Help -- Question, New Ashford Installation

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For the double wall pipe a condar probe thermometer is the only option and it is a good meter. The condar is made for measuring flue temps inside a double wall 6" pipe it is relatively accurate and very easy to install. I have one in my double wall pipe too. You simply drill a hole (of specified size) through both pipes at a certain height above the stove and then chuck up another specified drill bit and use the first hole as a pilot to enlarge the hole in the outer pipe only. The probe meter just slides right in and sticks with a magnet. Works great and is the only really useful add on meter to a BK stove setup. This chimney doesn't know what stove is beneath it, you are monitoring the chimney for safe high temperatures as well as safe low temperatures to be sure you are above the creo forming range and yes, the BK will make some creo.

For stove top meters, I tend to agree with webby. They are of limited value even without fans running. This is mostly due to the way a cat stove burns the smoke from a cold fire at the catalyst to make most of the heat. I have a stove top meter on mine, many brands are available for low cost and they just sit there.

As mentioned, you already have a cat meter. It is only important to know whether it is active or inactive.

Get used to setting your thermostat based on desired output and loading your stove to the gills. It may not seem intuitive but you will stuff that stove full and then dial heat output to where you want it with the thermostat. That's all you do to operate this stove, kinda boring right?

I'd be a little scared to drill holes into the chimney pipe. How do you seal it up to make sure there's no leakage around the probe?
 
I'd be a little scared to drill holes into the chimney pipe. How do you seal it up to make sure there's no leakage around the probe?
It's not a problem. If anything the room air will be pulled into the pipe. That said if you got a back draft a little might come into the room.
 
It's not a problem. If anything the room air will be pulled into the pipe. That said if you got a back draft a little might come into the room.

It's hard to imagine they don't have something to seal the hole up tight. Definitely wouldn't want a back draft into the house.
 
It's hard to imagine they don't have something to seal the hole up tight. Definitely wouldn't want a back draft into the house.
Trust me,it's not a problem.
Where my key damper goes through the pipe I can sorta see in there if i shine a light from the other side,I never have had smoke in my house from that.
But if you don't want a probe,that's fine also.
 
The flue, like your stove, operates under a vacuum unless you live in Australia. You don't worry about smoke coming out the back of your stove do you?

The probe fits pretty tight. It has a flared collar that is pressed into the hole with a magnet so it is pretty well sealed. After being shocked to find how hot a stove can get a flue, I will always install flue gas meters. Plus, I like to monitor things like this and the mystery of running in the dark without instruments would cause me grief. My truck has a tachometer, doesn't have to be there but I watch it more than the speedo.
 
I agree about the tach. However, the guy who installed my stove, while offering to add a probe, said he recommends against because the pipe will wear fastest around the hole. He wasn't concerned about leakage; just wear.
 
I agree about the tach. However, the guy who installed my stove, while offering to add a probe, said he recommends against because the pipe will wear fastest around the hole. He wasn't concerned about leakage; just wear.

Double walled stove pipe will last you decades. If you have to replace it after 20 years instead of 25 but have a much better idea of how you're running the stove, I would call that a worthwhile tradeoff.
 
My single wall pipe is from 1986..still looks like new and the key damper was in there since day one.
 
I agree about the tach. However, the guy who installed my stove, while offering to add a probe, said he recommends against because the pipe will wear fastest around the hole. He wasn't concerned about leakage; just wear.
I've have never heard of this. Wearing out the pipe prematurely would be the last of my concerns.
 
I agree about the tach. However, the guy who installed my stove, while offering to add a probe, said he recommends against because the pipe will wear fastest around the hole. He wasn't concerned about leakage; just wear.

Weird. The inner wall is stainless steel and does not wear out under normal conditions.

I suspect your installer just didn't want to go through the effort. His profit margin too small, nearing quitting time, no drill on the truck, etc. We hear about that alot, an installer comes up with an excuse or "reason" to not do a job and sometimes there is some truth to the reason but other times it can be pretty bogus.
 
So you'd recommend getting a probe? What would I then look for? What temperature would I want to stay below and how would I know if I were over-firing the stove or the cat?
 
I think it is worth mentioning that the temperature guide is designed for non catalytic word stoves. Due to the high efficiencies of Blaze King cayaytic stoves it is not uncommon to be burning very cleanly on low while only achieving flue temps around 250-300.
 
So you'd recommend getting a probe? What would I then look for? What temperature would I want to stay below and how would I know if I were over-firing the stove or the cat?

I would absolutely recommend a probe. They are not expensive and there is no downside. The probe has colored zones on the dial face so you don't need to be an expert. As FFF points out, the low end scale does lean a bit towards a non-cat and since our BK cat stoves are so efficient, the low end flue temps are supposed to be lower. I actually find that to be a great thing, to actually see how efficient it is. The real low end is a temperature at which the steam leaves the chimney without condensing and creating water/creosote, probably closer to 300.

Of course the flue probe is not life or death required but it provides a good bit of information about what is happening. It is easier to read from a distance than the cat meter and will indicate if you have snuffed your cat.

When you start up the stove, get distracted, and forget to engage the cat or turn down the stat you can certainly run the flue beyond safe specs. With a probe meter you will be able to verify that you did not overfire the chimney. Some folks even intentionally get their chimney up to 1000+ every so often to keep the gunk dry.
 
You've convinced me. Ordering the probe now.

How high up on the pipe should the hole be drilled? I'm guessing the closer one gets to the stove, the warmer it registers. Is that right?
 
You've convinced me. Ordering the probe now.

How high up on the pipe should the hole be drilled? I'm guessing the closer one gets to the stove, the warmer it registers. Is that right?

They say 18" but on a cat stove you could put it a little lower..say 16"
After you really get used to the stove it will make a great reference as to what it "normally" reads.
 
I've found out it's last year's model. Condar is out of them so I'd have to get it from a vendor.
 
That looks just like mine but I didn't think it was that expensive.

The instructions tell you how high to install it and with which drill bits. When you drill the holes the shavings will just fall down and onto the top of the stove from between the walls of double wall pipe. Easy cleanup. Be certain that you are drilling relatively horizontal when the stove is cold so that the dial face is relatively vertical.
 
Its not like you have no flames with BK's. I get hours of light rolling flames with my air turned all the way down after a reload. If I turn it back up just a small amount I will get flames again and still be in a normal range temp wise.
 
Its not like you have no flames with BK's. I get hours of light rolling flames with my air turned all the way down after a reload. If I turn it back up just a small amount I will get flames again and still be in a normal range temp wise.

Maybe it's the time of the year, or maybe our setups are just different, but when I ran mine last week, I'd get those rolling flames for just a few minutes after turning the thermostat down and then they would stop. That was turning it down to 2 1/2. If I went lower than 2, the stove quickly crashed into the inactive zone.
 
Maybe it's the time of the year, or maybe our setups are just different, but when I ran mine last week, I'd get those rolling flames for just a few minutes after turning the thermostat down and then they would stop. That was turning it down to 2 1/2. If I went lower than 2, the stove quickly crashed into the inactive zone.

Can you see your cat by looking into the glass upwards?
I can see mine easy. Anyways just wondered if you could see it glowing on the Ashford as well.
 
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