I use both. I try and leave all rounds up to 5-6" unsplit, anything bigger I leave it around 6-8". If I do a cold start I split some bigger pieces down to speed up the starting process. On a hot reload I use the big pieces for longer burn times.
2021-2022 BK everything thread
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Jim....I use both as well...for the same reasons rwhite does...I burn 24/7 and try to always do a hot reload with big pieces...often times I can only fit 6 of the big pieces in..lol..if I have some not so square pieces that leave some gaps I will split some down to plug the gaps...I find that the larger pieces packed in last longer..
This is my 5th season with the king ultra. It’s been a great stove so far but I have noticed shorter burn times and no ghost flames towards the end of this season. By ghost flames I mean how the blaze kings burn right after you have turned it down with the bypass closed. I checked the door with the dollar bill test and it seems tight and the bypass seems to be closing well. The cat does glow when engaged but probably not quite as bright and not for as long as when it was new. I have always burned wood that has sat in a cover shed with no walls for at least one full year before burning. Has anyone had these issues? I think I will replace the cat next but wanted to see if anyone has any other suggestions. Thanks.
Take the smoke pipe off and vacuum behind the cat, take the front shield off and vacuum lightly the face of the cat, check your chimney cap for build up.
Large split guy myself, generally I split between 6-8" the dries out for 3 years on average before burning, if I need to make a fire or stoke up and ash bed I'll take 2 large splits and make 5-6 smaller splits out of them then load the big guys on and forget about the fire for 12-20hrs.
I will check the wood MC regardless. The cat has nothing to see with the ghost flames in my opinion. Maybe I can be wrong. Firebox temperature when you close the thermostat is what makes the ghost flames show for a few minutes. A good char and high temperature should do it unless the wood MC is high
... and then you'll have to ask whether eastern hardwoods actually depreciate the combustor more slowly than western softwoods, or whether the difference in wood just makes us less aware of said depreciation.
I joke, but when I originally brought this up, it was the latter on my mind. Between less resinous woods, and the likelihood that I'm running my primary stove a good bit hotter than Highbeam, I almost wonder if a cat that's ready for replacement in his setup might work fine for another year or two in mine.
... and then you'll have to ask whether eastern hardwoods actually depreciate the combustor more slowly than western softwoods, or whether the difference in wood just makes us less aware of said depreciation.
I joke, but when I originally brought this up, it was the latter on my mind. Between less resinous woods, and the likelihood that I'm running my primary stove a good bit hotter than Highbeam, I almost wonder if a cat that's ready for replacement in his setup might work fine for another year or two
Do you see visible emissions out the stack once load stabilizes?
I've switched over to all ash firewood for the past 3 loads, I will say this much, my stove loves it and it gives me good confidence for the next few years where the majority of my stock will be ash, I was a little nervous about not having much oak, but now i know I'll be fine
Ash is wonderful. Better BTU and less ash than walnut, dries fast, and is very plentiful, around here.
ratsrepus
Minister of Fire
I agree with isucet that the ghost flames are not likely related to cat performance, and with Kenny that it's good to look behind the cat for restrictions.
Also, are you burning another type of wood? (I.e. one that dries slower? One year old wood could still be too wet, depending on type and climate.)
Cedar is nice, but I split and machine a lot of both, and I'll take Walnut even over Cedar.
My lawn is populated with mostly Walnut trees. A little part of me dies each time one blows down or succumbs to disease.
I don't think it's a given that a cat is due for replacement in 5 seasons. I'm currently in my 7th season on mine, and it's performing good as new. I am in a relatively warm climate (central NC) but not as warm as yours (Mississippi ?); but guy looking for advice seems to be in NY. FWIW, I burn almost-exclusively oak.
I spoke to Dave today. 509-294-XXXX. Dave has a KEJ1107 he purchased new in 2010. He said he noticed the stove just started to burn a bit differently. I asked Dave when he last replaced his combustor. He said never.
Boy I told him he'll be super happy when he does because for many folks the depreciation in performance is ever so slight and for others more dramatic.
I think when he gets it installed he'll say "oh yeah, that's how it use to be".
I suppose I should backtrack a little on saying my 7 year-old steel cat burns like new. I do see some smoke coming out the chimney when it seems like the cat is cooking away; that gives me pause. OTOH, it's not unusual, the morning after I've turned the thermostat way down for the night, to see the cat trucking along well above 500 degrees, with nothing resembling a fire visible in the firebox; that suggests to me the cat is working fine. The smoke is still a bit of a mystery ...
I think my wood is pretty dry - I typically cut it during the winter that is two years before the winter when I burn it (and from trees that were already dead) - so it cures between 1-1/2 and 2 years. And I have no trouble keeping fires going 12+ hours with the cat active (more like 20 hrs if I really load it up). But I suppose some of the smoke I see could be steam.
I never burn trash - not sure where that came from.
But there is something about the door seal that stumps me. Adjusting the latch will tighten most of the door seal, but not on the side where the hinge is, since nothing can change that gap - and it fails the dollar-bill test there. But, would that be causing smoke when the cat is active ? Anyhow, it must not be that bad, if I can easily keep a fire going 12+ hours, right ?
I never burn trash - not sure where that came from.
But there is something about the door seal that stumps me. Adjusting the latch will tighten most of the door seal, but not on the side where the hinge is, since nothing can change that gap - and it fails the dollar-bill test there. But, would that be causing smoke when the cat is active ? Anyhow, it must not be that bad, if I can easily keep a fire going 12+ hours, right ?
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What stove are you running, Rusty? I haven’t yet figured out how to do the dollar bill test on an Ashford, without hiring a toddler to do it from inside the firebox, especially hinge side.
ratsrepus
Minister of Fire
Im sitting here looking at my Ashford, and now that you mention it , the dollar bill test doesn't look doable. never noticed it before,
When a new gasket is installed, the latch on your stove needs to be backed out. Often, the gasket gets prematurely "crushed" on the latch side, making it impossible to achieve a seal of equal tension across the door surface area.
So back in the 1970's a stove shop in Oregon ran a print ad to show BK had added a glass viewing door option. Inside the stove was the owners granddaughter looking out! I think CPS would have an issue with that these days.
As for the dollar bill test, you need a longer piece of paper. Dealers use parchment paper in long 4" wide strips.
I've only installed a new door gasket once, and yeah, maybe I did that. Maybe time to do it again.
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