New owner of Blaze King

[nate379]

Wow, forum for about everything these days huh?

I have been heating with wood for a while, though before was just plain jane stoves. The house I grew up in had a wood fired hot air system (also heated domestic hot water), something my Dad built in the early 80s.

I had a Blaze King Princess Ultra put in about 3 weeks ago in the living room of my home and I have a couple questions.

#1. Is there anyway to keep the glass clean? The dealer made it sound like the glass would never get dirty, but that's not true. I load the stove, set it on high for 25-30 mins (wood is burning nice and good by then) and then turn it down to no less than #2 on the dial. Still the glass is turning brown after 2-3 days.
I am burning birch with a moisture of 16-18%, so it's fairly dry (I think under 20% is ok, right?)

#2. The book says to load the logs sideways, but a few photos on here I see folks log then so the end is facing the door. What is correct?

#3. I have been told several different things about when to close the CAT and I am confused a bit. As I understand from the book, as long as it's in active it's fine. The dealer told me to wait until it is at least around 12 o clock on the dial.

Now when I load more wood in, I open the bypass, set it on high, rake the ashes, load it up, and then let it go for 20-30 mins on high. Then I turn it down and close the bypass (it's in active by then)... is that right?


#4. I know the book says don't burn anything but wood, but if the bypass is open, do I have to worry about the CAT, like if I would start a fire using a few scraps of cardboard or maybe a fire starter?

Thanks.

 

[NWfuel]

You should have received a Super Cedar firestarter with your new stove. Blaze King recommends the use of this firestarter for all the cat stoves.
Thomas

 

[weatherguy]

The glass will stay clean once the weathers colder and your burning hot, I had that problem at the beginning of the year last year but as soon as it got colder and I burned hotter is stayed crystal clear, in fact it burned off any crud that was one the glass.

I load north south, I like the way it burns this way, I think your box is square so the size of the wood shouldnt matter.

I close the cat when its in active for a while, not just touching active but I dont wait til its 12 oclock.

I never burn any crap in the stove.

 

[Frostbit]

North of 60 will fix ya up. He's the resident Ace of Blazes here. Darn near your neighbor, too.

 

[Patapsco Mike]

Wow, forum for about everything these days huh? > Ain't that the truth...


#1. Is there anyway to keep the glass clean? The dealer made it sound like the glass would never get dirty, but that's not true. I load the stove, set it on high for 25-30 mins (wood is burning nice and good by then) and then turn it down to no less than #2 on the dial. Still the glass is turning brown after 2-3 days.
I am burning birch with a moisture of 16-18%, so it's fairly dry (I think under 20% is ok, right?)
My Princess' glass is always somewhat dirty. I don't think I run mine hot enough, often enough. Yeah, under 20% is OK- make sure you measure from inside a freshly split piece (of course).

#2. The book says to load the logs sideways, but a few photos on here I see folks log then so the end is facing the door. What is correct?
> It does not matter. The Princess is a touch wider than it is deep, so I end up going East-West (sideways) most of the time.

#3. I have been told several different things about when to close the CAT and I am confused a bit. As I understand from the book, as long as it's in active it's fine. The dealer told me to wait until it is at least around 12 o clock on the dial.
> Don't wait until 12. As soon as it's active, you are good to go.

Now when I load more wood in, I open the bypass, set it on high, rake the ashes, load it up, and then let it go for 20-30 mins on high. Then I turn it down and close the bypass (it's in active by then)... is that right?
> That's it, but it's more like wait 15 minutes. Just until the wood is starting to catch. Unless you have almost no coals left, it won't take long at all.

#4. I know the book says don't burn anything but wood, but if the bypass is open, do I have to worry about the CAT, like if I would start a fire using a few scraps of cardboard or maybe a fire starter?
> Get some super-cedars- you will never look back. A box will last a long, long time.

Thanks.

 

[weatherguy]

I was more tired than I thought last night and didnt notice your in Alaska so its probably cold enough now so might be the wood you burn up there. North of 60 can help you out like someone above says.
The super cedars are awesome, I got one with the stove and Ive since gotten more.

 

[SolarAndWood]

You will get a feel for closing the bypass to engage the cat. When it doesn't light right off, it is too early. It makes a big difference whether you are starting with an empty cold stove or just reloading. I light very few fires in a cold stove as I burn 24/7/180+. My reload process is to rake it front center and open the tstat all the way up. Let the coal bed and any remaining wood get nice and hot before you reload. After its hot, reload and you will be able to close the bypass much sooner and send much less smoke up the stack.

In my experience, the bottom corners of the glass are going to be brown if you are burning low. Not gunked up by any means but hazy brown until it burns off at the beginning of the next burn cycle.

I use the big square firebox in all directions to burn the short, long and uglies when the snow hasn't covered them. However, during the main part of the heating season, I prefer to go NS. Seems to fully load the easiest. Enjoy the new stove.

 

[Lanningjw]

You should have received a Super Cedar firestarter with your new stove. Blaze King recommends the use of this firestarter for all the cat stoves.
Thomas

I have used this type of fire starter and they get the cat up to active a lot quicker than just by using news paper and small pieces of wood. They do not hurt the cat and are a good investment.

I think the window is always gonna be a little dirty. As soon as you go to a low burn its gonna get dirty again, just the way it is. If I want to burn the crud off it take me an hour on high and it gone. If you shut the stove down you can use some ash on a piece of wet news paper and it cleans up nice, I did this in the spring and the glass looked real nice.

 

[nate379]

Yes temps have been in the upper 30s/low 40s at night.


Came home today and house was smokey so not sure what happened there. It seems like the pipe isn't sealed well where it connects at the stove. Going to call the stove place I guess.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Came home today and house was smokey so not sure what happened there.

Anyone else in the house? My wife loves to open the door without opening the bypass.

 

[nate379]

Just the dog and if he figured out how to open the stove door I want to know why he isn't bringing me cold beers out of the fridge yet!


Was wondering, is there anything wrong with not running the CAT?

Past couple nights I just made a small fire and the stove temp just barely got up to active. I have no reason to make a raging fire and it be 80* in teh house, but if I wouldn't make a fire, it would be a bit chilly. (mid 30s to low 40s at night)

 

[SolarAndWood]

You will burn a lot more wood and spew a lot more crap into the air with the bypass open. You won't have a raging fire if you fill the box about half full, burn it hot enough to light the cat off and then turn it down. You can close the bypass a lot earlier than the manual suggests you can as long as you have dry wood.

 

[Lanningjw]

Just the dog and if he figured out how to open the stove door I want to know why he isn't bringing me cold beers out of the fridge yet!


Was wondering, is there anything wrong with not running the CAT?

Past couple nights I just made a small fire and the stove temp just barely got up to active. I have no reason to make a raging fire and it be 80* in teh house, but if I wouldn't make a fire, it would be a bit chilly. (mid 30s to low 40s at night)

The stove was designed to run using the CAT. Might cause problems running for long periods of time in by-pass. In my case I dont start using the stove until it gets below 30 degrees because it get to hot in the house. Secondly, save your wood for when it gets cold.

 

[nate379]

Well it is in the 30s at night so it's getting fairly cold. Just 3-4 logs in the stove puts the house at well over 80* is all. It doesn't take much to keep the house warm, even in the dead of winter just baking some cookies will raise the house temp 5-6*.

 

[begreen]

It sounds like the house is very well insulated which is great. I'm curious, how large an area are you heating with the BKP?

 

[yanksforever]

You need two things...Extremely dry seasoned wood and burn it hot!

 

[nate379]

House is a bit over 1400 sq ft. Last night I opened the door to the garage (attached) and heated that as well because it was so hot in the house. Garage was at 60* and in 2hrs was up to ~70*. Garage is 625 sq ft.

It sounds like the house is very well insulated which is great. I'm curious, how large an area are you heating with the BKP?

 

[SolarAndWood]

You have it turned all the way down and you are putting out that kind of heat? What does the fire look like?

 

[North of 60]

I am only running 3/4 load's every second day right now htg 2140sqft on low. Insulation plays a big roll. Making Shepard's pie out of fresh moose burger using the oven. So no stove tonight. It will be below freezing overnight out side.

 

[begreen]

Could be the stove is a bit oversized for the insulation level and outdoor temps. Should be fine for Nov-Feb. In the meantime you gained a nicely heated garage!

 

[BrotherBart]

I am only running 3/4 load's every second day right now htg 2140sqft on low. Insulation plays a big roll. Making Shepard's pie out of fresh moose burger using the oven. So no stove tonight. It will be below freezing overnight out side.

When you are eating mooseburger, what is an acceptable temp in your igloo overnight Norton?

 

[North of 60]

69.8f Ralphy. 21c on the metric side.

EDIT: will be 65f in the AM. 18.333c

 

[BrotherBart]

That is when we never tried the heat pump again. I didn't burn one night twenty eight years ago just after we bought the new house here and it never got over 69 degrees with the pump running all night and all day. The next day I loaded the stove and let the heat pump die a deserved death over the years sitting there rusting.

We are wimps. We like warm. I can work a long time below freezing outside but damn it this joint better be warm when I come back in the house.

 

[North of 60]

Its kinda funny, the colder it gets into winter the warmer the house will be as I will burn 24/7. @ -35c and down it starts to go the other way so the furnace will give it a kick or two between burn cycles.

 

[BrotherBart]

Its kinda funny, the colder it gets into winter the warmer the house will be as I will burn 24/7. @ -35c and down it starts to go the other way so the furnace will give it a kick or two between burn cycles.

Furnace? You have a stinkin furnace? What's the deal here? You think you live in the Yukon or something?

Oh. Never mind...