2015-2016 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)

ohiojoe13 said:

1. Should I be seeing flames when running my ashford at about the 4 o'clock position? I'm not seeing any. If I turn it all the way to 6 o'clock I get flames.
2. Also can someone explain how the thermostat works.
3. When it was warmer out in would hear the flap close around 3 o'clock now that it's colder out I hear it close around 5. Is that normal?
4. If the flap closes at say 4 o'clock and I set thermostat at 3 o'clock will the thermostat open back up when needed?

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Lots of questions in that rant, so I numbered them.

1. You may or may not see flames, depending on outside temperature and chimney height. I suspect you may need to run a hair higher than 4 o'clock, on most installs, to see flames.
2. Thermostat is a simple bimetallic coil spring (think continuous clock spring) wound on a shaft, to which the air inlet damper is connected. When this spring cools, it opens the damper a bit. When it gets hot, it closes it a bit. In this way, for settings around the "NORMAL" range, the damper will act to automatically modulate intake air and maintain constant burn as load burns down. Of course, if they removed the "NORMAL RANGE" indication from the new swoosh label, so... good luck.
3. The clocking of the flap closure is dependent on temperature of your stove, and how fast you're running the fans, and has nothing to do with outside temperature. If you're running the stove hotter and fuller, because it's colder out, then your described behavior might make sense. Flap will close at a higher o'clock position when the stove is hotter.
4. Yes, that's the idea. However, if you go way past the point where the flap closes, there may not be enough travel in the spring to get it open. It's a limited travel mechanism.

Ashful said:

Lots of questions in that rant, so I numbered them.

1. You may or may not see flames, depending on outside temperature and chimney height. I suspect you may need to run a hair higher than 4 o'clock, on most installs, to see flames.
2. Thermostat is a simple bimetallic coil spring (think continuous clock spring) wound on a shaft, to which the air inlet damper is connected. When this spring cools, it opens the damper a bit. When it gets hot, it closes it a bit. In this way, for settings around the "NORMAL" range, the damper will act to automatically modulate intake air and maintain constant burn as load burns down. Of course, if they removed the "NORMAL RANGE" indication from the new swoosh label, so... good luck.
3. The clocking of the flap closure is dependent on temperature of your stove, and how fast you're running the fans, and has nothing to do with outside temperature. If you're running the stove hotter and fuller, because it's colder out, then your described behavior might make sense. Flap will close at a higher o'clock position when the stove is hotter.
4. Yes, that's the idea. However, if you go way past the point where the flap closes, there may not be enough travel in the spring to get it open. It's a limited travel mechanism.

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Thank you for explaining all that for me.

Ashful said:

Lots of questions in that rant, so I numbered them.

1. You may or may not see flames, depending on outside temperature and chimney height. I suspect you may need to run a hair higher than 4 o'clock, on most installs, to see flames.
2. Thermostat is a simple bimetallic coil spring (think continuous clock spring) wound on a shaft, to which the air inlet damper is connected. When this spring cools, it opens the damper a bit. When it gets hot, it closes it a bit. In this way, for settings around the "NORMAL" range, the damper will act to automatically modulate intake air and maintain constant burn as load burns down. Of course, if they removed the "NORMAL RANGE" indication from the new swoosh label, so... good luck.
3. The clocking of the flap closure is dependent on temperature of your stove, and how fast you're running the fans, and has nothing to do with outside temperature. If you're running the stove hotter and fuller, because it's colder out, then your described behavior might make sense. Flap will close at a higher o'clock position when the stove is hotter.
4. Yes, that's the idea. However, if you go way past the point where the flap closes, there may not be enough travel in the spring to get it open. It's a limited travel mechanism.

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Please indulge me on the notion that the spring is "simple". First, not offended in the least but for the purposes of clarity and so someone does not try something they should not, each model of stove we make has a very specific length of bi metallic in raw material. Each receives a certain number of revolutions and rotations per inch. Then each spring for each model is baked at a specific temperature for a specific period of time. The springs therefore are not interchangeable between models. Just for clarity....

BKVP said:

Please indulge me on the notion that the spring is "simple". First, not offended in the least but for the purposes of clarity and so someone does not try something they should not, each model of stove we make has a very specific length of raw material. Each receives a certain number of revolutions and rotations per inch. Then each spring for each model is baked at a specific temperature for a specific period of time. The springs therefore are not interchangeable between models. Just for clarity....

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...and make sure you don't mess with any part of the mechanism It is calibrated for each model as well. I have learned this the hard way

claybe said:

...and make sure you don't mess with any part of the mechanism It is calibrated for each model as well. I have learned this the hard way

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Yup!

Also remember that it is a thermostat setting and not a flapper setting. When you crank it up high enough to get flames you may only get flames long enough for the stove temp to rise and satisfy the thermostat which will then close and your flames go out. Your stat setting is just the desired stove temp, not the burn rate.

Highbeam said:

Also remember that it is a thermostat setting and not a flapper setting. When you crank it up high enough to get flames you may only get flames long enough for the stove temp to rise and satisfy the thermostat which will then close and your flames go out. Your stat setting is just the desired stove temp, not the burn rate.

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Thanks for clearing that up.

BKVP said:

Please indulge me on the notion that the spring is "simple". First, not offended in the least but for the purposes of clarity and so someone does not try something they should not, each model of stove we make has a very specific length of bi metallic in raw material. Each receives a certain number of revolutions and rotations per inch. Then each spring for each model is baked at a specific temperature for a specific period of time. The springs therefore are not interchangeable between models. Just for clarity....

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Any technology that has existed without a fundamental change in it's underlying principles for 250 years might be viewed as simple, such as the bimetallic spring. Your careful and creative application of that simple technology is genius, though!

Ashful said:

Any technology that has existed without a fundamental change in it's underlying principles for 250 years might be viewed as simple, such as the bimetallic spring. Your careful and creative application of that simple technology is genius, though!

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If I had to design a stove with similar functionality to my BK, it would have four temperature probes, six servos, a raspberry pi (small computer) running things, and would probably have to feature a steam-fired electric generator to run all that crap.

I am so glad my unit has the magic spring instead. =)

jetsam said:

If I had to design a stove with similar functionality to my BK, it would have four temperature probes, six servos, a raspberry pi (small computer) running things, and would probably have to feature a steam-fired electric generator to run all that crap.

I am so glad my unit has the magic spring instead. =)

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I can't even imagine the software bugs. [emoji16]

jetsam said:

If I had to design a stove with similar functionality to my BK, it would have four temperature probes, six servos, a raspberry pi (small computer) running things, and would probably have to feature a steam-fired electric generator to run all that crap.

I am so glad my unit has the magic spring instead. =)

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One of members with a BK tried to add a draft controller to his stove, the software support is what finally killed the project as I recall. He is @turbojoe .

Bimettalic springs are relatively simple. Heck, my BK has three, one stat and two thermometers. It's so simple, they even have them controlling the draft on low price Daka wood furnaces. The wood furnace folks are way way ahead of the woodstove folks on electronic controls for blowers and draft settings to maintain output, safety, and clean burning. Truth is, I am considering dumping my NC30 shop stove to install a wood burner with draft and fan controls. Could be a BK King, could be a wood furnace. It takes way too much fiddling to keep a non-cat manual stove running clean and I'm spoiled by the BK's automatic thermostat.

Heftiger said:

I can't even imagine the software bugs. [emoji16]

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Click over into the Pellet Mill forum. Constant discussion of firmware updates on their stoves. A stove with a USB port is just wrong.

Ok. I hate to bring it up again but.... I HATE the swoosh!!

With my new Ashford I'm guessing now where my settings are. I used to set my King "just below 2" for overnight burns. I know that doesn't mean anything to anybody else because every setup is different, but it meant something to me. I think I'm going to have to put marks on my swoosh just so I have some reference!

Heftiger said:

Ok. I hate to bring it up again but.... I HATE the swoosh!!

With my new Ashford I'm guessing now where my settings are. I used to set my King "just below 2" for overnight burns. I know that doesn't mean anything to anybody else because every setup is different, but it meant something to me. I think I'm going to have to put marks on my swoosh just so I have some reference!

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Grab a sharpie and be done with it!

Heftiger said:

Ok. I hate to bring it up again but.... I HATE the swoosh!!

With my new Ashford I'm guessing now where my settings are. I used to set my King "just below 2" for overnight burns. I know that doesn't mean anything to anybody else because every setup is different, but it meant something to me. I think I'm going to have to put marks on my swoosh just so I have some reference!

Click to expand...

Apparently BK is going to have to start offering the different stickers at check out!!

I guess the polar vortex really is staying "home" this year. Looking for -25dF tonight and a daytime high of -40dF for Friday.

Ashford 30 is loafing on medium with the fan kit on high. 83 in the stove room, 78 in the back bedrooms. Running all birch, though I have some spruce handy if I get behind and need quick heat.

My construction foreman is on break again.

Poindexter said:

I guess the polar vortex really is staying "home" this year. Looking for -25dF tonight and a daytime high of -40dF for Friday.

Ashford 30 is loafing on medium with the fan kit on high. 83 in the stove room, 78 in the back bedrooms. Running all birch, though I have some spruce handy if I get behind and need quick heat.

My construction foreman is on break again.

View attachment 169982

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Hate to break the bad news but your cat appears to be dead....

mwhitnee said:

Hate to break the bad news but your cat appears to be dead....

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nah he's got enough experience he knows to keep it in the active zone

Give the cat a vinegar and water bath and I bet it comes back to life in a hurry lol

edyit said:

nah he's got enough experience he knows to keep it in the active zone

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That is great [emoji106]

Poindexter said:

I guess the polar vortex really is staying "home" this year. Looking for -25dF tonight and a daytime high of -40dF for Friday.

Ashford 30 is loafing on medium with the fan kit on high. 83 in the stove room, 78 in the back bedrooms.

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You guys with insulation make me sick. I can't make it 83 in my house when it's 81 outside. [emoji12]

Well with it being 60 degrees here in the northeast It was a good day to empty the stove of cool ashes, lube the thermostat rod, mess with the door gasket and inspect the first 20' or so of flue with a mirror/flashlight through the bypass. After burning about a cord so far things are looking good.

2+ weeks of continuous burning in the new Princess....

I'm hooked. This thing is so easy to use and works incredibly well. (are the folks who say "too compicated" just dense..'er what?) The house is a constant 70 or so with the stove on low and we've seen 16 hour burn times on cottonwood and 24+ hour burns on gambel oak. (7-20% MC) >Seriously pleased<. THANKS again to everyone who has shared their experiences with these stoves.

Slight problem with stove #2 that I am (hopefully) working through with the dealer. Will withhold comment/critique/etc. on that challenge until I see how well the issue is handled.

I may buy a 3rd BK for the greenhouse we just erected if the dealer follow up is there on the current problem we are facing. The low/slow burn would be a perfect match for the greenhouse and the heat loss we will certainly see there. Was looking at >cheaper< non-cats but after operating the stove in the house for 2 weeks I can't see the point...unless that is.... I somehow wish to be tied to/a slave to a stove. Been there, done that. As Lindsey and Stevie once sang..."Never goin back again". Was looking at a Sirrocco 20 but may just buy another "girl" cause the physical size of the stove isn't all that much smaller for the reduced size of the firebox offered. (and the smaller stoves are more expensive?? Why?)

Hovering around 0F this AM outside. Still 68F in the house. Coffee is on.

Have a great day.......

BURN!

I just noticed today when i put some wood in my stove that the bottom piece of metal under the cat moved a lot. I have never loosmed to the 2 bolts i see hanging under. Could not do anything cause the stove was hot. But i have complained in the past about the stove acting funny. Can my cat be loose? What should I do?

Dont know the name of it but i put a pic of it from the website.

Niko said:

I just noticed today when i put some wood in my stove that the bottom piece of metal under the cat moved a lot. I have never loosmed to the 2 bolts i see hanging under. Could not do anything cause the stove was hot. But i have complained in the past about the stove acting funny. Can my cat be loose? What should I do?

Dont know the name of it but i put a pic of it from the website.

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That low piece of metal bolted on has nothing to do with cat tightness. It just holds the flame shield. Tighten back up when the stove cools