Blaze King Princess Question

[Campcook]

I'm headed into my third year with a (used) Blaze King Princess and I still haven't figured out how to get the maximum burn time from this stove.

After replacing all the gaskets and the cat last year, and seasoning my wood for two full years, I've managed to get 18 hour burns pretty consistently, which would be great except I'm burning the same amount of wood as before I got the stove because the firebox is so big.

The princess has a 2.9 cubic foot firebox, which means I'm burning about 5 CF of wood loading every 18 hours, which is about what I burn in my ancient Vermont Casting Encore in a day (maybe a little less).

A couple of things that I'm sure are keeping me from the longer burns:

I live in an 250 year old 3100 SF colonial with a 3 flue center chimney. The stove stands in the kitchen fireplace tied into a liner. Im guessing the draft is too strong but I don't think there's anything I can do about that.

Also, even though I've replaced the gaskets, I can still pull a dollar bill past the door by the handle. The bill doesn't slide around loose but obviously the door doesn't get as tight by the handle as by the hinges. I've tightened the latch as much as I can.

Finally, before you ask, my wood reads about 18% on a freshly split face.

I know I won't get the 30-40 hours the dealers advertise but a lot of people here get 24 hours easy and I'm hoping I can be one of them. Any suggestions or ideas?

 

[Diabel]

Every set up is different. In your case big house = higher heat demand = shorter burn times.

I consistently get 18h with mainly well seasoned softwood. Last season I switched to 12h burns (smaller loads). This season I am doing same. I really prefer it this way.

I used to burn two stoves (two different houses). Princess in one Encore in the other. I also found the wood consumption pretty much equal. More loads of course in the Encore.

I have gotten 28~~~ hours with hard maple several times. The last several hours produced very little heat. Never 40h.

 

[Campcook]

Thanks. I forgot to mention that I usually set the t-stat on 1 3/4. Anything more and the stove overheats, less and it drops out of the active zone after a couple of hours.

I've also noticed that, no matter how full the load is, the center will pretty much be furned out after a couple of hours, leaving two smaller piles on either side that don't seem to burn as efficiently.


Have you noticed a difference loading E/W vs N/S?

 

[begreen]

The installation in the fireplace might be confounding the thermostat due to the higher heat there. As a test, try putting a table fan on the hearth side blowing cooler room air toward the back of the fireplace and thermostat.

 

[mellow]

Sounds like you could install a damper if you have room to get to it, you have never posted a picture of your install.

Also take an incense stick around the door and you can find leaks by following the smoke.

 

[moresnow]

Is this stove (what year is it?) equipped with the factory blowers?
Are you loading N/S to get true full loads?

I live in an 250 year old 3100 SF colonial with a 3 flue center chimney. The stove stands in the kitchen fireplace tied into a liner. Im guessing the draft is too strong but I don't think there's anything I can do about that.

loading every 18 hours

Big house.
250yrs old.
Freestanding stove installed in a masonry fireplace.

Not so sure I'd be terribly disappointed considering!
Post some pics.

 

[Campcook]

Is this stove (what year is it?) equipped with the factory blowers?
Are you loading N/S to get true full loads?

Big house.
250yrs old.
Freestanding stove installed in a masonry fireplace.

Not so sure I'd be terribly disappointed considering!
Post some pics.

I'm not sure of the year, probably 2017 or about. The guy we bought it from had owned it for a couple of years. It has the factory blower but we don't use it much, mostly because we have to run an extension cord from the nearest outlet.

I load N/S and pack it as much as possible when doing a full load. It seems to like full loads better than partials but sometimes I'll only do a half load during the shoulder season.

See the pictures below (sorry about the glare)

 

[BKVP]

If you used our OEM door gasket, you could not possibly close the door with latch catch bottomed out. What and where did you get the door gasket?

 

[Todd]

What sized splits? The bigger the better for long burns.

 

[NHWS]

I'm headed into my third year with a (used) Blaze King Princess and I still haven't figured out how to get the maximum burn time from this stove.

What kind of wood are you using?

My cat gauge still shows (barely) active after 24 to 26 hours burning on the minimum air setting (3:00 o'clock on my stove), and there are enough coals for an easy hot reload. The stove isn't producing much heat by that point, though. On the other hand, my PNW wood supply is mostly alder and hemlock. With higher BTU hardwoods you should be able to run longer on minimum, or hotter for 24 hours.

@BKVP how much difference is there between a 2023 PE32 and a circa 2017 version?

 

[BKVP]

What kind of wood are you using?

My cat gauge still shows (barely) active after 24 to 26 hours burning on the minimum air setting (3:00 o'clock on my stove), and there are enough coals for an easy hot reload. The stove isn't producing much heat by that point, though. On the other hand, my PNW wood supply is mostly alder and hemlock. With higher BTU hardwoods you should be able to run longer on minimum, or hotter for 24 hours.

@BKVP how much difference is there between a 2023 PE32 and a circa 2017 version?

Minimal and wood not change burn times.

 

[Highbeam]

Supposedly, there is a minimum distance you want the back of the stove from the masonry. Too close and it messes with the thermostats function. Yours looks close.

How tall is the chimney? Is that liner insulated? If it’s too tall you could be overdrafting.

The paint on the face looks faded like it got hot. How are your bypass gasket retainers? Still flat?

The door gasket must be from BK. There is no equivalent as you found. Leaking air will accelerate the burn and damage that new catalyst.

Lastly, sorry about the list, you need to pack this thing full to get 30 hours. All the way full with dry wood, proper draft, and no air leaks.

 

[Campcook]

If you used our OEM door gasket, you could not possibly close the door with latch catch bottomed out. What and where did you get the door gasket?

I didn't see any gaskets on the BK website so didn't realize I needed a special one. I used an aftermarket and remember thinking it seemed a little small for the channel even though it was the same dia.

 

[Campcook]

Supposedly, there is a minimum distance you want the back of the stove from the masonry. Too close and it messes with the thermostats function. Yours looks close.

How tall is the chimney? Is that liner insulated? If it’s too tall you could be overdrafting.

The paint on the face looks faded like it got hot. How are your bypass gasket retainers? Still flat?

The door gasket must be from BK. There is no equivalent as you found. Leaking air will accelerate the burn and damage that new catalyst.

Lastly, sorry about the list, you need to pack this thing full to get 30 hours. All the way full with dry wood, proper draft, and no air leaks.

Insulated liner about 35 ft tall (3 story center chimney).

Unfortunately the chimney is where it is. Looks like I've got a lot of factors working against me so maybe 15-18hours isn't so bad...

I'll definitely use a BK gasket from now on!

 

[Diabel]

15 - 18h is not bad at all for meaningful heat😉

 

[Highbeam]

35’ of insulated liner bolted right on top, that thing could suck seagulls off of a landfill. You are going to far exceed the allowable draft which will reduce efficiency and burn times. Be careful not to overfire it.

It is possible to fit key dampers to a liner. Even if the operating rod has to go through the masonry.

I’m impressed that you’re getting 18 hours given that Hoover chimney!

 

[Campcook]

35’ of insulated liner bolted right on top, that thing could suck seagulls off of a landfill. You are going to far exceed the allowable draft which will reduce efficiency and burn times. Be careful not to overfire it.

It is possible to fit key dampers to a liner. Even if the operating rod has to go through the masonry.

I’m impressed that you’re getting 18 hours given that Hoover chimney!

The liner has an appliance connecter that fits into the stove - I can't add a key damper to the liner itself but what about the connector? Or is a separate piece of pipe the way to go?

Is adding a damper on this kind of set up up to code?

 

[Highbeam]

The liner has an appliance connecter that fits into the stove - I can't add a key damper to the liner itself but what about the connector? Or is a separate piece of pipe the way to go?

Is adding a damper on this kind of set up up to code?

People do it. Try a new thread, adding a key damper to a liner, or do some searching. Photos have been posted on this site. Your install does not meet the requirements of the manual if you are overdrafting it. Does it meet code to not install per the manual?

 

[Dieselhead]

Is there a block off plate above the stove?

 

[Acolella33]

Hello,

My name is Adam colella. I have a blaze king princess purchased 7 years ago. This season I noticed with the air flow at 3 o'clock there is alot of flames in the firebox and not operating as normal alot of coal build up. I checked the door gaskets several times and nothing no gaps, I even tightened the retainer nut to the door to be sure and still have an issue with a lot of air getting into the box. I burn kiln dried firewood the only way to get the flames to go out is to cut it off past the 3 o'clock position, however the stalls the catalyst. Could their be an issue with the air controller? I replaced the CAT just to be sure but didnt solve my issue. maybe the bypass gasket needs to be replaced? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

Adam Colella.

 

[Highbeam]

Kiln dried firewood can have highly variable moisture content. Do you have a moisture meter? Do you know if the species has changed? Same size splits? Any extra pitch pockets?

 

[Diabel]

Hello,

My name is Adam colella. I have a blaze king princess purchased 7 years ago. This season I noticed with the air flow at 3 o'clock there is alot of flames in the firebox and not operating as normal alot of coal build up. I checked the door gaskets several times and nothing no gaps, I even tightened the retainer nut to the door to be sure and still have an issue with a lot of air getting into the box. I burn kiln dried firewood the only way to get the flames to go out is to cut it off past the 3 o'clock position, however the stalls the catalyst. Could their be an issue with the air controller? I replaced the CAT just to be sure but didnt solve my issue. maybe the bypass gasket needs to be replaced? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

Adam Colella.

It is interesting to read your post. I have a Princess that is 5 yrs old and this fall it started showing the same odd behavior as yours. Checked everything over twice with exception of the bypass gasket. I was about to order a new cat. Hm

 

[begreen]

Check the bypass gasket. If all is well there, remove the rear bricks and check for any corrosion holes.

 

[Diabel]

Check the bypass gasket. If all is well there, remove the rear bricks and check for any corrosion holes.

😳😳😳😳😳

 

[begreen]

😳😳😳😳😳

This is not to say it's the issue, but this is one thing to check. Stoves that run low and slow all the time tend to build up creosote behind the firebrick unless they are regularly fired hot to burn it off.