Can you suffocate a BlazeKing?

[QuarryHouse]

I replaced the Jotul F3 I inherited with a Chinook 20.2 in August and since we had our first real freezing temps, this past week, I tried it out. I'm impressed with the long slow burn times - easy 12 hours even half-full. I'm burning white ash I cut last spring that is around 15% moisture inside a new split.

I'm wondering if I can suffocate the fire with the t-stat control. It was quite warm (almost 50F) and sunny this afternoon and the living room was 84 degrees with the stove running on low and I kinda wanted to shut it down - opened a couple windows instead because despite totally black wood inside, the stove cat temp stayed in the active zone for hours. The Jotul had a small firebox and shutting down both intakes would kill the fire after 30 minutes or so.

The Chinook t-stat control has a white line on it, but it seems to turn past the white line on low - can I "turn it off" and if so does it do something bad to the cat? This is my first cat stove and I'm still reading up on where it's OK to bend the rules.

 

[Highbeam]

I replaced the Jotul F3 I inherited with a Chinook 20.2 in August and since we had our first real freezing temps, this past week, I tried it out. I'm impressed with the long slow burn times - easy 12 hours even half-full. I'm burning white ash I cut last spring that is around 15% moisture inside a new split.

I'm wondering if I can suffocate the fire with the t-stat control. It was quite warm (almost 50F) and sunny this afternoon and the living room was 84 degrees with the stove running on low and I kinda wanted to shut it down - opened a couple windows instead because despite totally black wood inside, the stove cat temp stayed in the active zone for hours. The Jotul had a small firebox and shutting down both intakes would kill the fire after 30 minutes or so.

The Chinook t-stat control has a white line on it, but it seems to turn past the white line on low - can I "turn it off" and if so does it do something bad to the cat? This is my first cat stove and I'm still reading up on where it's OK to bend the rules.

Most, if not all, stoves including the BK have a hole in the intake valve or near it so that there is no way to shut it 100% off. In theory, even at max low the thing burns clean.

 

[ratsrepus]

Most, if not all, stoves including the BK have a hole in the intake valve or near it so that there is no way to shut it 100% off. In theory, even at max low the thing burns clean.

Thats called runnin on the hole. IM there right now, very mild Michigan this year

 

[Highbeam]

Thats called runnin on the hole. IM there right now, very mild Michigan this year

I think even at somewhat higher settings (still pretty low) the thermostat cycles so that it’s riding the hole between pulses.

 

[Poindexter]

It is possible to stall the catalytic combustor, by turning the stove down too low in mild weather.

I changed my total flue height 2-3 times in the years after install. The trick is too tall a stack can have you doing experiments with magma on your hearth in really cold weather when the stove is running on high (not really), but the tallest possible stack will give you the ability to turn down lower and lower in milder weather. Drier wood gives you more flexibility here.

There is a special sound the stove makes when you turn the air control knob far enough to 'close' the air control valve to the point you start 'riding the hole.' There is no point in turning the air control knob any lower than that. I think of it as a 'ting' sound, but other owners have described a 'thunk' sound. You might call your local BK dealer to see if they have a 'cutaway' stove on the showroom floor, or where your nearest one is. Once you have seen what happens to the air control valve when the 'tink or thunk' sound happens you can recognize it on your stove pretty easy.

My annual MC ideal target is 14% MC, but 15% is skoocum. Enjoy your stove, in Alaska skoocum means really good to excellent and has nothing to with a special hoodie you might wear outdoors while smoking materials other than tobacco.

I don't see any reason to add height to your existing chimney. If you can run that rascal at full throttle in cold weather without hearing a locomotive in your stove room, you are golden. Your next challenge is coming up with consistent fuel at 15%MC year after year.

Good luck and best wishes.