Will a Blaze King Princess 32 work for my 1100 sq ft or too large?

[Groaner]

I have a Vermont Casting dutch west small unit has a combuster and burns fairly clean now, but is getting old, etc. I like to use 16-18" wood which I have 3 cords still. So being able to burn 18" is important to me. The only stove that seems to fit my requirements is the Blaze King Princess but is more stove than I need but will it work ok since it can be run at lower temps because of the temp control?
Another stove I was looking at is the Hearth Stone Shelburne which comes close to the Princess.. The idea of the long burn times is intriguing since my VC stove will only go 8 hours maybe.
Any thoughts on getting the larger stove?

Also after talking to a salesman He said he doesn't recommend Steel stoves for the living room because the can blast you out compared with cast iron or soapstone.. Huh? Is that true?

 

[stoveliker]

The salesman is not correct.
Some steel stoves may do that. Others won't. The BK won't because you can dial it down to about an output equivalent of three and a half 1.5 kW plug in electric heaters.
Also the Ashford has cast iron jacketing that further evens out the radiative load.

There are also tube stoves with such jackets - begreen has one, I believe.

I do think that any stove with a 3 cu ft firebox will get you more than 8 hrs, though it's a simple "BTU of fuel in / BTU hourly output = burn time".
The BK only gets a long burn because it can spread the BTUs you put in the firebox out over a longer time.
Or not; you can still run it at high output, leading to shorter burn times.
Max outputs will also differ for different stoves.

That said, how large is your home? Floor and room arrangement? I.e. how much can the heat spread.

Heating a single room (because the heat can't spread) with a Princess (or any BK; most have similar minimum outputs) would likely be too much. But the same would be the case for a 3 cu ft tube stove.

 

[Tron]

Any thoughts on getting the larger stove?

Due to the thermostat, the size of the BK's should be viewed as "wood capacity" and less in terms of "heat output".
I'm not sure if 18" would fit into my BK, but 3 cords is not enough wood to base a decision on that you will be using for decades.
If your dream stove only accepts 16" logs, so be it, cut the 18" logs you have into 9" ones...

 

[stoveliker]

The 30.2 models (Chinook, Ashford, and the other model I can't think of now) can take 18", but the bottom layer should best be 17" or so. Shorties at the bottom, 18" above that makes one not have trouble with the fire bricks (or the bracket holding them...) below the door.

 

[Groaner]

The salesman is not correct.
Some steel stoves may do that. Others won't. The BK won't because you can dial it down to about an output equivalent of three and a half 1.5 kW plug in electric heaters.
Also the Ashford has cast iron jacketing that further evens out the radiative load.

There are also tube stoves with such jackets - begreen has one, I believe.

I do think that any stove with a 3 cu ft firebox will get you more than 8 hrs, though it's a simple "BTU of fuel in / BTU hourly output = burn time".
The BK only gets a long burn because it can spread the BTUs you put in the firebox out over a longer time.
Or not; you can still run it at high output, leading to shorter burn times.
Max outputs will also differ for different stoves.

That said, how large is your home? Floor and room arrangement? I.e. how much can the heat spread.

Heating a single room (because the heat can't spread) with a Princess (or any BK; most have similar minimum outputs) would likely be too much. But the same would be the case for a 3 cu ft tube stove.

I also just checked the stove size and the princess is a lot larger than I thought.
27” wide and deeper, My Dutch west is only 22” but the side door loading allows me up to 19” if I need it.
I’ve had this stove for 37 years, it’s been great. I wish they still made them.
The new Jotul f 455 looks doable too. New burn Technology using a 10 year Cat.
I’m getting up in age and the wood thing has its draw backs so the less I have to cut move and use the least amount of wood per season is my priority.
I suppose I could have someone cut the wood up smaller for a smaller box stove if I have to, but still looking at options

 

[Dieselhead]

If N/S loading, 17” for bottom of the big king and princess as well. Up past first row can be 18”

 

[stoveliker]

I also just checked the stove size and the princess is a lot larger than I thought.
27” wide and deeper, My Dutch west is only 22” but the side door loading allows me up to 19” if I need it.
I’ve had this stove for 37 years, it’s been great. I wish they still made them.
The new Jotul f 455 looks doable too. New burn Technology using a 10 year Cat.
I’m getting up in age and the wood thing has its draw backs so the less I have to cut move and use the least amount of wood per season is my priority.
I suppose I could have someone cut the wood up smaller for a smaller box stove if I have to, but still looking at options

Yes, the footprint is significantly larger. I had a side-door DutchWest as well before this.

If space is an issue, get a piece of cardboard and cut out the stove size. And a second larger piece of cardboard and cut out the total clearance with and depth needed, so you can see what fits.
Or do that with painters tape on the floor for different stoves. Gives a good visual idea of what it would be like.

 

[Tron]

I occasionally have some splits that are >18", mostly from the stumps where I didn't eyeball the length exactly.
Those do fit diagonally (in three dimensions if necessary), but that then obviously doesn't fill the firebox.
I mostly use those to burn down coals...

 

[BKVP]

All,

As of about one year ago, agencies placed pressure on EPA to enforce the following. Manufacturers must not promote a length of piece size other than as tested. My recommendation is to take a tape measure with you to the store and confirm fuel piece size. Can't write much more than that.

BKVP

 

[stoveliker]

while size and length does have consequences for how a load burns (as we all see), I find that rule a bit bogus.
In the end a stove should burn within the normal variability of the type of fuel it is intended for.
wood 1x1x1" cubes burn differently, but are not the intended fuel type.
Splits of 8x8" burn differently (I know...) than 2x2" splits. Yet I think both are within the normal range.

I often put some shorties at the bottom, to have space for coals in the front, and have longer ones on top of that to make use of my firebox depth.

 

[RustyShackleford]

I occasionally have some splits that are >18", mostly from the stumps where I didn't eyeball the length exactly.
Those do fit diagonally (in three dimensions if necessary), but that then obviously doesn't fill the firebox.
I mostly use those to burn down coals...

I use 'em during the day when I'm not trying to fill the stove chock-a-block full, and save the 16" ones for the overnght loads.

 

[BKVP]

ON this side of the equation, lots of folks "push" the limit on piece length size and the glass door does not make a good "push" stick.

BKVP

 

[fao1989]

I use 'em during the day when I'm not trying to fill the stove chock-a-block full, and save the 16" ones for the overnght loads.

This is exactly what I did this morning. Burned the "uglies" that dont 'tetris' well.

 

[m37charlie]

18” pieces will absolutely be fine in a Princess. Its’ nominal specified ID firebox width is 19+”.
FWIW, my King is supposedly 22+”. I can easily insert 24” pieces, my hydraulic splitter has a 24”ram throwand I occasionally split pieces that long and eventually burn them. I suspect you could get 22” pieces in a Princess if they’re not too big in diameter because Pythagoras says so.
And if you’re worried about overheating the house you certainly DO NOT want a modern stove that uses “triple burn technology” (or any other slogan meaning afterburning smoke by injecting extra air), as opposed to BK catalytic burning of CO and smoke with the O2 that’s leftover. Because the former type have very limited “turn-down”capability, maybe down to 70% maximum; whereas a BK can be turned down to ~30%

 

[stoveliker]

Yeah but that's not how you want to run a BK.
You want to stuff them, play Tetris with wood loaded north/south.
Pythagoras doesn't make my burn.time per.load long enough...

 

[m37charlie]

Of course I’m not suggesting cutting wood too long. It’s just how you use up the occasional piece that’s too long.
The vast majority of my wood is 16-18” or often 12”, simply because I’m old and cut rounds of heavy stuff shorter so I can safely lift them into wheelbarrow and thence onto splitter rail.
The 22-24” pieces are either given to me thst way or else branches etc.

 

[Tron]

ON this side of the equation, lots of folks "push" the limit on piece length size and the glass door does not make a good "push" stick.

Oh, absolutely.
While I suspect the glass in the door is pure silicate glass (no sodium/potassium in it), I'm wary not to have burning splits too close to the door. And that's beside the "pushing" aspect. If a split doesn't fit with a 1-1.5" clearance to the glass, I won't put it in.

 

[Highbeam]

If only the tested fuel is to be recommended then does that mean you can only recommend crib wood? Or are we back to testing with cordwood?

Please don't let the length of three cords of processed firewood determine the stove choice. I've burned almost 50 cords of firewood in my princess in a 1700 SF home in western washington. The princess is not too big for me so I can't imagine it being too big in Rhode Island.

A chop saw makes quick work of shortening firewood as you go.

 

[Groaner]

18” pieces will absolutely be fine in a Princess. Its’ nominal specified ID firebox width is 19+”.
FWIW, my King is supposedly 22+”. I can easily insert 24” pieces, my hydraulic splitter has a 24”ram throwand I occasionally split pieces that long and eventually burn them. I suspect you could get 22” pieces in a Princess if they’re not too big in diameter because Pythagoras says so.
And if you’re worried about overheating the house you certainly DO NOT want a modern stove that uses “triple burn technology” (or any other slogan meaning afterburning smoke by injecting extra air), as opposed to BK catalytic burning of CO and smoke with the O2 that’s leftover. Because the former type have very limited “turn-down”capability, maybe down to 70% maximum; whereas a BK can be turned down to ~30%

I’ve got about 1000 sq ft including the cathedral ceiling do you are saying you can throttle it back to 30% and still burn clean?

Do the other BKs operate the same way bad the princess? What about the steel stove in the living room compared with cast iron?
Is it a lot more intense?
I was all excited about the princess untill I realized how big it is compared with my Dutch west 20x19
I wonder why other stove mfgs haven’t come out with an auto temp control like BK.

My only draw backs are the steel body and need to go large to get 18” log

 

[stoveliker]

yes all BK models operate in that way.The 30.2 models can be dialed down to an output of three and a half 1.5 kW plug in electric heaters (!)
That's quite low.
If 4 plug in electric heaters don't cook you out of the home, you'll be fine.
If they do - congrats on a low-energy-need home

If you want cast iron (in BK), get the ashford. It's a steel stove (so no leaks like cast iron stoves tend to have when aging) but with a cast jacket for a softer heat.
I don't think that's really needed - but for some it's the aesthetics that matters there.

The steel body is not a drawback. It's a feature. No stove cement coming loose, no leaks. The controllable output (mind you, you can run the stove *cleanly* without any flame, just smoldering) allows you to simply set and forget.

If you want a tube stove - go for it. They have come a long way since your old DutchWest - as every decent brand has.

 

[Highbeam]

I’ve got about 1000 sq ft including the cathedral ceiling do you are saying you can throttle it back to 30% and still burn clean?

Yes, these cat stoves seem to perform best at the low burn rates. Opposite of a tube stove. Using a low burn rate and long burn time to keep your home warm is much more comfortable than having little pulses of intense heat from a tube stove.

On low, it feels like the main source of heat is from the little catalyst up top munching on the smoke from a smoldering fire. The stove body oozes a very non-intense heat from it's relatively cool sides.

I also believe that not all BKs are equally capable and the test results seem to show that too. Your best bet is the princess or a 30 series freestanding stove.

 

[Groaner]

Yes, these cat stoves seem to perform best at the low burn rates. Opposite of a tube stove. Using a low burn rate and long burn time to keep your home warm is much more comfortable than having little pulses of intense heat from a tube stove.

On low, it feels like the main source of heat is from the little catalyst up top munching on the smoke from a smoldering fire. The stove body oozes a very non-intense heat from it's relatively cool sides.

I also believe that not all BKs are equally capable and the test results seem to show that too. Your best bet is the princess or a 30 series freestanding stove.

Thanks got inputs.

All these new EPA driven stoves seem to have lost some control of burning low longer.
Since as the new Jotuls many complain about the shorter burn times. Then starting fires seems much harder having to do top down fires with small sticks to get the Cat hot and create a good draft.

I’m spoiled with my Dutch west.
I get a small duraflame fire starter break in half, place in side door 4-5 inches in , light it with a match the place split smaller logs on both sides and 1 on top. Open vent and open ash pan door.
Once it’s going well close ash pan door add couple more logs and let it rip , once the flu temp gets up 400 or so and I watch the Cat temp which takes 20 minutes get to 300-400 I close the bypass and it’s good. If there are a lot of hot coals I’ll load it up and give it a little time make sure that cat is working good, then I close the air intake all the way and it’s good for 7-8 hours.

So why am I looking for another stove?
Just got it in my head I’ll do better , not so sure now.
I asked details questions to Ai and it recommended the Princess.

 

[stoveliker]

I had a Dutch West cat stove. Now I have a BK. I've also burnt European modern (noncat) stoves.

I'm spoiled by my BK.
It runs far better low (and high).
It starts easily (but that's more of a flue issue than a stove issue imo).
I would never go back.
In fact, the thermostat on the BK is such that I will not buy another stove without such a thermostat.

 

[Groaner]

Which BK do you have?
I know that thermostat Cat control is the Cat’s meow!
I can’t believe other companies haven’t incorporated it?
I wish I had less wood to cut to fit a smaller model I’m just physically up to cutting restacking the wood right now

 

[Highbeam]

In fact, the thermostat on the BK is such that I will not buy another stove without such a thermostat.

I was appreciating the thermostat today after I started a new fire in the BK house stove, then set the stat at a pretty medium setting and went outside to the shop to light a fire in the noncat. I am confident that the thermostat will manage the burn rate in the house unattended. Such a time saver and safety feature.

The princess is not perfect but there are no alternatives that do as many things right. The thermostat is unique to the BK. No other stove has thermostatic primary air control. Now if you get into the wood furnaces and boilers they have applied this (or effectively the same) technology so it's not like BK is the only company capable of it.