Is 2000 sq ft too ranch large for a BK Princess Ultra or too small for a BK King Ultra?

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1kzwoman

Minister of Fire
Dec 27, 2013
558
West near Yellowstone
The time is here to look at replacing my Harman Exception TL200, as parts availability is changing to discontinued .
I have learned how this stove purrs, DRY WOOD and a deep coal bed with good draft. I love the heat this stove can generate when operated well. My home is warm even when it’s-30f with out windchill at just over a mile in altitude. I’ve not had to replace afterburner or afterburner hood weldment ever. I did have gaskets changed , and fixed a broken weld on the afterburner hood weldment , replaced firebrick insulation, cemented afterburner hood weldment insulation. But I have to be able to get parts to keep the stove.
Through the forums I learned about the Blaze King wood stove line.
I am leaning toward a BK King Ultra because of the temperature range I like in my home (75f), the harsh winter climate, and the reputation of the stove with the forum membership and staff. i intend to use it as my primary heat source but have a NG furnace as well. I also agree with bgreen that you can build a small fire in a large stove, but it’s hard to build a large fire in a small stove.
I would appreciate the opinions of both King and Princess owners who also like to be warm when it gets cold.
Thank you in advance for your input.
 
You have a 6" flue with the Harman? The King would need an 8" flue. That will significantly add to the cost.

Do you know how many BTUs the Harman can put out when running hot? I can't find it online.

Edit, I see 11000 - 42000 BTU. The King covers this. The Princess just meets the same max output.
 
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With a well insulated and sealed house I doubt the princess will have a problem doing the job.
 
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You have a 6" flue with the Harman? The King would need an 8" flue. That will significantly add to the cost.

Do you know how many BTUs the Harman can put out when running hot? I can't find it online.

Edit, I see 11000 - 42000 BTU. The King covers this. The Princess just meets the same max output.
Yes, I know the flue size would change for King that’s why I’m asking for the input from members about which they suggest .Thank you for the reply and move to correct forum.
 
I think it’s more of a lifestyle choice ( and cost). If I had to replace the chimney I’d choose the king. Tax credit maximum is 2000$. So I’m guessing new 8” and a king installed will max out the credit where the Princess won’t.
 
I think it’s more of a lifestyle choice ( and cost). If I had to replace the chimney I’d choose the king. Tax credit maximum is 2000$. So I’m guessing new 8” and a king installed will max out the credit where the Princess won’t.
I hadn’t thought about the tax credit. Thanks for the reply and reminder.
 
Pine is fine. (When dry.) Of course it will affect the burn time because a firebox full of pine contains less BTUs (to be released in a user controlled rate) than a firebox full of e.g. oak. But that holds for any and all stove.
 
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I’d get the king if you can afford it in your situation. I have the princess and love it but 2000 sq ft rambler near Yellowstone burning pine?
 
The thing it according to bk the BTU output of the king isn't much more than the princess. If the chimney needs replaced anyway spend the extra and go for the king for more flexibility and longer burns. But I don't think it's worth swapping out a good chimney for that
 
Brrr. The chimney is the sucky part. Going from 6-8 is ridiculous. But it shouldn’t be too tall in your case? I’d say buy once cry once either way. I’m currently burning up some cotton wood that’s probably worse than pine through the princess in our cold spell and it’s giving me perfect 12hr reloads and just the right amount of heat and I bet pine in the king will be a good match in your case. May have to play with the load size and maybe 24 hour cycles
 
The thing it according to bk the BTU output of the king isn't much more than the princess. If the chimney needs replaced anyway spend the extra and go for the king for more flexibility and longer burns. But I don't think it's worth swapping out a good chimney for that
No complaints or recommendations to replace/repair DuraVent chimney from the sweep cleaning it at least twice a season. It was installed with Exception about 2006. Thank you for your help
 
Brrr. The chimney is the sucky part. Going from 6-8 is ridiculous. But it shouldn’t be too tall in your case? I’d say buy once cry once either way. I’m currently burning up some cotton wood that’s probably worse than pine through the princess in our cold spell and it’s giving me perfect 12hr reloads and just the right amount of heat and I bet pine in the king will be a good match in your case. May have to play with the load size and maybe 24 hour cycles
I could burn cottonwood too but hate the excess ash. My Pine is standing dead beetle kill. Yes you’re correct buy once cry once with either one. Thank you for information on how the cotton wood burns for you.
 
My home is a long ranch style 1800 sqft. Princess is on far end and master bedroom is on the other. Living room and kitchen stay 75-ish and the bedroom is usually around 65-68 which I like for sleeping. I burn whatever I can get. Usually lodgepole, tamarack or red fir. I will burn ponderosa and white fir if I can get it easily but I don't go out of my way for it.
 
The "cordwood max" BTU/hr for the King is 57000, and for the Princess is 51000.
Or the "high" number in the brochure for the King is (nearly) 48000 BTU/hr, and for the Princess (nearly) 38000 BTU/hr.
I don't know how the difference between the two plays out in practice, and I note again the 42000 BTU/hr max (no idea how determined) I found for your current stove.

Rather than looking at what others (can) do, I would look at how well your current stove did for your taste, and compare that to the new ones. Homes (insulation, and thus need for BTUs) differ. You do have a datapoint that either worked well or "just barely". Go from there. I'm mentioning this again because of the "barely" and 38 vs 42 kBTU (IF those numbers can be compared and are the ones that should be compared, rather than the 50k+ BTU other numbers...)

@BKVP can tell you in more detail what number you should compare with your current stove.
 
Yup Pine, We can get -40 windchills easily. I’ve seen weeks where it warms up to 0 Even without a windchill. Thank you for your response
-40 windchill and 0 for the high isn't uncommon here in western MN. I'm running a Princess and very satisfied with it. 3000 sq. ft. split entry, so moving the heat is a challenge. I won't claim we heat 100% with wood in those instances, but the back-up doesn't have to work much.

I’m currently burning up some cotton wood that’s probably worse than pine through the princess in our cold spell and it’s giving me perfect 12hr reloads and just the right amount of heat and I bet pine in the king will be a good match in your case. May have to play with the load size and maybe 24 hour cycles
I shoot for 12 hour reloads and I'm currently going through a batch of less-than-ideal poplar (salvaged from the cutting crews clearing power lines). It was laying on the ground for a full year before I got to it. Dry, but lighter than normal. We've had one cold snap that put our high at the low single digits and I couldn't get 12 hours out of load that day.

My opinion is the King would handle those outlier days where max heat and fuel load is useful. However, the Princess will handle 90% of a normal winter just fine; and the other 10% typically just requires an extra reload. That's my experience anyway...
 
I think either or would work, if running a princess you'll be more or less running a bit on the higher end then a king which has more surface area to radiate heat off, either way since there is a tax credit, I'd look into changing out the chimney with new pipe, figure class a pipe has a 20-25yr life expectancy and w/ 2006 install your getting close to that 20yr mark.
If the stove is in a larger open floor plan w/ higher then the average 7ft6" ceiling, I'd go w/ the king, if your ceilings are lower then 8ft and the floor plan is tighter then I'd do a princess, I'd also factor in the blower for both stoves regardless.
 
I think either or would work, if running a princess you'll be more or less running a bit on the higher end then a king which has more surface area to radiate heat off, either way since there is a tax credit, I'd look into changing out the chimney with new pipe, figure class a pipe has a 20-25yr life expectancy and w/ 2006 install your getting close to that 20yr mark.
If the stove is in a larger open floor plan w/ higher then the average 7ft6" ceiling, I'd go w/ the king, if your ceilings are lower then 8ft and the floor plan is tighter then I'd do a princess, I'd also factor in the blower for both stoves regardless.
Large open floor plan average ceiling height, bedrooms on either end so it okay for them to be a bit cooler, blowers are in my notes for this BK too.
Thank you for the information on classA lifespan estimate, and reply
 
Note that if you do the King with an 8" one, it's financially tougher to change before the end of the lifetime of the stove or chimney. I.e. IF for some unforeseen reason you don't like how the stove operates, either you have to replace the 8" or are very limited in other options.

I'm not saying don't go with the King, just laying out the consequences.
 
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Thank you all for the suggestions and reports of how the BK King and BK Princess work in your situation. Thank you for also for asking the questions and raising points of discussion. I am leaning toward a Princess Ultra at this point because it see that it will meet 90% or more of my needs, the fact that it is not the only heat source available to me, and the more cost effective option on not only the stove but the flue system.
How does a flue show it is in need of replacement, is it simply being a certain age or are there any other signs of breakdown to watch for? Rust or discoloration of interior or exterior surfaces, cracks for example?
 
Have a certified professional inspect it with a camera. You don't know how it looks like halfway up otherwise.