2016-17 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK)

[Ashful]

That is definitely not the case with mine. If I turn down the t-stat from high down to low I'll have large flames for 1 hour +

Had to scroll back thru the thread to see you were running a Sirocco 20 insert (please add stove to your sig). I've gotten the impression the inserts work differently than the stand-alones, but I'm sure BKVP will chime in. I'm running two Ashford 30's (same as Sirocco 30 firebox), and they both extinguish the flames almost instantly when I turn down the t-stat past mid-range in Normal. If I turn them up at any point in the next 20 hours, I have instant flames again, or within a few minutes. It's magic.

I'm running mostly oak, but I also burn ash, hard maple, hickory, and even cedar (when they fall in my yard).

 

[ejn327]

Had to scroll back thru the thread to see you were running a Sirocco 20 insert (please add stove to your sig). I've gotten the impression the inserts work differently than the stand-alones, but I'm sure BKVP will chime in. I'm running two Ashford 30's (same as Sirocco 30 firebox), and they both extinguish the flames almost instantly when I turn down the t-stat past mid-range in Normal. If I turn them up at any point in the next 20 hours, I have instant flames again, or within a few minutes. It's magic.

I'm running mostly oak, but I also burn ash, hard maple, hickory, and even cedar (when they fall in my yard).

I can't say that I've noticed any flame change when taking the t-stat from low to high. I've only done it a few times on some re-loads. I'll have to keep an eye on it next time I run it and see what happens.

 

[Highbeam]

Seems the inserts are set up differently than the stoves. Not terribly unexpected. One of the reasons bk removed thermostat markings I'd guess.

 

[mellow]

I would be curious to know the differences.

 

[tarzan]

I don't know anything first hand about the inserts but if you are getting flames and 7-8 hour burn times on a truly low setting then your missing out on what is considered "the magic" of a BK.

 

[ejn327]

I don't know anything first hand about the inserts but if you are getting flames and 7-8 hour burn times on a truly low setting then your missing out on what is considered "the magic" of a BK.

That's kind of what I was thinking, I gotta think my thermostat is stuck on wide open or something.

 

[Gotrek]

Or you have a bad door, glass, cat gasket

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[mellow]

My 25 shipped from Walla Walla yesterday so I hope to install it this weekend, finishing up my hearth rebuild this week so it is good timing.

Will be able to compare notes on it.

 

[tarzan]

Or you have a bad door, glass, cat gasket

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I doubt a bad cat gasket would contribute in that way. Even bypassed, the thermostat still works as designed.

 

[ejn327]

My 25 shipped from Walla Walla yesterday so I hope to install it this weekend, finishing up my hearth rebuild this week so it is good timing.

Will be able to compare notes on it.

Yeah, I'm interested to hear what yours performs like.

Or you have a bad door, glass, cat gasket

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I'll have to check out the door tonight using the dollar bill test.

 

[Woody Stover]

My 25 shipped from Walla Walla yesterday so I hope to install it this weekend, finishing up my hearth rebuild this week so it is good timing. Will be able to compare notes on it.

Yeah, I'm interested to hear what yours performs like.

mellow has cat stove experience and will be able to give a good assessment of its performance. Can't wait!

 

[claybe]

Had to scroll back thru the thread to see you were running a Sirocco 20 insert (please add stove to your sig). I've gotten the impression the inserts work differently than the stand-alones, but I'm sure BKVP will chime in. I'm running two Ashford 30's (same as Sirocco 30 firebox), and they both extinguish the flames almost instantly when I turn down the t-stat past mid-range in Normal. If I turn them up at any point in the next 20 hours, I have instant flames again, or within a few minutes. It's magic.

I'm running mostly oak, but I also burn ash, hard maple, hickory, and even cedar (when they fall in my yard).

I have the princess insert. This is exactly how it runs. I have used cottonwood to oak and it all does the same thing.


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[tarzan]

I have the princess insert. This is exactly how it runs. I have used cottonwood to oak and it all does the same thing.


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Please explain. Does your insert experience mirror ejn327's experience?

 

[claybe]

Please explain. Does your insert experience mirror ejn327's experience?

Not at all. I load mine up full, start the fire, wait for cat to get in the active zone, close the bypass, turn the knob to about 50%, leave it there for 10 or 15 minutes (flames slow down when doing this), then turn down to about 25% of full open and flames go out and the logs "glow". It is important for me to keep the tstat at a level that the wood glows. That is how I get the longest burns and most heat. My flames go out when I turn it down to low. If he is not loading it up full, that might contribute to the burn times, but the flames going for an hour after turning it down is a mystery. Obviously he is getting too my air from somewhere. Depending on outside temps I would expect 10 hour burns easily for that stove (at the least).

Edit: when I start my fire, I leave the door cracked until the fire is roaring, then I close the door after I have established positive draft.

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[gregbesia]

Not at all. I load mine up full, start the fire, wait for cat to get in the active zone, close the bypass, turn the knob to about 50%, leave it there for 10 or 15 minutes (flames slow down when doing this), then turn down to about 25% of full open and flames go out and the logs "glow". It is important for me to keep the tstat at a level that the wood glows. That is how I get the longest burns and most heat. My flames go out when I turn it down to low. If he is not loading it up full, that might contribute to the burn times, but the flames going for an hour after turning it down is a mystery. Obviously he is getting too my air from somewhere. Depending on outside temps I would expect 10 hour burns easily for that stove (at the least).

Edit: when I start my fire, I leave the door cracked until the fire is roaring, then I close the door after I have established positive draft.

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What kind of burn times are you getting with the air open at 25% ?

 

[claybe]

What kind of burn times are you getting with the air open at 25% ?

Haven't had a fire yet this year so I can't speak to this years wood. Also it depends on the wood variety. I had some hard wood that would go 12-14 hours. Pine goes faster. I would say on average it is probably 10-12 hours. Outside temps also influence the burn times. I had coals at the end of last years season (shoulder season) after 24 hours. It wasn't putting out too much heat but there were coals to make another fire.


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[gregbesia]

Haven't had a fire yet this year so I can't speak to this years wood. Also it depends on the wood variety. I had some hard wood that would go 12-14 hours. Pine goes faster. I would say on average it is probably 10-12 hours. Outside temps also influence the burn times. I had coals at the end of last years season (shoulder season) after 24 hours. It wasn't putting out too much heat but there were coals to make another fire.
Very nice. I would love to try one of those in my house.

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[mellow]

I was cruising CL and found this, a display Chinook for $2500 with possible financing.

http://scranton.craigslist.org/fod/5852980481.html

 

[Jeff in Maine]

My Princess as well, as soon as I go from WOT to hearing the clink of a closed thermostat the flames go out like right now.

 

[Highbeam]

These warm outside temps are really hard on my princess. I have the required 12' chimney but when it's 55 and raining out I need to use stat settings of 50% and flue internal temps of 500 to minimize smoke emissions. Wood is low teens moisture and glass is staying surprisingly clean. Anybody else have to run like this during the shoulder season?

 

[webby3650]

These warm outside temps are really hard on my princess. I have the required 12' chimney but when it's 55 and raining out I need to use stat settings of 50% and flue internal temps of 500 to minimize smoke emissions. Wood is low teens moisture and glass is staying surprisingly clean. Anybody else have to run like this during the shoulder season?

I do. Therefore I choose to just burn LP for now. It's so cheap right now.

 

[begreen]

Running the heat pump in this mild autumn except for when the mornings are in the 40's. This is why we have the HP. Cheap and very clean to run.

 

[Highbeam]

We're warm, I don't need or have gas or any other central heat so we burn wood for heat. I just don't remember the high smoke levels at low draft strengths.

 

[claybe]

This is the first time since I have owned the stove that I haven't burned in October. Can't wait for things to cool down.


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[pvfjr]

We're warm, I don't need or have gas or any other central heat so we burn wood for heat. I just don't remember the high smoke levels at low draft strengths.

I don't know how low in the foothills you are, but we may have a similar climate. I'm in the low, low, low foothills of the cascades east of Salem, and have also been struggling a bit. I'm burning a mix of cottonwood and doug fir in the mid teens moisture content. It's been too warm this month, and we have to run at the 3:00 position to stay in the active zone. I get smoke whenever I open the door. I try to run the stove hot for a few minutes before I open it, but I still get smoke. It sometimes seems to be coming off the door itself, eeking out of the deposits on the glass and frame. Maybe I just have to run it hot for longer? I've thought about adding another 4' of chimney to see if that helps. $150 is a bit spendy for an experiment though.