Blaze King King- excessive smoke out the door?

[mwhitnee]

I've had my King for about 5 years. It seems recently that when I open the door while burning a lot of smoke comes out, even if I crack for a few seconds first. Also, it seems to be burning much more in the front than the back.

The flu, stove pipe, and stove were cleaned well. I took the stove pipe off and vacuumed everywhere I think. I'm wondering if I missed a special place where things can build up inside? Could something be blocked off or clogged? Your thoughts please.

 

[Highbeam]

I've had my King for about 5 years. It seems recently that when I open the door while burning a lot of smoke comes out, even if I crack for a few seconds first. Also, it seems to be burning much more in the front than the back.

The flu, stove pipe, and stove were cleaned well. I took the stove pipe off and vacuumed everywhere I think. I'm wondering if I missed a special place where things can build up inside? Could something be blocked off or clogged? Your thoughts please.

Are you opening the bypass?

 

[mwhitnee]

Yes, sorry should have said that. I can feel the internals moving when I do so, so I know that's OK.

I believe I remember almost no smoke coming out in previous years if I just cracked it for a couple seconds and opened it, it's very odd.

 

[mwhitnee]

I'm thinking it's my less than stellar wood. I have had real problems getting good wood the past 2 years.

Who would agree to getting some kiln-dried and putting it up to 800 for a while then tapering it down?

 

[BKVP]

Did you clean behind the combustor? Did you verify with a flashlight cells were not plugged? Is the flame shield in front of the combustor clear of debris?

 

[Highbeam]

I'm wondering if I missed a special place where things can build up inside? Could something be blocked off or clogged?

You said your flue system was cleaned but did you verify that the cap is clear? Some folks insist on keeping a bird screen in their chimney caps that are prone to clogging and require maintenance. Those stupid screens plug up and can cause smoke rollout.

 

[mwhitnee]

Did you clean behind the combustor? Did you verify with a flashlight cells were not plugged? Is the flame shield in front of the combustor clear of debris?

I did not take the cat out- it looked dirtier than usual up there. The flame shield had debris on the inside of the holes but none were blocked. Same for the cat. I lightly vacuumed it. But I have never seen this area so dirty before.

Do I have to take the cat out to determine it's not blocked because if I do I'll need a new gasket and I don't have one so I would need to order one right away. Suppose I can't run it with a partial gasket for a few days right?

BKVP since I have your attention, when do you know your cat is toast? It looks fine structurally. It's about 5 years old. I burn a lot in the winter.

 

[mwhitnee]

You said your flue system was cleaned but did you verify that the cap is clear? Some folks insist on keeping a bird screen in their chimney caps that are prone to clogging and require maintenance. Those stupid screens plug up and can cause smoke rollout.

Highbeam thanks I'll look at it tomorrow, but I highly doubt it. I have a bird/bat screen but I took it down and cleaned it thoroughly in the beginning of the year.

 

[Highbeam]

Highbeam thanks I'll look at it tomorrow, but I highly doubt it. I have a bird/bat screen but I took it down and cleaned it thoroughly in the beginning of the year.

they can plug up in just a few months. Just rule it out. You’ve got 5 years of experience.

 

[mwhitnee]

they can plug up in just a few months. Just rule it out. You’ve got 5 years of experience.

I just threw a flashlight on it just now. It looks kind of black up there. I'll look in the morning and report back. Thanks!

 

[Highbeam]

Even a worn out cat won’t block smoke and cause rollout. Cats last about 12000 hours, however many years that takes. When mine have died I noticed a big increase in the amount of junk accumulating on the face as well as chimney smoke and the need to turn up the thermostat to stay warm.

You clean behind the cat by lifting the flue pipe off and vacuuming through the flue collar. If you sweep the chimney and don’t clean the debris from behind the cat then the pile can build up and obstruct the smoke path.

 

[mwhitnee]

I took the stove pipe off and looked in-not that bad. Vacuumed everywhere including behind the cat. Nothing of significance piled behind the cat. The cat was maybe a little blocked but nothing major. Light shined through it before and after cleaning the back. Cleaned the stove pipe while I was there.

I'm thinking the cat is dead? If so, the next question is- my wood is not that great and will I damage a new one with less than stellar wood? Can I wait until next year?

 

[jetsam]

Wet wood doesn't hurt the cat or make a hot stove leak smoke.

Something is plugged up. Check your cap and run a brush through the pipe. A pipe can get dirty fast with wet wood- you want to sweep it often. You can plug a cap in weeks or even days.

If that doesn't get it, pull the pipe off the top and see if the area behind the combustor is full of sweepings (or the combustor itself is plugged).

You can tell if the cat is plugged without taking anything apart though. Just watch the fire for a few minutes and flip the lever. If there's a noticeable change in the firebox, air is not flowing through the cat right.

My money is on a partially plugged cap.

 

[weatherguy]

Similar thing happened with my Princess after burning a few years, it was the cap clogged, probably the cat not being older and not as effective caused it.

 

[Woody Stover]

I did not take the cat out- it looked dirtier than usual up there. The flame shield had debris on the inside of the holes but none were blocked. Same for the cat. I lightly vacuumed it. But I have never seen this area so dirty before.
Do I have to take the cat out to determine it's not blocked because if I do I'll need a new gasket

when do you know your cat is toast? It looks fine structurally. It's about 5 years old. I burn a lot in the winter.

Take the cat out, lightly brush both front and back with a soft brush. Then blow through it repeatedly as hard as you can, to get it as clean as possible. Do this outside.
At five years, your cat may be tailing off in performance, but that alone wouldn't make smoke roll out the door, and neither would a plugged cat, if you have the bypass open.
To sum up, I have no clue why you have smoke rolling out. One thing you can do is close the air all the way before opening the door, forcing the available draft to be focused on the door opening instead of wasting some of it pulling air through the primary. It's not a huge amount of draft saved, but it could be enough to make a difference..
And crack the door more than "a few seconds." More like fifteen to thirty seconds.
Some say it helps to open up the air, get some flame going, and heat up the flue a bit before attempting to open the door.

 

[mwhitnee]

Well I looked at the cap with binoculars, it looks clear to me . I started a fire today after cleaning the cat and the flue collar/pipe going into the chimney- still rolling smoke. The stove won't really burn at a really high temp but that's likely because of my wood. I have had horrible luck with wood sellers, I'll be taking a different approach this year.

Smoke is billowing out the chimney; it's a calm day. I need to get on the roof next and take a closer loo,k but there's snow on it.

 

[mwhitnee]

Been so busy but here I am to report what happened. The problem is resolved and I'm happily burning again.

The cap was not plugged. The chimney was. It has a clay liner. Scary. This has never happened before. Nowhere near what I found.

My only thought is that the wood I was burning was very wet and it burned at a very low temp.

It was so bad that I had to use chimney brush rods and attach a bolt and a big flat washer to the end as the brush at one point couldn't even get down. (Thought that was a good idea) I'm even wondering if I had a chimney fire and didn't know it.

It cleaned up nicely.

 

[Woody Stover]

The cap was not plugged. The chimney was. It has a clay liner. Scary. This has never happened before. Nowhere near what I found.
My only thought is that the wood I was burning was very wet and it burned at a very low temp.
It was so bad that I had to use chimney brush rods and attach a bolt and a big flat washer to the end as the brush at one point couldn't even get down. (Thought that was a good idea) I'm even wondering if I had a chimney fire and didn't know it.
It cleaned up nicely.

You don't have a liner to the top, AKA 'positive connect,' you have a 'direct connect'...stove pipe into the clay liner? That ain't good, especially with a BK.

 

[Highbeam]

You don't have a liner to the top, AKA 'positive connect,' you have a 'direct connect'...stove pipe into the clay liner? That ain't good, especially with a BK.
View attachment 257359

It's not an insert. He most likely just has metal pipe to the crock that pukes into the clay chimney. Very common and while not as good as an insulated liner, it's not that bad.

 

[mwhitnee]

It's not an insert. He most likely just has metal pipe to the crock that pukes into the clay chimney. Very common and while not as good as an insulated liner, it's not that bad.

Highbeam that's correct. It's a cast iron sleeve pipe that goes through the stonework into the clay liner.

I'd love to get a liner, just can't afford it right now.

Highbeam (and to others who tried to help) thank you very much.

 

[BKVP]

I did not take the cat out- it looked dirtier than usual up there. The flame shield had debris on the inside of the holes but none were blocked. Same for the cat. I lightly vacuumed it. But I have never seen this area so dirty before.

Do I have to take the cat out to determine it's not blocked because if I do I'll need a new gasket and I don't have one so I would need to order one right away. Suppose I can't run it with a partial gasket for a few days right?

BKVP since I have your attention, when do you know your cat is toast? It looks fine structurally. It's about 5 years old. I burn a lot in the winter.

Go out and look up. If you’re getting smoke after 20 minutes or so on a reload, take a can of compressed air and blow out the cat. Try again. If that doesn’t make a difference, go for the full blown distilled water and vinegar bath treatment. You will need a new gasket..

 

[Woody Stover]

It's a cast iron sleeve pipe that goes through the stonework into the clay liner.

What's the ID of the clay liner tile?

 

[mwhitnee]

7x11 inches

 

[Highbeam]

7x11 inches

It took you almost a year to measure? We don’t see woody much anymore. Did you ever find the culprit?

 

[mwhitnee]

It took you almost a year to measure? We don’t see woody much anymore. Did you ever find the culprit?

Well I just ordered a brush recently so it was in my mind

As I said, it was a blockage. I have deducted that it was just really wet wood that I was forced to use as I ran out of wood last year.

I probably wouldn't even bother using wood like that ever again. I'll just fire up the furnace.