation so going to work hard on figuring it out!

 

[BKVP]

So it looks like I'm another victim of the Ashford 30.2 smoke smell. I just can't for the life of me get it to go away. I thought maybe it had to do with burning it in lower temperatures. This week we have -20 to -30 celcius and still have a lot of smoke smell. I have tightened the door latch, made sure the gasket is tight all the way around the door frame but nothing seems to help....

I have sent a message to Blaze king but no reply yet. I love the stove and it's amazing even heat for extended periods but I definitely don't love the smell of creosote/smoke. I'm burning very very dry pine (standing dead from a fire in 2015). Some of the driest wood I've ever burned. I have about 6' of straight stove pipe connected to my chimney for another 8 feet or so. No bends.

Any help would be appreciated. I did notice the catalytic probe has a lot of brown soot on it... is that normal? Could it be leaking from there?

Thanks in advance!

You'll need to contact Blaze King in Penticton BC. 250-493-7444.

 

[BKVP]

Wife's good to go! Off to NV, NC, DC...

 

[Diabel]

Almost looks too perfect😝. I make a mess when loading mine. Odd splits and all.

 

[BKVP]

Almost looks too perfect😝. I make a mess when loading mine. Odd splits and all.

Go to Germany. Look how Stephan looks at neighbor Georg's 1/4 mile long wood pile and snickers "Helga, Georg has 1 log sticking out of place..."

 

[Ashful]

I've been in the habit of squeezing a half load in most days, now that I work from home. So, now I have an excuse to finally keep some less than perfectly straight splits.

Before when I was never home, every load was aimed at maximum packing density for maximum burn time, and nothing but pin-straight and square splits could be kept in the stacks.

All straight stuff gets stacked first, and then the less-perfect splits get tossed on top, up under the roof line of the sheds. That way, the stacks stay straight, and no one sees the uglies.

 

[Nealm66]

It will be interesting to see if she likes the mix better than straight press logs. I know I sure do. What was your ratio going to be again? Hopefully this colder weather sticks around long enough for you experiment. 19.9 degrees F here this am

 

[BKVP]

It will be interesting to see if she likes the mix better than straight press logs. I know I sure do. What was your ratio going to be again? Hopefully this colder weather sticks around long enough for you experiment. 19.9 degrees F here this am

I'm trying to run on nearly equal Btu loading. So if I put a 60k NIEL's in, I put in 7lbs Doug fir. Two logs, 14lbs, 3 logs 21 pounds etc.

As for temperatures, we burn 24/7 until April or early May.

 

[PropTwister]

Hello Everyone. New to the site but excited to see there is a wealth of information to glean. I am supposed to have a new King installed on Wednesday! The pipe should be a straight shot of about 20', so I hope that'll work well. Unfortunately, the stove shop doesn't have the door I need or fan kits, but I'm hoping they will come in soon so I can get to burning since it was -2 degrees here this morning! My question is, will I be able to get away with burning a couple NIEL's with a chunk of red fir on top if the MC of the fir is still 23%? This adventure was not well thought out ahead of time by me, but rather it was driven by the high cost of propane that I currently use to heat. Thanks for your help.

 

[Ashful]

My question is, will I be able to get away with burning a couple NIEL's with a chunk of red fir on top if the MC of the fir is still 23%?

As long as your net average by weight is under 20%, you'll be able to make it work. Startup time may be delayed a bit, but it will work.

 

[PropTwister]

As long as your net average by weight is under 20%, you'll be able to make it work. Startup time may be delayed a bit, but it will work.

Thanks. I was hoping that would be the answer. I'll try to keep it closer to 15% by weight to be on the safe side.