Tonight, I miss my old stove..(BKK questions)

[Beetle-Killer]

Cat. under warranty? I would sure as heck hope so, stoves only been operating for a few months. I wonder....... if the Cat is warranted for "X" amount of months, and you happened to fry it within that time frame, and it was replaced under warranty..... and then it happened again. Would you think it would be covered? Could this become a cycle? This is the sneaky bastidge part of me asking.

 

[Renovation]

Cat. under warranty? I would sure as heck hope so, stoves only been operating for a few months. I wonder....... if the Cat is warranted for "X" amount of months, and you happened to fry it within that time frame, and it was replaced under warranty..... and then it happened again. Would you think it would be covered? Could this become a cycle? This is the sneaky bastidge part of me asking.

Dunno about the cycle, but I suggest submitting your concern in writing, and then just go ahead and burn like Solar suggested. IIRC the cat warranty is full for 2 years, and you've done more than your share of due diligence, so why not have at it?

 

[learnin to burn]

On the slow tstat reaction, those of you with the slow reaction time, have you looked inside at the back of the firebox wall to make sure that there isn't a good bit of creosote build up? I know on the king model there is a shield back there but it might be worth wild to see if there is creosote build up behind this shield after all the tstat is getting its temp readings off that back wall.

Yes - I had a crap load back there a few months ago, I cleaned it all out with a short screw driver between my fingers. I even asked the same question in an other thread. I have been pondering the slow reaction though. It is possible to have a build up of creosote on the back wall of the cat chamber where the t-stat sits. It would be difficult at best to check that without taking the stove pipe off and then I think you still need to have a mirror and flashlight to get a real good peek.

I think for me the slow reaction might be due to something else. In November I had the t-stat get stuck at 3.5. I had turned it up to reload and get a good start. Left it there for 15-20 minutes. Had a real good fire going (one of the best I've had) started to turn the t-stat down. I dropped it to 3, came back to it 10 minutes later and the fire was going even better so I dropped it to 2.5. Went upstairs for a few minutes and stated to smell the stove. Back down stairs and the fire looked like it was running away. I couldn't see any wood in the full box just fire. (It was actually the first time the fire really cleaned the glass) :red: I turned the t-stat all the way down and nothing happened. (Needles to say it seemed like an oh crap moment) I started to turn the t-stat up and down rapidly 4 or 5 times then stopped on 2 after a few seconds the t-stat finally slammed closed.

So for me I think the coil might have stretched a bit. Like Beetle I also talked with DAN and was not impressed at all. I won't be talking with him again!

 

[learnin to burn]

Cat. under warranty? I would sure as heck hope so, stoves only been operating for a few months. I wonder....... if the Cat is warranted for "X" amount of months, and you happened to fry it within that time frame, and it was replaced under warranty..... and then it happened again. Would you think it would be covered? Could this become a cycle? This is the sneaky bastidge part of me asking.

Yes the Cat is under Warranty... (FYI - Federal Law states that if the cat fails for -ANY- reason within 2 years of it being bought (stove install/replacement cat received) must be replaced for -FREE-. After 2 years there is a prorated charge which can be found in your manual.) There is a claim process though, You buy a new cat through your dealer then the dealer sends the old cat back for reimbursement. If you have to do this call Chris at Blaze King so you understand the process then give your dealer the info and have them call Chris also.

 

[learnin to burn]

F degree- Looks normal to me but I would be suspect of the actual temps, but I have the stock thermometer.


Solar - I'm still working on a reason for the slow t-stat as Mine is slow too. Case in point - I loaded the stove at 5:15 left the t-stat on 3.5 @ 5:45 stove was 650 cat at top of range, dropped t-stat to 2.5. 6:00 there is still flames in the box but they did slowly reduce. last year the flames would have died right out and given me a nice light show. I'll only get that now if I turn it down to 2.

Off to work.

Just wanted to update this a bit. There are a few differences from last year to this year.. The cat is new. Original cat was metal, New cat is ceramic which breathes better. Wood supply is a different mix this year... Last years supply was mostly White ash, Hard Maple, and Poplar with some Silver Maple. This years supply is Mostly Blue Beech, Locust, and Silver Maple with a few other unknowns. Temps here have been much colder with a lot of wind compared to last year. So it is not exactly an apples to apples comparison. Some one mentioned earlier in the thread that keeping it simple and looking at your wood supply as the culprit may be on the right track. My friend next door offered some bio bricks to try out so I might take him up on the offer for testing purposes.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

I don't know what to make of this. I almost think the stove knew I've been talking about it. I started charting it @ 10:07- no fans. 10 min. increments. last was at 11:37. Fan on low since 11:05. As I type, probe is @610, S-top is @635. This is a first. Only thing I did was remove about 2/3 of the ash in the box. And before you forget, I had the T-stat @2.5, and the flue temp. was 690 and climbing, surface of the dbl. wall was 190, and then I turned the fan on. Cat. was @ 1880. Does the fan , even on Low, make that much of a difference?

 

[SolarAndWood]

The fan, even on low makes a big difference. I rarely run it higher than low. I figure if I get a third less burn time that it is burning at half again the rate as no blowers at the same tstat setting.

 

[daleeper]

I figure if I get a third less burn time that it is burning at half again the rate as no blowers at the same tstat setting.

Solar, run that through again. I'm thick headed and I want to know what you mean with this statement.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I figure if I get a third less burn time that it is burning at half again the rate as no blowers at the same tstat setting.

Solar, run that through again. I'm thick headed and I want to know what you mean with this statement.

Lets say I reload with a load that will burn for 24 hours with the tstat at 3 and the blowers off. If I do nothing else, same load, same setting, condtions, etc., I have found repeatedly that if I turn the blowers on low and leave the tstat in the same place that that same load will burn in 16 hours. 1/3 less burn time means the average burn rate through the burn cycle has to be half again higher.

This higher burn rate could be achieved by turning the tstat up and leaving the blowers off. However, I find that I get a lot more heat into the room as opposed to up the stack if I use the blower at the higher burn rates.

 

[daleeper]

I figure if I get a third less burn time that it is burning at half again the rate as no blowers at the same tstat setting.

Solar, run that through again. I'm thick headed and I want to know what you mean with this statement.

Lets say I reload with a load that will burn for 24 hours with the tstat at 3 and the blowers off. If I do nothing else, same load, same setting, condtions, etc., I have found repeatedly that if I turn the blowers on low and leave the tstat in the same place that that same load will burn in 16 hours. 1/3 less burn time means the average burn rate through the burn cycle has to be half again higher.

This higher burn rate could be achieved by turning the tstat up and leaving the blowers off. However, I find that I get a lot more heat into the room as opposed to up the stack if I use the blower at the higher burn rates.

Thanks, now I get the 1/3 less burn time. Sometimes you have to speak slow and loud for me to get it.

 

[fdegree]

After all of this discussion of slow t'stat response, I decided to remove the t'stat cover...you know, the one that says "No user serviceable parts inside. Do not remove this cover."

I oiled a few strategic locations:
- both pivot points on the damper itself
- the location where the rod from the adjustment knob enters the t'stat housing...there is a locking collar and small spring at this location

I don't know if this was the best stuff to use, but I used 5W-30 motor oil.

I immediately noticed the t'stat adjustment knob turns much, much easier. I don't know if the damper is going to respond any better, but the knob certainly turns much freer.

 

[Renovation]

After all of this discussion of slow t'stat response, I decided to remove the t'stat cover...you know, the one that says "No user serviceable parts inside. Do not remove this cover."

I oiled a few strategic locations:
- both pivot points on the damper itself
- the location where the rod from the adjustment knob enters the t'stat housing...there is a locking collar and small spring at this location

I don't know if this was the best stuff to use, but I used 5W-30 motor oil.

I immediately noticed the t'stat adjustment knob turns much, much easier. I don't know if the damper is going to respond any better, but the knob certainly turns much freer.

Great strategy, I'm wondering about your tactic. What did you use for lube? Something high-temp? In another thread, graphite was recommended for high-temp lube applications.

HTH, and happy burning.

 

[fdegree]

My logic may be flawed, but I figured the temp around the t'stat flapper would be relatively cool, especially since air is constantly passing by it. I'm guessing it doesn't get above 200*...not much different from a car engine...I doubt it even gets that hot because you can place your hand on the t'stat housing for a second or so without getting burned...touch a car engine and you get burned immediately. So, I used 5W-30 motor oil. I did think about graphite, but didn't have any available.

I'll keep an eye on it and see what happens.

 

[Renovation]

My logic may be flawed, but I figured the temp around the t'stat flapper would be relatively cool, especially since air is constantly passing by it. I'm guessing it doesn't get above 200*...not much different from a car engine...I doubt it even gets that hot because you can place your hand on the t'stat housing for a second or so without getting burned...touch a car engine and you get burned immediately. So, I used 5W-30 motor oil. I did think about graphite, but didn't have any available.

I'll keep an eye on it and see what happens.

Sounds like a plan.

Please let us know if your well-lubed thermostat makes a difference.

Remember: if you love it, lube it!

 

[nate379]

I don't know if I am a minority here, but I have no trouble at all keeping the house warm, even with -20* temps and howling wind.

I run the stove with the knob straight up and down on all but the coldest days, and in that case I put it around #1 or slightly under. If I left the stove on #3 I could probably keep the house at 80* with most of the windows open!

Now I do run the blower all the time on low. I have found without the blower, the heat doesn't move around the house that well.

 

[Renovation]

I don't know if I am a minority here, but I have no trouble at all keeping the house warm, even with -20* temps and howling wind.

I run the stove with the knob straight up and down on all but the coldest days, and in that case I put it around #1 or slightly under. If I left the stove on #3 I could probably keep the house at 80* with most of the windows open!

Now I do run the blower all the time on low. I have found without the blower, the heat doesn't move around the house that well.

Thanks for the report, Nate. It's always good to keep some perspective.

I doubt you're in the minority. It's just human nature that we are more likely to squawk about the things we're upset about than those we're happy with. I try to keep that in mind when perusing the Internets.

 

[fdegree]

I don't know if I am a minority here, but I have no trouble at all keeping the house warm, even with -20* temps and howling wind.

I run the stove with the knob straight up and down on all but the coldest days, and in that case I put it around #1 or slightly under. If I left the stove on #3 I could probably keep the house at 80* with most of the windows open!

Now I do run the blower all the time on low. I have found without the blower, the heat doesn't move around the house that well.

Maybe we are all comparing apples and oranges:
- different types of wood
- different moisture content of wood
- different climates
- different size homes
- different insulation values
- different envelope integrity (air leakage)
- etc.

I am not having any problem heating my home...I am able to keep it around 70*...I routinely get 20 - 30 hours of burn time on 1 load (depending upon outside conditions) with less than ideal moisture content in the white oak that I'm burning.

The only problem I'm having (which I didn't know was a problem until B-K started this thread) is I have to run the fans on low whenever I set the t'stat higher than 2.0...I have to do this for a number of hours or the cat temp significantly exceeds 2000*

 

[nate379]

Yes there are many variables of course, but a big stove like the King should be able to keep an average sized home warm without much trouble, even if it's not insulated all that well.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Nate, I gotta ask, what's your layout and what's your energy-star rating for your home?

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Fdegree, let us know how that oil is working after a few weeks goes by. I'm wondering about a graphite paste or something, seems low vis. oil may just "go away" after awhile. (BTW- nice "tamoy-nage" in your avatar- sure thats not spelled right)

 

[nate379]

Single floor ranch, open floor plan, just a bit over 1400 sq ft (average size 3 bed/2 bath for the area).

Nate, I gotta ask, what's your layout and what's your energy-star rating for your home?

 

[Beetle-Kill]

My bad, the wife has been on "Skype"; yakkin' with the nieces/ nephews for awhile. Her B-day (48), so I have no grounds to complain. Nate, my friend and co-worker is from AK., All her family is still up there, and she's planning on going back within the next 5 years. Her bro. just bought a house, had a 4-star rating. She tells me he looked at a 5-star rated house, and a 3-star. All fairly new construction, but he went with the 4 based on savings over time, vs. the 5 which would have cost "X" more initially, but maybe saved some in the long run. I'm wondering about new(er) construction and sealing the house/insulation, vs. an older home. Her mom lives in a older house-cabin, and is doing $10K a season in heating oil. Your house is tight, correct?

 

[fdegree]

My guess is...if Nate is running the stove at 1.0 or less most of the time, with outside temps below 0 and wind howling, the house must be sealed as tight as a cooler

Or, he is comfortable with the house at 50* :cheese:

 

[SolarAndWood]

What do you think a tstat of 1 puts out? I get 40 hour plus burns out of hardwood when I burn that low. I'd come home to an empty house if I burned that low this time of year as the ladies don't have a thermostat on the wall to turn on/adjust. I run 3+ with the blowers on constantly to keep everyone happy this time of year.

Now, if the house is empty a lot, I can see that it is a lot easier to bring up a tight open floor plan single story 1400 sq ft house to temperature with a stove than the typical 2500 sq ft house around here.

 

[fdegree]

I run 3+ with the blowers on constantly to keep everyone happy this time of year.

When you are running the stove that wide open, how long is your burn time on one full load?

With outside temps as they have been recently...mid 20's at night, upper 30's during the day, I'm getting about 20 - 24 hours on a load. Rarely having to turn the t'stat higher than 2.25, until I'm down to mostly coals...then I usually crank the t'stat to 3.0 - 3.5 in order to get enough heat from those coals to maintain the house temp.