bjorn773 said:
I'm intrigued by the thermostatic damper on the blaze king. It sounds like it allows for some crazy long clean burns. If the technology is as great as it's hyped up to be, why is it the only stove using it? Or is it?
The thermostatic damper doesn't make the burn last longer. It controls the amount of combustion air that gets to the fire. It is like a slave who's only job is to open and close the air intake when the temperature of the stove gets above or below the selected temperature. This is how the stove can give even heat without you jumping up to adjust the damper when you start sweating or freezing. Soapstone stoves and stoves of large mass try to get the same effect by providing lots of material to radiate heat evenly with minimal hot and cool spikes.
The Blaze Kings can hold a very large load of wood, which can be burned at a very slow rate. A non-cat stove cannot do this without major problems of creosote buildup (even dry wood makes creosote to a degree when it is being distilled like this) and as mentioned above, this would not make EPA standards.
There are some stoves that still use the bi-metalic coil thermostatic damper, I am not aware of all of them, but many are not high end stoves. Earthstove was a good one in its day. Ashley still makes sheetmetal thermostatic stoves, but they are not catalytic, and some burn coal. Ashley at one time made a oval, blued steel sheet metal stove that had a large capacity and a thermostat. They were inexpensive and put out an amazing amount of heat, largly because of the sheetmetal firebox. Not something you would expect to last very long, but a heck of a cabin stove.
I am looking forward to a stove with these features-
Good looks of Soapstone, with appealing archetechure, and glass door for viewing (steel is fine if also beautiful to the eye)
Catalytic combustion, with a tough, non-sensitive and durable cat
Thermostatic air control
Large fuel capacity, about 4 to 5 cubic feet, with quality, long lasting fire brick
A cleanout that is easy to access, and a large capacity ash drawer
Quiet blowers with long life variable speed motors
Entire stove built of highest quality materials, consumable parts like gaskets and seals easily replaced with commonly available materials
Such a stove would probably cost 4 or 5k, but I can dream, can't I? Until this comes along, I am completely satisfied with my
old Princess.