2014-2015 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)#2
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Condar claims efficiency starts to drop after 12000 hours. Mine has the same amount of time on it that Jeff has and I know mine is starting to lose efficiency.(on it's 4th season) Mine still lights off fine, glows bright early on but I know it's not making the heat it used to. The stove now has more flame in it than it used to in order to maintain the temp. The t-stat is having to work more in order for the stove to stay hot at my normal setting. It's also falling off at the end of the burn more than it used to.
Here is a good read. http://www.woodstovecombustors.com/replacement.html. For our area you're looking at 2.5-3 seasons before efficiency will drop 25%.
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That seems to counter what BK is saying. They are reporting less degradation and over a longer period of time.
alforit
Feeling the Heat
Mine is all in tact and working but I know it's not recovering the heat it used to. My experience seems to be inline with what the Condar folks are saying. I've read plenty of folks replacing cats after 3 or 4 seasons regardless of stove type.
I think the wear-out as Condar calls it applies to both ceramic and steel.
"After 12,000 hours of use, a combustor is expected to have lost 25% of its catalytic function. This is a natural process called "wear-out." Molecules of platinum and palladium aren’t actually lost, but their binding to smoke pollutants that can’t be removed by maintenance means gradually your woodstove will recover less heat from the smoke. Gradually you’ll notice less warmth, and eventually you’ll see dark pollutants from your chimney. (White steam is a normal emission from any EPA-approved woodstove, and water vapor is a natural harmless byproduct of catalytic reaction.) "
That chart assumes averages, which the last couple of winters have not been. And I don't mean mowing the grass in February
NinjaTech
Burning Hunk
To me this stove has saved me so much money in heating this year I would be willing to pay for a cat a year if I had too. Anything past a year for me and I feel I will be more than happy with it. Its amazing how well this thing works compared to the stove (smokedragon) my family had when I was a kid.
I've posted the same thing before. I'd spend the money every year if I had to without blinking an eye. This stove made heating 24/7 with wood "easy".
I thought that was for the ceramic cats. At least they were in this presentation. But these were 3 cords per year stoves.
Perhaps that is the difference?
alforit
Feeling the Heat
I believe its the steel cats that have the longer life ........If I remember right. The ones from Blaze King.........That's why they have the longer warranty.
I thought steel cats are a relatively new appearance. Are these steel or ceramic cats?
The catalyst is warranted for performance as required by the EPA. 4 yrs sounds too short a life.
"EPA requires each stove and/or catalyst manufacturer provide a 6-year pro-rated warranty on original combustors
0.4% of OEM Combustors are replaced in the first 3 years of Service (most failures involve over temperature conditions)
Less Than 10% of all OEM Combustors are replaced during the EPA Mandated 6 Year Warranty Period"
The catalyst is warranted for performance as required by the EPA. 4 yrs sounds too short a life.
"EPA requires each stove and/or catalyst manufacturer provide a 6-year pro-rated warranty on original combustors
0.4% of OEM Combustors are replaced in the first 3 years of Service (most failures involve over temperature conditions)
Less Than 10% of all OEM Combustors are replaced during the EPA Mandated 6 Year Warranty Period"
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bobdog2o02
Minister of Fire
I agree totally. If it lasts a year or two its cheaper than the oil man. And after my first stove this thing eats light and puts out the steady heat. I went from stove 865 on this list to stove 29. That's an untested 63% efficient (generous to me) to a TESTED 81%. I figure i paid for my old stove every year in my wood/oil savings........
bobdog2o02
Minister of Fire
Ahemm,
"
100% 10 Year Extended Warranty on Combustor
in Wood Stoves and Wood Fireplace Inserts
In addition to the warranty stated above Blaze King offers an additional, no charge, 10 Year Extended Warranty on all combustors in our catalytic wood stoves and catalytic wood fireplace inserts. See extended warranty certificate for details. Applies to products purchased after January 1st 2012.
"
http://www.blazeking.com/EN/warranty-wood.html
Yes, I know the warranty which is why I am surprised to hear people talking about replacing cats every 4-5 years due to greatly diminished performance. I thought that was a thing of the past.
alforit
Feeling the Heat
All those cats in your pictures are ceramic
I don't think Blaze King would offer a 10 warranty if the cat wasn't expected to have that life or at least close to it
Don't think they are in the business of losing money.....heh
bobdog2o02
Minister of Fire
The past few winters have been pretty cold, wonder if the acumulated run time over some actual 4 year burns might be closer to the projected accumulated burns for an average 6-10 years?
Highbeam
Minister of Fire
The ten year warranty applies to my ceramic cat too.
Be careful with the ten year warranty. It is not a warranty against a drop off in performance it is a warranty against a defective cat. As we know, a cat is not defective if it loses 25% of it's efficiency after 12000 hours which is only like three years. What I expect to happen is that the cat will be due for replacement before 10 years due to reduced performance but not due to a defect. Warranty is of little value.
There are some pretty ugly hoops to jump through to collect on that warranty anyway if you actually read it.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
I guess we should read the fine print on that 10 year warranty from BK. How do they define "end of life" of the combustor?
Different subject, on Ashford 30 with vs. without blower, what kind of burn times can I expect? I assume the advertised 30 hour max is only without blower, as running the blower cools thermostat, and thus prompts stove to open air just a bit? I thought I had seen one of you post a 12 hour max with blower running?
Also, what is the impact of having a blower installed but not running it? Does the blower impede the natural convective path, or in any other way affect performance when it's not running?
Different subject, on Ashford 30 with vs. without blower, what kind of burn times can I expect? I assume the advertised 30 hour max is only without blower, as running the blower cools thermostat, and thus prompts stove to open air just a bit? I thought I had seen one of you post a 12 hour max with blower running?
Also, what is the impact of having a blower installed but not running it? Does the blower impede the natural convective path, or in any other way affect performance when it's not running?
bobdog2o02
Minister of Fire
It would be great for those that are not full time heaters and like the ambiance without being a polluter.
alforit
Feeling the Heat
That's good to know , I thought the 10 year warranty was only for the new steel cats from Blaze king.
bobdog2o02
Minister of Fire
Probably 12 hours is close with blower full tilt and stove not at its lowest, its what i see with my princess. The blower would not impede normal convection.... for your install you NEED the blower....
Highbeam
Minister of Fire
It's not like there's an hour meter on our stoves. Has anybody used the warranty and jumped through all of the hoops?
bobdog2o02
Minister of Fire
I have had no problems, at all, so, no.
EDIT. I take that back, my cat probe thermometer died. They mailed me a new one for free. And my wife broke some fire brick, think thats on me though.
EDIT. I take that back, my cat probe thermometer died. They mailed me a new one for free. And my wife broke some fire brick, think thats on me though.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Well, the blower would help move more heat into the room faster, but with the stoves going 24/7, I'd debate the actual need. More importantly, I if I can't get 24 hour burn cycles out of one of these Ashfords, then I'll probably buy a different stove. Not that the other stove would get me 24 hour burns, but if I'm going to have to load both stoves multiple times per day, then the advantages of the BK pretty much vaporize for me. I'm looking to do 12 hour cycles on one, and 24 hour cycles on the other.
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