2015-2016 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)

[Jags]

Non specific to BK, but break in fires usually refer to temps more than a setting. Each MFG and manual could have their own specifics, but in general a 3 fire break in does about anything you would need to do. First fire - low temps (say 200-250F ish). Let cool. Second fire - mid temps (somewhere in the world of 400F). Third and final - let it rock and roll while making sure to not overfire.

ETA - any specifics from the manual trump the above info.

 

[jeff_t]

When you guys do shoulder season burns do you still load the stove full or just a few splits? Ashford 30 guys what's your shoulder season burn routine?

For me, it would depend on the forecast. Looking through the weekend, I'd be filling it up. My house would stay comfortable on a low setting with outside temps into the mid 60s. Comfortable for us would be low to mid 70s inside.

Unless you just need to take the chill out for a couple hours, BKs work best with a full load. Let the cat and thermostat do their jobs.

 

[jeff_t]

Going to fire my King this weekend for the first time. How much wood you recommend for a break in and how many fires to break it in?

BK owners referr to the knob settings with numbers, mine has none. Are people referring to clock number settings? My knob travels beyond the white areas as well.

On a marked thermostat, '0' is is pointed straight up, '1' is about 1 o'clock (maybe 1:30), '2' is at 3 o'clock, and '3.5' is straight down. Maybe someone can put up a pic. I don't have my king anymore.

There is a set screw that also functions as a stop, so the knob will turn probably 300(?) degrees. Anything under 1 or over 3 doesn't do much. That's about the range that the blade in the thermostat mechanism will have any movement.

Jags has it right. It's a steel stove, so you're just driving any moisture out of the firebricks and curing the paint.

Be prepared for the cat probe to go past the active range when you load it up and get a good fire going. New cats tend to be pretty vigorous, and settle down after some use. Don't worry, it's normal.

 

[Highbeam]

So what is your loingest burn? My siracco 30 just did 24 hour on fir and alder. Although its pretty mild still here in w. Washington. I gotta say its really nice to load and leave your stove all day!

I too can get 24 hours pretty dependably on fir and alder. More so with alder as it has more ash to cover the coals an support a lower burn rate. The fir is ash free and with all that exposed coal it tends to want to give up the btus faster. My favorite pnw woods are alder and maple.

Long burn times are so very important. It's hard for folks to understand until they've experienced it.

 

[Highbeam]

When you guys do shoulder season burns do you still load the stove full or just a few splits? Ashford 30 guys what's your shoulder season burn routine?

We have really long shoulder season so lots of time to be in the zone where a continuous fire is too much heat. I absolutely do partial loads during this time. The real question is do you burn a partial load at a medium thermostat setting for a quick warm up and long cool down or do you try and eek out a super long burn on lower temps. I have found that I prefer the first kind, the flash burn, because it rapidly warms the house up, is nice to watch the fire, and keeps the inside of the firebox including the window from being all tarred up from the short and cold fire.

So if you can't burn continuously you know you'll be restarting fires from scratch each day. I suggest burning it more like a non-cat with a pulse and glide style to keep the stove, window, and flue clean. Medium setting. Right in the middle on the stat.

 

[Highbeam]

BK owners referr to the knob settings with numbers, mine has none. Are people referring to clock number settings? My knob travels beyond the white areas as well.

Unfortunately, BK decided to remove the numbers from the controls of the newest stoves. I disagree with this decision. Fortunately, the numbers are just a sticker or a label and you can replace the marks somehow if you ever hope to have a repeatable and dependable burning experience. I baked in the oven last night and you can bet I selected temperature from the oven's thermostat.

Either acquire the old label from BK, or get a sharpie and make your own. It would be great to be able to replicate the BK numbers so that you can benefit from the experiences of other burners with numbered stoves.

 

[drz1050]

Ehh.. I understand their decision to remove the numbers. I think people put too much emphasis on them. While your oven dial corresponds to a set temperature, the numbers on a BK dial are meant as a reference point. Only having burned in my Ashford twice so far, but I don't find myself really looking at the numbers much at all. Start the burn fully CW, then just turn back a bit once things get settled in.
Each stove is different, and I plan on training myself to just get the angles of the dial down. Once I learn that, I'll be able to adjust the burn in 2 seconds without even looking, then go on my merry way... and that was one of the main reasons for picking this stove in the first place.

 

[Jags]

the numbers on a BK dial are meant as a reference point

I think that was the point being made. A 1.5 setting for you may not have the same results as a 1.5 for somebody else, BUT once YOU learn what 1.5 does for you it is easily repeatable.

 

[jeffsk7]

When you guys do shoulder season burns do you still load the stove full or just a few splits? Ashford 30 guys what's your shoulder season burn routine?

For my siracco 30 I load full, let the load take off and get the stove at 500 and the cat probe somewhere in the middle. Then turn down t stat to 1.75. And that's it for the next 24 hours.

 

[drz1050]

Aye, and once I learn what a 1.5 does for me, I can put it to that position every time without looking.. use a clock face as a reference point in your brain. You know 6 is vertical, you don't need to look. 3 is horizontal.

I don't really see how the numbers can really make it any more repeatable, unless we're talking about telling a 3rd party how to run the stove for a weekend or whatever. In that case, I think telling that person to move the dial to 3 o'clock would work just as well.

 

[Jags]

I don't really see how the numbers can really make it any more repeatable,

Please see the post above yours for a perfect example.

Not trying to argue - I get the idea of position by feel, but there isn't any "downside" to having the numbers on the dial. Why not have them for those that like the visual?

 

[mwhitnee]

Just called BK they are looking into getting me one if possible. Why not?

 

[drz1050]

Please see the post above yours for a perfect example.

Not trying to argue - I get the idea of position by feel, but there isn't any "downside" to having the numbers on the dial. Why not have them for those that like the visual?

Point taken, sir.

I also don't see any downside to the numbers for me & you; I'm led to believe the point of removing them was to hopefully reduce the number of stupid questions/ complaints/ warranty claims coming into BK from people that don't realize every stove/ setup is different.

"A guy I know sets his stove at 1 and gets long burns.. I can't set my stove below 1.25 or it stalls out- fix it!" -notice no further info is given. Chimney height, wood moisture content, etc etc.


Now I do know some stoves HAVE had issues, and I'm hoping I didn't just jinx myself

 

[Highbeam]

Rather than cripple the vast majority of stove operators, the tech support guy answering the phone ought to be able to recite the manual. Even Woodstock uses tick marks and/or numbers for reference. I also think BK grew tired of answering questions about the numbers so rather than educate, they dumbed it down. This will result in more frustration from owners since they won't be able to describe the problem. Good for BK in the short term, bad for owners, and bad for BK in the long term.

What will the tech support guy say now? Turn it up until your cat doesn't stall? Great but how far? And then how does that operator do it again next time?

I know the setting, and check it every time, that corresponds to low burn on my install. A very small adjustment makes a big difference. I actually wish there were more reference marks and a larger radius dial so that we could adjust the stat with more precision AND accuracy.

Please BK, keep providing labeled stat stickers for those that want them. Even aftermarket.

 

[mwhitnee]

Can a CSL be used in my new King to loosen up the stuff in my chimney?

 

[jeffsk7]

Rather than cripple the vast majority of stove operators, the tech support guy answering the phone ought to be able to recite the manual. Even Woodstock uses tick marks and/or numbers for reference. I also think BK grew tired of answering questions about the numbers so rather than educate, they dumbed it down. This will result in more frustration from owners since they won't be able to describe the problem. Good for BK in the short term, bad for owners, and bad for BK in the long term.

What will the tech support guy say now? Turn it up until your cat doesn't stall? Great but how far? And then how does that operator do it again next time?

I know the setting, and check it every time, that corresponds to low burn on my install. A very small adjustment makes a big difference. I actually wish there were more reference marks and a larger radius dial so that we could adjust the stat with more precision AND accuracy.

Please BK, keep providing labeled stat stickers for those that want them. Even aftermarket.

I agree a small a
adjustment makes a big difference when going for long burns.

 

[kennyp2339]

Can a CSL be used in my new King to loosen up the stuff in my chimney?

Best way to clean the chimney is to use a brush, that's what posters were recommending a liner when you were doing the install.

 

[mwhitnee]

Best way to clean the chimney is to use a brush, that's what posters were recommending a liner when you were doing the install.

Agreed, was just going to do a log before I swept the chimney with the rods/brush. I figured it might help a little. I just didn't want to damage the cat.

 

[begreen]

It's a great question. Maybe it needs its own thread so that folks with any brand cat stove can easily find the answer.

Amongst the many warnings at the beginning of the manual is a warning against using chemical cleaners in the stove.

 

[Highbeam]

Agreed, was just going to do a log before I swept the chimney with the rods/brush. I figured it might help a little. I just didn't want to damage the cat.

Not worth the risk unless you hear from BK. The junk created in your flu by the BK will be black but should not be tarry or glassy which is what the CSL is supposed to convert to brushable creosote.

Cats are very expensive and are to be treasured, coddled, admired, protected.

 

[Poindexter]

@ jeffsk7 and ohiojoe13, I will almost never disagree with jeff_t or highbeam.

If it was warm enough today and will be warm enough again tomorrow I will do a quick(ish) hot burn to keep the house warm overnight until the sun comes up tomorrow.

Once I am into the burning season, I have no idea what my "burn time" is, the important thing to me is I can in early and late winter load the stove every 24 hours without having to relight it, and in deep winter I can reload the stove every 12 hours without having to relight it.

At my house the fool thing is still burning, the variable is how much more wood can I stick in it right now while while I am home and have a couple minutes to deal with it. I load at 0530 and 1730. My desire to stay up late and maybe reload the stove at 2300 instead of 1730 so i can report a 17.5 hour burn is not measurable.

 

[Woody harrelson]

Just called BK they are looking into getting me one if possible. Why not?

let me know if you get one because I want one also. BKVP told me they used up all the old stock first. maybe there is still some floating around. what I don't understand is why isn't the sticker on the opposite side and the knob swapped a 180 degrees so you could see the thing. makes no sense to me

 

[HarvestMan]

Rather than cripple the vast majority of stove operators, the tech support guy answering the phone ought to be able to recite the manual. Even Woodstock uses tick marks and/or numbers for reference. I also think BK grew tired of answering questions about the numbers so rather than educate, they dumbed it down. This will result in more frustration from owners since they won't be able to describe the problem. Good for BK in the short term, bad for owners, and bad for BK in the long term.

I can see how this detail is bothersome. However, I would gladly take an unmarked auto-damper on my stove and find a way to calibrate it myself as apposed to having an air supply with tick marks but no auto-damper. I don't care what anyone says, the auto-damper technology is not complicated enough to prevent other companies from copying it ... why they have not is a real mystery to me.

 

[kennyp2339]

There's something about it being 53deg with showers and me lighting the stove, I'm gonna get a good set of coals and do a full load of pine for the overnight.

 

[Highbeam]

I can see how this detail is bothersome. However, I would gladly take an unmarked auto-damper on my stove and find a way to calibrate it myself as apposed to having an air supply with tick marks but no auto-damper. I don't care what anyone says, the auto-damper technology is not complicated enough to prevent other companies from copying it ... why they have not is a real mystery to me.

I was just looking at the DS160 stove today which has a bimettalic thermostatic damper. BK isn't the only one but they are the only one to combine it with the rest of the package to make a superstove.

I can't wait to get home and light the stove tonight. It will be lower 60s inside and outside.