2016-17 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK) Part 2

[Ashful]

A little off subject but I did not know these things existed:

http://cubicminiwoodstoves.com/pages/videos

Burns wood shims, if cut in half. BK look out competition has arrived!

I would love one for my desk at work... if I could convince them to allow the chimney install.

 

[Gotrek]

I would love one for my desk at work... if I could convince them to allow the chimney install.

At our workplace the motto is... It's easier to beg for forgiveness then ask for permission...

 

[Ashful]

At our workplace the motto is... It's easier to beg for forgiveness then ask for permission...

Cutting a hole in the roof of a manufacturing plant may be the exception to that rule.

 

[Gotrek]

Yeah but once its in it would cost money to close it off... And I know manufacturing bosses they don't like to spend a dime.

 

[kf6hap]

Sell it as a carbon sequestrating document recycler. It may even qualify for federal carbon tax credits.

The best question is the one that is never asked.

 

[rwhite]

What is this cleaning you speak of? Is that vinegar bath a BK thing?

Pretty sure Condar has the procedure on their site as well. I bought the stove used (06 model) and I have no idea the age of the cat. Still looks good but I figured WTH. Boil 50/50 distilled water and white vinegar then shut the stove off and lower the cat into the bath for 30 min. Rinse a few times with distilled water and your done. I put mine in the oven for 1/2 hr at 300 to dry it out. Seems to really improve the "quickness" of light off for me.

 

[ohiojoe13]

Pretty sure Condar has the procedure on their site as well. I bought the stove used (06 model) and I have no idea the age of the cat. Still looks good but I figured WTH. Boil 50/50 distilled water and white vinegar then shut the stove off and lower the cat into the bath for 30 min. Rinse a few times with distilled water and your done. I put mine in the oven for 1/2 hr at 300 to dry it out. Seems to really improve the "quickness" of light off for me.

Where did you get a new cat gasket? I bushed mine off and lightly vacuumed it. If that don't help I'm gonna pull the cat and try that that cleaning procedure.

 

[rwhite]

Where did you get a new cat gasket? I bushed mine off and lightly vacuumed it. If that don't help I'm gonna pull the cat and try that that cleaning procedure.

Dealer. I have a dealer 30mi away. Not something I would do on a regular basis but once every few years maybe?

 

[ohiojoe13]

Dealer. I have a dealer 30mi away.

Thanks. What's all involved in replacing the gasket?

 

[rwhite]

My stack often emits "stuff" for hours, last night for over 12 hours, when the cat is well into the active range. Warm weather, cold weather, nomatter. My cat is just over one year old which is something like 5000 hours of operation, vacuumed and clean on the face. The "stuff" is white, stinky, present at flue temps over 400, and the visible stuff starts right at the cap.

How do I know if this white stuff is smoke? People driving by certainly think it is smoke.

What is this cleaning you speak of? Is that vinegar bath a BK thing?

If it dissipates within 10' or so and is white, it's vapor. Mine will smoke longer than 20 min though. Maybe its my burn pattern? I let all the wood catch, close the bypass, leave on #4 for 15 min or so then turn down to # 2. Usually within 10 min of turning to 2 it clears up to just vapor.

 

[rwhite]

Thanks. What's all involved in replacing the gasket?

Cut to the right size, wrap the cat and use a bit of masking tape to hold it in place and slide it in. It's self expanding so no cement needed.

 

[ohiojoe13]

Cut to the right size, wrap the cat and use a bit of masking tape to hold it in place and slide it in. It's self expanding so no cement needed.

Thanks. I started fire shortly after I brushed the cat off. And I can't believe how fast it went active. So I think that was my problem. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[tarzan]

If it dissipates within 10' or so and is white, it's vapor. Mine will smoke longer than 20 min though. Maybe its my burn pattern? I let all the wood catch, close the bypass, leave on #4 for 15 min or so then turn down to # 2. Usually within 10 min of turning to 2 it clears up to just vapor.

I've found that if I get in a hurry and shut down too soon, like with the cat thermometer at 12:00, it will usually stay around 12:00 and smoke a little for some time. I usually let the cat thermometer get to the 2:00 position before shutting down. Doing this dependably results in cat temps soaring for a few hours and a smoke free burn.

 

[Squisher]

So when it gets warm out it seems a few members are having trouble running low and slow because of weakened draft? Is this a common problem? Or is it more related to not enough draft overall really with the setups? Or is it just really a minor inconvenience of finding the right setting?

It just sounds counterintuitive to the benefit of the slow and low burn if you have to turn the stove up anyways when it's warmer out to keep a good draft.

Please all, I'm not looking to start a fight or trying to knock BK's at all. Just learning about the cat technology.

 

[Niko]

So when it gets warm out it seems a few members are having trouble running low and slow because of weakened draft? Is this a common problem? Or is it more related to not enough draft overall really with the setups? Or is it just really a minor inconvenience of finding the right setting?

It just sounds counterintuitive to the benefit of the slow and low burn if you have to turn the stove up anyways when it's warmer out to keep a good draft.

Please all, I'm not looking to start a fight or trying to knock BK's at all. Just learning about the cat technology.

Whats warm? Today it says its gonna be 45 outside so for me the charcoals in my stove are enough to keep, my house warm and they will last all day unitl night so i can then restart a new fire.

But on a warm like you say i dont fill my stove full with wood do you? No matter what stove you have on a hot day youll always have less draft. Common sense would be to fill it with less wood and a lil more air.

 

[Squisher]

Heh niko feel free to never reply to me again bud. I'm looking for knowledgeable non-confrontational comments.

I had hoped you'd be to busy trying to sort your cat warranty claim to be bothered trying to pick at me anymore.

One of the most largely touted benefits of a cat stove has been its ability to burn low and slow during shoulder seasons. I'm curious to hear from experienced users how the warmer temps affect their ability to do so. I have no draft issues with my stove, warm or cold. Because my setup is good and my stove doesn't burn super low and slow.

Again I'm not looking to start any kind of cat vs noncat pissing match.

I'm purely interested in the BK's and how they perform. I'm not looking to compare it to another stove.

 

[jetsam]

I have kind of a short flue, and I burn when it's 60 out.

Remember to inspect and sweep your flue frequently in warm weather.

 

[Niko]

Heh niko feel free to never reply to me again bud. I'm looking for knowledgeable non-confrontational comments.

I had hoped you'd be to busy trying to sort your cat warranty claim to be bothered trying to pick at me anymore.

One of the most largely touted benefits of a cat stove has been its ability to burn low and slow during shoulder seasons. I'm curious to hear from experienced users how the warmer temps affect their ability to do so. I have no draft issues with my stove, warm or cold. Because my setup is good and my stove doesn't burn super low and slow.

Again I'm not looking to start any kind of cat vs noncat pissing match.

I'm purely interested in the BK's and how they perform. I'm not looking to compare it to another stove.

what i said above stands true so whats confrontational about it? Seems to me you have a problem with me, im not picking at you at all im answering a question that you asked in a BK thread. You left yourself wide open when you state comments about shoulder season. I dont have to be as knowledeable as you or anyone else, i can be me and ill do what I want.

Lets stick to the topic which is shoulder season burning, so one you dont own a BK and two i do. So anything ill say about them will be a hell of a Lot more knowledgeable then what you say or think about them. Their are people that know more and will speak also better then i can.

Im glad you are reading more and more about BK and myself. I gues its just taking you a lot longer to catch up.

So do me favor this is a forum where we come all to talk, if you think that people are pushing their chests out or are confronting you then maybe you should look at yourself a lil bit and figure out the issues you have.

These are wood stoves where talking about grow up!

 

[Squisher]

You are now on ignore pal, and I rarely to never do that. I only converse online with people in the same fashion I would face to face. Your antagonism isn't appreciated and if you respond to me again. I'll assume now that the forum software will look after the frustration for me.

Just so you know, as a sweep and lifelong wood burner I have no doubt that I know and understand much more than you about how your stove,that you don't seem to even be able to operate properly, works. Best of luck to you getting it sorted out. As the previous poster mentioned, if I were you. I'd check your chimney.

You should grow up and move on. I have zero desire to converse with you. And that is my choice/right to make that decision.

 

[tarzan]

I can and do burn when it's 60* outside. I just shut the thermostat down but realize I'm fortunate to be able to do that. Many folks report having to find there "low" setting but I can stay just inside the active cat zone by just shutting down the thermostat, even on warmer days.

My only noticeable draft problem comes when getting a fire going on a cool, rainy day. It can be very sluggish in taking off on those days.

 

[Squisher]

Thanks, this is the kind of real world responses I was looking for.

So when you say shut the thermostat down, you are moving it to the lowest possible setting and are then able to get your 24hr+ burn?

If I might ask too have you had any creosote build up issues? Again I'm not trying to dig at BK's. Just discuss them. I'm well aware that any and all stoves can produce excessive creosote for various reasons.

 

[volunbeer]

I can and do burn when it's 60* outside. I just shut the thermostat down but realize I'm fortunate to be able to do that. Many folks report having to find there "low" setting but I can stay just inside the active cat zone by just shutting down the thermostat, even on warmer days.

My only noticeable draft problem comes when getting a fire going on a cool, rainy day. It can be very sluggish in taking off on those days.

We have not had the stove for 2 months yet and it has been around 0-40 degrees in that time so we have been running it higher. It is doing what we bought it for - keeping the house warm. However, the few days that I have tried to turn the stat down below the 3:00 position when it is 75 in the main part of the house it has stalled a time or two. The last two times I have turned it down I have cut the fan completely off (was running on lowest setting) and it has done better. We don't have any draft issues so as it warms up headed into Spring I will keep trying to find the sweet spot. It cruises along very well for 12-16 hours with stat at 3:00 and there have been a few times at that setting where it would have kept cruising for 20 hours, but I refilled anyways. We have not run the propane furnace once since we have had it and the electric heat pump has only come on for a few hours here and there. Very happy with it so far and when it gets a little warmer I am confident we will figure out the low and slow 24 hour burn - that is especially impressive using softwoods! .

 

[tarzan]

Thanks, this is the kind of real world responses I was looking for.

So when you say shut the thermostat down, you are moving it to the lowest possible setting and are then able to get your 24hr+ burn?

If I might ask too have you had any creosote build up issues? Again I'm not trying to dig at BK's. Just discuss them. I'm well aware that any and all stoves can produce excessive creosote for various reasons.

The thermostat knob will turn counter clockwise all the way back to the 7 or 8 o'clock position but anywhere under the 1:00 position will ensure the thermostat will not open on my stove. It's in the 50's here right now and supposed to touch 60* today. I loaded the Princess last night at around 8:00. By 8:00 tonight I will most likely be reloading on about 4 to 6 hours worth of fuel.

I was cleaning twice per season but this season I will wait until spring when I'm done burning. I get build up on the top 8 to 10 inches of the flue and the cap. I can monitor the cap from my front porch. It being the worst part of the system for buildup I feel comfortable as long as it looks good. No doubt I get more creosote than the tube stove did, which was basicly none in the few years I ran it, it's still not a problem.

 

[Squisher]

Excellent info guys. Thanks for the responses.

 

[Niko]

You are now on ignore pal, and I rarely to never do that. I only converse online with people in the same fashion I would face to face. Your antagonism isn't appreciated and if you respond to me again. I'll assume now that the forum software will look after the frustration for me.

Just so you know, as a sweep and lifelong wood burner I have no doubt that I know and understand much more than you about how your stove,that you don't seem to even be able to operate properly, works. Best of luck to you getting it sorted out. As the previous poster mentioned, if I were you. I'd check your chimney.

You should grow up and move on. I have zero desire to converse with you. And that is my choice/right to make that decision.

The big sweep and lifelong wood burner making judgements on someone that they dont know and calling them lazy. Why because i choose to tell a fellow hearth member about BK?

Best of luck to you also, as for me figuring out how something works thats is a part of life. Im new to this. You on the other hand still cant figure out how to get long burn times with your equipment shoulder season or not . So if this reaches you or not please keep reading and educating yourself on BK. I mean since your are a professional sweep and lifelong burner but yet you know nothing of BK stoves and are asking questions on how they work. You can be mechanic for 40 years but if all you do is work on carburators all day, dont think you know everything about fuel injection.


But since you like to blame me please dont forget what you said about me, These are your words below on another thread.

There's plenty of threads debating cat vs non-cat. This doesn't need to be yet another one. I could list the things I dislike about your cat stove but I don't need to. When I bought my stove cost wasn't a consideration in the slightest.

I heated a 2600sqft home for years with my old smokey Lakewood. A huge stove. Capable heater. Hungry. Now I heat that same home entirely if I choose to with my PE summit. No issues, no 'lacking comparable output' to my old stove.

I've heated 24/7 for a 42 year life so far. I also heat a shop most of the winter too with that Lakewood stove still.

To me, you sound lazy.

To each their own.

The OP has stated what he's looking for I wouldn't have probably even commented if it was a cat stove he showed up and desired.