Questions heading into 3rd season with Blaze King Princess 29 Insert

[cr0]

I got some great input from folks here in Q&A when I first started running this stove. Starting our 3rd season with it, I reread the manual and had some questions:

- If stove is allowed to go into inactive zone, then I treat it as a 'cold start'. The instructions say to get kindling going, then add a small amount of logs and get that going, then close the loading door and bypass door once those first few logs are aflame. The manual says to let those burn a bit, then open it all up and fill the stove once that coal bed is established. I thought you want to only close the bypass door after waiting long enough for the thermometer to be in the active zone, not just after a load gets lit? Also, I thought the most efficient start was kindling a fire on top of an already-loaded stove?

- Manual also says to finish loading, or to reload, when the thermometer is still in the active zone. Otherwise treat it as a cold start. I thought there was harm in opening the loading door when cat is in the active zone. Is the problem only opening the loading door with the bypass door shut, since relatively cold room air would be forced through the cat and not out the bypass? In other words, should I always open the bypass door before the loading door, and only close the bypass door once the loading door is shut and thermometer is active?

- Related to two question above, is there any time I'd close the bypass door before thermometer is active?

- I have gotten some raging hot fires going in a fully loaded stove last winter. I follow the manual instructions in terms of where I load wood, how I get the fire and cat going, etc. The thermostat is set to just one or two dots from the lowest dot, and the thermometer will be at like 5-o'clock (almost where it stands when it is cold!) Is that over-firing? What should I be aware of in terms of too much heat, for cases of very cold times and fully loading the stove for overnight burns? Based on the manual it seems like as long as the cat is hot and the stove is loaded safely (not over-stuffed, not too much ash, good wood etc.) then there's nothing to worry about, but then other parts of the manual mention overfiring as a potential problem. I guess my question here is, what to know about avoiding overfiring on this stove?

Thanks for any tips!

 

[spudman99]

Fellow PI29 user here, and also in SE PA. I am entering my 6th season on this stove.

For a cold start I load the box, with kindling on the bottom. LIght a couple of newspapers on top with door open to create a draft. Once I am comfortable with draft, I light the kindling. When that catches, I close door but do not latch to allow more air to enter and get the fire going (bypass door is open so far). Once fire is established, I latch door but keep bypass open. When cat thermometer hits active, close bypass. Let the fire burn/char wood for about 10 min or so, depending on the quality of wood. Then adjust the thermostat to desired level, set fan, walk away for 12 hours.

For a reload, open bypass and wait 3-5 min. Then i slowly open door to avoid any smoke spillage. If previous fire is not in active zone that is not a problem. Rake the coals to see how many i have left int he ash and expose them. If there is enough to start a new fire, I load wood and leave door cracked till it catches. Then when caught, close door, char, when in active zone close bypass and move on.

If cat is in active zone, you MUST always open bypass before opening the door. And wait a few minutes at that, to allow the cat to cool off a little and draft to redirect to the bypass. You would NEVER close the bypass when cat is not in active zone (i realize there is a lag in that device, not trying to split hairs here).

I have also worried about an over-fire in my first couple of years. From my understanding, with the thermostat properly functioning, the stove will choke its air down and prevent an overfire under normal conditions. If you started a fire, left the door cracked open, you would have an inferno. Running a full fire with the bypass open increases the heat in the chimney and could be problems, again dependent upon each individual situation.

Feel free to DM me if you are close by or if there is anything I can do to help. I am not as experienced as many herein, but I am also not a novice and always willing to provide assistance if desired.

 

[cr0]

Thanks for that, helpful to hear and nice to hear from a local!

When you describe your starting process, when do you fill the stove with logs? Is that after the kindling is going strong enough? Or you start by loading it all up, then you get the newspaper and kindling going to light the load from bottom up?

I mostly follow that same process. Towards the end of last season I attempted starting fires from the top of a load. I'd fill the stove and leave a gap/platform on the splits, basically right under the cat, so I could start a fire on that the same way you described. Not sure if that was worth the effort, but it is a little more 'set it and forget it' and might be a cleaner burn once it is all setup and gets going. Have you experimented with lighting from the top down?

 

[spudman99]

I just replied in your other thread, sorry for not reading this first.

I fully load the stove when start up, shoving the paper on top in a crumble. I dont care so long as it is near the bypass and behind the combustor. I use the fire starters on the bottom next to kindling, kinda wedged in there. Once I am satisfied I have a draft established, then I light the firestarter. Wait for that and the kindling to catch. Then close door, leave bypass open till fire is going and cat registers as active. That can take 10-15 min. Close bypass, adjust thermostat and plop in the couch.

 

[Tron]

When you describe your starting process, when do you fill the stove with logs? Is that after the kindling is going strong enough? Or you start by loading it all up, then you get the newspaper and kindling going to light the load from bottom up?

With proper dry wood, you don't really need any kindling. On a cold start, I just load the stove up with logs, place a firestarter somewhere in the bottom area, light it, close the door (bypass open, thermostat fully open) and wait a bit.
Only very rarely on inversion weather with poor draft I've needed a 2nd firestarter, usually it catches well.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Only very rarely on inversion weather with poor draft I've needed a 2nd firestarter, usually it catches well.

On a cold start, I usually cram a piece of paper up in the bottom of the flue (thru the bypass opening) and light it first. Gets a draft going. If the stove is truly cold, there can be cold air literally flowing down the chimney, and if I don't do this, it's a smokey nightmare.

 

[Highbeam]

With proper dry wood, you don't really need any kindling. On a cold start, I just load the stove up with logs, place a firestarter somewhere in the bottom area, light it, close the door (bypass open, thermostat fully open) and wait a bit.
Only very rarely on inversion weather with poor draft I've needed a 2nd firestarter, usually it catches well.

I think a lot depends on your definition of a "proper firestarter". I use kindling and a blow torch to start it, no other accelerants. I think in the case of something like a super cedar, the firestarter is the kindling.

 

[Tron]

I think a lot depends on your definition of a "proper firestarter". I use kindling and a blow torch to start it, no other accelerants. I think in the case of something like a super cedar, the firestarter is the kindling.

Agreed. I use the Rutland fire starter squares, which are basically cellulose soaked in wax. Those work pretty well.
But yes, kindling works as well. At least humanity has been doing it this way for the last half million of years or so.

 

[cr0]

Thanks everyone for the input. Firestarter can clearly differ a lot! I try to catch the coals for that reason and just load up logs and leave the door cracked or blow on coals until it catches.

For cold starts: I use newspaper and seed catalogs (non-glossy, soy inks etc.) Bic lighter to get a crumpled paper going held under the bypass, then with that smoke going up and out, I'll drop the paper and light the rest of the paper which is under kindling (pencil-like splits of wood). Then I build the fire up like a campfire.

Having the stove open this much does expose the house and family to more smoke than may be needed so I'll consider making some firestarters, like cellulose dipped in wax. Would plain cotton dipped in petroleum jelly be bad for the cat, or it doesn't matter if the bypass is open anyway?

 

[stoveliker]

Don't use petroleum jelly.
BK only endorses super cedars (they include one with a new stove to get you hooked to something (cat) safe). Those contain wax and cedar. So wax (natural!) is fine.

What I do is I noodle a maple and keep a bag of that.for a season. One handful of noodles, add some splitter trash, and off we go.

 

[cr0]

Noted, thanks. When you say natural wax, what does that mean? Beeswax? Conifer resin?

 

[stoveliker]

Hm. Coming from a beekeeping family, my reading automatically went to bees wax.
Conifer resin isn't wax to me. But unless other ingredients are added,.I suspect it should be fine too. After all I've burned a lot of pitch pine (which does its name justice).

 

[m37charlie]

I have a hydraulic log splitter that runs off 220v 4kw hydraulic powerpack or else my Unimog camper.
I either keep a cardboard box at the far end of the splitter and toss “splitter trash” into it; or pick the pieces up at the end of a session.
Instacart delivers Costco groceries in strong produce boxes: 24Lx16Wx11H dimensions.
Right now I have about 9 boxes heaping full after processing over 23 cords this spring, summer and fall. About 1/5 cord of kindling.
When brought indoors it dries even from totally green in a very few weeks.
And the nice thing about BKs is that we don’t even have to do cold starts between early October and April unless leaving home for several days.
Pick up and store your “splitting trash” if you do your own splitting.

 

[Tron]

Thanks everyone for the input. Firestarter can clearly differ a lot! I try to catch the coals for that reason and just load up logs and leave the door cracked or blow on coals until it catches.

For cold starts: I use newspaper and seed catalogs (non-glossy, soy inks etc.) Bic lighter to get a crumpled paper going held under the bypass, then with that smoke going up and out, I'll drop the paper and light the rest of the paper which is under kindling (pencil-like splits of wood). Then I build the fire up like a campfire.

Having the stove open this much does expose the house and family to more smoke than may be needed so I'll consider making some firestarters, like cellulose dipped in wax. Would plain cotton dipped in petroleum jelly be bad for the cat, or it doesn't matter if the bypass is open anyway?

Way too much effort that's not really necessary. If there are coals, just throw the new splits on top and close the door (thermostat and bypass open). It'll catch after a few minutes at the latest, even with only few coals remaining.

For a cold start, just load the stove, place a firestarter (they're cheap) somewhere in there, light it, close the door and wait.

That'll get rid of your smoke in the house at the same time.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Thanks everyone for the input. Firestarter can clearly differ a lot! I try to catch the coals for that reason and just load up logs and leave the door cracked or blow on coals until it catches.

For cold starts: I use newspaper and seed catalogs (non-glossy, soy inks etc.) Bic lighter to get a crumpled paper going held under the bypass, then with that smoke going up and out, I'll drop the paper and light the rest of the paper which is under kindling (pencil-like splits of wood). Then I build the fire up like a campfire.

Having the stove open this much does expose the house and family to more smoke than may be needed so I'll consider making some firestarters, like cellulose dipped in wax. Would plain cotton dipped in petroleum jelly be bad for the cat, or it doesn't matter if the bypass is open anyway?

Try building a top down fire. Build the wood first then add your starter and kindling on top. I use pine cones and fatwood and a small wad of paper. It takes right off and no smoke. No need to pre-heat the flue as your doing it with the top/down.