2014-2015 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)#2

[aansorge]

Swept the stove two nights ago. I had about a half gallon of creosote with the vast majority of it being at the top of the stack (25 feet total) where it is exposed to the elements. In my non-cat I have never had any creosote, pretty much just ash. It has a shorter stack and the stack has a little less exposed to the elements so all is not equal, but I do think the inefficient nature of the non-cats helps prevent creosote buildup. The higher stack temps just keep the junk from plating out.

Still, a quick sweep, really only a small job, and you are back in business. But I think running a Blaze King over some other stoves requires a bit more chimney attention.

But to me it is all worth it. I am constantly amazed at the performance. After 12 hours the thing is still just pounding out the heat! I have actually started to allow the ash to really build up deep as this reduces the firebox size enough which allows a shorter burn time a bit. This is better for 12 hour load cycles.

 

[Idahonative]

Swept the stove two nights ago. I had about a half gallon of creosote with the vast majority of it being at the top of the stack (25 feet total) where it is exposed to the elements. In my non-cat I have never had any creosote, pretty much just ash. It has a shorter stack and the stack has a little less exposed to the elements so all is not equal, but I do think the inefficient nature of the non-cats helps prevent creosote buildup. The higher stack temps just keep the junk from plating out.

Still, a quick sweep, really only a small job, and you are back in business. But I think running a Blaze King over some other stoves requires a bit more chimney attention.

But to me it is all worth it. I am constantly amazed at the performance. After 12 hours the thing is still just pounding out the heat! I have actually started to allow the ash to really build up deep as this reduces the firebox size enough which allows a shorter burn time a bit. This is better for 12 hour load cycles.

Are you doing a "burnoff" on your stove at least once per day like BK recommends?

 

[rdust]

Are you doing a "burnoff" on your stove at least once per day like BK recommends?

IIRC that was only recommended during the shoulder season when the firebox was building up with gunk.

Or are you talking about something published in the manual?

Either way I've never done either of them.

 

[Rossco]

Same here. Pulled 1/2 a Pail worth out of my 18' external run a few weeks back.

More of a black powder this time around. Some of the wood I burnt latley might be a little suspect.

Sweeping for me is a 10 min job as I do it from ground level, The most time consuming part is assembling the rods.

 

[Highbeam]

IIRC that was only recommended during the shoulder season when the firebox was building up with gunk.

And it was once a week. If you did it daily you may as well be running a non-cat.

 

[aansorge]

I have a pretty leaky house so I run it semi-hard quite a bit. I do run it hard occasionally.

My wood could be better but it is about 1.5 to 2 years split and stacked. I keep it in a grain bin with the front door open and the top off. This gives decent airflow.

 

[Idahonative]

And it was once a week. If you did it daily you may as well be running a non-cat.

I think we might be talking about two different things? We turn our King up to high and do a burn off every evening after we load it for at least 15-20 minutes (many times 2x per day). I don't have the manual in front of me but I'm pretty sure BK recommends this. We would do it even if it wasn't recommended by BK. My parents have been burning since 1979. Over 50 years burning between our two houses and neither flue has been touched with anything...ever. Never had a chimney fire...no buildup to catch fire. Chimney sweeps don't like us much though.

 

[bobdog2o02]

I think we might be talking about two different things? We turn our King up to high and do a burn off every evening after we load it for at least 15-20 minutes (many times 2x per day). I don't have the manual in front of me but I'm pretty sure BK recommends this. We would do it even if it wasn't recommended by BK. My parents have been burning since 1979. Over 50 years burning between our two houses and neither flue has been touched with anything...ever. Never had a chimney fire...no buildup to catch fire. Chimney sweeps don't like us much though.

You are referring to "charring the load". Not running hot for a cleaning. Also, that's a risky dice roll with no chimney maintenance.

 

[Ashful]

You are referring to "charring the load". Not running hot for a cleaning. Also, that's a risky dice roll with no chimney maintenance.

Actually, the BK Ashford manual does recommend burning on a high setting 20 - 30 minutes a day, separately from the whole charring the wood in bypass routine. They specifically state it is for the purpose of reducing firebox and glass deposits.

I'd agree on the chimney issue, tho!

 

[begreen]

I didn't didn't find it in the King manual either. This is what it says:
"Other than during the initial startup sequence, DO NOT burn the stove with the by-pass open. Leaving the bypass open may APPEAR to achieve a hotter fire (the flames look more active) but, in fact, just the opposite is true. Bypassing the catalyst allows as much as 50% of the potential fuel - and therefore heat - to go directly up the chimney. These Blaze King catalytic stoves produce their greatest amount of heat when the by-pass is closed, and the catalyst is active."

And in the reload section there is this sentence, but this is after the bypass has been closed:
The glass will stay cleanest when the new load of fuel is burned on high for up to 30 minutes.

 

[tarzan]

Without looking at my Princess manual I think it stated to burn the new load for 20 minutes after closing the bypass, before turning the thermostat down. Then turn it down in steps. As in 3 to 2.5 to 2 and so on until you get where you want it to be.

I just assumed this was put in there for folks who didn't burn dry wood cause I didn't see a benefit other than cleaning the glass and that only lasts a few hours burning low and slow.

I do let a load of two a week burn on high for a while when burning low and slow though, just not every load.

 

[HotCoals]

The old timers used to burn hot once a day or so..that way if the chimney caught on fire it would not be such a big fire.

 

[kennyp2339]

Tarzan - Just got word that I'll be in your neck of the woods putting up power lines that were knocked down, hang in there

 

[Idahonative]

From the King manual concerning creosote:

"Remember - the hotter the fire the less creosote. Small intense fires create less creosote than large, smoldering fires. We recommend that each day a small intense fire be built, preferably in the morning. This daily practice should burn out the small deposits of creosote before they build to a dangerous level. The combustion air inlet should be opened for at least 30 minutes by turning the thermostat up in the morning and evening. NEVER “burn out” large deposits of more than one days accumulation."

Under operating instructions:

"Let the fire burn on a higher setting (on the thermostat) for 20-30 minutes, or until the fire is well established, then turn the thermostat to the desired setting. It is good burning practice to burn the stove on high for 20-30 mins after every refueling, this will help in cleaning off any residual build-ups and lessen the chance of accumulation."

Under catalytic combustor cleaning:

"TIP: A nice hot fire will usually prove to be the best method of cleaning the combustor of deposits."

Under door glass cleaning:

"The best way to keep the glass clean is to leave the stove on high burn for a period of time after each reloading. The moisture which is driven from a new load of wood contributes much of the creosote on the inside of the glass. Removing that moisture at the beginning of the burn cycle helps to keep the glass clean. Leaving the thermostat on a higher setting for 30 minutes to an hour before turning to low for an overnight burn will also help."

It's clear Blaze King wants the customer to do these daily burn offs (as we call them) to keep everything clean, not just the flue. My family has done this for decades (not just with BK products) and it has proven to be the best preventative maintenance. Like I said, over 50 years of burning 24/7 between the two houses and never, ever have we ran a brush...there's no need to. You can't have a chimney fire without fuel (creosote). By burning properly seasoned wood and doing daily burn offs, this fuel can't build up.

I don't think BK is recommending their customers do what we are doing (no chimney sweep) because they can't. The legal aspects of their business won't allow it. There always has to be legal wording in the manual to keep them from being sued.

 

[HotCoals]

Look , doing a hot fire once a day will not clean anything off the flue above the stove unless the flu catches a fire.
True story!

 

[begreen]

Thanks for the update. I see that my King manual is from 2009. The first text has been added since then.

 

[Idahonative]

Look , doing a hot fire once a day will not clean anything off the flue above the stove unless the flu catches a fire.
True story!

I am 100% sure you are wrong...but that's just my opinion.

 

[HotCoals]

I am 100% sure you are wrong...but that's just my opinion.

Really?

How do you think a hot fire gets rid of the creo up in your flue?
I'm talking the black shiny sticky stuff(stage 3) that can accumulate in your chimney.

 

[begreen]

One would think that how much is dried out or burnt off would depend on the flue setup. What really matters is the flue gas temp as it exits the chimney. If the chimney is long and exterior and outside temps are cold, this practice may not be enough. More frequent cleaning seems prudent.

 

[Idahonative]

Really?

How do you think a hot fire gets rid of the creo up in your flue?
I'm talking the black shiny sticky stuff that can accumulate in your chimney.

You might want to re-read the above post. The point being, if you are doing the daily burn offs, "the black shiny sticky stuff" will not exist in the first place. It will never build up enough fuel to catch fire.

 

[HotCoals]

One would think that how much is dried out or burnt off would depend on the flue setup. What really matters is the flue gas temp as it exits the chimney. If the chimney is long and exterior and outside temps are cold, this practice may not be enough. More frequent cleaning seems prudent.

At least once a year.

None the less a hot fire will clean the box and glass up but that's about it unless you do catch the flue/chimney on fire.

 

[Idahonative]

One would think that how much is dried out or burnt off would depend on the flue setup. What really matters is the flue gas temp as it exits the chimney. If the chimney is long and exterior and outside temps are cold, this practice may not be enough. More frequent cleaning seems prudent.

That is a good point. We have a relatively short stack at around 15 feet. The taller the stack, the cooler the top portion of the exit will be.

 

[HotCoals]

You might want to re-read the above post. The point being, if you are doing the daily burn offs, "the black shiny sticky stuff" will not exist in the first place. It will never build up enough fuel to catch fire.

No it could still build up once you shut things down.
For sure with sub par wood.

The bold is bad advice.

 

[Idahonative]

At least once a year.

None the less a hot fire will clean the box and glass up but that's about it unless you do catch the flue/chimney on fire.

Seems like maybe you know more than Blaze King.

 

[Jags]

I have one question (as a non BK owner). When you do a hot burn to clean the glass (and stove), does the glass burst into flame until the black is gone?