how do you reload your blaze king?

[tobaccogrower]

its been about 2 weeks with the new bk. LOVE the stove. besides it being a boring stove to operate i cant say enough good things about it. load it up half way twice a day and all is good. all i've used is one match and a splinter of the super cedar to light it and the rest is history. set it and forget it!


so, my question is: how do you reload?

book says to load it up and get a good char on then close dameper if in the active zone. i did that for the first week. lately i've been loading up with some coals and soon as i shut the door close the bypass. seems to light off faster.

my cat probe is always in the active range and when i reload stove top is around 230-250.

how do you guys do it?

 

[PLAYS WITH FIRE]

Most people probably forget because its so long between loading cycles......

 

[Beetle-Kill]

I try to plan my reloads when the Cat is right at the active/inactive mark on the guage. Doesn't always work out, as I'm terrible at planning weeks ahead.

OK, I threw in 2 splits about 5 hours ago, and need to load the box up for the night in another hour or so. Cat is at 900, so I will end up doing this-
Open bypass for the next hour
Keep the fan on, and close the T-stat to 1 or less.
Stove will cool slowly, as will the Cat, and I don't feel I risk any Cat warpage issues for a slow cool-down.
Re-load when guage is around 4-500.
Just my method, I may be wrong.

 

[HotCoals]

Just make sure the cat is glowing some before you cut the air back.
That active range on the probe is a little misleading.

 

[Highbeam]

The manual is not helpful enough with this part. In an effort to be extra nice to the cat I treat every reload like a cold start. Stat at 3 (high), reload fully and let it tip until the cat is well into the active zone, close the bypass and set the stat to 2.5 for a good 5-10 minutes and then dial it down to the desired long burn setting. There is no quicky 5 minute reload, the whole thing takes an easy 20 minutes.

 

[claybe]

How do you know what temperature the cat is??? Is there a different kind of thermometer or did I miss something? Just got mine today and trying to figure it all out!

 

[HotCoals]

How do you know what temperature the cat is??? Is there a different kind of thermometer or did I miss something? Just got mine today and trying to figure it all out!

Well your stove comes with a probe thermometer.
What happens is the bi metal spring will read stove top temps ..if the cat is hotter it will move the reading higher then the stove top.
But on the way down when the stove is cooling the probe is reading surface temp for the most part.
Get the fire going then look up at the cat ..if you see it glowing pretty good you probably are fine to start shutting the air down.
I hardly ever start shutting the air down unless the probe temp is at noon or higher.
When new the cat will light off sooner.

 

[nate379]

When to reload all depends on my schedule. If I'm going to be home, I reload when it starts getting cold in the house.
If I'm working, usually I load it up before leaving for work, around 5AM and again in the evening, around 6-7PM. Sometimes I'll throw in wood when I get home at 4 and again before going to bed at around 10-11PM.

Now of course this all depends on outside temp. If it's nice and warm out... 20s-30s I might only have to make 1 fire a day. Vs if it's -25* out I need to keep the stove running non stop.


As for how to reload...

Open air control wide open, open bypass, open door, stir coals around. Throw in the wood, close door.

As for letting it burn, all depends on inside and outside temps, and stove temp. I might just let it burn for 2-3 mins before turning the air down or it might be 20 mins.

There certainly isn't a set of instructions that will work for all installs and locations.

I don't pay a whole lot of attention to the temp gauge. It's not very accurate with the fans on anyhow.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

How do you know what temperature the cat is??? Is there a different kind of thermometer or did I miss something? Just got mine today and trying to figure it all out!

You can pick up another Cat probe thermometer, that will have the temp. marked on the face, in degrees. Mine's a Condar Catalytic Thermometer.-$20-30 bucks.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

I think the OP wants input on when to re-load, as far as stove and Cat. temps. are concerned.

 

[rdust]

book says to load it up and get a good char on then close dameper if in the active zone. i did that for the first week. lately i've been loading up with some coals and soon as i shut the door close the bypass. seems to light off faster.

This will work but not the nicest way to treat the cat. I always try to burn a little while(5-10 minutes) with the bypass open before closing it. Bypass open with flames in the stove I burn it at 2.5 for those 5-10 minutes, after I close the bypass I burn it for another 5-10 minutes before going to my desired setting.

Every load is a little different and you'll figure out what works for you and adjust accordingly.

 

[nate379]

On the older BK stoves if the door was closed, the cat bypass was as well. I recall the BK guy on hear talking about thermal shock killing a cat.

This will work but not the nicest way to treat the cat. I always try to burn a little while(5-10 minutes) with the bypass open before closing it. Bypass open with flames in the stove I burn it at 2.5 for those 5-10 minutes, after I close the bypass I burn it for another 5-10 minutes before going to my desired setting.

Every load is a little different and you'll figure out what works for you and adjust accordingly.

 

[Highbeam]

Well your stove comes with a probe thermometer.
What happens is the bi metal spring will read stove top temps ..if the cat is hotter it will move the reading higher then the stove top.
But on the way down when the stove is cooling the probe is reading surface temp for the most part.
Get the fire going then look up at the cat ..if you see it glowing pretty good you probably are fine to start shutting the air down.
I hardly ever start shutting the air down unless the probe temp is at noon or higher.
When new the cat will light off sooner.

Sorry hot-coals but this is the problem. When anybody tells you that there cat is X degrees or is at X o'clock they are doing the rest of us a disservice. The BK cat thermometer has no temperature indication nor does it have an hour hand. Worse yet, to fit the convection deck you must spin the cat meter upside down so even an imaginary clock reading is jibberish since there is no reference point.

All you know, based on BK supplied equipment, is that your cat is active or inactive. You also know a qualitative answer of how far the temps are within the ranges. All you need to know to operate the stove in accordance with the manual is whether the cat is active or inactive.

I wish the BKs shipped with a meter that had temperatures and if you look closely, there are tick marks around the perimeter of the factory gauge that appear to coincide with 500 degree increments.

 

[ohlongarm]

Sorry hot-coals but this is the problem. When anybody tells you that there cat is X degrees or is at X o'clock they are doing the rest of us a disservice. The BK cat thermometer has no temperature indication nor does it have an hour hand. Worse yet, to fit the convection deck you must spin the cat meter upside down so even an imaginary clock reading is jibberish since there is no reference point.

All you know, based on BK supplied equipment, is that your cat is active or inactive. You also know a qualitative answer of how far the temps are within the ranges. All you need to know to operate the stove in accordance with the manual is whether the cat is active or inactive.

I wish the BKs shipped with a meter that had temperatures and if you look closely, there are tick marks around the perimeter of the factory gauge that appear to coincide with 500 degree increments.

My BBK factory cat probe took a chit after a year I've got a condar which is numbered in degrees,when it shows 500* the bypass gets shut and I do the incremental deal if I have time if not set it to desired temps and no problem here.

 

[nate379]

Uh, no, not really. Saying it's a disservice is a strong word for a minor "issue". Last time I had to use that was on a LOR to a troop... "You have brought discredit to yourself and disservice to the USAF"

If I say "watch your 6" everyone knows I'm saying watch your back. There may not be any numbers on it, but 12:00 is straight ahead, 6:00 straight back and 3:00 and 9:00 right and left.

The gauge is upside down with the deck, but if I say my gauge is at 12:00, that is straight up and down from the normally read position.

Sorry hot-coals but this is the problem. When anybody tells you that there cat is X degrees or is at X o'clock they are doing the rest of us a disservice. The BK cat thermometer has no temperature indication nor does it have an hour hand. Worse yet, to fit the convection deck you must spin the cat meter upside down so even an imaginary clock reading is jibberish since there is no reference point.

 

[Highbeam]

Uh, no, not really. Saying it's a disservice is a strong word for a minor "issue". Last time I had to use that was on a LOR to a troop... "You have brought discredit to yourself and disservice to the USAF"

If I say "watch your 6" everyone knows I'm saying watch your back. There may not be any numbers on it, but 12:00 is straight ahead, 6:00 straight back and 3:00 and 9:00 right and left.

The gauge is upside down with the deck, but if I say my gauge is at 12:00, that is straight up and down from the normally read position.

Okay Nate, you're right. While the term disservice might have been a tough word it is obvious that folks are confused when these figures are thrown out but then the actual gauge has no such figures. I am from a military background so I, like you, can figure it out most of the time.

 

[HotCoals]

Well none the less I don't think the cat is doing much unless it is glowing.
Though I could be wrong..just ask my wife! lol

 

[rdust]

Well none the less I don't think the cat is doing much unless it is glowing.
Though I could be wrong..just ask my wife! lol

It doesn't need to glow to work. Mine doesn't always glow and not a bit of smoke is coming out of the chimney with a smoldering fire happening in the box. If the cat wasn't working I'd be smoking out the neighbors.

 

[HotCoals]

It doesn't need to glow to work. Mine doesn't always glow and not a bit of smoke is coming out of the chimney with a smoldering fire happening in the box. If the cat wasn't working I'd be smoking out the neighbors.

Beats me.
I just see that on the way down that the cat probe is just picking up the stove top temp.
Sometimes checking with the ir gun when the stove is on the way down there are plenty of spots hotter then in front of the probe.
Seen that on the way up also till the cat gets plenty of food then she spikes to 4:00 or better.

 

[HotCoals]

I'm on my 3rd season figuring out the little lies and dirty little secrets this stove has.
That said I would buy another.
I loaded 45 mins ago..I did not char the wood..just set it so there is some flame.
Now the cat probe reads at 12:00
Stove top in front of the cat reads around 300 f.
Stove top towards the back is around 350..cat is doing nothing yet because I went out with a flashlight and there is smoke.
Now maybe in another half hour the cat will start to glow and clean the smoke up.
But it just goes to show that the active/inactive deal means pretty much nothing.
It's my opinion that the cat won't do much till she is glowing hot..again..that is just my opinion.
When the cat was new she would have probably fired off by now...maybe.
And trust me my ash is way better now then it was when the stove was new.


EDIT:
ok maybe 15 mins has gone by and the cat is now starting to glow..400f in front of probe..so that means about 800 or so for cat temp I guess.
The smoke is starting to clear up some.
I just closed the t-stat to see if she will hold and climb or stall.

 

[Todd]

I don't even look at the darn cat probe anymore. The flue temp and fire tells me more of what's going on than the inaccurate cat probe. Just reload, burn in bypass for 10-15 minutes, engage the cat, burn another 10-15 min then set the t-stat and forget about it til the next reload.

 

[evilgriff]

I have been giving this more thought lately. I have the problem of an overheated house more often. I had been reloading right when the cat went to the "inactive range." I checked outside and although that is how the probe reads, there is no smoke outside. I have now decided to wait longer. Even if my heat comes on at home, the stove is still throwing off btu's. If I reload too soon, I have to bypass and get the stove real hot again, making me too toasty and now I believe wasting wood. My goal is to reload as late as possible yet with coals remaining. I think I will get 2- 3 more hours of low but useful heat this way.