New Install of Blaze King King 40 KE Stove on Six Inch Flue and Chimney

Very true! I have always split my wood between 3" & 5" max, even when using my outdoor wood boiler. Much more efficient burn, and less wood burned at the end of the season. I'm doing the same in this BK40, and easily get 10-12 hours of very high output. So much my wife (who is always cold, lol) asks me to turn it down because it's too warm. Even on the coldest days this winter, my stat was set about 1/2 way.

 

I'm close to this scenario, but I transition to 6" at the stove. Dbl wall pipe to the support box, then, triple wall SS to the cap. I just said to my wife last week, I can't imagine this stove burning better on an 8" because it worked so great. My curiosity is killing me. I'd love to install an 8" chimney just to see. I'm curious also on the cat activity at low stove temps. Even after burning all winter, my cat thermometer shows between mark for active range and middle of the active range down to a point of low coal bed , ready to add more wood. Cat thermometer doesn't drop below active range unless I literally do not add wood and let the coals burn out.

 

I've always wondered the same thing. Much cheaper to buy a transition from one size to another, either up or down.

 

That's amazing...my opinion, don't change a thing!

 

Well stated! My dilemma was, I had just installed a brand new chimney system which had only seen maybe a dozen fires. I went into my BK 40 install fully prepared to tear out my brand new chimney and install an 8-in chimney if I found my burn or heat output seemed unacceptable. Fortunately for me, it has worked amazing in every aspect that I can see. If I was installing a new chimney along with the Blaze King, I would have definitely done 8-in right from the get-go, just because it would have made sense.

 

Because the bigger stoves cost more $$, and smaller stoves need smaller space in room especially when clearances are added

I think most stove companies get those sq ft numbers from houses below mason Dixon line

 

Are you experiencing low heat output because you are trying to extend your burn time? Or would it actually heat your house if you burned it on a high range and just kept feeding it wood through the night? That is what I ran into with my Hearthstone Heritage. When it was burning hot, it was great, but you would have to feed it about every 3 hours. That just did not work for me.

 

Sure seems like it.

 

I would not at all be afraid to put in an 8” Class A, then if needed later drop a 6” uninsulated liner down it. On the other site a guy keeps saying it’s not to code (duh) and illegal (I beg his pardon, but nothing mentioned either way of doing that), but who cares. A person has bigger problems if a liner fails and then the Class A fails too.

If people are that worried about it, then put in a clay liner and forget about it. They drop SS liners down those all the time.

 

Here are a couple pictures I took this morning. Stove was loaded to about 1/2 way approximately 11 hours ago. Outside temp last night was about 37° so I had the stove thermostat set to about 1/2 way. This morning, enough coals that I can stir them and easily rekindle my fire. Catalyst thermometer is still easily in the "ideal" range and my stove pipe is comfortably drafting at this temp. For whatever reason, my install just seems to be working very well. I really wonder if it's my small split wood, which is also 3 years seasoned and very dry. But, every install is different and I would never promise the next person their experience would be exactly the same. Heat output on our coldest day this winter (-11°F) was amazing and we easily kept our house (3,000 sq ft) at 77/78°. I'm extremely happy with everything about this stove. Amazing product!

 

Have you ever filled the King full? Seems like you’re only doing half loads or less? Maybe I missed it but isn’t the purpose of having a King to load it full, run it low and slow all season with a 24 hour reload schedule? Otherwise I’d think a Princess would be a better option?

 

I have. When we got down to below zero, I filled it for a good 12 hour burn. It could be my imagination, but I feel like I burn less wood and stove burns cleaner with smaller loads. I don't believe the Princess would have provided the heat output I needed to go 12 hours on the repeated sub zero days. The King put out A LOT of heat for 1/2 a day at the bitter outside temperature day after day. House temp (77°) would not even drop between loads.

Even when I burned my outdoor boiler, I burned noticably less wood on smaller loads, loading twice a day.

 

Flames burn hotter than coals.

 

I'm not sure how to notify someone to ask them a question in the thread.

BKVP, could you please comment on this?

"Have you ever filled the King full? Seems like you’re only doing half loads or less? Maybe I missed it but isn’t the purpose of having a King to load it full, run it low and slow all season with a 24 hour reload schedule? Otherwise I’d think a Princess would be a better option?"

If full loads are better, I'll change my practice today for sure.

 

Very true. A small pile of kindling and tiny splits will shoot temps right up. I love the top down burn method from a relatively cold or a full cold start.

 

What I find on shoulder season days like today (45° high), is a small fire in the morning to keep stove warm, then let it "burn out". Stove will be warm enough to keep house temp up but not too hot, and, keep coals to rekindle tonight.

 

I split on the smaller side for my old smoke dragon. Makes for a pretty clean burn that way. I know when i got the air set just right for a burn when after the burn is complete I open the firebox doors and there's a nice chocolate brown coating most places.

I've tried the top down method several times and i just can't get behind it. All that heat from the flames waisted up the flu instead of heating and then igniting the next peice of wood. Heat rises. How does the next peice of wood get warm when it's under the fire. I know under my stove temp doesn't even compare to the stove top temp at any point during a burn.

Maybe next year I'll get bored and do a little experiment. Something like same weight of all wood (kindling, med split, reg split size) and then time/record the fire and stove thermometer and room thermometer for comparison. From my experience my bottom up fires will get the room hotter and faster overall.

 

Put an @ in front of user name it will become highlighted and send them an alert

 

Awesome! Thanks for the info!

 

I find with the top down burn, the flue heats quicker on a cold stove and draws faster as well as not smoking like a banshee. I'm generous with the kindling when I do this which seems to easily light and burn the wood below it. I also start with kindling on the bottom depending on other factors such as flue temperature etc.