2019-20 Blaze King Performance Thread Part 1 (Everything BK)

[Indiana wood]

Why do rounds last longer than splits? Do they put off more heat or just longer heat.
asking for a friend

 

[showrguy]

Why do rounds last longer than splits? Do they put off more heat or just longer heat.
asking for a friend

Less surface area..

 

[Highbeam]

I thought that had the potential to shock and damage a ceramic cat.

Right, loading cold and ice covered wood is done with the bypass open. Time passes before engaging the cat. With ice, more time than without.

 

[bholler]

What the worst thing that’s gonna happen? If this year I burn some of these on overnight burns when the mc isn’t ideal? My ash isn’t ideal and it’s been burning well. What’s so bad about burning wood in the 20s mc? , on hot burns,NOT slow smoldering burns

The worst than can happen is a chimney fire from the creosote. Another problem is thermal shock destroying your cat from the steam

 

[Indiana wood]

Less surface area..

Do you prefer to burn rounds? What’s the pros and cons?

 

[lsucet]

Do you prefer to burn rounds? What’s the pros and cons?

Cons, take longer to dry.
Pos, good for overnight burn and steady heat.

 

[jetsam]

Less surface area is more burn time.

Speaking of which, I heard Ashful was going to mill some full-load sized blocks of wood this year for a one-man longest burn time contest in 2023... should be fun!

 

[Indiana wood]

Less surface area is more burn time.

Speaking of which, I heard Ashful was going to mill some full-load sized blocks of wood this year for a one-man longest burn time contest in 2023... should be fun!

Im new here but im beginning to wonder if there’s anything Ashful can’t do?

 

[showrguy]

Do you prefer to burn rounds? What’s the pros and cons?

I split all my wood...
It dries better..

 

[Gooseduck]

2 loads every 24hr. Something else. Used to feeding every couple hours. And the control... ooh boy

 

[Highbeam]

I split all my wood...
It dries better..

i split it big to get all the benefits of “rounds” such as long slow burns. Can’t fit a 36” round in the stove!

large splits dry more slowly so get yourself a few years ahead and enjoy.

 

[Woody Stover]

It may be slow to catch if the surface has a lot of ice on and in it, but once the water cooks off it'll be ok.

I thought that had the potential to shock and damage a ceramic cat.

loading cold and ice covered wood is done with the bypass open. Time passes before engaging the cat. With ice, more time than without.

More chance of damage if you throw iced wood in mid-load, when the cat is still blazing, and close the bypass again right away. Not so much normally, when the load is burned down and the cat is out. Not sure if jetsam has a ceramic, anyway. But I wouldn't throw in ice wood in on a hot steel cat either.

 

[Ashful]

I thought that had the potential to shock and damage a ceramic cat.

The worst than can happen is a chimney fire from the creosote. Another problem is thermal shock destroying your cat from the steam

I’ve put at least 50 cords of wood thru four different ceramic cats over the last nine years, and every stick I load comes straight from outside to the stove, yet I have never experienced this. I suspect these horror stories are only applicable to people who make a habit of going straight from a 1000dF engaged combustor to loading cold or wet wood. If you time your loading so the cat is right at the end of its active period, just barely 500dF as I do these days, I think the risk is nearly nil. Likewise, if you go to bypass for several minutes before loading to let the cat temp drop before opening the door and stuffing it with cold wood.

I suspect the only way you’re going to crumble a ceramic cat from loading cold or damp wood is to load on a hot cat and close the bypass too soon after loading. This is easily avoidable with a few minutes in bypass before and after loading, or simply timing your loads to not be fiddling with it when the cat is screaming hot.

 

[ratsrepus]

Loaded stove this morning, 8 minutes in bypass, then closed bypass and got my boots and jacket on. This is what I found when I went outside, five minutes later.

OK, Whats a Beta Cat. sounds like something i need

It’s hard to tell against that ominous sky, but I was already at 99% clear emissions. No steam, just the faintest almost undetectable whiff of smoke. Humidity must have been close to 100%, it started to flurry at this time, and has continued since, despite no precipitation in the forecast.

I will admit I’m not playing fair, here. This is the B3 beta cat.

 

[bholler]

I’ve put at least 50 cords of wood thru four different ceramic cats over the last nine years, and every stick I load comes straight from outside to the stove, yet I have never experienced this. I suspect these horror stories are only applicable to people who make a habit of going straight from a 1000dF engaged combustor to loading cold or wet wood. If you time your loading so the cat is right at the end of its active period, just barely 500dF as I do these days, I think the risk is nearly nil. Likewise, if you go to bypass for several minutes before loading to let the cat temp drop before opening the door and stuffing it with cold wood.

I suspect the only way you’re going to crumble a ceramic cat from loading cold or damp wood is to load on a hot cat and close the bypass too soon after loading. This is easily avoidable with a few minutes in bypass before and after loading, or simply timing your loads to not be fiddling with it when the cat is screaming hot.

According to everyone I have talked to in the industry wet wood is a major cause of mechanical failure of ceramic cats

 

[jetsam]

According to everyone I have talked to in the industry wet wood is a major cause of mechanical failure of ceramic cats

That makes sense, but it wasn't an issue for me when I was running ceramic and burning straight out of the woods.

As has been said a couple times already, the operator gets to pick what temperature air hits the cat. If you fill the stove with frozen blocks and slam the cat in immediately, you are that guy who will be complaining that his cat fell apart and durn the EPA etc etc.

 

[Woody Stover]

According to everyone I have talked to in the industry wet wood is a major cause of mechanical failure of ceramic cats

It wouldn't matter if it was icy wood or just wet wood if you load like my neighbor, a couple splits at a time on burning loads (hot cat), and slam the bypass shut again immediately.
But you're on the BK thread now, where the cat failures are due to a loose door gasket.

 

[spudman99]

Clarify for me again, maybe I'm a bit dense this morning:

If I load dry wood (no surface moisture) but is say 22% - 25% moisture into a hot stove, close door and immediately close cat, am I risking cat damage if that is a regular pattern?

I thought if the cat was active, bypass gets closed no matter what. I also though the bypass is open only in anticipation of opening the door on reload, and then only stays open till the thermometer goes active.

 

[Highbeam]

Clarify for me again, maybe I'm a bit dense this morning:

If I load dry wood (no surface moisture) but is say 22% - 25% moisture into a hot stove, close door and immediately close cat, am I risking cat damage if that is a regular pattern?

I thought if the cat was active, bypass gets closed no matter what. I also though the bypass is open only in anticipation of opening the door on reload, and then only stays open till the thermometer goes active.

how can you say dry wood and 25% moisture in the same sentence? Get it down under 20% and loading on an active (according to the meter) and rising temperature cat and you can shut the bypass right away.

With that unseasoned wood I would want to see the fuel load begin to burning well before engaging.

I do not see wet wood as a major detriment to cat life. It’s that dang leaky door gasket. Wet wood will cause other issues though.

 

[Woody Stover]

I thought if the cat was active, bypass gets closed no matter what. I also though the bypass is open only in anticipation of opening the door on reload, and then only stays open till the thermometer goes active.

Even if the stove's up to temp, I burn in a new load a little before closing the bypass again. If you've got a steel cat, you don't have to worry as much, if at all, about thermal shock cracking the cat like you do with ceramic. I still burn in the load a bit, even when running the steelie.

 

[Woody Stover]

down under 20% and loading on an active (according to the meter) and rising temperature cat and you can shut the bypass right away.
With that unseasoned wood I would want to see the fuel load begin to burning well before engaging.

I don't think too many of us are often tossing in more wood mid-load anyway. I'm usually loading after the stove has been down to coals for a while and the cat's not to temp, so I burn it in. The exception might be when it's very cold out.

 

[lsucet]

The solution to this is, be sure you have wood at 20 or under 20 MC. For those that are out those rangers is better to pay for a cat if it gets damaged or die early than be burning a load for awhile with bypass open to get rid of some moist.

That is asking for trouble running the risk of a chimney fire that who knows what can be the outcome. It is better to replace the cat than being homeless. With the BK, those flames shooting straight thru the bypass, and straight up the chimney is a no no for me.
As long the cat is active and new load start catching up, bypass will be closed. Just me.

 

[kennyp2339]

Im new here but im beginning to wonder if there’s anything Ashful can’t do?

He cant work outside when temps are above 90

 

[Indiana wood]

He cant work outside when temps are above 90

I can understand stand that. 90s here is miserable with high humidity typically. I think I like working in the cold better than that

 

[kenmal]

Monday I stopped in at the dealer I purchased my stove from because never returned any of my calls, I wanted to order door and glass gaskets so he wrote down what I wanted and my info and said " I will get back to you".
Called 3 other bk dealers same day that was somewhat close to me, one of them would only sell it to me if they installed it, Another wanted Model and and Serial Number and where I purchased the stove , they said it is because BK asks for this info when they order. Then I was told they changed the door size on the stoves and had to make sure I ordered the correct gaskets. No call backs from the other.
There must not be any margin in the gaskets seeing no one wants to sell them or will only sell it to you if they install it.
So anyone know of a BK dealer that I can call and order Door and glass gaskets from and have it dropped shipped/shipped to me?

Thanks,