2018-19 Blaze King Performance Thread Part 1 (Everything BK)

darktower007 · Dec 14, 2018

ratsrepus said:
So did you get it fired up yet.

Not even close! Man I’ve got kids running around everywhere and with Christmas it looks like a bomb went off round here! It’s also been raining every weekend here so time on the roof is limited.

I did buy today some Galvanized sheet metal, metal saw zaw blades and Roxul, for block off plate.

I need to order a soot eater to clean the chimney before the liner goes in... then call a busy to help me out it in.

Still kinda wondering how to block off plate with work with the BK connector and flue junction. Only thing I feel will work is a split block off plate.??

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ratsrepus · Dec 14, 2018

darktower007 said:
Not even close! Man I’ve got kids running around everywhere and with Christmas it looks like a bomb went off round here! It’s also been raining every weekend here so time on the roof is limited.

I did buy today some Galvanized sheet metal, metal saw zaw blades and Roxul, for block off plate.

I need to order a soot eater to clean the chimney before the liner goes in... then call a busy to help me out it in.

Still kinda wondering how to block off plate with work with the BK connector and flue junction. Only thing I feel will work is a split block off plate.??

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You need to import bholler, Hell know what to do

ratsrepus · Dec 14, 2018

I think a split block off plate would be a good idea, you could weld the nuts to the back side and it would be easy to take apart to clean. I learned that trick with split cowlings on my aerobatic planes, the cowling could be removed without taking thew propeller off

webby3650 · Dec 14, 2018

darktower007 said:
Not even close! Man I’ve got kids running around everywhere and with Christmas it looks like a bomb went off round here! It’s also been raining every weekend here so time on the roof is limited.

I did buy today some Galvanized sheet metal, metal saw zaw blades and Roxul, for block off plate.

I need to order a soot eater to clean the chimney before the liner goes in... then call a busy to help me out it in.

Still kinda wondering how to block off plate with work with the BK connector and flue junction. Only thing I feel will work is a split block off plate.??

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A 2 piece plate isn’t a bad idea, but often not necessary. Take close measurements and cut the hole a little big, you can either stuff it with ceramic wool or use a trim collar. We just add an inch to all measurements, bend it down and fasten it to the walls of the fireplace. Easy peasy..

darktower007 · Dec 14, 2018

webby3650 said:
A 2 piece plate isn’t a bad idea, but often not necessary. Take close measurements and cut the hole a little big, you can either stuff it with ceramic wool or use a trim collar. We just add an inch to all measurements, bend it down and fasten it to the walls of the fireplace. Easy peasy..

My first thought was to measure the OD of the BK flue connector to the Lined 6” connector... as that would probably be the biggest junction point. Then add an inch.

My only concern is... my chimney is like most I assume as it has a smoke shelf and a set back... so it goes up at a slight angle than up. So dropping the liner down to a prefixed block off plate, I figure it would be hard to fish through.

The other option I thought of is to drop the liner in, slide up the block off plate, attach Tap Cons, make BK flue connection to the liner and slide it back up. Stuff Roxul and then slide unit in.

Am I on track?

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webby3650 · Dec 14, 2018

darktower007 said:
My first thought was to measure the OD of the BK flue connector to the Lined 6” connector... as that would probably be the biggest junction point. Then add an inch.

My only concern is... my chimney is like most I assume as it has a smoke shelf and a set back... so it goes up at a slight angle than up. So dropping the liner down to a prefixed block off plate, I figure it would be hard to fish through.

The other option I thought of is to drop the liner in, slide up the block off plate, attach Tap Cons, make BK flue connection to the liner and slide it back up. Stuff Roxul and then slide unit in.

Am I on track?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It is tough, you bet! That’s why so many installers skip it!

Ashful · Dec 15, 2018

darktower007 said:
Not even close! Man I’ve got kids running around everywhere and with Christmas it looks like a bomb went off round here! It’s also been raining every weekend here so time on the roof is limited.

I did buy today some Galvanized sheet metal, metal saw zaw blades and Roxul, for block off plate.

I need to order a soot eater to clean the chimney before the liner goes in... then call a busy to help me out it in.

Still kinda wondering how to block off plate with work with the BK connector and flue junction. Only thing I feel will work is a split block off plate.??

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds like an ideal project for December 26.

MissMac · Dec 15, 2018

Hey there fellas, I just finished up my first mid-season sweep. This is the first time that I've swept my chimney, and I was a bit nervous going into it, only because I'm new to it, but I must say it was pretty simple. I'm glad I did it, if only for piece of mind. My first fire was Sept. 21, and with the exception of about a week and a half of no burning, it's been running fairly steady on low and slow up until now. Here are my results:

This is what I brushed off of my cap. It really wasn't that bad at all - stuff caked on to the underside of the cap. I measured it at 400mL of crusty creo.

Here's what I got out of my chimney - I measured it at 600mL, and it is all black fluff (some clumping in the pics from the snow that got in there and clumped some up). I had a few wispy curls of shiny creo up within the last foot of the pipe just below the cap, but that was it for shiny creo. Everything else was matt black fine ash.

As this is the first time I've done this, and only my second season heating with wood, I'd welcome any of your feedback or comments on how this all looks and measures up to your experiences. Now to fire the stove back up and get to proper heating!

ratsrepus · Dec 15, 2018

thats nothing. your good

jetsam · Dec 15, 2018

darktower007 said:
My only concern is... my chimney is like most I assume as it has a smoke shelf and a set back... so it goes up at a slight angle than up. So dropping the liner down to a prefixed block off plate, I figure it would be hard to fish through.

Maybe pull down a few extra feet of liner, put it through the plate outside the fireplace, then pull it back up.

Or make the hole a couple inches too large, and screw a 2 piece estcucheon (made from a little square of the same sheet metal) over the gap after the plate and liner are in place.

Tegbert · Dec 16, 2018

darktower007 said:
The other option I thought of is to drop the liner in, slide up the block off plate, attach Tap Cons, make BK flue connection to the liner and slide it back up. Stuff Roxul and then slide unit in.

Am I on track?

That’s what I did. I made the opening for the liner bigger than what was needed and then just stuffed roxul around it. I actually had to make a u shape all the way to the back of the plate cause where the liner needed to be it was right at the back wall of the fireplace.

Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

begreen · Dec 16, 2018

Huckleberry said:
As you likely know, the BK must be run with the bypass open until
it reaches combustion temp, and then you throw the lever down.
With that bypass open, flames pretty much jet straight out the top
of the stove, and cause our pipe and chimney to catch on fire,
so we always run it with the bypass closed, which isn't that big
of a deal since the catalytic combuster is worn out anyway.

Why not replace the cat in the stove?

darktower007 · Dec 17, 2018

Okay I’m about a week away from installing my Ashford 25... any tips on installation/operation of the stove?

I going to film it all so you guys can see how bad I did! Lol

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Ashful · Dec 17, 2018

begreen said:
Why not replace the cat in the stove?

Begreen, was the post you quoted deleted? Tapatalk won’t find it.

There are so many things wrong with that post that it’s hard to even form a proper response, but I was going to take a stab at it, anyway. The poster’s apparent supposition that operating a BK per the user manual will always cause chimney fires is amusing, for anyone operating them every day without such troubles.

begreen · Dec 17, 2018

Looks like the OP deleted it and started a new thread.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...-fairly-new-blaze-king-ventis-install.172567/

chazcarr · Dec 17, 2018

Seems weird that so many people come to this forum looking for support even though they have already made up their mind.

Ashful · Dec 17, 2018

chazcarr said:
Seems weird that so many people come to this forum looking for support even though they have already made up their mind.

Nah... it’s human nature. Most of us have probably been guilty of the same thing, a few times in our past. The key here is knowledgeable members with the patience and empathy to set them on the right course.

jetsam · Dec 17, 2018

Search for all posts by that poster and you see that they originally came here to complain that a hot flue always causes a chimney fire at their house, and the design of the stove was the problem. They sweep 3x a year, and opening the bypass on their geriatric princess always causes a chimney fire.

They are gonna have the same issue with any stove unless they also start burning a lot hotter.

The good news is that all those epa 2020 tube stoves won't even have a low setting, so maybe a new stove will (accidentally) cure his wet wood problem.

Speaking as someone who also burns wet wood in a BK, just like that poster- If there is enough crud in your flue that it can catch fire, it will, no matter what stove you have, and you need to sweep it. If you need to sweep once a week, you need to sweep once a week.

Edit: I was thinking of Huckleberry, not Chip... I think you guys are discussing a mixture of the two issues here?

green pacific · Dec 17, 2018

lsucet said:
I know you said it is grabbing the shaft but I will calibrate it and if it still doing it, possibly something wrong with the thermostat assembly? Maybe there is a point on the shaft the it slips.

Hello again, thanks for your kind answer. The trouble is the knob seems fused to the shaft. I can take the screw right out of the thing and the knob won't turn freely. I have been longing to put one drop of WD-40 on it for days but needs someone to tell me it's ok. Does WD-40mmelt plastic?

WD-40

WD-40

green pacific · Dec 17, 2018

green pacific said:
Hello again, thanks for your kind answer. The trouble is the knob seems fused to the shaft. I can take the screw right out of the thing and the knob won't turn freely. I have been longing to put one drop of WD-40 on it for days but needs someone to tell me it's ok. Does WD-40 melt plastic?

Sorry for my slightly garbled earlier reply but I couldn't make any edit functions work. have found the magic panel that seems to free my own Android's functions to perform as usual. ..... almost

green pacific · Dec 17, 2018

green pacific said:
Hello again, thanks for your kind answer. The trouble is the knob seems fused to the shaft. I can take the screw right out of the thing and the knob won't turn freely. I have been longing to put one drop of WD-40 on it for days but needs someone to tell me it's ok. Does WD-40 melt plastic?

Sorry for my slightly garbled earlier reply but I couldn't make any edit functions work. have found the magic panel that seems to free my own Android's functions to perform as usual. ..... almost

kennyp2339 · Dec 17, 2018

I just checked the draft on my setup using a digital manometer, I'm over drafting at .15" h20, bk recommends .05" while running the stove on high, so I will be purchasing a damper and flue probe.

webby3650 · Dec 17, 2018

green pacific said:
Hello again, thanks for your kind answer. The trouble is the knob seems fused to the shaft. I can take the screw right out of the thing and the knob won't turn freely. I have been longing to put one drop of WD-40 on it for days but needs someone to tell me it's ok. Does WD-40mmelt plastic?

WD-40

WD-40

No it will not melt it. But it won’t help either. The set screw has become loose at some point and wore a groove into the shaft, now the knob won’t move past it. I’ve had to use a flat bar to add a little pressure in order to get it moving. Be very careful though, it pretty easy to bust the knob prying on it.

green pacific · Dec 17, 2018

webby3650 said:
No it will not melt it. But it won’t help either. The set screw has become loose at some point and wore a groove into the shaft, now the knob won’t move past it. I’ve had to use a flat bar to add a little pressure in order to get it moving. Be very careful though, it pretty easy to bust the knob prying on it.

Hello & thank you. The set screw did come loose last winter and I thought all was lost (

). I tightened it with the Allan key and all was well .... Maybe -- especially as I don't have a flat bar -- it's ok to just accept the new normal (8 o'clock was 6 o'clock etc) ? Thanks so much for helping, all you kind people. What an amazing resource this is!

ratsrepus · Dec 17, 2018

kennyp2339 said:
I just checked the draft on my setup using a digital manometer, I'm over drafting at .15" h20, bk recommends .05" while running the stove on high, so I will be purchasing a damper and flue probe.

kenny, how do you attach the manometer you speak of to get a draft reading

2018-19 Blaze King Performance Thread Part 1 (Everything BK)

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