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BK Princess or Princess 32?

Discussion in 'Modern EPA Stoves and Fireplaces' started by Mike13, Jul 1, 2019.

  1. Mike13

    Mike13

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    Went to a BK dealer today to check out the stoves in person and get prices. They quoted me $2595 for a Princess parlor- black door and legs with a blower. Or $2895 for a Princess 32 with the same options. My question to you fine folks is whether the 32 is worth the extra $300? I’m leaning towards saving the $300 and buying the regular Princess.

    Also, where is a good place to buy 6” double wall telescoping pipe? They offered me the telescoping pipe and two adapters for $199 if I purchased the stove from them.

    Any input is appreciated. Thanks!



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  2. papadave

    papadave

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    Hey Mike. I think I got a quote of around $3000 for a Princess about 5 years ago up here.
    Check Amazon for 2X wall stove pipe. I don't remember what I paid for mine that goes up to 70-72", but I'm sure it was less than that.
    What are the adapters for?
     
  3. Highbeam

    Highbeam

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    Depending on the brand, you may need an appliance adapter at the stove and an adapter at the ceiling to get onto the ceiling box. I have both on my duravent system.
     
  4. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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  5. Canadian border VT

    Canadian border VT

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    Last edited: Jul 3, 2019
  6. Mike13

    Mike13

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    Do you remember which adapters you used at the stove and at the ceiling box? I’m wondering if I can use the current ceiling box setup and just get the stove adapter.


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  7. Highbeam

    Highbeam

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    The ceiling adapter at the square ceiling box is pretty important. Duravent (or whatever their new brand name is) released an adapter that screws into the ceiling support box and has a proper double wall snout that hooks up to your first section of double wall just like another section of double wall. It's pretty slick.

    The appliance adapter at the stove is needed for the BK because they use a really wide collar. Without the stove adapter the bottom of the double wall will be a sloppy, loose, leaky connection. Some other brands, like my old hearthstone, have a smarter stove collar and the double wall snout taper mates up perfectly.

    Depending on what you have at the ceiling now, it might be perfectly usable.
     
  8. Hoytman

    Hoytman

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    Make sure you get all the specifics from your BK dealer. Wasn't until about my 3rd trip over to the dealer that they revealed to me that "I had to buy new liner pipe from them" before they would install the stove...even if I went with the King model with it's 8" flue pipe. My clay liner wasn't good enough for them, but it seems to satisfy building code...even today. That turned me away from them...regardless of what brands they sell.
     
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  9. Mike13

    Mike13

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    [​IMG]

    This is what is currently up in the box to accommodate the single wall pipe from our NC-30 to the ceiling box. Wondering if that will also work with double wall? Any one know if that’s the case? It’d be awesome to not have to get up in the attic in the 18” of insulation that we blew in up there.


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  10. moresnow

    moresnow

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    I went to double wall a couple years ago on my BK. No adapter required in my case for either end. The new pipe comes with a band that covers the upper connection as it looks a bit odd. No sweat. The stove collar fit is very snug and takes some finesse to re-attach after running the lower portion of slip joint up to use my Sooteater. A buddy has his setup exactly the same on his Princess.
    There was a BK owner on another forum last season who thought he needed a adapter for the collar. He found out he did not. This pipe comes shipped from Menards. It is not stocked in stores. Less than what you have been quoted by enough to have a look. Good luck. Enjoy the new toy!
     
  11. moresnow

    moresnow

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  12. Mike13

    Mike13

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  13. fox9988

    fox9988

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    Any noticeable difference in performance? Better draft? Lose of heat from the pipe?
     
  14. moresnow

    moresnow

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    BK stoves are notorious for very very low exhaust temps. This often results in significant build up inside the exhaust system. Double wall reduced this build up big time. It simply keeps the exhaust temps high enough that there is much less crap that cools/condenses and sticks to the inside of the pipe. I also felt that the stove performance overall was definitely better. I found that the stove could be dialed down further to run longer with the new pipe. Surely that reflects on enhanced draft. No scientific proof. Just seat of the pants so to speak:)

    Bottom line. There is no way I would go back to single wall on this type of stove. Its actually factory recommended in the operators manual.
     
  15. Mike13

    Mike13

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    [​IMG]

    Pulled the trigger on a Princess Parlor with fans. Paid $2700 out the door and the dealer gave me 10 packs of enviro-bricks. Feel like I got a fair price on the unit. Can’t wait for fall to get it going!


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    Last edited: Jul 23, 2019
  16. Hoytman

    Hoytman

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    Nice!
    I noticed you didn't get one with an ash pan. Not sure if you could get an ash pan with those legs on the BK Princess.

    I know your NC30 has a small ash pan with those legs or the pedestal.

    With some brands of stoves, you either get a pedestal and a large ash pan, or none at all with those style legs. BK may be one of those brands, I don't recall.





    Here's a question for the guru's...
    What's the lowest stack temperature where a creosote isn't a worry in a chimney in a "matched system" (stove/chimney size)?
     
  17. Mike13

    Mike13

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    I chose not to get the ash pan. The opening on the parlor model is very small in my opinion. however, we like the look of the parlor better than the ultra or classic. I figure I could scoop ashes into a bucket faster than using the small opening and pan. Maybe some day I’ll change my mind.

    I do believe the ash pan system is larger on the Ultra models.


    I found myself using a shovel and bucket for ashes in the NC-30 as well.


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  18. Highbeam

    Highbeam

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    The optional ash pan on the parlor is really weird looking IMO. I think you did well to avoid it. The ultra (mine) has the much bigger ash pan but due to the 6" deep ash belly on these stoves you need to fill and dump the ashpan multiple times to do the job. I do use the ash pan but only because it seems to release less ash into the living room than shoveling. It also reminds me to empty the ashes more often so that I have to make less ash pan loads and so that I can maintain more firebox volume free for wood!

    The NC30 ash pan is a freaking joke. No bigger than a book and that large stove holds a lot of ash before it spills out the loading door. 100% shovel for me on that one.
     
  19. Highbeam

    Highbeam

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    I've been through a few cats and several years of cleanings with this BK and have come to settle on 400 internal flue temperatures measured with the flue probe 18" above the stove as the best compromise between low burn rate and enough heat to keep the smoke from condensing. That allows for about 5 cords of wood and no more than an annual cleaning. Some people run even colder which is great for efficiency and ultra long burn times but in my install I have found it to make a mess of the chimney, cap, and of course the glass on the door.

    I am burning evergreens though with a very long burn season of about 9 months. 90% of the time the stove is on this low setting.
     
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  20. Hoytman

    Hoytman

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    I prefer the parlor style myself, but with stoves with much larger ash pans, that would be a very nice feature. It's one reason I was eyeing the Drolet Myriad II. However, I also worry about an over fire situation from air infiltrating the firebox through the ash pan door area on some stoves. I don't think the Drolet is gasketed on the ash pan door and could be sealed off, per se, from the fire box by the plug...though I doubt even the plugs in some of these stoves make them air tight. With coal stoves, a leaking ash pan door can spell disaster. Decisions...decisions...