BrowningBAR said:jetmech said:Browning, i used a digital condar on my intrepid 1303 before i got the t5.. had a removable plug on rear of stove.. probe entered chamber right at cat on exit side. it was very usefull for monitoring temps after i engaged cat. it read from 500 to 2000 deg and usually stayed around 900 during short burn time that stove had.. if i can locate it your welcome to it...
Right now I am going to go cheap and simple on the Defiant. I might go digital on the Encore out of necessity. But, I burn the Encore at a consistently high temp (600 degrees) due to it's location. I'm know the cat is engaging properly on that stove.
I'm also thinking of doing a vertical block off plate behind the stove that cuts off air flow to most of the fireplace. I'm interested in seeing what type of difference that will make for the Encore's heating capacity. If less heat is trapped in the fireplace, that will mean I can run the stove at a lower temp, which will increase my burn times and decrease wood consumption.
Jetmech's words are a perfect example as to why a cat probe is a necessity in cat stoves. A good reason why cat stoves lost their popularity is because of temps that they are capable of which can destroy the inside of these stoves and the cats themselves will have a much shorter life span than intended. They are built to last 6-10 years, but most vc defiant and Encore owners only report 4-5 years at best. This is due to the tendency of these stoves to get up to 2000 degrees without the operator knowing. Of course with temps like that no refractory, cat or cast iron part surrounding it will survive for a long time.
The fireplace block off sounds like a great idea. By reflecting the heat out of the back area and into the kitchen, I think it'll keep the firepace from absorbing all that usefull heat. I think your kitchen will be much warmer and you will be able to burn it on lower temps. Is there any way of improving the R value of your home?