BK Sirocco 25 Help Please

[Robertavery84]

Two thoughts. To get more fuel into the stove, empty out ashes more frequently.

Second, that is a nice load of small pieces. As someone already suggested, that is a lot of surface area and will combust quickly.

Of course I have a KE40, but each piece is 12"+. Can you get some 12" rounds and split them in half. Then play tetris!

BKVP

Realistically how often should I been needing to empty ash out of it when running 24/7? Currently needing a clean out every 3-4 days and tons of ash in there.

Have half rounds in my racks. Next year’s order definitely will be ordering bigger round chunks. This wood was last years wood for an open face fireplace that was there until chimney went poof on us in dead winter.

 

[stoveliker]

ash depends on the species. BKVP burns coniferous stuff with very little ash.
If you burn maple, you drown in ash. (reason I dislike maple...)

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

when I'm burning 24/7, most of the winter. I'm cleaning out every couple of days depending on the wood. I try to leave about a half inch after cleanout and go from there.

 

[Dieselhead]

I assume that you would need to run that load with the bypass open until the cat is hot, and then with the thermostat on high until it can be turned down to low.
Approximately how long for each phase? Do you look for all of the wood to be bricked (charred outside) before turning down the thermostat? Or it is more related to time and 'sensing' that there's enough heat in the wood and stove to reduce the air flow?

Yes run with bypass open stat all the way open until cat is in active range or if cat is already in active range (hot reload) let wood catch and char then close bypass.
Turn stat to 5:00 for a bit, then 4, then final setting for the load. I can’t really estimate a time. Lots of variables there.

 

[Robertavery84]

ash depends on the species. BKVP burns coniferous stuff with very little ash.
If you burn maple, you drown in ash. (reason I dislike maple...)

I burn straight oak. Now got a great question about your comment about BKVP, always been told never burn pine and such as fire danger from massive amount of creosote? Whats the wisdom on this? I can get pine WAY cheaper than oak. Any insight on this would be great

 

[Robertavery84]

when I'm burning 24/7, most of the winter. I'm cleaning out every couple of days depending on the wood. I try to leave about a half inch after cleanout and go from there.

What woods burn the cleanest?

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

I burn straight oak. Now got a great question about your comment about BKVP, always been told never burn pine and such as fire danger from massive amount of creosote? Whats the wisdom on this? I can get pine WAY cheaper than oak. Any insight on this would be great

PINE is FINE.

 

[Tron]

Approximately how long for each phase?

Hard to say. On cold starts I run with bypass open until flue temperature is approaching 8-900F, by which time the fire is well established and the cat thermometer approaching active zone (oftentimes it has not reached it yet, but the cat is still plenty hot to catch).
On hot starts basically the same, until I see that all splits have caught. That often coincides with the flue temperature.

On closing the bypass I immediately dial the thermostat down.

 

[Tron]

always been told never burn pine and such as fire danger from massive amount of creosote?

A myth. I burn 95% pine and only get a cup or two of creosote on the annual cleaning.

 

[stoveliker]

I would not burn with the bypass open until the wood is charred. Close it as soon as the cat is up to temp regardless of whether the wood is charred or not. On a reload with the cat still in the active zone, I keep the bypass open 2 minutes or so to exhaust the cooler air, and when you have some good flames (3 year old wood takes off before you can close the door), you will be hot enough not to shock the cat (I believe) when you close the bypass.

Pine is fine.
The myth likely originates in the following (is what I've read - take it fwiw).
In the old times, if your wood ran out in winter, you *needed* new fuel. Cutting down an oak would not work. It would not burn.
Cutting down a pine, you could burn it.
But because it's wet (not dried/seasoned), it would result in creosote. The pine was accused of being the cause of the creosote while the operator burning wet wood was the real culprit.

So, dry your pine/fir/spruce and you're good.
(And the nice thing is that in most climates, at least the one I have here on Long Island, pine dries to perfection in 1 year.)

So if you need to get ahead on your wood supply, get pine/fir/... and burn that next year, ALSO (at the same time), get some maple/cherry. That'll be good the year after (after 2 years drying, if split not in too big chunks). ALSO get oak. It'll be good the third year.
So once you get a lot of wood, and then after each winter you only need to replenish what you burned. That can then be oak or other woods - they'll be good to go as they will only be needed 3 years from then.

Bottomline: pine is fine.

 

[Murray01]

I’ve burnt a little over a cord of Jack Pine and have about 1.5” of ash, probably another 1/2 cord then I’ll have to remove some.