Another trick to avoid rapid ash buildup in BK

[m37charlie]

I realize I’m a newbie on the forum but I’ve run ~200 cords of spruce and birch through my early catalytic King since the early 90s.
The above 2 species are pretty much all that’s available in most of Alaska except for the dreaded cottonwood.
Our birch is dry ~24Mbtu/cord; dry white spruce ~18Mbtu.
If you burn birch round the clock, even in a King you get rapid buildup of large chunks of carbonized wood mixed with true ash. Digging them out and discarding them is a hassle that wastes energy.
So: fill up and burn birch at night when sleeping. If you don’t need much heat during the day, just turn air control to 1. When sun goes down or you come home in afternoon and want more heat, put in enough spruce to last till bedtime and turn air inlet thermostat up to needed heat output setting.
I’ve found that burning spruce in daytime and earlier evening (before bedtime) consumes all those big chunks of carbonized, de-volatilized birch so ashes build up as slowly as possible.
And ash dig-outs are needed as infrequently as possible.

 

[Highbeam]

Welcome to the forum. That's a good long life for a catalytic king. I don't expect to get that much.

We all love pictures. Especially from cool places like Alaska.

 

[m37charlie]

 

[m37charlie]

And to my south, with 10 sq m glass on main floor, migratory bird refuge, Turnagain Arm fiord, and no lights or other signs of humans.

 

[m37charlie]

Lifetime? I change catalyst every 2-3 years. I welded a crack near the door. I haven’t had the rust through problem in the rear. What else wears out?

 

[Highbeam]

Lifetime? I change catalyst every 2-3 years. I welded a crack near the door. I haven’t had the rust through problem in the rear. What else wears out?

Bypass gasket retainers. Replacement requires cutting and welding.

Your stove was already “totaled” for most folks by needing to weld the crack.

It’s a good thing you got so many years from it.

 

[Murray01]

If his older King is like my older Princess he might not have bypass door gaskets. 1/2” metal plate that sits on the opening. Maintenance free.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Bypass gasket retainers. Replacement requires cutting and welding.

Uh, what are bypass gasket retainers ?

Your stove was already “totaled” for most folks by needing to weld the crack.

Mine had such a crack - by the door as well (maybe a mfg'ing issue ?). Local traveling welder fixed it for $50 and BK reimbursed.

 

[RustyShackleford]

If his older King is like my older Princess he might not have bypass door gaskets. 1/2” metal plate that sits on the opening. Maintenance free.

Mine (2009 vintage Princess) is a metal plate that sits on tne opening; but there's still a gasket there.

 

[Highbeam]

Mine (2009 vintage Princess) is a metal plate that sits on tne opening; but there's still a gasket there.

The thin metal things that hold that gasket are called bypass gasket retainers and can melt away. First thing you check for on a used stove.

 

[Murray01]

Mine (2009 vintage Princess) is a metal plate that sits on tne opening; but there's still a gasket there.

Dec 1999 manufactured, no gasket…simpler times

 

[RustyShackleford]

The thin metal things that hold that gasket are called bypass gasket retainers and can melt away. First thing you check for on a used stove.

Damn, I've never noticed those. Hmm ...

 

[Highbeam]

Damn, I've never noticed those. Hmm ...

If your bypass gasket passes the dollar bill test all around then it’s good enough. Even if those retainers have melted, cracked, distorted, etc.

Newer stoves are reported to have a better design that should reduce the failures.