2022-2023 BK everything thread

[Highbeam]

I was just about to ask. “Should I remove and brush the cat?” I did a very thorough chimney and stove cleaning yesterday. I have never removed the cat in three yrs (part time burning). I do have additional gasket. The cat works fine and does not look plugged or anything.
When I cleaned the chimney part (up to the tee) was done via the bypass entry. I vacuumed all around the bypass door. Would any of the falling ash end up on the other side of the cat? That needs to be cleaned?

I know that vacuuming out all of the swept debris can be done through the bypass opening if you are flexible, have the right size vacuum hose, and are determined. However, it is just easier to do it from above by lifting the flue off of the stove. This also lets you inspect the back of the cat for cloggage and lube the bypass mechanism.

 

[Highbeam]

my current catalyst probe has the majority of the writing smudged off, it probably doesn’t need to be replaced but I would like to replace it. Is their an off brand that would work the same. I see Amazon has a few for around $30. Thoughts or suggestions.

I own and recommend the condar replacement cat meter. It has numbers! Nice folks too.

 

[Diabel]

I know that vacuuming out all of the swept debris can be done through the bypass opening if you are flexible, have the right size vacuum hose, and are determined. However, it is just easier to do it from above by lifting the flue off of the stove. This also lets you inspect the back of the cat for cloggage and lube the bypass mechanism.

Thank you.

 

[Diabel]

I think i will remove the cat and inspect it as suggested. Will do that Sunday when I am there next. Thank you all smart minds.

 

[stoveliker]

That (clean thru the flue collar) is how I do it too. And for inspection I just put an led worklight thru the flue collar (pipe is off when sweeping) and look thru the door of the stove.

 

[Diabel]

That (clean thru the flue collar) is how I do it too. And for inspection I just put an led worklight thru the flue collar (pipe is off when sweeping) and look thru the door of the stove.

My installer (even though all the pieces were there) decided not to install the telescopic pipe! I did not realize that till about a yr later……..
So not so simple as lifting the pipe and looking at the cat. All cool though…

 

[stoveliker]

Ugh

 

[showrguy]

My installer (even though all the pieces were there) decided not to install the telescopic pipe! I did not realize that till about a yr later……..
So not so simple as lifting the pipe and looking at the cat. All cool though…

Really ??
That musta been a hell of a trick !!

 

[Ashful]

I have a telescoping pipe on each stove, but once used a year or two, they aren't as willing to, well... telescope. Rather than pulling and pushing quite hard on the liner connection while wrestling the telescoping pipes, and chancing damage to the liner, I just leave them connected to the stove and brush up thru the bypass. I don't think I've had a pipe off a stove since the day I installed these Ashfords, as the pipes were already a few years old then, used previously on Jotuls.

I probably should pull it apart at some point, to peer up the liner and see how it looks, but I keep saying "next year".

 

[reaperman1]

I own and recommend the condar replacement cat meter. It has numbers! Nice folks too.

New BK owner here, I was wondering at what temp the cat actually starts to kick in. Especially since there are no numbers on the factory cat gauge. Is there a benefit to go with a Condar over the factory gauge?

 

[DonTee]

Condor 3CX-2? That’s what listed for Blaze King stoves. I want one!

I like that it has the temp range besides just the cat active range.

 

[stoveliker]

I have a telescoping pipe on each stove, but once used a year or two, they aren't as willing to, well... telescope. Rather than pulling and pushing quite hard on the liner connection while wrestling the telescoping pipes, and chancing damage to the liner, I just leave them connected to the stove and brush up thru the bypass. I don't think I've had a pipe off a stove since the day I installed these Ashfords, as the pipes were already a few years old then, used previously on Jotuls.

I probably should pull it apart at some point, to peer up the liner and see how it looks, but I keep saying "next year".

I go thru the wall, so two elbows. Easier to take the pipe off, even after time. (Don't squeeze them...)

 

[Highbeam]

New BK owner here, I was wondering at what temp the cat actually starts to kick in. Especially since there are no numbers on the factory cat gauge. Is there a benefit to go with a Condar over the factory gauge?

The numbered gauge from condar has colored ranges so you know how to use it. Heck, let me take a picture….

The factory gauge is functional but I like the colors and numbers of the condar.

 

[Ashful]

The factory gauge is functional but I like the colors and numbers of the condar.

Definitely easier when communicating with wife or kids on the phone, over how to adjust things, versus "It's on the letter V of INACTIVE".

 

[kennyp2339]

Busy week for me, hardly had time to post or do anything beyond work... Last Friday I brought up a wheel barrel full of uglies just incase it got chilly with the rain / noreaster.
Sunday called into work for outages, worked till 10pm, got home and had to make a fire, the princess was in active zone after 20min from dead start, went low and slow with the T stat 2 o'clock, reloaded again Monday at 6pm, kept everything the same, so (1) full load of uglies per day, I let the fire burn out Wednesday, everything worked well, 3rd year on the cat and it was burning very bright with a dark fire box, all set to go for the season.
Now back into the 60's, no need for a fire until Saturday night, looks like the 1st frost is coming in.

 

[Ashful]

Busy week for me, hardly had time to post or do anything beyond work... Last Friday I brought up a wheel barrel full of uglies just incase it got chilly with the rain / noreaster.
Sunday called into work for outages, worked till 10pm, got home and had to make a fire, the princess was in active zone after 20min from dead start, went low and slow with the T stat 2 o'clock, reloaded again Monday at 6pm, kept everything the same, so (1) full load of uglies per day, I let the fire burn out Wednesday, everything worked well, 3rd year on the cat and it was burning very bright with a dark fire box, all set to go for the season.
Now back into the 60's, no need for a fire until Saturday night, looks like the 1st frost is coming in.

You work for a utility, right? Lineman? If so, thanks for keeping the lights on!

I think we must've had something like 6 straight days of rain here, and my rain gauge filled up and spilleth over at 8 inches by mid-week. Some good wind too, classic gale. Was running both stoves early in the week, and like you, let them go out by Thursday. Ideal weather to let the BK's really show off what they can do.

 

[DonTee]

When you guys go from the charing phase to a lower temp, are you turning down the temp control a little at a time, or will you go from high temp all the way down to your desired temp in one turn?

I notice that when I got from high down to about halfway in one turn, the stove pings a bit as the temp changes. I’m wondering if I should be doing like a 1/4 turn at a time over like 15 min instead.

 

[Ashful]

When you guys go from the charing phase to a lower temp, are you turning down the temp control a little at a time, or will you go from high temp all the way down to your desired temp in one turn?

I notice that when I got from high down to about halfway in one turn, the stove pings a bit as the temp changes. I’m wondering if I should be doing like a 1/4 turn at a time over like 15 min instead.

On my stove with the taller pipe, it's always just from raging to low burn in one step. I was in the habit for several years of reloading this stove in a short window of time while getting ready to head to the office, and it was necessary for me to not have to revisit the stove several times, while trying to get ready to leave. But I have very reliable draft on that stove, and I'm only turning it down to a 12-hour burn.

But the second stove I have installed on a shorter chimney is a different beast. I had back-puffing issues on the old Jotul I had installed on the shorter pipe, so I got into the habit of lowering the stove in that location in a few increments. Since I'm turning the BK installed there now way down to 24+ hour burns, I've just kept in that habit, although I haven't proven its necessity.

The other issue with going from high burn to low very quickly is that cat combustor temps can really spike when doing this. You have a big load of wood furiously outgassing, and you cut off its primary combustion, giving the cat a huge load of fuel to process very quickly. If you have any concern over cat temps, such as a new and very reactive cat, then turning down in increments can help to manage the temperature spike.

I wouldn't worry about the pinging, it's just the contraction of metal occurring as it cools, more likely the interfaces between non-critical parts (eg. flue connector, outer sheet metal for inlet, fan kit, etc.) than the firebox itself. It's more about managing combustor temps and potential for back-puffing.

 

[DonTee]

Ok thanks ashful. Yes cat temps are a concern for me too. My new cat pegs out the gauge easily. It’s interesting turning down the temp control, watching the flue temps come down, but the cat temp hangs up there for a while. Then slowly comes down too.

Still fine tuning my process, and I’m sure it will change as it gets colder and draft improves.

It sounds like my chimney setup is in between the two stoves/chimneys you have. As far as length/draft

 

[Ashful]

One thing you can do to try to manage cat temps is start turning down a bit sooner. You want to burn high enough for long enough to dry out the load of wood and prepare it for a long slow burn, as well as to burn the creo that accumulates in the firebox after long-slow burns. I believe BK's recommendation is 20 minutes minimum, but if turning down in several increments, you might argue that even the first turn-down increment still leaves the stove burning hot enough to accomplish the desired drying and cleaning. Thus, if cat temps were becoming a problem for me, I'd start experimenting with moving the first increment to the 15 minute mark.

Stalling cat temps later in the burn, along with your firebox build-up, will tell you if you're shorting that cycle by too much.

 

[Crummy]

Did a little non-scientific testing comparing the factory cat gauge to a condar with actual numbers on it. As I've posted for the last several weeks my cat seemed to be beyond overactive but it turns out all is good. To check the difference I got the stove running at a steady temperature and then swapped the probe and checked the temperature again after the needle settled in. When my BK probe hits active the condar will read just a hair over 400. When the BK probe is way out of the active zone down around 5:30 the condar is reading about 1650°. Many have said that the BK appears to be a rebranded condar but they appear to be very different to me judging by needle position at stable temperatures. Just my observation, others may find different results.

 

[Ashful]

Did a little non-scientific testing comparing the factory cat gauge to a condar with actual numbers on it. As I've posted for the last several weeks my cat seemed to be beyond overactive but it turns out all is good. To check the difference I got the stove running at a steady temperature and then swapped the probe and checked the temperature again after the needle settled in. When my BK probe hits active the condar will read just a hair over 400. When the BK probe is way out of the active zone down around 5:30 the condar is reading about 1650°. Many have said that the BK appears to be a rebranded condar but they appear to be very different to me judging by needle position at stable temperatures. Just my observation, others may find different results.

Excellent info, and glad you weren't running nearly as hot as we had feared. I had said the BK was a rebranded Condar, based on repeating what at least one other member had said, and believing they had done the same test as you. But clearly they were wrong, or maybe things had changed in the years since, and I was repeating bad info.

I really should replace both of my gauges with numeric, as well.

 

[kennyp2339]

Other then initial cold stove start up, I hardly ever use the probe anymore, it’s all done by look and feel.. atleast for me anyway.
To the people that are new or kinda new, get out of the comfort zone and turn your stoves down some, try a no flame black box with glowing cat, you’ll be surprised at the amount of heat that radiates off the stove and the length of burn time. It’s hard to let yourself snuff a fire, but if you have an established burn going with a full box, turn the tee stat down and let the stove’s name earn its keep.. it will be a good time, I promise.

 

[Crummy]

Excellent info, and glad you weren't running nearly as hot as we had feared. I had said the BK was a rebranded Condar, based on repeating what at least one other member had said, and believing they had done the same test as you. But clearly they were wrong, or maybe things had changed in the years since, and I was repeating bad info.

I really should replace both of my gauges with numeric, as well.

It's been mentioned before that they are far from precision instrument's so my results could be off a little from other results. I mainly compared the two because that needle going so far past the active zone was giving me a uneasy feeling but like many of you told me it was nothing to worry about. Now that I have a general idea what the temperature is I actually prefer the factory probe as it's easier to read.

 

[Diabel]

Other then initial cold stove start up, I hardly ever use the probe anymore, it’s all done by look and feel.. atleast for me anyway.
To the people that are new or kinda new, get out of the comfort zone and turn your stoves down some, try a no flame black box with glowing cat, you’ll be surprised at the amount of heat that radiates off the stove and the length of burn time. It’s hard to let yourself snuff a fire, but if you have an established burn going with a full box, turn the tee stat down and let the stove’s name earn its keep.. it will be a good time, I promise.

I am the opposite. I have a hard time bringing myself to have a full raging fire for 6h to get max heat. Its been cat glow only for 4 yrs.