I've got a question for BK owners

I'm with S&W, King.

 

You guys be crazy.
Hmmmm, the King is a huge stove.
Pretty sure the Sirocco 30 is a good size for me.
BBar has been telling me to go big too.

 

Dave, on the surface the King looks big, but it's not overwhelming in it's size. It's actually rather petite, compared to some of the smaller steam locomotives you've seen in old pictures. Seriously, I'd not hesitate to stick one in a smaller place, as small as 800 sq.ft. You really can dial them down low, and the extra capacity of the King would be a plus, both in the shoulder season and the dead of winter. If you can swing it, go for the King.

 

This doesn't apply for a cat stove that can be dialed way down!

 

I've contended in the past that maintaining a stove temp of, say 550-600, for an extended time (longer than 2-3 hours) would keep me happy.
Running my stove is like riding a roller coaster. Up, up, up, up, then dooooooowwwwn. Think of a bell curve.
What I need is this -------------------------------------------------
BK's can do this either low and slow or high and fast, but still extended.
I want one. Nay, I NEED one.

 

Or.....wait until the Ideal Steel is further tested. For the price point, this stove may be hard to beat.

 

I think I posted this in another thread recently, but my stove is similar in outside dimensions to the Sirocco 30.
Stove outside dimensions....25"w x 33"h x 21"d.
Usable firebox is 23"w x 17-18"d x maybe 11"h. W/o bricks (which is a pointless prick measuring exercise), it's an inch wider and deeper. Splits are mostly 16" nowadays. There's also more room in the box above the door opening that I rarely use just because when I try, splits get stuck and become potential firesticks in my hand.
Pretty sure I don't need a bigger firebox than the one's I've mentioned as long as I can do a steady state burn where I need it, and for long stretches.
2 loads a day would be like heaven in the dead of winter, but I'd be more than happy with 3. Very easy schedules.
Less wood use....double heaven.
I've begun to rant and ramble.....must be getting tired.

 

I want one. Nay, I NEED one.

Be quit an upgrade from the 1985 one your running now

 

No offense to anyone who likes the IS, but I just don't like the look.
I've said it from day one.
I'm being nice.

 

Oh yeah Dave, no doubt in my mind....at all.
I can't wait. Well, I have to, but you get the point.

 

Your interior capacity isn't much less than the King. (well, maybe a little bit..), But my Parlor is 30" wide, 36" tall, and a rough 28" deep from back of fans to ash lip. Yep, it's bigger but not a whole bunch. I can tap my hand against the sides without being burned, even with a stove top temp of 500+.

 

What still amazes me, I can quick touch the double wall stove pipe when the stove is cranking & not get burned.
On low , long burns, I can hold my hand on it.
Not much heat going up the stack

Which means on restart reloads. You have to get a good draft going &
heat the stack before closing the bypass.

I crack the door before reloads to get the flu warmed up & it drafting strong, if enough hot coals are in there
Saves smoke puffing out during reloads.

 

I'd argue that his home is only 1200 sq ft and the Princess would do the job... But I'm looking for a used King to heat 700 sq ft. So, who am I to talk...

 

That's cuz you are running a pre-EPA stove. The Vigilant ran like that. He'll, going to an EPA non-cat stove was super easy. Any Modern stove will give you a more even burn than what you are currently dealing with.

 

Heating with a wood stove takes some learning
Can't shut it off to 0 BTU when it's to warm.
Took me a while to heat at 40° & higher outside temps
,still I have to open windows sometimes

 

Not exactly sure how to answer that. It puts out decent heat but burn times stink. Some of the issue is the wood I'm guessing but it is almost the only thing available to me unless I travel around and buy it a few face cords at a time.

The chimney is only 13' and I know that is an issue but the warden doesn't want a "cell tower" sticking out of the roof.

Biggest issue is the peaks and valleys in the house temp because of the short burn times of the VC.

 

How short are the burn times and what type of wood are you using?

 

Mostly soft maple and the occasional piece of ash or birch. Moisture meter says 15%ish on most pieces freshly re-split.

Usually down to semi small bed of coals in under 4 hours with the stove still pretty warm. Tried both with or without cat engaged. No difference.

Also doesn't seem to have any air leaks. I can damm near snuff the fire out by closing the air all the way down.

 

I'm getting 5-6 hours of stove temps over 300 on pine.

Also, don't run entire loads with the damper open. It puts a lot of heat pn the damper casting and can cause warping and sagging.

 

With the cat engaged, I close the damper down so there is just a slight flame jumping around to keep the gasses burned off and stop the occasional puffing of smoke. Short chimney syndrome and less than perfect draft being the biggest cause of this I'm thinking.