Fan on Blaze King

[nate379]

So this morning I cleaned out the stove. It was still bit warm and the fan was going, so I turned it off so it wouldn't blow dust all over the place.

This evening I lit a fire, had been going for a solid 3-4 hrs and the house seemed to not be warming up. It was warm around the stove, Temp gauge at around 2:00, so plenty of heat in the stove. I had just brought that wood from outside and it was a bit damp, so thought maybe it was that.

Well I just realized that I had never turned the fan back on. Kicked it on and 20 mins later house is warm.

I just run the fan on low because the stove is just a few feet from the TV, but that makes a huge difference. Well worth the money if you are considering it.

 

[Highbeam]

Is it quiet? Silent at low? Fans are notorious noise makers and I hated the one on my old Lopi insert.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I get half again the burn time with the blower off vs on. Same tstat setting, same basic load of wood. That's a big difference in burn rate.

 

[North of 60]

I get half again the burn time with the blower off vs on. Same tstat setting, same basic load of wood. That's a big difference in burn rate.

Hmmmm, I get less of a burn time with the blower on. It gives the stove a load which causes the t-stat to allow the damper open to let more air in to create the heat that the bolwer is removing. :coolhmm:

 

[SolarAndWood]

I get half again the burn time with the blower off vs on. Same tstat setting, same basic load of wood. That's a big difference in burn rate.

Hmmmm, I get less of a burn time with the blower on.:coolhmm:

Yup me too. Half again more with the blower off. Alternatively, a third less with the blower on.

 

[North of 60]

Ahhh, I missed the word AGAIN in your 1st sentence.
Sorry to confuse ya.

 

[nate379]

Have never run it without the fan, but I have been getting around 12-16hrs on a load all depending on what I burn. I am mostly burning punky cottonwood with a bit of birch and oak in the mix. The oak is old flooring I got from a demo (guy was going to put it in the dump!) I wanted to clear that out of my pile and burn the good stuff when it gets really cold.

Example last night I made the fire around 8PM, and when I got up around 9:30 AM (I work at night so I sleep in a bit) there was a bit of coals, not enough to light hardwood easier, but I just had to throw in a few pieces of softwood to get it going again.

Maybe longer burn without the fan, but if the stove isn't warming up the whole house, not much point to it other than bragging rights I guess?... yeah the stove will get a 20hr burn, but it's 90* 4ft around it and 50* in the other corner of the house!

It has been in the 20s for a while, 26* right now, and front of the house stays around 75* and back bedrooms are around 65-70*, mainly because the doors are closed at night. Might have to kick the boiler on when it hits below 0* temps, but at least it will be to just bump the temp a few degrees and not much else. Boiler runs for my DHW and slab heat in the garage anyhow.

 

[Wet1]

When I first started burning my BKK, I ran the fan(s) on low almost all the time as I thought it would make a significant difference and possibly even be needed to 'move' the heat. One day I forgot to turn the fan on and was amazed how little it impacted anything. Since then, I might have used the fan once or twice when the house was really cold, but just to get things back up to temp as quickly as possible. Anyway, I've found the nature movement of air around the house to be just about as effective and the silence and energy savings is very nice as well. Then again, every house and setup is different, so what works for me might not work for others...

 

[heating8]

I use the fan only on a cold start. Just wish i could get the cat to glow. If I didn't know others had the glow it wouldn't bother me at all. ARGH. My fan is super quiet on low. Sometimes i turn it up so i can hear it just to make sure it's running (easier than putting my hand in front of it).

 

[SolarAndWood]

Just wish i could get the cat to glow.

The fan sucks the heat off the top of the stove/cat enclosure. You may find better luck with your glow if you leave the fan off until the cat fully lights off.

 

[heating8]

I've tried it both ways, even waiting (fan off the whole time) till it's in the middle of the active range to close the bypass, but still nothing. What would be the chances that I have a bad CAT? It still burns awesome, and i have no problems with burn time expecially compared to my old stove. I'd ask the dealer for a new one, but it says in the manual it doesn't have to glow to be working. Maybe it's glowing, just never when i'm looking at it? sort of like a tree falling in the woods with no one around to hear?
I'll have to pay closer attention to see if the temperature rises after engaging it next time.

 

[Wet1]

Does the temp gauge show that it's in the active zone? Sometimes mine doesn't get glowing until it's well into the burn cycle, when it does, it sometimes bends the needle around the active zone!

 

[North of 60]

I've tried it both ways, even waiting (fan off the whole time) till it's in the middle of the active range to close the bypass, but still nothing. What would be the chances that I have a bad CAT? It still burns awesome, and i have no problems with burn time expecially compared to my old stove. I'd ask the dealer for a new one, but it says in the manual it doesn't have to glow to be working. Maybe it's glowing, just never when i'm looking at it? sort of like a tree falling in the woods with no one around to hear?
I'll have to pay closer attention to see if the temperature rises after engaging it next time.

How dry is your wood?

 

[heating8]

The wood is a dry as it's ever going to get. Some is too old (probably 5 years +) stacked and covered off the ground for 2 years split or under 2.5" in diameter. Nothing newer than 2 years. I had to cut down my lengths from 36" to the 16" (as my old stove loaded in the side and could take 3' pieces. Ok, ok, some weren't cut down to the full 16" if they could fit in on an angle).

 

[North of 60]

Well that rules out that I guess. When you turn your stove down to 1.5 after a good burn on a fresh load I would imagine you should see some red.

 

[North of 60]

The main thing here, ARE YOU SEEING SMOKE EXITING YOUR CHIMNEY?
Cheers

 

[heating8]

yes, i do see smoke exiting

 

[heating8]

yes, i do see smoke exiting. But keep in mind, that the unit is really too big for my space so it's cranked down most of the time except for cold start. I do notice that the cat thermometer's active range is basically at the creosote line for my old smoke pipe thermometer, and that i'm always able to stay above that.

 

[North of 60]

Your bypass handle should be pushed all the way clockwise,(Just in Case) after a full load you should be running your stove on#3 for a minimum of 15-20 min regardless of your house temp before you turn it down.

 

[heating8]

Your bypass handle should be pushed all the way clockwise,(Just in Case) after a full load you should be running your stove on#3 for a minimum of 15-20 min regardless of your house temp before you turn it down.

I just re-read that part of the manual and I'll have to try that. I was either cranking it up to full blast, or else at the 1-2 settings. Clockwise if you're standing at that side looking at it correct? ( what i'd call back, and front for bypass) ?


I.E. when i am re-loading it I want it pulled toward me, and after that I want it pushed back away from me. That's right correct? Maybe i need to make sure it's actually been installed and in there? Although i think i did the first time, and saw the honeycomb, but now i'm starting to second guess myself. The only other think i remember thinking is the string piece that was up there should be removed, but the dealer said just burn it off, it's fine? According to the manual it's shipped in it from the factory?

 

[fdegree]

I'm new to wood burning...this is my first year...so take this observation for what it's worth.

I have burned my BK for only 2 days at this point, and I noticed my cat would not glow unless the cat thermometer was past the 1 o'clock position...the further past the 1 o'clock position the brighter the glow. This was observing it during the day time...at night, there may be a slight noticeable glow below that 1 o'clock point...I never actually check that.

 

[vvvv]

keep the cat glow minimized & the cat will live longer ithinx................did read where cat needent have to glow at all! smoke from chimni might tell the story= just guessing

 

[ecocavalier02]

also make sure your letting that bypass click when you close it. you have to give it a little push after it closes. you shouldnt see smoke, doesnt matter if your turning it down low. either somethings wrong or you wood isnt dry.

 

[Todd]

Cat stove can stall out and smoke if your not up to proper lite off temp or from sluggish draft. Remember once you engage the cat it will reduce your draft, the smoke and gas will no longer have a straight shot up your flue through the bypass. Better to engage at a higher setting for a few minutes before turning it down to a low burn.