Blaze King Ashford 30 best stove I've ever owned.

[Gearhead660]

I say go for it if you like the idea of 12-24 hour load cycle. If you can reload a tube stove when it’s needed and don’t mind burning the excess wood and cat replacement is an issue then I’d say maybe not. Even if it’s like bhollers case where it needs supplement heat at times it still pumps out a lot of heat at a 12-15 hour setting with a full load of good wood plus it should help extend your burning season.

I was wanting to have one burner that would heat my house, but have come to the realization that it isnt possible when temps get to the teens or below. Have found that running the furnace and the insert or stove, I can keep the house nice and warm, 70-75.

Hearing that BK stoves are the Cadillacs of cat stoves, I am thinking one may be my next stove.

 

[Nealm66]

Do you have the ability to install a king model?

 

[BURNard]

I was wanting to have one burner that would heat my house, but have come to the realization that it isnt possible when temps get to the teens or below. Have found that running the furnace and the insert or stove, I can keep the house nice and warm, 70-75.

Hearing that BK stoves are the Cadillacs of cat stoves, I am thinking one may be my next stove.

You won't be disappointed. I love mine.

 

[Nealm66]

I ask because that might help the cold spells but still extend the season

 

[Gearhead660]

It’s more about the control. It can get hot or just simmer. I definitely wouldn’t recommend if you enjoy watching the fire unless you want to burn it like a regular stove. It will go completely black and even the cat won’t glow sometimes

I do like to watch the flames from time to time, but its more about the radiant heat.

 

[BURNard]

I was wanting to have one burner that would heat my house, but have come to the realization that it isnt possible when temps get to the teens or below. Have found that running the furnace and the insert or stove, I can keep the house nice and warm, 70-75.

Hearing that BK stoves are the Cadillacs of cat stoves, I am thinking one may be my next stove.

You can run these stoves real low in the shoulder seasons and get 20 hours burn with tons of coals left over for a reload

 

[bholler]

I was wanting to have one burner that would heat my house, but have come to the realization that it isnt possible when temps get to the teens or below. Have found that running the furnace and the insert or stove, I can keep the house nice and warm, 70-75.

Hearing that BK stoves are the Cadillacs of cat stoves, I am thinking one may be my next stove.

It sounds like you may be in a situation more like mine where your btu load may be to high to see the benifits from a cat stove. What stove are you currently running?

 

[BURNard]

I do like to watch the flames from time to time, but its more about the radiant heat.

Running on low It will look like it's out LOL. But you'll get used to it. It took me a while, but all you need look at is the cat thermometer to see that its active and ok.

 

[Nealm66]

I want to say the only time you should be able to watch flames is on reload bake. Even if you’re glass is clean, if you’re seeing anything more than an occasional flicker you’re wasting wood and the stoves ability. There’s also chimney requirements that might have to be checked , bholler would definitely know if you’re going to be good to go or not

 

[bholler]

I want to say the only time you should be able to watch flames is on reload bake. Even if you’re glass is clean, if you’re seeing anything more than an occasional flicker you’re wasting wood and the stoves ability. There’s also chimney requirements that might have to be checked , bholler would definitely know if you’re going to be good to go or not

But if I run that low the majority of the heating season my house will be cold without another form of heat.

 

[Gearhead660]

It sounds like you may be in a situation more like mine where your btu load may be to high to see the benifits from a cat stove. What stove are you currently running?

Tundra 2 furnace, Myriad II and Century 2900 insert.
I have sealed up house as much as I can without a complete gut. Blow in attic, new doors/windows, bat or blow in insulation in walls, spray foam rim joists. Its night and day difference from what it was when we moved in, but still a big old house.

 

[bholler]

Tundra 2 furnace, Myriad II and Century 2900 insert.
I have sealed up house as much as I can without a complete gut. Blow in attic, new doors/windows, bat or blow in insulation in walls, spray foam rim joists. Its night and day difference from what it was when we moved in, but still a big old house.

Do you have an insulated block off plate for the insert?

 

[avsmusic1]

I want to say the only time you should be able to watch flames is on reload bake. Even if you’re glass is clean, if you’re seeing anything more than an occasional flicker you’re wasting wood and the stoves ability. There’s also chimney requirements that might have to be checked , bholler would definitely know if you’re going to be good to go or not

Can you expand on this a bit? I'm interpreting this as unless you're running the stove on low (no visible flames for the vast majority of it's burn) it's wasted ability. Would running it on ~medium with increased BTU output, longer visible flames, and ~12hr reload cycles be wasteful? As I understand it a moderate burn burn will have visible flame for at least a few hours

 

[Gearhead660]

Do you have an insulated block off plate for the insert?

Yup. I am able to carry the heat load with just the insert when outside temps are mid 30's and up. That's running it fairly hard with only hardwood.

 

[BURNard]

Can you expand on this a bit? I'm interpreting this as unless you're running the stove on low (no visible flames for the vast majority of it's burn) it's wasted ability. Would running it on ~medium with increased BTU output, longer visible flames, and ~12hr reload cycles be wasteful? As I understand it a moderate burn burn will have visible flame for at least a few hours

I run my Ashford at half throttle And easily get 12 hours of burn time with a full load.House is nice and warm.

 

[bholler]

Yup. I am able to carry the heat load with just the insert when outside temps are mid 30's and up. That's running it fairly hard with only hardwood.

In that case switching one of the stoves out for a bk might be advantageous to you. When it gets below 30 or so fire up the other one

 

[avsmusic1]

I run my Ashford at half throttle And easily get 12 hours of burn time with a full load.House is nice and warm.

and how much visible flame do you get?

 

[Nealm66]

Can you expand on this a bit? I'm interpreting this as unless you're running the stove on low (no visible flames for the vast majority of it's burn) it's wasted ability. Would running it on ~medium with increased BTU output, longer visible flames, and ~12hr reload cycles be wasteful? As I understand it a moderate burn burn will have visible flame for at least a few hours

Well that’s a better question for the more experienced. In my case in my climate, I can’t say I’ve actually burned a full load in 12 hours. On what I might call a medium burn there’s an occasional flame poking out and some glowing coals

 

[Nealm66]

I have a regular stove not an insert

 

[Gearhead660]

Can you expand on this a bit? I'm interpreting this as unless you're running the stove on low (no visible flames for the vast majority of it's burn) it's wasted ability. Would running it on ~medium with increased BTU output, longer visible flames, and ~12hr reload cycles be wasteful? As I understand it a moderate burn burn will have visible flame for at least a few hours

I would think flames are not a waste, just more BTUs when needed, correct?
If I got a cat stove, it would be run at medium most of the time to deliver the heat I need. Being able to turn it down for warmer weather is where I would see the advantage for my situation.

 

[avsmusic1]

I would think flames are not a waste, just more BTUs when needed, correct?
If I got a cat stove, it would be run at medium most of the time to deliver the heat I need. Being able to turn it down for warmer weather is where I would see the advantage for my situation.

my thoughts exactly
I know there are guys here running at ~medium throttle who have said they have visible fires after 3-4hrs so that's where my confusion stems from

 

[Caw]

What kind of heat/burn times does a Princess give if you're running her on medium and high?

I've got an Osburn 1600 insert that heats my house easily (70-72 throuhhout the house and 75 in the stove room) until it gets below 10 degrees. The resistance heat will kick on at about 4 or 5 am on sub 10 nights (heat set to 60 degrees). It's rated at 65k btu/hr when running hard.

Our typical winter temps are 20-35 degrees with a few weeks of the real cold nights mixed in. So on a lot of days the 12+ hour burn times seem appealing to me as I'm only running my 1600 medium ish to avoid baking us out but on the colder nights I'd be concerned that a cat wasn't going to be able to keep up. It gets cold enough here often enough I need that high heat output to be available when needed. I can't sacrifice it totally for longer burn times. I guess that's why I'm wondering how the Princess does on medium/high.

I'm heating 1600 sq ft not super open but the staircase is in the stove room so I get good airflow everywhere with only 1 fan running.

This is just something I've wondered about...would a cat work for me. Kind of where the thread is right now so I thought I'd ask. Not really in a position to swap it out right now even if I wanted but something to think about in the future.

 

[Gearhead660]

In that case switching one of the stoves out for a bk might be advantageous to you. When it gets below 30 or so fire up the other one

Burning 2 at a time when cold is what I have found works well this season. The temp swings are less drastic, more even warmth. Having a cat stove burning for 12+ hours would be nice. Getting around 9 hours out of the tube stove.

 

[Nealm66]

What kind of heat/burn times does a Princess give if you're running her on medium?

I've got an Osburn 1600 insert that heats my house easily (70-72 throuhhout the house and 75 in the stove room) until it gets below 10 degrees. The resistance heat will kick on at about 4 or 5 am on sub 10 nights (heat set to 60 degrees). It's rated at 65k btu/hr when running hard.

Our typical winter temps are 20-35 degrees with a few weeks of the real cold nights mixed in. So on a lot of days the 12+ hour burn times seem appealing to me as I'm only running my 1600 medium ish to avoid baking us out but on the colder nights I'd be concerned that a cat wasn't going to be able to keep up.

I'm heating 1600 sq ft not super open but the staircase is in the stove room so I get good airflow everywhere with only 1 fan running.

This is just something I've wondered about...would a cat work for me. Kind of where the thread is right now so I thought I'd ask!

I think it depends a little on wood type. I had a load of Idaho press logs that I had at a medium setting with a 24 hour outside temp between 30-40 that could have easily went 30 hours while keeping my house between 72-74 (too hot but the wife like it) . This would normally keep the same temp with a load of decent fir but I’d say a 15 hour reload.

 

[Caw]

I'm burning 100% seasoned hardwood. All red oak, maple, ash, and cherry. We have ample supple here in MA and I have the space to rack them. Have about 8 cords up now for my 3 cord a year ish needs.

I know a cat would work for me on the milder days I'm more concerned with how hard/often would I need push it on the colder days to decide whether it's really an upgrade. Lots of 20-25 days and then a few weeks of single digit/teens.

I guess the simpler way to ask would be could a Princess match the output of my 1600 going full speed with quality hardwood loads on the cold days? Because I get enough cold days for that to matter. I also cannot fit a king its a small fireplace.