2015-2016 Blaze King Performance thread (Everything BK)

[RustyShackleford]

I get a slight smell from around my door on a year old stove, (seems like between the hinges) ...

If you think about it, tightening the latch mechanism increases the gasket compression a lot more at the latch side of the door than at the hinge side; it really can't do much for the hinge side.

 

[drz1050]

Thank you for your reply. I don't think it's a blower issue, because I started the stove at five in the morning, and when I came home at about five it was cold. So it was definitely less than 12 hours. I was using fairly large splits, but they were not really tightly packed in there.

I don't think I want to fully packet yet, just because it's not that cold. If I burn times don't increase, is there something that I could check? I know the seal around the door is good.

Have you checked the bypass gasket? Are all the glass retainers in place & tight?

 

[rdust]

If you think about it, tightening the latch mechanism increases the gasket compression a lot more at the latch side of the door than at the hinge side; it really can't do much for the hinge side.

I'd suggest a shim under the gasket if it needs tightening on the hinge side and the latch side is ok.

 

[drz1050]

Thank you for your reply. I don't think it's a blower issue, because I started the stove at five in the morning, and when I came home at about five it was cold. So it was definitely less than 12 hours. I was using fairly large splits, but they were not really tightly packed in there.

I don't think I want to fully packet yet, just because it's not that cold. If I burn times don't increase, is there something that I could check? I know the seal around the door is good.

Have you checked the bypass gasket? Are all the glass retainers in place & tight?

 

[robk]

I'm not sure how to check that.

 

[RustyShackleford]

I'd suggest a shim under the gasket if it needs tightening on the hinge side and the latch side is ok.

Hate to pull it loose (from the adhesive) for that (might mess it up). It's not super loose, just not as tight as other 3 sides.

 

[drz1050]

I'm not sure how to check that.

The bypass gasket is a dollar bill test.. if you have to adjust it, I think you need to take the flue pipe off.. not sure on that part, haven't adjusted mine yet.

For the glass, press it between your hands and try wiggling it. There should be no movement independent of the door.

 

[sequoia]

I have a question. I'm running a BK princess ultra. Question: when I'm left with just a bed of coals and the cat is still active I open the bypass I open the door and I refill the firebox. I close the door do I then close the bypass or do I wait for the wood to be fully burning before closing the bypass even though the cat is still active. Or do I close the bypass immediately and let the cat do it's work?

 

[BKVP]

I have a question. I'm running a BK princess ultra. Question: when I'm left with just a bed of coals and the cat is still active I open the bypass I open the door and I refill the firebox. I close the door do I then close the bypass or do I wait for the wood to be fully burning before closing the bypass even though the cat is still active. Or do I close the bypass immediately and let the cat do it's work?

That depends on a few factors. If the wood you load onto the coals is dry and room temp, you might try closing the by pass and just turning up the thermostat a little bit. If the wood comes from the outdoors and is cold, you might find it helpful to load the wood, turn up the thermostat, leave the by pass open until you see a positive increase in the cat temp thermometer, then close the by pass. Reset the thermostat after a few minutes to desired heat output.

 

[sequoia]

Great! Thanks so much.

 

[Lanningjw]

Some feel that you can shock the cat if the temperature isn't hi. For example I usually leave the bypass open for a short period of time on a reload just to get that initial moisture off of the wood. I think either way is fine as long as your cat is engaged.

I just replaced my catalytic converter after 6 burning seasons. Once again it's all about the wood nice and dry means good fire. My catalytic converter was completely clean when I removed it. I am getting better burn times now with the new cat so I am happy all is good blaze King is the best.

 

[Ashful]

I have a question. I'm running a BK princess ultra. Question: when I'm left with just a bed of coals and the cat is still active I open the bypass I open the door and I refill the firebox. I close the door do I then close the bypass or do I wait for the wood to be fully burning before closing the bypass even though the cat is still active. Or do I close the bypass immediately and let the cat do it's work?

On my Jotuls, I would always leave it in bypass until the the new wood was completely charred, before re-engaging. However, the Ashford manual is quite clear that you should re-close the cat damper immediately after loading and closing the door, if cat is still in active range at time of re-loading. I agree this is shocking the cat a bit, but I guess it is of less concern with the Durafoil cats, versus the older ceramic cats.

 

[goldenheart]

I close the door do I then close the bypass or do I wait for the wood to be fully burning before closing the bypass even though the cat is still active. Or do I close the bypass immediately and let the cat do it's work?

We turn the air up, and then only leave the bypass open for a minute or so until we are sure it isn't going to need any additional pokes or adjustments. Once it looks good we close it, and then adjust the air as needed. We have an indoor rack and wood well that we load from so it is room temp.

 

[jeffsk7]

I've noticed a slight difference in the position the air shuts off on the tstat when it is under 40 degrees out. Above 40 i here the flap close around 1.75. Below 40 it seems to close about 2 o'clock. This normal? Still getting about 14-16 hours of burn time on fir thats about 18% mc. Also i keep debating insulating my flex liner i pulled through my clay lined brick chimney. It almost seems to draft worse in colder weaher. Would this be because my liner is not insulated or am i just being overly concerned? As for insulating, some sort of fill like perlite is my only option.

 

[claybe]

Well tonight it's in the high 20s and I started the fire and turned it down and I didn't smell any smoke. I am not a scientist but I am sure the lower temps create a better draft and eliminate any smoke making its way down the pipe, eliminating the smell. I will need to figure out where to pick up 3' of double wall pipe to try what BKVP suggested.

 

[robk]

We've only had our BK running since Tuesday. It's still pretty honeymooney, but I am having so so so much fun.

I'm buying a cord of hardwood to go with the for I've got. I plan on hubting for free and cheap green wood after that for the future. I'm hoping approx 2-2.5 cords will be don for the winter. At worst, we still have a furnace.

 

[Jeff in Maine]

I have a burn pattern question.
My Princess is about a month old now and the way the wood burns makes me wonder. If you were standing in front of the stove looking in the door, in front to the left there would be a football size area of wood missing . It always seems to burn that portion of the load first , it is like you took a big ice cream scoop of wood out of the stove on that side.
Is my door leaking? or is that how and where the fresh air enters the stove?
When I do a hot reload and rely on just the hot coals to do the ignition of the new wood,.. the new load always begins to burn on the left front first. Sometimes when I have waited 15 min or more on a reload the fire is still only on the left side of the stove. What do you guys think? Thanks Jeff

 

[kennyp2339]

I excited for tonight, just loaded the last of the eastern white pine I had, restacked my garage rack with some 3 year 15% red oak, its suppose to be 22 deg tonight also, can't wait.

 

[rdust]

Jeff do you load n/s or e/w? I load n/s and it pretty much burns from the middle out.

 

[Jeff in Maine]

Jeff do you load n/s or e/w? I load n/s and it pretty much burns from the middle out.

I load front to back,.. north south. I loaded the stove at about 10am this morning now it is 4:30. Inside my stove it looks like I put in 3 - 16" pieces stacked on top of each other then 3 - 6" long pieces cause the beginning 10" of these 3 pieces are already burned up and gone. then 3 more stacks of 16" wood all well charred and very settled but the full length of each piece is mostly of still there. The thermostat is at aprox "2:30" on the O' Clock description.

 

[HighTon]

I have a burn pattern question.
My Princess is about a month old now and the way the wood burns makes me wonder. If you were standing in front of the stove looking in the door, in front to the left there would be a football size area of wood missing . It always seems to burn that portion of the load first , it is like you took a big ice cream scoop of wood out of the stove on that side.
Is my door leaking? or is that how and where the fresh air enters the stove?
When I do a hot reload and rely on just the hot coals to do the ignition of the new wood,.. the new load always begins to burn on the left front first. Sometimes when I have waited 15 min or more on a reload the fire is still only on the left side of the stove. What do you guys think? Thanks Jeff

My Princess is the opposite of yours. It always burns on the right side first. There are times when the right side is burning vigorously with STT of 600 and the splits on the left are completely unburnt. If I am doing a hot reload, I put most of the coals to the left and this helps a little. I load N/S.

 

[Jeff in Maine]

well maybe mine is normal seems odd to me though

 

[drz1050]

Can't speak for the Princess, I have the Ashford, but it burns from the middle out every time. On reloads, it's common to have large coals on the far left and right, while the middle is just ash.

 

[Blazing]

My princess insert also always burns left side first.

 

[Ashful]

Can't speak for the Princess, I have the Ashford, but it burns from the middle out every time. On reloads, it's common to have large coals on the far left and right, while the middle is just ash.

Ditto. If it's always burning from the left, and that area always lights first, I'd be hunting for a leak in the hinge side gasket.