A few questions about my Blaze King Princess insert install

[Archer39]

I am in the process of installing my new Blaze King Princess insert and have a few questions.

First, there a few items that came with the insert that i am not sure what they are for. First there was a collar like ring that was around the exhaust exit of the insert when i unpacked it. What is this for? Also, there was a metal rod that kinda looks like a fire poker (90* bend on one end and a handle on the other) that was in the stove. What is this for?

Next, should i use furnace cement at the flue connection? After a bunch of cutting/grinding and chipping away the damper and metal support the stove adapter/liner lines up great to the flue collar. Is cement necessary?

Next, is it normal for the door to be very tight? seems like the gasket is to large? This is my first new stove so i am not sure if this is normal.

Lastly, I stopped my insulation wrap about 6" from the stove adapter. should i wrap the liner all the way down to flue connection?

thanks for the help.

 

[rdust]

Don't have all the answers, the "poker" is used to pull the plug on the ash pan, does the insert have an ash pan? Door gasket may seem tight at first, it will flatten out some. Stay on top of the door gasket with the dollar bill test, BKVP suggests checking it twice a season since it can kill the cat if it leaks.

 

[weatherguy]

I didn't use the collar on my installation but I did use screws and furnace cement. I check it every year and added some cement last year. I know I had a metal piece that was used to slide the insert into place, not sure if that's what you have since we don't have ash pans on an insert. The door should be tight, Mine was hard to close at first but loosened up so keep on top of the adjustments like Rd said if it leaks you'll wreck the combustor.

 

[webby3650]

The door gasket will be tight at first, it'll break in though.

The collar slips around the flue collar after the liner is connected. It makes a seal between the jacket of the stove and the flue collar so air from the blower won't leak there. I assume some room was needed for expansion so this was the solution.

The poker is just that, a fire poker! It is the same one that the stoves get and it doubles as ash pan plug puller.

The metal strips are to help with sliding it into the fireplace.

You do not need cement in the flue collar. First off it just dries up and turns into a crusty mess. Second, it fits nice and tight, it's no different than a stovepipe connection. If you really wanted to make a "better" seal, then a thin rope gasket wrapped around the fitting 2 times would do good.

 

[Archer39]

Alright thanks guys. Any one have an answer my last question about the insulation being down far enough? Also, from moving the liner around near the damper area some of one insulation began to rip. Is this a concern?

Also, how important is a block off plate? Am I going to lose a ton of heat without one in place.

 

[weatherguy]

I would at least stuff some roxul up around the opening, a block off plate is easy enough to make but no, you don't need to insulate the rest of the liner. I checked my connection I did what webby described with the flue collar, it was a while ago and my memory isn't what it was

 

[webby3650]

Alright thanks guys. Any one have an answer my last question about the insulation being down far enough? Also, from moving the liner around near the damper area some of one insulation began to rip. Is this a concern?

Also, how important is a block off plate? Am I going to lose a ton of heat without one in place.

You don't need to worry about that last little bit of liner without insulation. It's normal.

 

[Archer39]

Ok thanks guys. I am going to pull it back out and build the block off plate.

 

[Hogwildz]

Ok thanks guys. I am going to pull it back out and build the block off plate.

Ah, the funnest part of the entire install. Take your time, be patient. You can make it in 2 pcs or more if need be. I had to actually use 3 pcs as I only had about 5 inches to fit my hands & arms in after the insert was in place, and had to use a right angle drill adapter(not fun) to screw the pcs together. Don't sweat getting the plate completely close against the liner, you can always stuff rope gasket in any gap around the liner where it goes through the block off plate. That is what I did. Thanks to BB for that tidbit of wise advice.

 

[Archer39]

So you built yours with the insert in place? I have about 4" of space between the insert and the fireplace. I could barley get my arms in to get the liner hooked up.

 

[Hogwildz]

I did, and it was a serious PITA.
At first I did not want to slide the insert in, then back out.
So I made a 2 pc block off plate the seamed at the stove outlet and the pcs overlapped each other.
I cut the hole tight, and when I got the insert in and liner hooked up, I then installed the two pcs.
Well, the hole no longer lined up to the position of the liner so I had to take back out and recut the hole.
The back was left all messed up, so I cut a 3rd pc to overlap both 1/2 along the backside of the liner and then used furnace cement around the liner to the block off plate at the gap around the liner.
Furnace cement after about a 1/8" maybe 1/4" gap will crack as mine did and chunks of furnace cement started falling off.
That is when BB suggested stuffing rope gasket in the gap between the block off plate and the liner.
If I was to do it again. I would make one plate with a larger hole, then make a cover plate to go around the liner more tightly and screw it into the main plate.

And yes my arms & hands were cut to shat and covered in silicone & furnace cement.

 

[Archer39]

roxul
p, I then installed the two pcs.
Well, the hole no longer lined up to the position of the liner so I had to take back out and recut the hole.
The back was left all messed up, so I cut a 3rd pc to overlap both 1/2 along the backside of the liner and then used furnace cement around the liner to the block off plate at the gap around the liner.
Furnace cement after about a 1/8" maybe 1/4" gap will crack as mine did and chunks of furnace cement started falling off.
That is when BB suggested stuffing rope gasket in the gap between the block off plate and the liner.
If I was to do it again. I would make one plate with a larger hole, then make a cover plate to go around the liner more tightly and screw it into the main plate.

And yes my arms & hands were cut to shat and covered in silicone & furnace cement.

I like the idea of two pcs. I'll cut one that will fit around the liner about 12x12 then cut one the size of the opening with a hole about 9x9 then screw them together.