2016-17 Blaze King Performance Thread (Everything BK)

[volunbeer]

They are huge...... I am finding it out firsthand. Just topped my record for stuffing wood in (only 30 days under my belt). Thank goodness for limb wood! Getting it dialed back now for a burn that should last 12+ hours on higher setting, it is 14 degrees here and really windy, but the upstairs is a nice and toasty 72.

 

[Marshy]

They are huge...... I am finding it out firsthand. Just topped my record for stuffing wood in (only 30 days under my belt). Thank goodness for limb wood! Getting it dialed back now for a burn that should last 12+ hours on higher setting, it is 14 degrees here and really windy, but the upstairs is a nice and toasty 72.

I have not been able to achieve that length of burn and have minimal temperature drop in the house. 8hrs is more reasonable for me with only a degree or two temp drop on the house and good coals for refire. It was 25F last night with no wind.

 

[Woody Stover]

Here is what the inside on the King looks like...
Someone asked if it had shields. There are some in the firebox and on the outside as well.

The BKs are the only stoves I've seen that have them. Does the Ashford have them as well?

Regarding the baffles, I have detailed pics of the inside of the stove that might answer your questions... I'll post those. There are shields inside the firebox and on the outside of the stove. It was explained to me that they serve to keep the combustion temperature up to incinerate the combustibles and aid in the efficiency. Pics to follow.

Thanks for the pics! I don't see many good pics here of the innards of these stoves. I can see how the shields would keep heat in the stove and allow the cat to remain active at lower air intake rates. They would also seem to limit the amount of heat you could get off the stove, and might explain the lower EPA numbers for high-end output. Might also explain why they want you once a week to burn the stove wide open for an hour...to dry out wet creosote and avoid the "erosion" that BKVP has mentioned. There are no inner shields in any of the cat stoves I've run. The creo is burned off (or doesn't accumulate as much in the first place) during the course of a normal burn, no extra high burns required (which wouldn't seem to be an "efficient" use of wood.)

 

[kennyp2339]

Heat loss through uninsulated basement walls is pretty much continuous. Depending on the depth of the basement the loss may vary, as do the regional climate effects. In New England, the loss is significant.

I'm running my princess in a non-insulated block wall basement in southern new England and I def agree with this statement, the block wall even when burning the stove on high is always cold to the touch, if I was staying in this house I would def insulated the basement using foam board and tape, spray foaming the sill plate and chases going over the block wall.
My next place will be insulated to the max, no short cuts.

 

[rdust]

The BKs are the only stoves I've seen that have them. Does the Ashford have them as well?

I "assumed" they used the shields instead of bricks. The stove only has one course of bricks, not top to bottom like other stoves I've seen. Maybe Chris will enlighten us.

 

[Marshy]

I "assumed" they used the shields instead of bricks. The stove only has one course of bricks, not top to bottom like other stoves I've seen. Maybe Chris will enlighten us.

The King has a 8" coal bed double lined with bricks. Above the bricks it has shields on the inside. The outside of the stove also has air shields. The combination of both are meant to keep the heat in the firebox to promote combustion efficiency. It appears to me that the areas on the stove that are the hottest are strategicly placed to promote convective heat transfer from the fans.

 

[Highbeam]

They just used metal shields in place of the top row of bricks. No big deal, saved some weight. My nc30 has bricks right up to the roof and so do others. The princess model does not have a metal shield or bricks on the rear wall above that first row of bricks. Very little of modern fireboxes are single wall anymore.

 

[shoot-straight]

A pallet factory by me always has a pile of free "defective" pallet top boards (not the thicker runners) for the taking. Poplar and oak usually 1/16 to 3/8" thick and 48" long. I took a bunch to use as kindling, they dry quick! I realized I took way too many now. Was bored, So I bundled them up 8x8 or so with some jute and tried burning them as "bundles" 2 at a time. Of course they took off right away- but once the stove got up to temp the stat shut and my stove cruised along for about 4-5 hours....

Now it looks like I need to go get some more! On weekends and times when we are around to tend to the stove, why not save my cord wood?

Wish I had a better way to bundle them more tightly and efficiently. Cutting them into thirds is kind of a pain too. Either gotta use my chop saw or bundle them together with a ratchet strap then cut w chainsaw. Open to ideas on both.

 

[volunbeer]

I have not been able to achieve that length of burn and have minimal temperature drop in the house. 8hrs is more reasonable for me with only a degree or two temp drop on the house and good coals for refire. It was 25F last night with no wind.

I am starting to get longer burns - not sure if the stove needed breaking in or I did - probably both. I do think the cat settles down after a few weeks and the wood seems to last longer as you find the sweet spot on the dial. Our house is insulated pretty well considering the volume, but we have so many windows we definitely notice the wind when the temps dive.

 

[dh1989]

A pallet factory by me always has a pile of free "defective" pallet top boards (not the thicker runners) for the taking. Poplar and oak usually 1/16 to 3/8" thick and 48" long. I took a bunch to use as kindling, they dry quick! I realized I took way too many now. Was bored, So I bundled them up 8x8 or so with some jute and tried burning them as "bundles" 2 at a time. Of course they took off right away- but once the stove got up to temp the stat shut and my stove cruised along for about 4-5 hours....

Now it looks like I need to go get some more! On weekends and times when we are around to tend to the stove, why not save my cord wood?

Wish I had a better way to bundle them more tightly and efficiently. Cutting them into thirds is kind of a pain too. Either gotta use my chop saw or bundle them together with a ratchet strap then cut w chainsaw. Open to ideas on both.

Table saw. Stand on the side to avoid pieces that kick back and never reach past the blade. Set the guide to preferred size, put a wheelbarrow or cart on the end and have at it. I've cut up a bunch of mill ends fast that way. Just wear glasses/hearing protection and be careful. As an added bonus you can shop vac up the sawdust and bag it to make home made fire starters.

 

[volunbeer]

A pallet factory by me always has a pile of free "defective" pallet top boards (not the thicker runners) for the taking. Poplar and oak usually 1/16 to 3/8" thick and 48" long. I took a bunch to use as kindling, they dry quick! I realized I took way too many now. Was bored, So I bundled them up 8x8 or so with some jute and tried burning them as "bundles" 2 at a time. Of course they took off right away- but once the stove got up to temp the stat shut and my stove cruised along for about 4-5 hours....

Now it looks like I need to go get some more! On weekends and times when we are around to tend to the stove, why not save my cord wood?

Wish I had a better way to bundle them more tightly and efficiently. Cutting them into thirds is kind of a pain too. Either gotta use my chop saw or bundle them together with a ratchet strap then cut w chainsaw. Open to ideas on both.

Are you sure it is necessary to bundle them? I just plug in the spaces with limb wood and I am just now in to some clean wood cut-offs - it's all BTU's to me! I wish I had the problem you do - it is nice to have smaller stuff to fill in the space around the splits and free wood is my favorite!

I am going to start making bigger splits because it is less work and the fir dries pretty fast. I am only burning softwoods and I have only noticed that the tamarack splits last longer - the fir only last longer if it has knots - otherwise a small split seems to burn as fast as a larger one.

 

[lsucet]

I am starting to get longer burns - not sure if the stove needed breaking in or I did - probably both. I do think the cat settles down after a few weeks and the wood seems to last longer as you find the sweet spot on the dial. Our house is insulated pretty well considering the volume, but we have so many windows we definitely notice the wind when the temps dive.

I am experiencing the same, I am loading lately with less wood cause I have a good bed of ash but still getting long burn. If during the day weather picks up a little I don't touch anything, if is a little cloudy and cold I just rake to the front and dial it down again. Temperature goes up again and I am getting about the same burn times keeping the house comfortable.

 

[drstorm]

So,my wife and I decided to take a 2 hour ride north to Syracuse NY yesterday.
We booked a room,hit a science museum and a great little zoo with our three year old daughter.We returned to NEPA tonight about 7pm.
Before we left I packed the stove with about 50 lbs of TSC eco-bricks(About 75% full)and turned them down to a simmer around noon.A simmer on my BK Chinook equals a number 2 on the dial,no fans(I have the fans but shut them off.In my experience it significantly reduces burn time).
After 31 hours I expected a cold stove when walking in the door this evening but believe it or not,the cat was still active and I was able to rake and load.
Last night the temps dropped into the lower and middle 20's and peaked at right around the freezing mark today.
Granted,it was 63 degrees in the house when we got home and our heat pump was starting to recover according to schedule.But the Blaze King did well under these conditions.

 

[raypa]

Finally. After waiting 3 weeks for shipping. (Amazon Prime will spoil you...) Got the burning in last night and set it up. Thinking the paint was pre-baked, I fired it up and stunk us out in 25 degree temps with the windows open. oops. Maybe I should have read the manual. Anyways, here is my new King Parlor with fan kit. Can't wait to get home from work and actually tinker with it. It's burning right now under the wife's supervision. (sorry for the sideways photo. I tried to rotate it and it keeps going back)

 

[rdust]

Looks nice with legs!

 

[Deeje]

Finally. After waiting 3 weeks for shipping. (Amazon Prime will spoil you...) Got the burning in last night and set it up. Thinking the paint was pre-baked, I fired it up and stunk us out in 25 degree temps with the windows open. oops. Maybe I should have read the manual. Anyways, here is my new King Parlor with fan kit. Can't wait to get home from work and actually tinker with it. It's burning right now under the wife's supervision. (sorry for the sideways photo. I tried to rotate it and it keeps going back)

Congrats! I got mine in last month and had the same experience. The manual said there would be a light odor, it didn't mention that my house would be full of dense smoke with fire alarms going off. After three days the smell was gone. The flue temps in this stove are so low that only the bottom 2 feet of my stove pipe finish is cured. The top is still shiny like it was in the store. These are awesome stoves. Hope you like yours as much as we like ours.

 

[Marshy]

@raypa

View attachment 191978

That install doesn't meet the minimum requirements for installstion. Gotta do what you gotta do I supose. Might want to review the manual when you get time.

Is that double or single wall pipe out of the top of the stove? What do you have it connected to, insulated chimney liner?

I like the looks. I see it doesn't have the convection deck like my ultra does. I might consider taking mine off. First I'm going to get the fans and try it with it on though.
Congrats, love the stone work.

 

[Tar12]

Congrats! I got mine in last month and had the same experience. The manual said there would be a light odor, it didn't mention that my house would be full of dense smoke with fire alarms going off. After three days the smell was gone. The flue temps in this stove are so low that only the bottom 2 feet of my stove pipe finish is cured. The top is still shiny like it was in the store. These are awesome stoves. Hope you like yours as much as we like ours.

I got lucky then! Mine was as the manual stated...a light hot pancake griddle odor...didnt even crack a window! Fired mine for the first time yesterday..

 

[Shayne]

Has BK corrected this?

Mine does not hit, it is new this year and gauge sits correct upright with a convection deck.

-2 F here late this morning and colder last night. We are loading twice a day now, a bit before bed and at around 10 11 am. The only thing I can say about this stove is freekn awesome. Wake up to a warm house every morning without the furnace starting is nice. Definitely an great stove for long burns and to heat 2200 square foot with basement (4400 total). For those with short burn times one would suggest different/more wood in the box as the burn times I am getting with this stove are gr8. Go back to my old stove and then try being disappointed with a BK, it is a wood stove not a miracle but the wood consumption is down and burn times are long.

Regards

 

[Tar12]

Mine does not hit, it is new this year and gauge sits correct upright with a convection deck.
View attachment 191979
-2 F here late this morning and colder last night. We are loading twice a day now, a bit before bed and at around 10 11 am. The only thing I can say about this stove is freekn awesome. Wake up to a warm house every morning without the furnace starting is nice. Definitely an great stove for long burns and to heat 2200 square foot with basement (4400 total). For those with short burn times one would suggest different/more wood in the box as the burn times I am getting with this stove are gr8. Go back to my old stove and then try being disappointed with a BK, it is a wood stove not a miracle but the wood consumption is down and burn times are long.

Regards

Thats good to know! Thanks! My stove showed up minus the convection deck order and the OAK...didnt stop me from having a fire!

 

[Highbeam]

Mine does not hit, it is new this year and gauge sits correct upright with a convection deck.
View attachment 191979
-2 F here late this morning and colder last night. We are loading twice a day now, a bit before bed and at around 10 11 am. The only thing I can say about this stove is freekn awesome. Wake up to a warm house every morning without the furnace starting is nice. Definitely an great stove for long burns and to heat 2200 square foot with basement (4400 total). For those with short burn times one would suggest different/more wood in the box as the burn times I am getting with this stove are gr8. Go back to my old stove and then try being disappointed with a BK, it is a wood stove not a miracle but the wood consumption is down and burn times are long.

Regards

Good deal. I wonder if my probe tip is too far away from the cat. Oh well. I'm glad they fixed it.

Long burn times are so very important. People don't realize how important it is until they get a stove like the BK that can burn 30 hours or 10 hours or anything in between on one load. Even most of the pellet stove people have to reload once per day.

 

[kf6hap]

Very nice looking room. All that rock will act as a thermal ballast smoothing out the heat flow. Don't worry about the flue, just see how it draws.

 

[lsucet]

Mine didn't touch either but the guy from the dealer give me another one with a cover on the bottom that sits flush and looks like the fans don't affect the reading that much. but the cover is a little under the lower fin.

 

[Highbeam]

Mine didn't touch either but the guy from the dealer give me another one with a cover on the bottom that sits flush and looks like the fans don't affect the reading that much. but the cover is a little under the lower fin.

Is that little bowl part of the meter or an add-on?

 

[Shayne]

Good deal. I wonder if my probe tip is too far away from the cat. Oh well. I'm glad they fixed it.

Long burn times are so very important. People don't realize how important it is until they get a stove like the BK that can burn 30 hours or 10 hours or anything in between on one load. Even most of the pellet stove people have to reload once per day.

These temps we have opted for 2 loads a day it is pushing it a bit as I just loaded over a bed of pretty thick red hot coals but 24 hours would be pushing it the wrong way. We had a couple of 24 to 30 hour burns when the temps were up. The control you have over heat output is a plus.

The afterburn of my avatar will tell you how nice this thing burns.

Regards