Looking for new insert - Blaze King?

[stoveliker]

If it happens occasionally for short times, I don't think there's a big deal. Consistently and for long may be a problem.

So if you want to run the insert hot (to clean out the gunk inside that accumulates when you run low and slow), do so with the thermostat maybe a bit less than fully open. My thermostat has the minimum at "1 o'clock" and the max at 6. I do my occasional hot runs around 4.30-5 ish on the thermostat.

I know folks in Alaska run wide-open-throttle sometimes for long. But it all depends on the draft so comparing is hard to do.
I don't know if you have a ceramic cat or a metal one; it's easier to see flame impingement damage to ceramic cats. (but once that happens damage has already occurred).

 

[TheAdmiralBurns]

I'm perhaps getting a bit obsessive at this point so I hope you guys don't mind questions. One thing that's interesting is that earlier today the stove got down to coals and the thermostat was sitting right at the "in between" point between active and inactive. Is that normal? I mean, is it normal for that indicator to hang out right between "active" and "inactive"? I saw on another thread that on the insert it is a "switch" and not really a "thermostat" like on the free standing stoves. I can't find anything in the manual on this.

At that point, with the indicator at the "in between" point, the heat coming out of the blower was still blazing hot even though it was just coals, so perhaps that's the catalyst was still doing its job?

Thanks so much for the input. I'm really enjoying this thing but trying to get my head around all of the nuances is challenging!

 

[stoveliker]

I am not familiar with the insert way of doing things, but the temperature decrease at the end is very slow, therefore it may look like it's hanging out a long time.

If you go outside and your chimney exhaust looks clean (i.e. is invisible), all is good.

 

[TheAdmiralBurns]

Quick question - what is the red chalky substance on the cat? See image.

 

[TheAdmiralBurns]

(I made a mistake last night and trying to determine if this is a sign of damage)

 

[stoveliker]

Rust, i.e. iron oxide.
Nothing to worry about imo.
My cat (see pics in the recent cat failure thread) has similar coloring.
If it's hot, and it sees oxygen, it can rust.

I would not worry about this.

 

[spudman99]

Sorry I missed your thread earlier, I dont frequent here as much after the forum listing change.

I am not far away and am on my 4th year with a PI29 princess insert. Your stove looks great. I have a 30' brick chimney, insert in the Toll Brothers 1984 family room. Without fail I get 12 hour burns which suits my schedule perfectly. At 8am open bypass, get tea, reload with 4 or so pieces (not full), char wood for 5 min (depending on how quickly it restarts, that can be 20 min total time). Close bypass, set themo and fan, finish in the house and go to work. At 8pm repeat with a bit more wood.

I was burning ash and it worked fine. This year is my first with all oak, and some larger 8" splits at that. I can get longer burns, or in my case am using less wood to get the same results.

Let the stove fall into your schedule. No need to obsess over its operation. I have a magnetic thermostat on top, I use that to see what temps are being blown out the top. Otherwise I run it by the cat. Active - close bypass; inactive-open bypass.

This does not keep my entire house warm, the farther recesses can be cold (like 61) but a space heater helps that (thanks Bob Toll).

Don't worry about the lack of flames in the box, it is a heating appliance, not an ambience stove. Let the glass go black as you will forever be chasing the cleaning cycle. Do have DRY wood. I have 8 cords under cover and burn 2 cords a year. That is essential to getting CLEAN and longer burn times in the Ashford. Use some floor fans to move cold air to the fireplace room and you will be please.

Last, please make sure you have an adequate supply of DRY wood. I made some cheap covered racks with pallets, pressure treated lumber and clear corrugated panels from Lowes. Like $40 for a full cord bay and they have lasted 5 years already.

 

[kborndale]

Did I miss something? What was the forum listing change?

 

[spudman99]

Listing change was from open thread posting on the main page to Manufacturer specific pages. Far less interesting threads to "pull" me into reading them, hence the loss of interest.