(pre epa reg) blaze king ktj-302.

[Dennis batt]

I recently bought a very nice blaze king ktj-302. I have some questions about it. Im unsure of how to correctly use the thermostat. There are times where i have a great bed of red hot coals and reload the stove, wait for a active fire before sealing the door and it may be a great burn (600 to 700 degrees via pipe probe). Other times i can have a great bed of red hot coals, wait for an active fire and seal the door. My probe quickly tells me im burning way too hot (1100+ degrees) and other times i may burn to cold (less than 300 degrees). So how can i have a great burn for a load of wood with the thermostat set directly between low and high, reload, wait for active fire and not get back into the same temp range? Sometimes i get lucky but most times i have to fidget with the thermostat to tune it in. And im talking a few degrees one way or another could be the differences between burning to cold or burning the house down. Thoughts?

 

[BKVP]

Does the thermometer you have on your double wall pipe have probe you inserted into flue gases or is it magnetic? If it's magnetic, you can just put in the drawer as they are intended for black single wall.

You can download a manual from www.blazeking.com under Archived Manuals.

 

[Dennis batt]

It is a probe designed for single wall i believe(which i have) located 2 feet above the stove in the pipe per instructions.

 

[Dennis batt]

I also have downloaded the instructions but to me its kind of vague. It also talks about automatically closing so i really have no idea.....

 

[Dennis batt]

You can see the probe thermometer in the pic i posted. It is an SBI brand.

 

[Dennis batt]

I have also verified when it is too hot or cold by opening the door. When it is too low and i open the door, the logs are smoldering. No visible flames. When it too hot, it is an overactive fire.

 

[BKVP]

The door gasket is 1.25". When you close both handles, does door pull into gasket? Post picture of the thermostat assembly. There were two types, bimetallic spring with a loop or the other with a rod.

 

[Dennis batt]

I assume this is the original gasket bcuz it was used very little. There is not much resistance when i seal the door with the handles.

 

[BKVP]

Replace with new 1.25" diameter please. If it's still loose, CAREFULLY bend paddles on inside of door handle to increase tension.

 

[Dennis batt]

Ok. I will do that this weekend! Is that the first step BEFORE you'd like to say anything about the thermostat? I understand who you are and appreciate your help sir.

 

[BKVP]

There are no parts available for the thermostat. I can see a fair amount of debris and corrosion. I would try to clean (WITH ABSOLUTELY NO FIRE BURNING) with some brake clean.

Then clean and lubricate the thermostat blade under the lid.

 

[Dennis batt]

Ok. Will do. I will get back to you after i install the new gasket and clean and lube the the airflow door.

 

[Dennis batt]

Ok, i have relined the door with a new gasket, sprayed thermostat coil with brake clean, thoroughly vacuumed the airflow channel and butterfly choke as well as lubed all the moving parts.

 

[BKVP]

Does the door now pull in tight?

 

[Dennis batt]

Well, i actually had to bend the inside tabs of the handles inward very slightly because it now needs to be forced closed. Im sure that it is sealed tightly but the handles will not go down all the way unless i bend the tabs more which i don't want to do. The handles should be vertical but this is as tight as i can get them. Prior to bending them, they would no engage. I used 1.25 inch rope as you said. Perhaps i should of used 1 inch....?

 

[moresnow]

First burn results?

 

[Dennis batt]

Sketchy at best so far. It is acting very strange. I did have red hot coals after stirring up the ash. It was quite hot. Anyways, i went ahead and put 2 usual stringy peices of ash in there. They caught fire eventually and i added a few more as usual. I waited for a very hot and lively fire before i sealed the door. Now, with the thermostat turned up more than half way, (a little more open than usual) it will not keep a decent fire going. My probe temps are below 300. I just opened the door and there's barely any glowing hot spots. So im going to try leaving the door cracked open again.... this is all happening as we speak....

 

[Dennis batt]

Ok.... so in the last ten minutes it is going good. Temps are at 600 which seems to be the sweet spot for heating the house. Now im going to work on tuning the thermostat in..... I'll report back in 30 min or so...

 

[Dennis batt]

I have the thermostat set at a sweet spot where my pipe temp is at 600. Not too hot or cold. But if i turn the thermostat just a few degrees one way or the other, it's too hot or too cold (as far as what my probe says). But im wondering if i am too concerned about staying in an "optimum burn" temp.? At 600, its chewing through wood as fast as my last stove did which i despise but it is what it is. So what are your thoughts about staying in an optimum burn range? I only do it to avoid creosote build up. Also, i understand the thermostat set up on here is very simple but what is it actually supposed to do? Will it actually (to a certain degree) control the temp of the air coming out of it? Tia.

 

[BKVP]

Keep 1.25". It's supposed to be tight.

Thermostat regulates air into firebox....but the external spring designs were not as engineered as today's.

I'm not a fan of all those temp gauges. I think in many cases they line pockets and cause wood burners to burn through more money trying to get to Valhalla!

If the blade is wide open, door sealed and hot coal bed, but wood won't burn, look at fuel mc or lack of draft.

 

[Dennis batt]

Fuel mc? I should have no lack of draft.... my 8 inch goes straight up with no elbows. It is completely plumb and 4 ft above the peak. My current wood supply ( mainly ash) is at 10%. And i recently split a split piece to verify. Should i worry about creosote build up burning too cold considering how hot my temps get after reloading the stove?

 

[Dennis batt]

Nm..... moisrure content. Duh. Lol

 

[Dennis batt]

In your opinion, how do you feel your new stoves (regulated) compare to pre reg stoves? Speaking in terms of heat output and fuel consumption ?

 

[BKVP]

No comparison. After 25 years I have yet to not hear " I should have bought one of these years ago...I burn so much less wood".

Truthfully, smoke dragons (big pre EPA) stoves are face smelters compared to today's stoves.

But few folks ever run their stoves full tilt very often.....unless they live in a yurt, barn or very old, loose home.

 

[Dennis batt]

Lol. I guess i need the face melter then! Our stove is in a family room addition to the original house with 8- 6'x5' windows that i fear is poorly insulated addition and all the windows need to be replaced. There is no basement under the addition and who knows what else it lacks. This house is 2800 sq ft built in 98 but is poorly insulated/built.

So you said the thermostat regulates the air going into the firebox.... i get that. So is the coil designed to add or subtract air as the fuel heats or cools in the firebox? Therefore regulating the heat temp coming out?