Serious Blaze King problem

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bogydave

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Dec 4, 2009
8,426
So Cent ALASKA
I'm having trouble with overheating.
When the outside temps get above 25 degrees, I'm over heating the house.
Even on 1.5 setting, the house gets 75 degrees inside or more. (yea I know, open some windows LOL, which I've been doing))
I'm getting 15 to 18 hour burn times. I load it full at 11 PM & don't add wood until between 3 & 6 PM. Then just 1 or 2 pieces
so I can have room to fill it up at night.
What's the trick to using the King model on the warmer days when it's in the teens to 20s at night & near 30 in the daytime ?
less wood, smaller wood.
I've read to not burn it on the lowest setting for long periods, (smolder mode).
 
Try different loading schedules like half loads 3 times per day or 3/4 loads 2 times per day.
 
Wow, I need to get my house up to Alaska standards. What does the thermometer read through the course of the burn? I get 24 hrs out of pine at low burn. Your Birch is denser than our pine isn't it? Maybe your 1.5 is my 2 or 2.5? I'd burn it lower and see what happens.
 
I have the same stove and get 27 hours on low setting. Sounds like operator error.Just turn it lower. The stove interior will have some cresote but it will burn off in the next high heat cycle. That is why the cat stoves can run so long/slow. The cat is burning the (smoldering) smoke before it goes up the stack. You will not see any flames while running on the lowest settings.
 
Load with larger pcs & dont fill it up, just put like 3 large in.
 
Thanks
I'll try a lower setting & hope it gets cold again so I can burn the creosote out with a hot burn.
I may try tonight, 3 big chunks, but it will barely be loaded.
No doubt, "Operator error" , the learning curve of the new stove through seasonal temperature changes.
Good thing is, I was worried I'd run out of seasoned wood by mid March, but at this rate, I've got enough to get into April.
I don't notice much chimney build up, so lower may not be an issue. (have had creosote issues with old stove, so I'm conditioned to burn hot)
 
Funny thing there Dave, is that what you have just mentioned is most peoples winter temps and your over heating on low. :lol:
I am running mine on #1 right now. No problems. Stove soots up inside but flue is still throwing clean heat waves. And someone help us if we were to have a stove fire. Low/#1 is most effective with the driest of wood. Good luck neighbor.
 
north of 60 said:
Funny thing there Dave, is that what you have just mentioned is most peoples winter temps and your over heating on low. :lol:
I am running mine on #1 right now. No problems. Stove soots up inside but flue is still throwing clean heat waves. And someone help us if we were to have a stove fire. Low/#1 is most effective with the driest of wood. Good luck neighbor.

Thanks neighbor

I think allot of it has to do with my little experience with a catalytic. My old BK, (with not as good of seasoned wood) when ran on the lower settings I had creosote problems.
One chimney fire, a 1/2 bucket of creosote monthly, & I learned to burn it on the higher settings which helped reduce those issues.
Now that I got the new model, it's hard to set the thermostat below 2, just due to old experiences.
On 1.5, I start looking for smoke & creosote on the pipe cap. To go to the 1 setting will be even harder.
That would make over a 24 hour burn time on one load easy.
It fits in the "to good to be true" or "Hard to believe" arena.
Set to #1 on the thermostat with no creosote problems & and still heat the house: my alarm bells start to chime.
I'm starting to "believe" it, but sneaking up on it slowly.
I had a 20 hour burn load with just spruce (temps in the teens & house around 72) on 1.75 but was afraid to even admit it.

Thanks for the re-enforcement, I'll try the #1 setting. (or close anyway)
Breaking new ground here, I'll be on the roof in a couple days looking down the pipe :)

The BK guy said I could burn 1/2 the amount of wood with this stove vs the old one, maybe he was right.
If true, I'll make it to "breakup" with ease.

Thanks again.
 
One experimental burn won't ruin your stove. Stuff it full and put the stat to one and walk away.
 
SolarAndWood said:
Wow, I need to get my house up to Alaska standards. What does the thermometer read through the course of the burn? I get 24 hrs out of pine at low burn. Your Birch is denser than our pine isn't it? Maybe your 1.5 is my 2 or 2.5? I'd burn it lower and see what happens.

You are right,
I took my glasses & looked at the numbers on the settings. The lowest setting I used was just barely below 2, I thought mid range was 1.5 but it's 2.
Last night I loaded the stove at 11PM, (all good birch) had a good bed of coals, let it get burning good,
I set it a "1.5", for real, in about 10 minutes, no flames but mid range on the temp probe on top of the stove & cat had a light glow.
Woke up with the house at 69 & wife in a blanket :) watching the news.
Checked the stove & it's still 1/2 full of wood., turned it up to 2-1/4,
within an hour house was 72.
I threw in 2 -- 4" X 22" spruce logs E/W (which barely fit on top of what's in there)
I'm curious how long the wood is going to last, till late this evening for sure.
May have to turn it down to 2 if the house gets too warm.

Not good time to test the #1 setting, OAT 28 °F but it got windy.
May get to test the #1 setting next month.

Impressive though,
Thanks all
 
I to am anxious to try it on 1. Like you i get all freaked out that its going to clog the pipe up. Im sure ill be testing it out next month as well. Ive been cranking her down to 1.5 now for normal burns and the house stays about 68 upstairs and 74 to 76 in our finished basement were we hang out all the time. So its perfect! I dont know what to do with myself having to wait 12 or13 hours between reloads.
 
bogydave said:
What's the trick to using the King model on the warmer days when it's in the teens to 20s at night & near 30 in the daytime?


Um...I don't consider that a 'warmer' day.
 
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I am considering a BK stove. I like in AL and it doesn't get cold here by you guys standards. I want to load a stove twice a day. After heading all the talk about the BK I have got to put my hands on one.. What do you guys think I could expect out of a princess in temps 25-30 at night and 40-45 during the day? Should I be able to run with the Tstat low and load every 12 hours or so? Would this be an acceptable burn rate for these stoves?

thanks,

Jason
 
jtb51b said:
I am considering a BK stove. I like in AL and it doesn't get cold here by you guys standards. I want to load a stove twice a day. After heading all the talk about the BK I have got to put my hands on one.. What do you guys think I could expect out of a princess in temps 25-30 at night and 40-45 during the day? Should I be able to run with the Tstat low and load every 12 hours or so? Would this be an acceptable burn rate for these stoves?

thanks,

Jason

I'm a rookies at this so others will have better answers & ?s (Probably not need the king model)
Several variables: house size, wood, insulation, location etc, but definitely doable or better I'd think. (Other good small stoves/catalytics out there too)

Pine-apple express winds today, OAT 37 ° F now, stove on low now, 73 inside, (wife with no blanket :) , maybe I should take it to 80 ° f inside :bug:)
Shouldn't have added the 2 small spruce logs I guess.
 
BrowningBAR said:
bogydave said:
What's the trick to using the King model on the warmer days when it's in the teens to 20s at night & near 30 in the daytime?


Um...I don't consider that a 'warmer' day.

Yea, never need air-conditioner here.
40s sweat shirt weather, 50s & up "T" shirt weather with bug dope :)
 
For those of you turning it down to 1 or 1.5....how bad does the glass "gunk up" during the burn?
 
Manatarms said:
For those of you turning it down to 1 or 1.5....how bad does the glass "gunk up" during the burn?
long low burn... pretty black.. but a long hot burn can burn it off fairly clean...
 
you will only get as many btu's out as what you put in... don't fill 'er up and try to eeek 15 hrs outta every bit you put in.. try a couple at a time on a med to high setting for more frequent periods instead of all at once... Its easier to turn down the stove on a couple pieces of wood to keep it from blasting you out, than it is to turn it down the 40 lbs of wood going with the cat / and or 2ndary in full swing. Otherwise, do what I do w/ the summit: a heat at 70 - 80 deg indoors in the winter is far better place to be than heat at 50 - 60 deg in the winter, I love it!
 
Manatarms said:
For those of you turning it down to 1 or 1.5....how bad does the glass "gunk up" during the burn?

Mine Was black on corners & sides & dingy in the middle this AM, but after a while on 2.25, it cleared up all but bottom corners.
It clears up fast when I just have coals, rake them to the front & put on high to finish the burn, (2 hours roughly)
 
summit said:
Its easier to turn down the stove on a couple pieces of wood to keep it from blasting you out, than it is to turn it down the 40 lbs of wood going with the cat / and or 2ndary in full swing.

That was my experience with the VC cat, but the BK is a completely different animal. The only way to run these things is to load them to the gills every time and let the tstat do its thing. It is so little effort that I am considering a second King instead of the boiler when I start heating the lower level next year.
 
I've searched for a while but can't find the answer...
I understand the cat/non cat argument- and I understand the cast iron / soapstone argument- those seem like pretty straight forward differences.
I don't get however, how blaze kings are able to get such incredibly long burn times. Can anyone explain what is so unique about BKs that gives them 20+ hour burn times on one load of wood?
 
You can put 100+ lbs of hardwood in the King and it has amazing combustion control. I didn't believe the 40 hour claim in the brochure until I reproduced it in my living room. Not that 15K btu per hour is that useful when its cold out, but it is pretty amazing to keep a fire that long without opening the door. Then, rake the coals front center and throw another load on and go.
 
summit said:
you will only get as many btu's out as what you put in... don't fill 'er up and try to eeek 15 hrs outta every bit you put in.. try a couple at a time on a med to high setting for more frequent periods instead of all at once... Its easier to turn down the stove on a couple pieces of wood to keep it from blasting you out, than it is to turn it down the 40 lbs of wood going with the cat / and or 2ndary in full swing. Otherwise, do what I do w/ the summit: a heat at 70 - 80 deg indoors in the winter is far better place to be than heat at 50 - 60 deg in the winter, I love it!

Wrong advice for operating a BK, Load the thing and leave it alone.
 
rsgBJJburner said:
I've searched for a while but can't find the answer...
I understand the cat/non cat argument- and I understand the cast iron / soapstone argument- those seem like pretty straight forward differences.
I don't get however, how blaze kings are able to get such incredibly long burn times. Can anyone explain what is so unique about BKs that gives them 20+ hour burn times on one load of wood?

Large firebox, catalytic combustor, and thermostatic control of the incoming air. No other stove has all of these features together.
 
[del]Another all night & all morning burn on about 1.75, [/del]
 
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