2020-21 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK)

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
On my princess, the throttle blade has a little hole in it so even when the throttle blade is slammed shut there is air entering through that hole that washes down the glass enough to keep about 50% of the glass clear.

How big of a hole in the plate roughly? Is there any other way than that hole for the stove to get air?
 
Both of my stoves operate so well, it’s boring. I will go back dreaming about my new alaskan chainsaw mill........
 
How big of a hole in the plate roughly? Is there any other way than that hole for the stove to get air?

smaller than a dime. Some models don’t have the hole in the throttle blade but instead put the hole downstream of the throttle in the intake manifold. No other holes. Unlike my noncat stove with four seperate big holes. Three of which are uncontrollable and the fourth not closeable. The cat stove is pretty happy without all of that air blowing through it.
 
Does a catalyst itself help regulate the burn rate of a fire. For a even longer burn. It seems right now my stove rsf opel 2. If I leave the blade cracked ever so slightly to keep it burning. Eventually the fire picks up steam and throwing heat out the chimney. No leaks on the stove at all
 
Does a catalyst itself help regulate the burn rate of a fire. For a even longer burn. It seems right now my stove rsf opel 2. If I leave the blade cracked ever so slightly to keep it burning. Eventually the fire picks up steam and throwing heat out the chimney. No leaks on the stove at all
I don’t think the catalyst is that smart. It just eats all of the low temperature smoke from a low temperature fire and makes heat by doing so.
 
And since it needs to allow enough air/gas flow to support the fire on "high", I would not assume so, either.
 
I don’t think the catalyst is that smart. It just eats all of the low temperature smoke from a low temperature fire and makes heat by doing so.
I guess I should ask. If you have your stove going hot and you close the bypass but not the air control. Does it slow the flame down?

Or maybe say the stove going good say mid burn cycle and you open your bypass only . Do the flames pick up intensity?
 
I guess I should ask. If you have your stove going hot and you close the bypass but not the air control. Does it slow the flame down?

Or maybe say the stove going good say mid burn cycle and you open your bypass only . Do the flames pick up intensity?

You don’t jack around with the bypass. It’s open during warmup and reloads and then shut otherwise. You want the catalyst in the game working for you.

Even on my relatively short chimney, when I shut the bypass the throttle is always at max and I see no difference in the flame except that the flames don’t go to the bypass opening anymore. Instead, they roll more towards the catalyst.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lsucet and Alpine1
I have a 4’ and 6’ mill, they are awesome . I have learned a lot of trial and error. Let me know if you want some tips.
I will be in touch. Cheers
 
When you turn it down low enough, the flames die, but the wood keeps smouldering and feeding gases to the cat.

My glass door easily gets black deposits, mostly on the lower corners. That doesn't burn off when I take it on "high" after a reload. Just something I'll need to live with, I guess. But I do run it on low rather often due to heat requirements.

Cosign. This has been my experience as well.
 
Both of my stoves operate so well, it’s boring. I will go back dreaming about my new alaskan chainsaw mill........
I just picked up a Granberg but haven’t had a chance to play around yet. Hopped on a couple FB groups to try to pick their brains. Do you do any milling?
 
I just picked up a Granberg but haven’t had a chance to play around yet. Hopped on a couple FB groups to try to pick their brains. Do you do any milling?
No, not at this point. I am toying with the idea. I know it is very labor intensive and slow. But i believe it would be so gratifying. I am looking at bigger saws and mills. This weekend i will try to get my neighbor hooked (will show him some vids) on the milling. His tractor would be helpful with moving logs and he would split the cost of needed equipment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MacinJosh
Tractor sure helps, even just for the slabs
 

Attachments

  • DD66EEAC-BEEB-4E39-A7A6-0EBB4CAA941B.jpeg
    DD66EEAC-BEEB-4E39-A7A6-0EBB4CAA941B.jpeg
    152.3 KB · Views: 135
  • F777F215-FC46-49DB-8C9E-129B9E1987DC.jpeg
    F777F215-FC46-49DB-8C9E-129B9E1987DC.jpeg
    295.6 KB · Views: 155
  • Like
Reactions: MacinJosh
Hi everyone I’m new to this forum. I just bought a new blaze king princess insert about 2 months ago. When I first bought it would burn really slow with almost no flame but now it seems to be burning quite a bit faster. I have attached a video of it 30 minutes after I restocked it with it set on medium. Is this normal? I am currently burning ash.


 
If you don’t want that much heat you can turn it down. When outside temperatures are colder, chimney draft is stronger and your heat needs go up so the stove can be hotter at the same stat setting but medium is pretty high. Try dialing it back and see what happens.

You have a lot of junk in your ash lip. Be sure that your door gasket is clear of junk. The door seal is really important on this stove.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alpine1
Check your door closure? (Dollar bill test.) See if there is a leak on the bypass door too? (Debris there?)

Also, how long is your flue? It got quite a bit colder in two months, so maybe your draft increased a lot?
 
Show us your full load! Split size included? I went too small this year. Sometimes when I have bigger splits I notice a real increase in burn time...


I’ll start

A3C2DB08-2E80-4EB2-A561-708C79F839F5.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: stoveliker
Fire went out sometime yesterday, its really mild here, actually quite beautiful to be honest, low temp this morning is 50deg f, I dont think I'm re-lighting the stove till later Monday when a rainstorm and cold front come through the area, guess I'm saving wood too.
 
Couple of loads in my Ashford. Need to start splitting a little larger as well. Was using a smaller stove before this.
 

Attachments

  • 20201107_113157.jpg
    20201107_113157.jpg
    298 KB · Views: 163
  • 20200122_211754.jpg
    20200122_211754.jpg
    244.7 KB · Views: 172
Rock wool insulation, was playing around with changing the airflow on glass to see about keeping sides cleaner. Didn't have much success
 
  • Like
Reactions: Highbeam
I am burning a Blaze King King without an OAK. I plan to install the rest of the OAK tomorrow. Will efficiency improve because the stove is no longer pulling heated air from inside the house and sending it up the chimney?
 
I am burning a Blaze King King without an OAK. I plan to install the rest of the OAK tomorrow. Will efficiency improve because the stove is no longer pulling heated air from inside the house and sending it up the chimney?

Yes, but enough to measure it? Probably not. Comfort usually increases as will humidity in the home during winter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bill in the U.P.
Show us your full load! Split size included? I went too small this year. Sometimes when I have bigger splits I notice a real increase in burn time...


I’ll start

View attachment 267793

Wow, look at all that kindling. It’s a full load that should scare a noncat owner. You might win for # of splits in a stove.

Seeing the ashford below you can really appreciate the value of a deep stove belly for ash and fuel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dustin
Status
Not open for further replies.