I just installed my new BK princess about 2 weeks ago. Not what I had imagined. I have 8% red and white oak and red elm. I'm getting an average of 3 hour actually burn times. I do get an impressive bed of coals. My house is 1064 sqft down stairs with a fairly open floor plan. Upstairs is 354 sqft. It seems to struggle to reach mid 70's while mid 20's outside. When I first started burning I noticed the thermostat wasn't working correctly. I was advised from the factory to take the rear cover plate off and control it manually until my new thermostat comes in. A little discouraging considering this is brand spanking new and not cheap. I've done the door test multiple times. My pipe is double wall 6 inch from stove to cap. 2 feet up to 2 45's, 2 feet out the wall, Tee and cap, 15 feet up. This is about 5 feet higher than peek. The main thing that concerns me is I have a lot of flames all the time, no matter the temp, when I thought it was supposed to be a smolder. My stove top hits between 400° and 650°. I'm ready to pull my hair out. I would appreciate any feedback. It's my first cat-stove. I have burned wood my whole life. I'm hoping the new thermostat will help with burn times, however am more interested in adjustment to bypass door. I haven't found much information on it other than 9/16 is the bolt size.
BK Princess need help
- Thread starter Illinois burner
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Is this with the new thermostat? Do you still have the cover off? Is the butterfly open at all?
The bypass adjustment shouldn't have much effect on what you are experiencing. It is a pretty substantial piece, and just the weight of it should hold it mostly closed, if nothing else. Does it feel like it is locking firmly?
The bypass adjustment shouldn't have much effect on what you are experiencing. It is a pretty substantial piece, and just the weight of it should hold it mostly closed, if nothing else. Does it feel like it is locking firmly?
BKVP
Minister of Fire
This is BKVP, may I help?
Illinois Burner....if you turn the thermostat knob completely so that you see the blade close, does the flame disappear?
We have had a few issues lately with a line person not securing the set screw on the thermostat knob. So when the knob is turned, it is just spinning on the shaft. Can you verify the blade is in fact closing down and if the flame is diminishing?
I will continue to try and help you via this blog today, tomorrow or Friday.
Chris
Illinois Burner....if you turn the thermostat knob completely so that you see the blade close, does the flame disappear?
We have had a few issues lately with a line person not securing the set screw on the thermostat knob. So when the knob is turned, it is just spinning on the shaft. Can you verify the blade is in fact closing down and if the flame is diminishing?
I will continue to try and help you via this blog today, tomorrow or Friday.
Chris
BKVP
Minister of Fire
I don't have the new thermostat yet. The butterfly seems to operate fine while cold. Once it heats up it closes and chokes the fire out completely
BKVP
Minister of Fire
So with the blade open about 1/8", will stove burn a full load in 3 hours? Would you be kind enough to just prop the blade about 1/8", weigh a load of fuel, and place it on a hot coal bed. Please make a note of the time loaded and get a total burn time for me?
I did what you asked. I weighed the wood at 32 lbs. 3 pieces of red oak and 1 piece of red elm. I loaded it at 9:00 p.m. The coal bed was about an inch under the door. It burned 4 hours before turning to coals and temperatures dropping. I just loaded it again nearly the same. I will be getting up to load it again in about 4 hours. I did notice when Turing the dial for the thermostat that the dial turns way past the 1 setting counterclockwise to about 10 o'clock and past 3 1/2 clockwise to about 8 o'clock. Is that normal?
When turned all the way clockwise, the dial should point 6 o'clock. I found that in the BK thread. That's how mine is.
blueguy
Feeling the Heat
BKVP
Minister of Fire
BKVP
Minister of Fire
So IlBurner.....you got a 4 hour burn on 32lbs of fuel? If so, you burned 132,000 Btu's or about 33,600 per hour average. That's pretty warm and you should have seen some flame at that burn rate. Was the thermostat blade nearly closed for the entire 4 hours? You have about 17' of total vertical rise, stove to cap as I read the original post.
Why only 32 lbs? Based upon your wood species, you should be able to get 60+ lbs into the stove.
Why only 32 lbs? Based upon your wood species, you should be able to get 60+ lbs into the stove.
I am closing the bypass. This is why I wondered about the bypass adjustment. The stove has a lot of flames. I'm getting air from somewhere. I need to get a thermometer in the flue pipe somehow to check my true flue temp. I had single wall to begin with and it registered around 250°. I have the same thermometer on the outside of the double wall now and it reads around 100° but that is not accurate flue temperature. Just kinda lost. I'm anxious to get the new thermostat to see if there is a change. Hopefully I can get that cruise control effect.
BKVP
Minister of Fire
Thanks...leaving for bit to hunt. Please see if you can get back to me with answers to all the above....happy thanksgiving and we'll get this sorted out.
I can kill all flames with the bypass open, by turning the knob.
Like Chris asked, it's important to know the position of the blade during the burn. If you can close it all the way and it stays there, you have air getting in from somewhere. If it is opening more than a hair, then something is going on with the thermostat.
There really is nowhere else for air to get in, unless you have a bad weld or really bad gasket or a hole or something.
Like Chris asked, it's important to know the position of the blade during the burn. If you can close it all the way and it stays there, you have air getting in from somewhere. If it is opening more than a hair, then something is going on with the thermostat.
There really is nowhere else for air to get in, unless you have a bad weld or really bad gasket or a hole or something.
That was open 1/8 " for all 4 hours. I couldn't load anymore wood than that. Like I said the coals are filled up to the door leaving 9 inches of loadable space.
Well, you do have to burn those coals down. It is part of the process. I open the air all the way, and if it isn't making enough heat I will put a really small split on top of the pile. Keep pulling the coals up to the door until they are burned up. If it's up to the bottom of the door, you probably have 3-4 hours of heat there.
I understand the coals produce a lot of heat, however while reading on 30 hour burn times, I didn't believe I would have to get up in the middle of the night to rake coals for extended heat. I got 4 hour burn times out of my old wonderwood smoke dragon. I have also burned 3/4 of a cord. This seems excessive compared to many other people's post. I'm not trying to downgrade this stove. I believe there is a issue with mine or the operator is an idiot. I'm just trying to get help from people that know these stoves better than I do. I work 10 hour+ days and was looking for a stove to maintain the heat while I am gone. I will gladly try anything suggested to figure this out
When it's completely closed it will not have flames, however within and hour is almost out where you can put your hand on the top of the stove.
I have also tried loading it front to back and side to side. Has anyone noticed any difference either way
We had a storm 4 years ago that uprooted all the trees. I cut the root balls off that winter. The following spring I brought all the wood home and split it. It's been seasoning since. I'm do have a meter and it's sitting around 8%. I have tested a few pieces at 11%. It's not doughty. It's all cut between 16 and 18 inches. Most is 6 to 8 inches in diameter splits with some smaller for tight fills.
Sounds like wet wood. If you cant get it hot then turn it down with out it going out there usually is only 2 things that cause that. Week Draft, and wet wood.
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