Ashford 25 Insert Questions

[BirdsatHiloMuni]

Hi all - new to forum and new to having a Blaze King. I recently had my chimney relined and got a new Ashford 25 Insert installed. I used it for the first time the other night - without reading the manual - and now I'm concerned about a number of things. Wanting some insight if you can help. First - when I used it the first time I watched a youtube video on how to operate the insert. I followed that guidance and didn't realize the first time you use it you should start a small fire and let it burn slowly for a long time. I burned a pretty hot fire - the paint hadn't cured and so a lot of smoke was in the house - wife freaked out - and we opened the door up to burn the fire out faster. I've since read the manual and have read that burning with the door open can ruin the catalyst and void the warranty.

-Is there a way for me to check and see if this has occurred?

Now - I'm kind of afraid to use it again. This is my first ever home with a fireplace and it seems like there's a lot to know and understand about the blaze king Ashford insert. The manual says "Once the logs are burning, latch the door shut. Once loading door is closed and combustor temperature begins to climb, close the bypass door, and turn on the fans to high.

-I see a lot of posts that the fire has to be in the "Active" zone to close the bypass and initiate the catalyst but the manual makes it seem like you should close the bypass before it gets to the red "active" zone on the thermometer. Do I wait until the temp has reached the red point or do I close the bypass sooner?

-Is there anything else that I'm missing or anything else that I need to know about? I'm using wood that I cut last winter and allowed to season outdoors under cover the entire spring/summer seasons.

Thank you so much for any responses, tips, help. I appreciate it.

 

[GG Woody]

*I use a BK stove, but I am not familiar with the Ashford insert*
You may have taken some life out of your combustor, I doubt that you have wrecked it. A picture of the combustor without the guard may help diagnose that.
I would wait until the gauge is near the "active" zone before engaging the bypass. Within a few minutes of closing the bypass you should see the bypass glowing. In the next 15 minutes you should be able to start dialing the fire down and turning up the fan.
This is how my Sirocco freestanding works (minus fan) but maybe I shouldn't advise too much since I have not operated an Ashford insert.
And *bump*...

 

[BirdsatHiloMuni]

*I use a BK stove, but I am not familiar with the Ashford insert*
You may have taken some life out of your combustor, I doubt that you have wrecked it. A picture of the combustor without the guard may help diagnose that.
I would wait until the gauge is near the "active" zone before engaging the bypass. Within a few minutes of closing the bypass you should see the bypass glowing. In the next 15 minutes you should be able to start dialing the fire down and turning up the fan.
This is how my Sirocco freestanding works (minus fan) but maybe I shouldn't advise too much since I have not operated an Ashford insert.
And *bump*...

Thank you! I'll post a photo of the combustor without the guard once I get home. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Tron]

Within a few minutes of closing the bypass you should see the bypass glowing.

I would hope not!
(I suspect you meant the cat)

@BirdsatHiloMuni don't sweat it, I doubt the cat has taken damage from having the door open. The main reason it should remain closed is that otherwise the thermostat doesn't work as that regulates heat output by adjusting airflow into the unit.

I usually fill the firebox with wood, light it (door closed, thermostat fully open and bypass door open), watch the internal flue temperature (that's really a good thing to measure, not sure if that's an option with an insert, though) and when that's hot enough and the fire is fully established I close the bypass and dial down the thermostat, even if the combustor thermometer isn't in the "active" zone yet. by doing that the combustion gases are drawn through the cat and that kicks it off quickly. The cat thermometer lags a bit, so if you're a bit below the active zone on the startup process, the cat's likely already hot enough.

 

[basilseal]

We just installed the same insert this year and have used it several times.

1. Well, you've done a big cure of the paint, which had to happen at some point. You may notice a similar smell for a bit when running at high temperatures, but most or all of the smoke off the unit should be done.

2. I recommend following the manual to the letter for the first few burns, which will help protect the cat. It does seem like a lot of steps at first but it quickly becomes easier after doing it a few times.

I keep in mind the three "controls" as follows:

When you start your fire, all controls are "open": (a) door cracked, (b) bypass pulled out, (c) thermostat on high (pointed down).

a. As your kindling (or logs, depending on preference) start burning well, the first "control" to close is the door.

b. Eventually, your thermometer will show the temperature in the active zone, and you close the second control - the bypass, so the cat activates.

c. From there, you will do some trial and error at the speed and points at which you "close" (really, reduce, because it never fully closes) the thermostat to achieve the low burn you desire.

When refilling, open the bypass and, after a few moments, crack the door to prevent smoke from rushing into the house.

 

[GG Woody]

I would hope not!
(I suspect you meant the cat)

Ha!... yes... thanks for the correction!

 

[BirdsatHiloMuni]

I would hope not!
(I suspect you meant the cat)

@BirdsatHiloMuni don't sweat it, I doubt the cat has taken damage from having the door open. The main reason it should remain closed is that otherwise the thermostat doesn't work as that regulates heat output by adjusting airflow into the unit.

I usually fill the firebox with wood, light it (door closed, thermostat fully open and bypass door open), watch the internal flue temperature (that's really a good thing to measure, not sure if that's an option with an insert, though) and when that's hot enough and the fire is fully established I close the bypass and dial down the thermostat, even if the combustor thermometer isn't in the "active" zone yet. by doing that the combustion gases are drawn through the cat and that kicks it off quickly. The cat thermometer lags a bit, so if you're a bit below the active zone on the startup process, the cat's likely already hot enough.

Thank you!

 

[BirdsatHiloMuni]

We just installed the same insert this year and have used it several times.

1. Well, you've done a big cure of the paint, which had to happen at some point. You may notice a similar smell for a bit when running at high temperatures, but most or all of the smoke off the unit should be done.

2. I recommend following the manual to the letter for the first few burns, which will help protect the cat. It does seem like a lot of steps at first but it quickly becomes easier after doing it a few times.

I keep in mind the three "controls" as follows:

When you start your fire, all controls are "open": (a) door cracked, (b) bypass pulled out, (c) thermostat on high (pointed down).

a. As your kindling (or logs, depending on preference) start burning well, the first "control" to close is the door.

b. Eventually, your thermometer will show the temperature in the active zone, and you close the second control - the bypass, so the cat activates.

c. From there, you will do some trial and error at the speed and points at which you "close" (really, reduce, because it never fully closes) the thermostat to achieve the low burn you desire.

When refilling, open the bypass and, after a few moments, crack the door to prevent smoke from rushing into the house.

Thank you! I followed the manual today, got a pretty good burn going with kindling then added 2 logs and let those catch pretty well. But, once I closed the door, the flames died out pretty quickly. Gonna try again tomorrow with wood and kindling from the start. I appreciate your input!

 

[basilseal]

Thank you! I followed the manual today, got a pretty good burn going with kindling then added 2 logs and let those catch pretty well. But, once I closed the door, the flames died out pretty quickly. Gonna try again tomorrow with wood and kindling from the start. I appreciate your input!

Make sure your thermostat is set to full/hi. I had trouble starting recently, and it was because the thermostat was still on low from my last burn, so the flames went down when I closed the door.

 

[kborndale]

Thank you! I followed the manual today, got a pretty good burn going with kindling then added 2 logs and let those catch pretty well. But, once I closed the door, the flames died out pretty quickly. Gonna try again tomorrow with wood and kindling from the start. I appreciate your input!

Is your wood dry? Was is split and stacked for at least a year? (Preferably two). If you just recently bought your wood your going to be quite disappointed in your stove this winter.

 

[Tron]

When you start your fire, all controls are "open": (a) door cracked,

a. As your kindling (or logs, depending on preference) start burning well, the first "control" to close is the door.

Not really necessary, at least not with dry wood. When you open the thermostat all the way, and the stove is cold, the flapper will open as much as possible, giving more than enough airflow to start the fire.

I just cram the firebox full of wood and place a firestarter somewhere in it. Light it, close the door and wait. Only very rarely (like when we have an inversion weather) that's not enough to start, then a second firestarter is needed. But again, rare.

 

[BirdsatHiloMuni]

Is your wood dry? Was is split and stacked for at least a year? (Preferably two). If you just recently bought your wood your going to be quite disappointed in your stove this winter.

Yeah, I'm concerned that it isn't dry enough. It's wood that I used last winter (my first winter) in an old fisher stove. It was definitely a little wet last year but I had it outside under cover all spring/summer/fall. I figured that would be enough - but it's still making a few small hissing sounds when it's getting going. I might need to buy a moisture meter to see what it's reading - do you use one? Do you recommend a certain brand/model?

 

[BirdsatHiloMuni]

Make sure your thermostat is set to full/hi. I had trouble starting recently, and it was because the thermostat was still on low from my last burn, so the flames went down when I closed the door.

Made sure of that today and got the fire going a bit but with two logs and the door closed the thermometer only got about half way to the red. I know that the manual says to just use two logs and some kindling - do you feel that's enough for yours or should I be putting more wood in? Another person said the wood might be too moist (It was wood used last winter - my first winter here - and I had it outside under cover all spring/summer/fall - but maybe still not seasoned enough?). If the wood is too moist is that going to prevent it from getting hot enough?

Also - I've lived in warm weather my whole life. We moved to the mountains of NC last winter. I may just be too dumb to light a good fire! Will try again tomorrow after reading the comments .

 

[Burnin Since 1989]

Yeah, I'm concerned that it isn't dry enough. It's wood that I used last winter (my first winter) in an old fisher stove. It was definitely a little wet last year but I had it outside under cover all spring/summer/fall. I figured that would be enough - but it's still making a few small hissing sounds when it's getting going. I might need to buy a moisture meter to see what it's reading - do you use one? Do you recommend a certain brand/model?

A few years ago I got wood that wasn't seasoned as long as I was told. I bought a moisture meter and it was considerable higher than 20%. The wood hissed and I could even see the moisture boiling out of the wood. I got this one as a replacement for the original. Under $20 is a pretty good deal. No clue if it is accurate?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTD6P2TZ

Welcome to the forum. There is a ton of great info here and some great folks willing to help out. I'm fairly new myself, though I've been using a woodstove and firewood for many years.

 

[BirdsatHiloMuni]

A few years ago I got wood that wasn't seasoned as long as I was told. I bought a moisture meter and it was considerable higher than 20%. The wood hissed and I could even see the moisture boiling out of the wood. I got this one as a replacement for the original. Under $20 is a pretty good deal. No clue if it is accurate?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTD6P2TZ

Welcome to the forum. There is a ton of great info here and some great folks willing to help out. I'm fairly new myself, though I've been using a woodstove and firewood for many years.

Thank you! I appreciate all the help everyone has given me. I'm definitely a novice to burning wood in my house. I used a fisher wood stove last year and it was super easy - but going to this insert has proved more difficult than I had imagined.

 

[Burnin Since 1989]

A couple of other thoughts...

How tall is your chimney liner? Are there any reducers in your chimney? Have you tried lighting your fire using top/down method. BTW that's a great way to get your chimney heated so it will draw well. Try cracking a window when you first start your fire. Do you get smoke into the room if you open the door while it's burning? It's normal to get a little now and then, but if it happens a lot there could be an issue. I have to open a window a crack before I start a fire or my fire won't start well.

 

[Burnin Since 1989]

Thank you! I appreciate all the help everyone has given me. I'm definitely a novice to burning wood in my house. I used a fisher wood stove last year and it was super easy - but going to this insert has proved more difficult than I had imagined.

And... haha the manual is your friend. It's worth reading through a few times to get familiar with your insert. Videos are great but many are super edited and leave out a lot of info

 

[kborndale]

Yeah, I'm concerned that it isn't dry enough. It's wood that I used last winter (my first winter) in an old fisher stove. It was definitely a little wet last year but I had it outside under cover all spring/summer/fall. I figured that would be enough - but it's still making a few small hissing sounds when it's getting going. I might need to buy a moisture meter to see what it's reading - do you use one? Do you recommend a certain brand/model?

If it's hissing it's still too wet. Hopefully it was stored off the ground and not totally covered. Try getting a bundle of wood from the supermarket or home depot. See how it goes with that wood to get an idea how it's supposed to run.

 

[moresnow]

Videos are great but many are super edited and leave out a lot of info

Many of the BK owner/operation videos on YT are terribly flawed and will lead a new stove user to grief and confusion. Cringeworthy is what I call many of them.

Study the BK provided operator manual. Over and over. Continue asking questions here.
Eventually you will get a handle on this.

Wet fuel is the wildcard. There is really no way to make wet fuel perform. Impossible.
Anyone selling BK's should make fuel quality #1 in the sale discussion IMO.
Carry on and good luck.

 

[BirdsatHiloMuni]

If it's hissing it's still too wet. Hopefully it was stored off the ground and not totally covered. Try getting a bundle of wood from the supermarket or home depot. See how it goes with that wood to get an idea how it's supposed to run.

Yes - it was stored off the ground and just the top is covered - all sides get air. That's a bummer. Ok - I'm going to pick up a moisture meter and check out what it's reading. I'll give this a try as well and see if purchased dry wood makes the difference. Thanks!

 

[BirdsatHiloMuni]

Many of the BK owner/operation videos on YT are terribly flawed and will lead a new stove user to grief and confusion. Cringeworthy is what I call many of them.

Study the BK provided operator manual. Over and over. Continue asking questions here.
Eventually you will get a handle on this.

Wet fuel is the wildcard. There is really no way to make wet fuel perform. Impossible.
Anyone selling BK's should make fuel quality #1 in the sale discussion IMO.
Carry on and good luck.

I appreciate that! I am going to check out the moisture on my firewood and see if that's the issue. Thanks again!

 

[BirdsatHiloMuni]

And... haha the manual is your friend. It's worth reading through a few times to get familiar with your insert. Videos are great but many are super edited and leave out a lot of info

I appreciate that. I'll keep going with the manual and try opening the door or a window. Thanks for all your help!

 

[Burnin Since 1989]

keep us posted on your progress...

 

[moresnow]

I am going to check out the moisture on my firewood and see if that's the issue. Thanks again!

Proper decision.

Keep in mind.
You should bring a random selection of your splits indoors and let them come up to room temp. Overnight perhaps depending on outdoor temps.
Bring a room temp split back outdoors and re-split it.
Immediately apply your probe style moisture tester firmly to the freshly exposed inner surface of the split. Record reading.
Repeat on the rest of your test batch of splits.

Report what you find.

Testing any other surface will mean zero accuracy.

Many folks will simply jam their new tester against the existing outer surface (or end) of a split.
Useless reading as those surface areas have been exposed and will read unrealistically dry.