2019-20 Blaze King Performance Thread Part 1 (Everything BK)

[Diabel]

Here’s my white oak logo cut down yesterday. 21 to 25% mc. 40 degrees outside when split. Gonna warm for 48 hrs then split and check
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Maybe I am not seeing it correctly. How are you getting that 21-25% reading from these logs/rounds?

 

[Indiana wood]

Maybe I am not seeing it correctly. How are you getting that 21-25% reading from these logs/rounds?

I split some of them.

 

[Diabel]

I split some of them.

Got it

 

[Woody Stover]

Maybe I am not seeing it correctly. How are you getting that 21-25% reading from these logs/rounds?

I split some of them.

Those rounds can't be all that wet either, from the look of them..

 

[Indiana wood]

Those rounds can't be all that wet either, from the look of them..

Woody , it was a standing dead tree. I cut it down Thursday afternoon and split immediately, measured 21 to 25% . I asked if I could burn them mixed with other wood for overnight burns and was told no. Im going to split later today after it’s been inside for 48hrs and retest. I don’t have the best wood this year(unexpected purchase). Im having trouble believing that a 21% or even a 25% oak log cannot be mixed with ash and burned. But I’ll admit im an amateur

 

[Diabel]

Burn few of them and see. If they are bubbling at the ends then toss your MC meter in the trash.

 

[Woody Stover]

Woody , it was a standing dead tree. I cut it down Thursday afternoon and split immediately, measured 21 to 25% . I asked if I could burn them mixed with other wood for overnight burns and was told no. Im going to split later today after it’s been inside for 48hrs and retest. I don’t have the best wood this year(unexpected purchase). Im having trouble believing that a 21% or even a 25% oak log cannot be mixed with ash and burned. But I’ll admit im an amateur

They say that cold wood gives a false low moisture reading, so I'll be interested in hearing how much difference you get between the room-temp split and the cold 21-25% you got at 40 degrees..

 

[Indiana wood]

Burn few of them and see. If they are bubbling at the ends then toss your MC meter in the trash.

What the worst thing that’s gonna happen? If this year I burn some of these on overnight burns when the mc isn’t ideal? My ash isn’t ideal and it’s been burning well. What’s so bad about burning wood in the 20s mc? , on hot burns,NOT slow smoldering burns

 

[Diabel]

What the worst thing that’s gonna happen? If this year I burn some of these on overnight burns when the mc isn’t ideal? My ash isn’t ideal and it’s been burning well. What’s so bad about burning wood in the 20s mc? , on hot burns,NOT slow smoldering burns

Nothing. Just sweep your chimney often.

 

[MissMac]

Woody , it was a standing dead tree. I cut it down Thursday afternoon and split immediately, measured 21 to 25% . I asked if I could burn them mixed with other wood for overnight burns and was told no. Im going to split later today after it’s been inside for 48hrs and retest. I don’t have the best wood this year(unexpected purchase). Im having trouble believing that a 21% or even a 25% oak log cannot be mixed with ash and burned. But I’ll admit im an amateur

I think probably one of the most important things you can do for yourself this year is to check your flue often for creosote while you navigate your marginal wood and build up some experience running your stove. This will provide for your family’s safety, and also give you great feedback about what you’re putting into your stove vs. the end product.

 

[Indiana wood]

I think probably one of the most important things you can do for yourself this year is to check your flue often for creosote while you navigate your marginal wood and build up some experience running your stove. This will provide for your family’s safety, and also give you great feedback about what you’re putting into your stove vs. the end product.

I just cleaned it. I got one of those soot eaters. Wow. Very little creosote compared yo the woodchuck. I do have to run hotter most of the time, my house is big

 

[begreen]

I just cleaned it. I got one of those soot eaters. Wow. Very little creosote compared yo the woodchuck. I do have to run hotter most of the time, my house is big

You could be ok. Judging moisture content of standing dead is somewhat guesswork. If it burns well and you don't see water bubbling out the ends when hot, then the wood is probably good to burn, especially if mixed with drier ash wood.

 

[spudman99]

Time for my 5,000 mile check up. Unseasonably warm here today (plus the Eagles play tomorrow) so I took the time use my newly purchased Sooteater. Below is about how much I collected from my Princess insert on the top shelf behind the bypass door. Mind you that when scooping it out, some fell into the ash so I probably would have had another 1/2 inch or so in the cup. Also my extra extension rods do not arrive till late tonight (thanks Amazon for missing the 2 day delivery) so the top 3-5' of my 6" liner and cap did not get swept. Thoughts?

 

[begreen]

The top 5' is often where accumulation is the highest. How many cords have been burned since the last cleaning?

 

[Diabel]

The top 5' is often where accumulation is the highest. How many cords have been burned since the last cleaning?

100% agree. Some on this site believe that it also happens extensively in the bottom part of the flue system.

 

[spudman99]

This is my first cleaning on a new stove. Probably have 1 cord through the Princess since Nov 4. I rarely run it at wide open, usually turning it down after 10 min or so on high when the insert top is 600 or so deg. I get so worried about an overfire that I have not hit 700 on the unit (over the combustor) with the fans on. Typically burns 12 hours on low before reload, rinse and repeat.

Looks to be warm here next weekend and I can run the sooteater again as I will have enough rods to reach the top -- if you should so recommend.

 

[begreen]

100% agree. Some on this site believe that it also happens extensively in the bottom part of the flue system.

Yes it can, especially if the flue has a longish horizontal section going out to a cold exterior flue.

 

[begreen]

Looks to be warm here next weekend and I can run the sooteater again as I will have enough rods to reach the top -- if you should so recommend.

I'd probably wait a month or another cord burned, but it's really up to you. You may be curious and that's fine too. Learning is good.

 

[Woody Stover]

What the worst thing that’s gonna happen? If this year I burn some of these on overnight burns when the mc isn’t ideal? My ash isn’t ideal and it’s been burning well. What’s so bad about burning wood in the 20s mc? , on hot burns,NOT slow smoldering burns

You can do it...it just won't burn as well. It's harder to light off the cat and you need to burn hotter to keep the cat lit. You blow through more wood for the same amount of heat.
Have you tested the Ash yet?

 

[Indiana wood]

Ok, here you go. Put inside for 48hrs. 21 to 25% mc originally. 20 to 23% now. Im burning oak fellas. Also just cut done a similar red oak that measured 21%. I’ll use ash for afternoon burns and low and slow.

 

[Woody Stover]

One split isn't a large sample size, but no MC increase when you warmed it up? That's counter to conventional wisdom here, but I've never done an A/B test with cold and warm wood here to see how much difference there is.
20% will definitely get you through, and White Oak burns long. You'll notice a difference between 20 and 18%, when you get there.

 

[Indiana wood]

I was surprised. Im getting there. Next year won’t be an issue. All wood im cutting is dead, no green

 

[SpaceBus]

I just cleaned it. I got one of those soot eaters. Wow. Very little creosote compared yo the woodchuck. I do have to run hotter most of the time, my house is big

You are running it higher because your wood has a bunch of water in it that must be boiled out before the heat can be delivered to the room. When your wood is drier you will get longer burn times and probably less solids in the chimney.

 

[Woody Stover]

I was surprised. Im getting there. Next year won’t be an issue. All wood im cutting is dead, no green

Just a question of time before you grab a Red Oak that's been standing dead for years, maybe even with the sapwood loose like that White. You'll cut it, stick it with the meter, and be crestfallen when you see 35%.

You are running it higher because your wood has a bunch of water in it that must be boiled out before the heat can be delivered to the room.

No way he's ever gonna run low..look at what he's attempting to heat!

 

[SpaceBus]

Just a question of time before you grab a Red Oak that's been standing dead for years, maybe even with the sapwood loose like that White. You'll cut it, stick it with the meter, and be crestfallen when you see 35%.
No way he's ever gonna run low..look at what he's attempting to heat!

Yeah, I caught a glimpse of the Mansion in the back!