New Member

[bobdog2o02]

Hi all,

I am not new to burning, i have been heating my home with a US Stove 2500 for the past 2 years. And now that stove is worn out

I just bought a BK Princess, should have it before it gets cold again. I hope to share my sparse knowledge and maybe absorb some of the rest around here.

 

[pen]

The princess is a great stove. Look forward to hearing how it works out for you.

What happened to that 2500 for it to have worn out in 2 years? Crack somewhere?

 

[bobdog2o02]

The princess is a great stove. Look forward to hearing how it works out for you.

What happened to that 2500 for it to have worn out in 2 years? Crack somewhere?

Cracks at the top of the opening for the door, both sides, diagonal up toward the top. Also a sagged top, 1/4" gap between the flue collar and stove top. I have had a flue thermometer since i installed the unit and have been diligent about keeping the flue temp below 550deg. I guess you get what you pay for, it was only $650 on end of year closeout at tractor supply.

 

[pen]

Sorry to hear that and hope the best for you and the princess. That stove should have great long burn times in the warmer spring / fall weather and also be able to kick out the heat in the winter months.

Welcome to the site!

 

[begreen]

Wow, that is way too short for any stove. Is there no warranty with US Stoves?

 

[bobdog2o02]

Wow, that is way too short for any stove. Is there no warranty with US Stoves?

It has another year of warranty but quite honestly its sooooo inefficient. I have burned 5 cords to keep a 1000SF house warm this year. We live in Central PA, granted this was a chitty winter but still. 82% efficient on the BK was hard to turn down. I also had to replace the latch spring, cus it broke off and left us burning oil for two weeks in february.

 

[HotCoals]

You will save 30-40% with that princess and be warmer.

 

[begreen]

It sounds like you should get a warranty replacement stove. If you want to sell it next fall, so be it.

 

[bobdog2o02]

It sounds like you should get a warranty replacement stove. If you want to sell it next fall, so be it.

Thats actually a decent idea, i might look into that.

 

[BrotherBart]

Ain't gonna comment on how ya burned in the other stove, but get good advice here on how to run that BK and be warm and happy.

 

[Dave A.]

That might be commented on at least, so it doesn't happen again with the BK. Hearing bowed top and cracks over the door opening, can't help think it may have been over fired, though it certainly is easier to cause damage doing that with a cheaper stove with its thinner steel and weaker welds. Personally, I'd want to take particular care of the much more expensive BK so that doesn't happen with it, monitoring temps carefully.

 

[bobdog2o02]

That might be commented on at least, so it doesn't happen again with the BK. Hearing bowed top and cracks over the door opening, can't help think it may have been over fired, though it certainly is easier to cause damage doing that with a cheaper stove with its thinner steel and weaker welds. Personally, I'd want to take particular care of the much more expensive BK so that doesn't happen with it, monitoring temps carefully.

"
I have had a flue thermometer since i installed the unit and have been diligent about keeping the flue temp below 550deg.

"

 

[Rickb]

Monitoring flue temps is great but you need to monitor your stove temps as well.

 

[Grisu]

"
I have had a flue thermometer since i installed the unit and have been diligent about keeping the flue temp below 550deg.

Unfortunately, the flue temp is not a really good indicator of how hot the stove is. A modern, EPA-certified wood stove is designed to keep the heat in the stove and not let it go up the flue. Your stove could have easily been over 800 F (overfire temp) while the flue is at 550 F. The BK stove can be nicely regulated so an overfire is less likely. Still, does not hurt to invest in a simple stovetop thermometer.

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

When my flue temps are at 400F I have stove top temps running between 750-800F... that's why I try to keep the flue temp down around 350. I expect that 550 flue temps would be well on the way to 900 or 1000F on the stove top for me

 

[pen]

"
I have had a flue thermometer since i installed the unit and have been diligent about keeping the flue temp below 550deg.

"

Sounds like you were using a rutland thermometer. Those clowns use a scale that is a compromise between what is recommended for stove top and stove pipe.

Condar does a better job by making a separate stove pipe and stove top meter.

Here's the range for the stove pipe,,,, notice about 475 as the max

and stove top

 

[smokedragon]

Ain't gonna comment on how ya burned in the other stove

US Stoves are no cadillac, but they are welded steel stoves. Any welded steel stove (barring a bad weld cracking) will last well longer than 2 years, even a cheap one.

Warping, cracking, etc......you were overfiring your stove.

When my flue temps are at 400F I have stove top temps running between 750-800F... that's why I try to keep the flue temp down around 350. I expect that 550 flue temps would be well on the way to 900 or 1000F on the stove top for me

+ 1 to that Chuck

Please learn how to run that princess properly (and read the manual). If you do the same thing with that stove, they will not replace it under warranty. Pretty standard language in stove warranties today that overfires void them.

Heed Chucks temperature advice and look at the scales on the thermometers posted by pen.

With that princes you will have flue temp (best to use a probe in the flue gas if your setup allows), stove top temp, and cat temp.

Some stoves burn a little hotter than others (so for some stove 700 - 725 is not uncommon for a short period in the burn)

Can stoves like the princess shouldn't burn that hot. Realistically (BK People correct me if I'm wrong) you are probably looking in the 500 - 550 temp range on top of that stove (and considerably lower than that on the stove pipe).

If you run those flue temps, you will burn up your cat and ruin a very nice stove.

To me the bright side is this: You learn on a cheap stove, then you buy a really nice stove

 

[bobdog2o02]

Sounds like you were using a rutland thermometer. Those clowns use a scale that is a compromise between what is recommended for stove top and stove pipe.

Condar does a better job by making a separate stove pipe and stove top meter.

Here's the range for the stove pipe,,,, notice about 475 as the max

and stove top

You are ever so right The package said that it would go on single wall pipe...... I also remember seeing somewhere that 300 is the minimum for flue temp to avoid creosote.

 

[pen]

You are ever so right

You are not the first to make an honest attempt at doing things right just to be mislead by a thermometer that gives the operator a false sense of what is happening due to that ridiculous compromise for the "burn zone." The sad thing is the thermometer you are using is found most everywhere, and decent ones usually only found on the internet or at stove shops.

As was mentioned, it's a tough lesson to learn, but much better to have it happen on the stove that didn't cost a ton.

My concern now is if the princess is the right size stove for you. If you needed to run that US stove that hard to keep things up to temp in the house, I hope the princess is big enough for your needs.

Don't hesitate to start a new thread about your home dimensions, layout, heating needs, results w/ that US stove, etc, so that maybe folks can help either solidify the princess as the stove you need or help steer you towards something different if necessary.

pen

 

[smokedragon]

That temp gage is too close to your stove to get accurate flue temps. 18 - 24" away from the stove is the norm.

 

[pen]

That temp gage is too close to your stove to get accurate flue temps. 18 - 24" away from the stove is the norm.

It's actually better that he had that particular thermometer down low. Had it been up higher, he may have tried to run the stove even hotter!

 

[bobdog2o02]

You are not the first to make an honest attempt at doing things right just to be mislead by a thermometer that gives the operator a false sense of what is happening due to that ridiculous compromise for the "burn zone." The sad thing is the thermometer you are using is found most everywhere, and decent ones usually only found on the internet or at stove shops.

As was mentioned, it's a tough lesson to learn, but much better to have it happen on the stove that didn't cost a ton.

My concern now is if the princess is the right size stove for you. If you needed to run that US stove that hard to keep things up to temp in the house, I hope the princess is big enough for your needs.

Don't hesitate to start a new thread about your home dimensions, layout, heating needs, results w/ that US stove, etc, so that maybe folks can help either solidify the princess as the stove you need or help steer you towards something different if necessary.

pen

Thanks for that input, part of my summer projects list is to fortify the insulation in the house and stud out/insulate the basement walls.

 

[pen]

Thanks for that input, part of my summer projects list is to fortify the insulation in the house and stud out/insulate the basement walls.

That will be a big help. Sounds like a good plan.

 

[bobdog2o02]

I just did a little test with my trusty ryobi infrared thermometer, i'm burning normally tonight as its really cold here tonight. 350 degree chimney and a 580 degree stove top. The burn conditions tonight are the same as i always have. When i said earlier not to go over 550 that is on initial startup, it usually sits around 280-320.......

 

[smokedragon]

It's actually better that he had that particular thermometer down low. Had it been up higher, he may have tried to run the stove even hotter!

Hadn't thought of that, but very true

That basement insulation will help wonders (trust me on this one I learned from experience )

Just be nice to that princess. It is an expensive stove. If you treat it right and burn nice dry wood in it, I doubt you will be unhappy. I look forward to a post around Thanksgiving telling the forum how much you love it. Definitely read about catalytic stoves, and poke some of the BK owners on the forum. They love their stoves and are very happy to share.