The Blaze King Performance Thread

[jeff_t]

No OAK.

Looked at your pics again, and that screw definitely looks funky. Don't know who else has a classic model, but I wouldn't think it would be different.

 

[HotCoals]

No OAK.

Looked at your pics again, and that screw definitely looks funky. Don't know who else has a classic model, but I wouldn't think it would be different.

I bought mine OCT. 2010..maybe it's just the latter ones?
I'm always messing with crap but I don't remember doing it.
I did add the one from the top and now I can limit how high it can burn and I like it like that.
I might have done the other one in a failed attempt to do what I'm doing now..just don't remember doing it.
It's heck to get old.
But anyways other then the t-stat being slow to react in mine..I'm really happy with it.

 

[ohlongarm]

Hcoals,I've got three screws on my stat cover. Never have heard my stat open or close does that mean anything. I can get alot of fire continuous at 2.5 but if I cut her back a hair it goes into secondaries and eventually no flame. I usually burn an hour and a half a day with flame at night only.Also where are the air intakes to wash the glass on a King located. You are definitely a plethora of knowledge on this unit. Thanks for your input,as well as everyone else who runs these graet stoves,I'm still well into the learning phase.

 

[HotCoals]

Ohlongarm,


Thank you..I'm not crazy!
I knew I did not put that 3rd screw there!
Funny thing is I was thinking about putting a limit screw so no one could rip my fire to much and that is what that 3rd screw trys to accomplish.
I just did it a better way then they did.
I was surprised to see the way they tried to do that.

Yep 2.5 is usually where the flames start..maybe a little sooner.

If you turn the t-stat kinda fast back and forth from 1 to 3.5 you should hear it close at around 2..and since you have that limit screw you might hear it open all the way at around 3...hard to tell.

The intake air is at the bottom of the box that holds the t-stat..but last night I was talking about crud being in the outlets.
Open the door and at both upper corners is where the air comes out to wash your glass and feed the fire..same air...that's where i cleaned the crud out..wear gloves ..I was just burning coals but it's still hot in there.

 

[TX-L]

Recently completed a 32 hour cycle, from Tuesday at 9 pm to Thursday at 5 am. Stovetop was just under 300 Thursday morning. All Wednesday evening into Thursday morning was with the coals raked up forward to the door. The stat was set on 2 for this entire evolution. Outdoor temps in the 30s throughout this cycle, so pretty mild. The cycle time will shorten this weekend, forecast high of +2 on Saturday with north wind. Enjoy! :coolsmile:

 

[rdust]

I realized my door gasket was leaking a bit so I adjusted the door latch.(terrible design but we already know that) I was noticing a lot more flames when I turned it down then it used to have. The difference wasn't huge but I'm back to ridiculous amounts of wood after 12 hours again. This morning after 12 hours I had to load wood on top of a half filled stove before work, I hate having to do this. I almost didn't adjust the latch since it was actually fitting my loading schedule better the way it was. :lol: I don't think the difference will be as great in the next couple days since I'll have to turn it up some due to the lower temps heading our way.

 

[HotCoals]

I realized my door gasket was leaking a bit so I adjusted the door latch.(terrible design but we already know that) I was noticing a lot more flames when I turned it down then it used to have. The difference wasn't huge but I'm back to ridiculous amounts of wood after 12 hours again. This morning after 12 hours I had to load wood on top of a half filled stove before work, I hate having to do this. I almost didn't adjust the latch since it was actually fitting my loading schedule better the way it was. :lol: I don't think the difference will be as great in the next couple days since I'll have to turn it up some due to the lower temps heading our way.

I adjusted mine once towards the end of last season.
Fine so far now.
Man..I have it up to 85 in the family room playing around tonight!

 

[rdust]

11:00 pm just put some wood in the stove, I want to go to bed and don't want to wait much longer. Loaded at 7:30 am and the stove was still a tick over 400* at 11:00 pm. I only tossed a half load in so I'll have room in the stove tomorrow morning since I loaded so late.

Picture of the coal bed and stove top from about an hour ago.

 

[weatherguy]

You guys ever clean your combustor? The last two days mines been running funky, I used to turn it down to 1-1 1/2 at night and it would stay at about 3 oclock on the thermometer, last 2 days it been running cooler, down to about 12 oclock. The combustor's still glowing red so its working, Im wondering if it needs a good cleaning.

 

[greythorn3]

heres a good thing about the blaze king princess.

it has the best glass wash system of any stove i have used. the dang glass hardly ever gets dirty.

 

[daleeper]

You guys ever clean your combustor? The last two days mines been running funky, I used to turn it down to 1-1 1/2 at night and it would stay at about 3 oclock on the thermometer, last 2 days it been running cooler, down to about 12 oclock. The combustor's still glowing red so its working, Im wondering if it needs a good cleaning.

I cleaned mine last summer from one year's burning, and had quite a bit of ash in it. I had brushed the face off during last years burn, but never looked like it was plugging, but several holes were blocked, maybe from the end of season shoulder burning, and not running it hard much. Get your spare gasket, pick a warm day, and pull it out and check it over, or do a super good job with a vacuum and see if that helps.

 

[SolarAndWood]

You guys ever clean your combustor? The last two days mines been running funky, I used to turn it down to 1-1 1/2 at night and it would stay at about 3 oclock on the thermometer, last 2 days it been running cooler, down to about 12 oclock. The combustor's still glowing red so its working, Im wondering if it needs a good cleaning.

I cleaned mine last summer from one year's burning, and had quite a bit of ash in it. I had brushed the face off during last years burn, but never looked like it was plugging, but several holes were blocked, maybe from the end of season shoulder burning, and not running it hard much. Get your spare gasket, pick a warm day, and pull it out and check it over, or do a super good job with a vacuum and see if that helps.

Chris recommended taking it out and soaking it in one of those maintenance threads. Tell you what though, my combustor is not coming out of that stove during the heating season unless I have a spare.

 

[daleeper]

You guys ever clean your combustor? The last two days mines been running funky, I used to turn it down to 1-1 1/2 at night and it would stay at about 3 oclock on the thermometer, last 2 days it been running cooler, down to about 12 oclock. The combustor's still glowing red so its working, Im wondering if it needs a good cleaning.

I cleaned mine last summer from one year's burning, and had quite a bit of ash in it. I had brushed the face off during last years burn, but never looked like it was plugging, but several holes were blocked, maybe from the end of season shoulder burning, and not running it hard much. Get your spare gasket, pick a warm day, and pull it out and check it over, or do a super good job with a vacuum and see if that helps.

Chris recommended taking it out and soaking it in one of those maintenance threads. Tell you what though, my combustor is not coming out of that stove during the heating season unless I have a spare.

Good point solar. I have backup heat and am not afraid to use it, but if I didn't, I would be cautious about cleaning without a backup of some sort in place.

 

[jeff_t]

You guys ever clean your combustor? The last two days mines been running funky, I used to turn it down to 1-1 1/2 at night and it would stay at about 3 oclock on the thermometer, last 2 days it been running cooler, down to about 12 oclock. The combustor's still glowing red so its working, Im wondering if it needs a good cleaning.

Any smoke coming out the chimney?
I think also that the set screw holding the coil in place on the probe has been known to loosen.
Bypass closing fully? Gasket okay?
I'd be checking other things if this is something that happened overnight.

 

[weatherguy]

You guys ever clean your combustor? The last two days mines been running funky, I used to turn it down to 1-1 1/2 at night and it would stay at about 3 oclock on the thermometer, last 2 days it been running cooler, down to about 12 oclock. The combustor's still glowing red so its working, Im wondering if it needs a good cleaning.

Any smoke coming out the chimney?
I think also that the set screw holding the coil in place on the probe has been known to loosen.
Bypass closing fully? Gasket okay?
I'd be checking other things if this is something that happened overnight.

I get some smoke but once it gets good and hot it disappears, Im going to have to wait for a warm day and check all those things.
Are you talking about the set screw on the tstat?

 

[jeff_t]

You guys ever clean your combustor? The last two days mines been running funky, I used to turn it down to 1-1 1/2 at night and it would stay at about 3 oclock on the thermometer, last 2 days it been running cooler, down to about 12 oclock. The combustor's still glowing red so its working, Im wondering if it needs a good cleaning.

Any smoke coming out the chimney?
I think also that the set screw holding the coil in place on the probe has been known to loosen.
Bypass closing fully? Gasket okay?
I'd be checking other things if this is something that happened overnight.

I get some smoke but once it gets good and hot it disappears, Im going to have to wait for a warm day and check all those things.
Are you talking about the set screw on the tstat?

Yeah, I just looked at mine. Sorry, it's not a set screw. Nuts on the shaft of the probe hold everything together. There is a section in the maintenance part of the manual that tells you how to adjust it. Some have found the dial to be loose.

 

[weatherguy]

You guys ever clean your combustor? The last two days mines been running funky, I used to turn it down to 1-1 1/2 at night and it would stay at about 3 oclock on the thermometer, last 2 days it been running cooler, down to about 12 oclock. The combustor's still glowing red so its working, Im wondering if it needs a good cleaning.

Any smoke coming out the chimney?
I think also that the set screw holding the coil in place on the probe has been known to loosen.
Bypass closing fully? Gasket okay?
I'd be checking other things if this is something that happened overnight.

I get some smoke but once it gets good and hot it disappears, Im going to have to wait for a warm day and check all those things.
Are you talking about the set screw on the tstat?

Yeah, I just looked at mine. Sorry, it's not a set screw. Nuts on the shaft of the probe hold everything together. There is a section in the maintenance part of the manual that tells you how to adjust it. Some have found the dial to be loose.

thanks Ill check that too and go right down the list, its still putting out heat but Im sure the Cat could be cleaned.

 

[Lanningjw]

It's like 45f out..warm.
I loaded it about 10:00pm ..2/3 or a little more.
I have the t-stat below one..I know the flapper is shut and will probably stay that way through the whole load.
Anyways after I loaded it and charred it for maybe 15 mins the cat probe was at 2/3-3/4..stove top around 500f.
Then maybe a half hour 45 mins later the stove top went to 600f with the probe just about all the way...lots of off gassing going on and the cat is pigging out.

Then another 45 mins goes by and she is not off gassing so much and the temps are headed down for the low cruise.

I just went and looked and my IR says 450 by the cat probe and the probe is around 2/3 again..it will prolly drop down to like 350 stove top in a few more hours and stay there for a long time.

Now if I had the t-stat set a little higher..1.5 to maybe 2..the stove would maintain more stove top then 350 easy.
But it's warm out and it's 75 in the room next to the stove and maybe 80 in the stove room.
Around 70 upstairs where the bedrooms are...and I have the door shut in my bedroom which is the same size as my stove room..27x16..including the master bath.

If it's any warmer then this I truly believe I should just run the heat pump..but I hate the blower running.
And the power company gets to much of my money as it is..lol.

I'm burning ash css real early spring..mc about 15-20 usually.
Saving my good stuff.

I have next seasons wood curing out back!

My house is small (1,400) and we just spent 3K on closed cell foam insulation. The middle of the main floor is where the BK insert is located. We run our heat pump when the temps go over 35 degrees or put on shorts and tank tops....

 

[weatherguy]

Well I think I found out the problem, I must have mixed in some unseasoned wood with my good wood and grabbed a bunch of those splits by accident. I made sure I put in seasoned wood this load and it seems to be running fine. Im still goinjg to clean it up when a warm day comes around.

 

[richg]

11:00 pm just put some wood in the stove, I want to go to bed and don't want to wait much longer. Loaded at 7:30 am and the stove was still a tick over 400* at 11:00 pm. I only tossed a half load in so I'll have room in the stove tomorrow morning since I loaded so late.

Picture of the coal bed and stove top from about an hour ago.

Let me get this straight....you loaded your stove at 7:30 in the morning, and at 11:00 PM that night it was at 400 degrees? If that's the case, I'm gonna throw my Quad into the garbage and get me a Princess. right now, my Quad is struggling mightily with a load of 15-month cut/split/stacked hickory and I got no better wood to burn than that.

 

[Hass]

Let me get this straight....you loaded your stove at 7:30 in the morning, and at 11:00 PM that night it was at 400 degrees? If that's the case, I'm gonna throw my Quad into the garbage and get me a Princess. right now, my Quad is struggling mightily with a load of 15-month cut/split/stacked hickory and I got no better wood to burn than that.

That's pretty normal I think... the bk burn time anyway.

 

[HotCoals]

Guys,
Do me a favor and check your stove top temps above the cat.
I'm been keeping a eye on things and now it seems no matter what the right side above the cat is hotter then the left.
Right now on the left side it's 500 on stove top..far right above cat it's 600..and 620 in the middle.
I can tell that the far left side is not glowing as much.
Thanks,
Dave.

 

[Hass]

Guys,
Do me a favor and check your stove top temps above the cat.
I'm been keeping a eye on things and now it seems no matter what the right side above the cat is hotter then the left.
Right now on the left side it's 500 on stove top..far right above cat it's 600..and 620 in the middle.
I can tell that the far left side is not glowing as much.
Thanks,
Dave.

Mine glows evenly, but a few inches to the right of the probe is always the hottest part on the stove.
Also if I have a bed of coals in the middle of the stove when I turn the first down, the fire will 90% of the time favor the right side. The coals will move to the right side first, and on a reload when I turn the stove up the biggest portion of the fire at first will be on the right side.

sometimes when I wake up in the morning I'll see a good bunch of splits wedged up on the left side still charred but unburned. Never on the right side.

I figured most of the reason is the way I load the stove... but it may be the way the air is entering.

 

[HotCoals]

I dunno Hass..but I not noticed this diff before.
At first I thought maybe it was just the way I loaded it..but now I'm thinking my cat might have some fly ash in it on the left side..though it looks clean when the shilled is off.
No big deal for now..it's putting out the heat.
But after the season I will pull the cat to check it out.
Thanks.

 

[rdust]

Let me get this straight....you loaded your stove at 7:30 in the morning, and at 11:00 PM that night it was at 400 degrees? If that's the case, I'm gonna throw my Quad into the garbage and get me a Princess. right now, my Quad is struggling mightily with a load of 15-month cut/split/stacked hickory and I got no better wood to burn than that.

Correct, but I think I need to clarify it a little. The stove was on 1.5(pretty low burn) and had a stove top around 340* around 7:30pm which was 12 hours later, I moved the coals into the middle and turned the t-stat up to 2.5 the temp climbed to 400* and held steady there from 7:30pm to around 11pm when I reloaded. This was also on a load of 3 year seasoned silver maple.