2016-17 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK)

[Marshy]

There is one more requirement that you might have missed. You must have a certain number of inches from stove top to ceiling. I want to say it was 49" for my princess and I inadvertently came within a 1/16" inch of failure to meet this spec. I had no idea. Low ceilings and big stoves aren't always compatible.

The double wall and the 2 foot rise are for superior draft which improves stove performance and prevent smoke spillage. Sounds like you are getting some good performance.

That is correct, its a combustible clearance requirements. I always wondered like in his case, is his ceiling considered combustible?

 

[showrguy]

If you remove the cover on the top of the T-stat housing, the one that says "do not remove".. And operate the T-stat knob while looking at it, you'll have a whole lot better understanding of how it works/what it does...

Legal disclaimer;;;;; I did not just say that..

 

[volunbeer]

Ran it at 3/4 with fan on medium last night - loaded pretty full at about 8:30 (all fir) and still had a couple of coals and a dead cat at 8 this morning. We were below zero last night and furnace came on a few times, but that is okay. Loaded on the coals and got it back up and running this am pretty easily - cat needle was just below active.

On another note, this whole house humidifier is working well!

 

[Highbeam]

My thermostat is like @Niko 's and I inspect and lubricate the thermostat internally every year on my princess which should be nearly the same. I've attached a pic so you know what's in there.

When your cat goes inactive after 8 hours that is because you've stalled the cat and your setting was too low. Don't go that low anymore unless something changes that would improve the draft such as wind or colder weather.

When you turn it up it is true that a small change makes a big difference but wait a few hours and then the thermostat will close again to hold the new temperature and it will look normal again. What you saw is "acceleration". The cat temperature and fire show isn't what the thermostat regulates, it's the temperature of a spot rather low on the rear of the firebox so when that part of the stove is below the setpoint a rather large burst of air is sent to the fire and you get heat production at a fairly high rate until the thermostat is satisfied and then the maintenance burn (cruising) is cooler.

Does that make sense? I have been running at the center of the normal range for the last few days as we've been in the low teens over night. The fire still goes dark and only coals glowing. I usually run at the O in Normal to maintain sufficient flue temperatures to prevent creosote.

 

[Niko]

I just did a quick video on youtube for you guys to see. I really doubt the play has anything to do with the function.

I am still new to wood species and such so maybe this is the factor?

It just seem to me a lot of air is coming in when all i want is just a lil more.

 

[Highbeam]

I'm fairly certain that is a combustible clearance requirements. I always wondered like in his case, is his ceiling considered combustible?

The manual will say if it is a clearance requirement or if it is a clearance to combustible requirement. If a CTC requirement then the measurement would be through the rock to the first combustible surface. That might be sheetrock above that rock, or all the way to the floor joists above it.

Imagine trying to set those rocks upside down! Must have been some kind of formwork or it would be raining rock!

 

[Highbeam]

I just did a quick video on youtube for you guys to see. I really doubt the play has anything to do with the function.

I am still new to wood species and such so maybe this is the factor?

It just seem to me a lot of air is coming in when all i want is just a lil more.

I don't like how loose your dial is. It shouldn't wiggle like that. The set screw is easy to see and tighten right on the dial. Do that first.

The stopper that stops rotation of the shaft is under the metal cover. It looks to be working fine.

You just need to wait an hour after turning up the thermostat. It will look like it's going to get hot but then close itself as the stove heats up.

 

[Niko]

My thermostat is like @Niko 's and I inspect and lubricate the thermostat internally every year on my princess which should be nearly the same. I've attached a pic so you know what's in there.

When your cat goes inactive after 8 hours that is because you've stalled the cat and your setting was too low. Don't go that low anymore unless something changes that would improve the draft such as wind or colder weather.

When you turn it up it is true that a small change makes a big difference but wait a few hours and then the thermostat will close again to hold the new temperature and it will look normal again. What you saw is "acceleration". The cat temperature and fire show isn't what the thermostat regulates, it's the temperature of a spot rather low on the rear of the firebox so when that part of the stove is below the setpoint a rather large burst of air is sent to the fire and you get heat production at a fairly high rate until the thermostat is satisfied and then the maintenance burn (cruising) is cooler.

Does that make sense? I have been running at the center of the normal range for the last few days as we've been in the low teens over night. The fire still goes dark and only coals glowing. I usually run at the O in Normal to maintain sufficient flue temperatures to prevent creosote.

Could it be that the thermostst is going beyond the "hold" position?

Also if i go higher highbeam way too much heat comes out. I know i am still learning this baby lol. My downstairs goes from 80 up to 90 degree just from that adjustment. Also it was colder last night by 10 degress 30 vs 40 the other night.

 

[Niko]

I don't like how loose your dial is. It shouldn't wiggle like that. The set screw is easy to see and tighten right on the dial. Do that first.

The stopper that stops rotation of the shaft is under the metal cover. It looks to be working fine.

You just need to wait an hour after turning up the thermostat. It will look like it's going to get hot but then close itself as the stove heats up.

Yea i see the adjustment screw but that for the dial. My metal rod is moving up and down.

 

[Highbeam]

Could it be that the thermostst is going beyond the "hold" position?

Also if i go higher highbeam way too much heat comes out. I know i am still learning this baby lol. My downstairs goes from 80 up to 90 degree just from that adjustment. Also it was colder last night by 10 degress 30 vs 40 the other night.

Yes, the thermostat is opening the inlet valve farther to accelerate the stove until it hits the thermostat setpoint and then it will close again.

The king is a big stove. You know your lowest possible setting, and if even that is too hot for your home then you might need to start loading less wood and letting the house cool before you restart. That thermostat has a lot of room to go up to the max. People actually run this thing on the max.

 

[Highbeam]

Yea i see the adjustment screw but that for the dial. My metal rod is moving up and down.

Nothing you can do about up/down/left/right slop in the long operating rod. It just goes inside that silver box and operates a simple spur gear that turns the preload on the bimettalic spring. So up and down slop is no big deal, rotation is what does the adjusting.

Just be sure that the dial is tight to the metal rod and can't rotate beyond 6 o'clock. +/- a tad is fine since you are operating in the middle anyway.

 

[lsucet]

I do not have that play on mine but it is the Princess. I dont know if the king is different. can somebody with a king give some input on this?

 

[Niko]

Nothing you can do about slop in the long operating rod. Just be sure that the dial is tight to the metal rod and can't rotate beyond 6 o'clock. +/- a tad is fine since you are operating in the middle anyway.

Yes i figured that I just wanted to rule it out.

 

[Poindexter]

Hard to multiquote on my phone, but thanks all. Two more days and the darkest month of the year is astern.

With all the holidays around solstice life isnt too bad, but once new years day dawns thete isnt much to look forward too wxcept the end of january.

Winter in alaska is just like winter in Schenectady, NY- except for AK january between NYE and NYD.

Chickadees must winter in anchorage or something, maybe as far south as british columbia. Only a couple days early this year.

 

[Marshy]

I do not have that play on mine but it is the Princess. I dont know if the king is different. can somebody with a king give some input on this?

I can check mine when I get home this afternoon/evening.

 

[kf6hap]

Oval chimney liner is available.

https://www.rockfordchimneysupply.com/oval-chimney-liner-kits.php

 

[Ashful]

@Marshy, I ran an un-insulated masonry flue for several years, before sliding the current insulated liner into it. In fact, that's how the squirrel got in, one warm day in January, when I let the stove go out. My current "caps" are flagstone toppers on brick corbels, and a drum-shaped cage of chicken wire around the top of the liner under the flagstone cap. No effect on draft or clogging.

By "around long", I meant on this site, where we read several stories of animals and birds coming down chimneys each year. I also ran without any cap or cage for many years before I had my own squirrel incident.

 

[Niko]

@Marshy, I ran an un-insulated masonry flue for several years, before sliding the current insulated liner into it.

Was it with the same stove? Can you explain positves or negative? Burn times, draft, creasote, im not so worried anout animals cause i wouldnt run one with a cap.

 

[Niko]

I can check mine when I get home this afternoon/evening.

Thank you. if in the future when it get a lil warmer and you run the stove around the same setting as me maybe we can compare if the same thing is happening to yours also.

 

[Marshy]

Thank you. if in the future when it get a lil warmer and you run the stove around the same setting as me maybe we can compare if the same thing is happening to yours also.

Sure!

BTW, my SIL and her husband live in Pawling up on Quaker Hill. You near there? Its a beautiful place. You guys have ungodly amounts of oak there. Makes me jealous.

 

[Niko]

Yes, the thermostat is opening the inlet valve farther to accelerate the stove until it hits the thermostat setpoint and then it will close again.

The king is a big stove. You know your lowest possible setting, and if even that is too hot for your home then you might need to start loading less wood and letting the house cool before you restart. That thermostat has a lot of room to go up to the max. People actually run this thing on the max.

Its not that my lowest is to hot, the temp is perfect actually, it just sometimes it stalls at night. Like i said the cat will be active for hrs before i go to bed. Its when i wake up she will be inactive, not to sound like palluter but the stove is still pumping out heat 300+ heat amd i somt see smoke coming out the chimney at all.

What im saying is just the slightist adjustment makes the stove go super hot, this is what im not understanding or am adjustingthe t stat too much.

Or maybe i should ask this question. When you guys adjust your T stats what type of extra heat output are you getting? Im going from the N of normal to then R i am looking at 200 degree inscrease give or take. This is done with a new load typically the same amount of wood, not sure of the species but i can say this test can be done over and over and over with the same results.

 

[showrguy]

I bought a Condar digital Cat meter from another member here.
Does the probe need to be sealed in some way, into the Cat monitor hole ??
I thought it went Ito a well, but when I pulled the original one out it had soot on it..
Oh, stove is a King Ultra, btw..

 

[Niko]

Yes, the thermostat is opening the inlet valve farther to accelerate the stove until it hits the thermostat setpoint and then it will close again.

The king is a big stove. You know your lowest possible setting, and if even that is too hot for your home then you might need to start loading less wood and letting the house cool before you restart. That thermostat has a lot of room to go up to the max. People actually run this thing on the max.

Its not that my lowest to to hot, it sometimes stalls at night. Like i says sais the cat will be active for hrs before i go to bed. Its when i wake up she will be inactive, not to sound like palluter but the stove is still pumping out heat 300+ heat.

Sure!

BTW, my SIL and her husband live in Pawling up on Quaker Hill. You near there? Its a beautiful place. You guys have ungodly amounts of oak there. Makes me jealous.

Lol i knew the area very well in my younger years.

 

[Marshy]

I bought a Condar digital Cat meter from another member here.
Does the probe need to be sealed in some way, into the Cat monitor hole ??
I thought it went Ito a well, but when I pulled the original one out it had soot on it..
Oh, stove is a King Ultra, btw..

The BK probes are not sealed but they fit the hole snug to reduce any fresh air draw. How much clearance does the probe have to the thermometer hole?

Maybe have a bushing machined to take up the room and hold the probe?

 

[Marshy]

@Marshy, I ran an un-insulated masonry flue for several years, before sliding the current insulated liner into it. In fact, that's how the squirrel got in, one warm day in January, when I let the stove go out. My current "caps" are flagstone toppers on brick corbels, and a drum-shaped cage of chicken wire around the top of the liner under the flagstone cap. No effect on draft or clogging.

By "around long", I meant on this site, where we read several stories of animals and birds coming down chimneys each year. I also ran without any cap or cage for many years before I had my own squirrel incident.

What you are describing sounds vastly different than a cap that you would typically put on a masonry chimney with a 8x8 clay flue.
Here is what I have.

And this is what it sounds like you have.