BK Ashford 30 Install

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

My install was just completed Thursday! After 2 years of planning and waiting it is finally complete. Thanks so much for all the information and advice on this site.

I had the stove taken apart completely and the two installers hand carried it inside. It ended up needing roof brackets which I didn't notify our roofers about. They just installed it 6mo ago. I freaked out for a minute. I called them and they said our warranty would not be voided but they would not cover anything related to the brackets.

Second, the installers spray painted the connector and got aerosol all through our house. After the test burn (even with a 6hr burn outside) our house was reeking of aerosol and paint. The 3 girls all stayed the night in a hotel with most the windows wide open for 24hrs.

Third pain was the hearth board. I first unloaded it 2 weeks ago and I got a red corner pad from AJ hearth vs what is in the pic. They agreed to meet and swap the boards. The shape and tile are correct but the frame is a weird gray color, not the standard black! After so much $ I want everything right. I'm waiting to hear if they will take it back. I'm also thinking about adding a wall board. The wall is getting very warm close to min clearance.

Now with only two windows cracked, the stove room is up to 75°F at medium burn, most of the 2400sf is 72°F. Temp probe is about 12 O'Clock after 7hrs with a half load of ash.

 

[begreen]

Looks good. Actually, with the lighter hearth tile color I don't mind the blue grey metal trim framing. It seems to work well. Black might be too strong a contrast taking the eye away from the stove.

 

[MAD MARK]

I also like the colors in the pad. Good contrast.

Too much black is overplayed these days.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Ah man, did AJ Hearth pay you guys to try changing my mind?!

 

[vwmike]

Looks nice. How much chimney do you have outside ?

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Looks nice. How much chimney do you have outside ?

It's 19.5ft outside with two 15° elbows to go around the roofline. It's 50°F out and draft seems decent. There is some smoke spillage when it is opened and there are good flames going.

 

[kennyp2339]

#awesomehearthpad

 

[kennyp2339]

It's 19.5ft outside with two 15° elbows to go around the roofline. It's 50°F out and draft seems decent. There is some smoke spillage when it is opened and there are good flames going.

A day like today is hard not to have some smoke spillage, the air is 100% moisture, low pressure to our north, and temps quite warm. When reloading try this, turn the air controller all the way open, then open the by-pass, wait about a minute then crack open the door and let it rest unlatched for a few seconds then open the door.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

A day like today is hard not to have some smoke spillage, the air is 100% moisture, low pressure to our north, and temps quite warm. When reloading try this, turn the air controller all the way open, then open the by-pass, wait about a minute then crack open the door and let it rest unlatched for a few seconds then open the door.

Yes, that's about the procedure I'm at now. I'm getting much better but still getting a little smoke. It seems to help if I try waiting until the firebox is mostly coals.

 

[lsucet]

Yes, that's about the procedure I'm at now. I'm getting much better but still getting a little smoke. It seems to help if I try waiting until the firebox is mostly coals.

It is better if you go through the burn cycle before open the door but sometimes I know depending on the weather it needs to be reload. Give you sometime and you will get the hang of it. it can look like it is done but turning the dial up give you flames and heat again after so many hrs into the burn. It is amazing.

 

[Woody Stover]

'm getting much better but still getting a little smoke. It seems to help if I try waiting until the firebox is mostly coals.

If you need to open it before you're down to coals, use kennyp2339's suggestion, but then close the primary air all the way before opening the door fully; You want as much draft as possible pulling in through the door. I'm not sure how much difference it will make, but it's gotta help to some degree..

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Even now after 6hrs it's still getting some smoke in the house. I had to open a bunch of windows again. I have young kids in the house, I might need to shut it down until it gets colder

Would it help to run it hotter? It was at about 5/10 most of today, now just increased it to 6.

Edit:
I checked it again and I think some smell is coming from the probe hole. There seems to be a mm or two slop. Is there some way to seal that off?

 

[lsucet]

Even now after 6hrs it's still getting some smoke in the house. I had to open a bunch of windows again. I have young kids in the house, I might need to shut it down until it gets colder

Would it help to run it hotter? It was at about 5/10 most of today, now just increased it to 6.

Well regardless if get colder or not you will have the same situation cause it is the curing process. It is up to you if going through now or later. It will be the same.

 

[Woody Stover]

Would it help to run it hotter?

Stack should have been hot, running it for hours at that air setting, so I have to think that 50* isn't cold enough to provide sufficient draft. You'll have to see how it runs later in the week when it gets cold there. Is that 19' just the outside chimney or is that from the stove top? You have two 90s, the elbows, and colder outside chimney so that will reduce your effective stack height some..

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Stack should have been hot, running it for hours at that air setting, so I have to think that 50* isn't cold enough to provide sufficient draft. You'll have to see how it runs later in the week when it gets cold there. Is that 19' just the outside chimney or is that from the stove top? You have two 90s, the elbows, and colder outside chimney so that will reduce your effective stack height some..

There is about 3' inside and 19.5' outside. It doesn't smell like paint curing, more of a creosote type smell. And I'm pretty positive it is coming from the probe hole...

 

[ratsrepus]

A day like today is hard not to have some smoke spillage, the air is 100% moisture, low pressure to our north, and temps quite warm. When reloading try this, turn the air controller all the way open, then open the by-pass, wait about a minute then crack open the door and let it rest unlatched for a few seconds then open the door.

that works for me

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

It seems completely fine now 1/3 full of coals. I think the lesson is not to stuff the whole firebox full when its warm out. It has to damp out the fire so hard when there is so much wood that is has almost no draft.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

Again today, fine when running high, but anything below 7/10 seems to emit some odor. It's now in the 40's. Our 10mo old was coughing all last night. I'm starting to get concerned about the air quality and disappointed overall with this whole endeavor.

Sounds like possibility not a perfect draft and maybe a connector problem? There aren't even any screws connecting the DVL adapter to the stove outlet, just slipped on. Should they have also put some sealant on all the DVL?

 

[SuperJ]

I would check your door alignment. The whole front face can be adjusted left right. Mine was off a bit.
It will take a while for everything to cure, the legs and outer panels don't get as hot. I would wait for the family to be out of the house. And then load it up with some finer splits and let it rip for a couple hours.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

I would check your door alignment. The whole front face can be adjusted left right. Mine was off a bit.
It will take a while for everything to cure, the legs and outer panels don't get as hot. I would wait for the family to be out of the house. And then load it up with some finer splits and let it rip for a couple hours.

I checked the door earlier. It is nicely sealing even after breaking in. It is definitely exhaust coming from either the flue connector or probe hole. According to other posts, the connector seems to have fixed others problems.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

I just called BK and they said it was definitely a draft issue. The easiest thing would be to add 3ft more chimney to meet the recommended height... should have played it safe during the install.

The temp probe IS directly tapped into the combustor output, so smoke will come out there with poor draft.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

So update for anyone still reading:

Ordered a 3ft chimney extension and mostly running it full open or 75% a few logs at a time. I tried wrapping a few layers of tinfoil around the probe which seemed to help, but on Sunday I tried a 60% setting with 5 med logs and once it damped down I saw two big puffs of smoke come out of all the dvl connections! Is that normal?

Luckily it is now staying in the 30's or 20's which should help. How much flue do you need to be able to run medium/low air without getting any smoke in the house? Does anyone have success with a BK wall exit? I'm wondering if my dreams of the 20hr+ are impossible for my setup. Having the window cracked is kind of detracting from the efficiency gained by the BK.

 

[AlbergSteve]

So update for anyone still reading:

Ordered a 3ft chimney extension and mostly running it full open or 75% a few logs at a time. I tried wrapping a few layers of tinfoil around the probe which seemed to help, but on Sunday I tried a 60% setting with 5 med logs and once it damped down I saw two big puffs of smoke come out of all the dvl connections! Is that normal?

Luckily it is now staying in the 30's or 20's which should help. How much flue do you need to be able to run medium/low air without getting any smoke in the house? Does anyone have success with a BK wall exit? I'm wondering if my dreams of the 20hr+ are impossible for my setup. Having the window cracked is kind of detracting from the efficiency gained by the BK.

You could add and outside air kit, that would avoid leaving a window open. Smoke from the pipe is not normal, ever.

 

[Nigel459]

...
I saw two big puffs of smoke come out of all the dvl connections! Is that normal?
...

No that is not normal!

It sounds like you may indeed be on the edge of minimum draft requirement.

Hang in there. I've put in a few "new epa" stoves recently and they all have taken some time to figure out. One needed a damper due to too much draft, one is finicky and etc.

There are just so many factors involved it seems. You'll figure it out, keep at it, you'll get some solid advice here I'm sure

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

You could add and outside air kit, that would avoid leaving a window open. Smoke from the pipe is not normal, ever.

I'm not sure the OAK would help. I'm not opening a window to get air to the stove, I'm trying to get fresh air to clear out the smoke!

I got my 3ft extension today but it was dented. Just ordered a replacement...