How to run a non-cat Blaze King low

[ColdInCanada]

Hey all,

I'm brand new to wood burning and to these forums but I've already learned a lot from lurking the last couple of weeks!

My issue has been with turning my stove down. I couldn't find a thread about this particular issue so I apologize if I missed it.

I've got a 2015 Blaze King Princess non-catalytic. It has 6 thermostat settings with 6 being the highest. When I fire the stove up I let the fire burn in for 20 minutes or so and it gets nice and hot. 750F+ flue temp and a little less on the stove top. The issue shows up when I go to turn the stove down. I can turn it down to about 4.5 and have good flames up around the secondary air burner and the the temps stay around 500F flue and 625F stove top.

If i try to turn it down to setting 4 or lower the flames go out within 2-3 minutes and my flue temps drop steadily all the the way to around 250-300F and smoke starts pouring out of the chimney. After 45+ minutes the thermostat will open again and sometimes the flames come back but sometimes the coals just glow more. The flue temps come up a bit but never more than about 400F and they come back down the next time the thermostat closes. I understand that the thermostat regulates the heat output by adjusting the air but theres no way that low of flue temps for hours at a time can be good for my chimney right? The manual for the stove says to keep flames around the secondary air inlet at all times but I haven't found this to be possible.

If it helps I'm burning well seasoned pine and spruce with a little bit of aspen here and there (that's all we have up here)

I guess my main question is, is this normal? I know I'll have to clean the chimney more often since I'm burning softwood but I'd rather not be up there 3 times a month because the stove isn't keeping temps high enough!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Highbeam]

Try not letting it get so hot at the start and then as you chop down the thermostat, do it just far enough that you don’t stop the flame. Noncats always need flame to burn clean until you’re down to just coals.

 

[Hoytman]

Can you provide some pictures of this stove and inside the fire box? You say it’s non-catalytic? Never seen one of these.

 

[begreen]

Princess non-cat?

 

[Highbeam]

They made noncats too until recently. Looked kinda like an 80s gas fireplace. I don’t realize it had an actual thermostat though.

I thought the name was something with the word briar like briarwood.

 

[begreen]

Yes, that's right, but I don't recall the Briarwood line having a Princess model. The Briarwood II was about 2 cu ft and non-thermostatic IIRC. Had a big glass door too.

 

[Highbeam]

I think I remember bkvp talking about a Canada only noncat princess and also a no-glass option door!

 

[Hoytman]

Princess non-cat?

That’s what he said...and with a thermostat.
I want to see pictures of it.

 

[begreen]

OK, I found a 2008 manual on BK's site for the PRINCESS PT1003, non-cat. The manual is sketchy on details and pictures, but it mentions a secondary air diffuser. Not sure if that is another term for a secondary rack or not. There is no parts diagram in the manual.

 

[ColdInCanada]

That’s what he said...and with a thermostat.
I want to see pictures of it.

Here's the pics sorry for the late reply! The small holes in the back act as a sort of secondary burner when its turned down.

My part of Canada was super late on going to epa certified stoves. 2017 I think. Since I'm not within any community border I still could install one now but nobody sells non cats anymore.

 

[ColdInCanada]

OK, I found a 2008 manual on BK's site for the PRINCESS PT1003, non-cat. The manual is sketchy on details and pictures, but it mentions a secondary air diffuser. Not sure if that is another term for a secondary rack or not. There is no parts diagram in the manual.

Thats probably the one I found as well.

 

[ColdInCanada]

th

They made noncats too until recently. Looked kinda like an 80s gas fireplace. I don’t realize it had an actual thermostat though.

I thought the name was something with the word briar like briarwood.

The one I've got is a Blaze King for sure. They sold non cats until a few years ago here in rural Canada.

 

[ColdInCanada]

Good to

Try not letting it get so hot at the start and then as you chop down the thermostat, do it just far enough that you don’t stop the flame. Noncats always need flame to burn clean until you’re down to just coals.

Thanks for the advice! If I manage to keep the flames going the thing cruises for 4 or so hours on a pretty small load so I'm happy enough with it. Just seems strange to only get to use 2 settings of 6. Thankfully I'm only heating 1000 sq ft but the insulation is definitely sub par haha

 

[begreen]

Thanks for the advice! If I manage to keep the flames going the thing cruises for 4 or so hours on a pretty small load so I'm happy enough with it. Just seems strange to only get to use 2 settings of 6. Thankfully I'm only heating 1000 sq ft but the insulation is definitely sub par haha

That's not all that strange. The setting is going to vary somewhat with the installation, outside temps, draft strength, and the fuel load. By the sounds of things you are doing pretty well if still only burning small loads. Operation will change a bit when it gets colder out.

 

[Hoytman]

Interesting for sure! If you can show a picture of the thermostat from the back of the stove to see if the thermostat is configured the same as a modern Princess.

It looks like it has an air supply, possibly for the secondary, coming from the middle back of the stove, except there are no air tubes going across from from to back providing air for the air wash. I’m wondering if that short tube in the picture at the upper back wall of the stove supplies the secondary air? Looks like it does, but if so it makes me wonder where any primary air would come from. Also raises the question: is the thermostat running the primary air or the secondary, or both? I would like to think there’s some primary air coming in from the bittom

I would like to see a manual on this stove with an exploded view. I’d like to see this stove in action as well.

 

[ColdInCanada]

Interesting for sure! If you can show a picture of the thermostat from the back of the stove to see if the thermostat is configured the same as a modern Princess.

It looks like it has an air supply, possibly for the secondary, coming from the middle back of the stove, except there are no air tubes going across from from to back providing air for the air wash. I’m wondering if that short tube in the picture at the upper back wall of the stove supplies the secondary air? Looks like it does, but if so it makes me wonder where any primary air would come from. Also raises the question: is the thermostat running the primary air or the secondary, or both? I would like to think there’s some primary air coming in from the bittom

I would like to see a manual on this stove with an exploded view. I’d like to see this stove in action as well.

I believe the primary air comes from the big hole in the back, the secondary from
the grid of holes in the top. There isn't any air coming from below. At the moment there's about 3 inches of ash in the fire box. There is a tube above the top of the fire box that I believe provides the air wash. I would provide a picture but I'd have to take the smoke pipe off and I don't feel like it tonight haha

 

[ColdInCanada]

That's not all that strange. The setting is going to vary somewhat with the installation, outside temps, draft strength, and the fuel load. By the sounds of things you are doing pretty well if still only burning small loads. Operation will change a bit when it gets colder out.

I'm sure I'll have the fire box stuffed as full as it'll go when the -40 nights hit!

 

[Hoytman]

Hey...thanks for the effort on the pictures. Much appreciated.
So, the air intake and thermostat set-up appears very similar to a newer Princess.

What is the baffle in the top of the fire box made of?

My apologies for all the questions. I have a stove with a thermostat that I’m planning to add a secondary rack to and the pictures just gave me some additional thoughts on building it.

What are the burn times like? I may have missed you staring this already.

Edit: 4 hours on a small load. How about a full load?

 

[Hoytman]

I’m hoping someone from Blaze King can provide additional information as to the air flow in this stove and how it supposed to function.

 

[ColdInCanada]

Hey...thanks for the effort on the pictures. Much appreciated.
So, the air intake and thermostat set-up appears very similar to a newer Princess.

What is the baffle in the top of the fire box made of?

My apologies for all the questions. I have a stove with a thermostat that I’m planning to add a secondary rack to and the pictures just gave me some additional thoughts on building it.

What are the burn times like? I may have missed you staring this already.

Edit: 4 hours on a small load. How about a full load?

The baffle is steel but it has fire bricks above it.
As for a full load I haven't had the chance to burn one yet. One arm full of smallish splits in the morning has been heating my place to 25C/77F lately. Its only just starting to freeze at night up here.

 

[moresnow]

Many cat equipped BK's don't utilize the full therm. knob range either. You just find the sweet/happy spot for your individual low set point. Nothing abnormal.

 

[ColdInCanada]

Many cat equipped BK's don't utilize the full therm. knob range either. You just find the sweet/happy spot for your individual low set point. Nothing abnormal.

Well I'm definitely glad it's not an issue with the stove. The other morning it was -3C and I already noticed a difference in the draft and could turn it down further than before. I'm sure it will turn down a lot more when the cold weather hits in November/December.

 

[ColdInCanada]

I’m hoping someone from Blaze King can provide additional information as to the air flow in this stove and how it supposed to function.

I finally had days off again so I got a good picture of what the flames look like when its cruising low. Most of the flames are above the wood or coming from the secondary burner. Nice and pretty to watch!