Earth Stove Catalyst problem, that aint right.

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JRP3

Feeling the Heat
Sep 17, 2007
314
NYS
This morning I went to crank up the fire and when I opened the insert door I see the catalyst lying in the firebox! This is my first year with a cat insert but I'm guessing that's not where it belongs :ahhh:
The insert is an Earth Stove BV4000C and the cat looks pretty beat up, cracks, missing sections, etc., so I need a new one. The problem is that I'm not sure how it's supposed to go into the stove. The drawing in my manual is a little different than what I actually have. It seems as if when I try to push the cat into the opening as per the drawing the back of the cat hits the temp probe before it goes all the way in, so the cat is sort of hanging out of the opening. I think this is the way it was because I remember looking at the cat before it fell out and thinking it must be put in at an angle, but maybe that wasn't right since it fell out. There is a bent metal clip type thing that is supposed to hold the cat but I can't figure out how that works either. Help, it's cold out! Is it ok to run the stove without the cat in the meantime? Or maybe I'll just wedge the cat back in and run it till I figure this out.
 
JRP3,

I have the BV400C woodstove,but I think the converter goes in the same way. Left to Right (metal front facing forward). then straight in. The bent clip has a small bolt holding it in place. Loosen the bolt and push the bracket up against the converter,then tighten.

John
 
Mine doesn't have a bolt, or a place for one. Different setup I guess. I have it in place with the clip wedged in front of the cat and the lip on the top of the stove above the door. Seems like it fits, but it's a loose, "floating" fit. It doesn't seem quite right though. I'm guessing the clip was barely holding on last night, maybe got hit by a log when loading, then when it cooled down this morning it shrank a hair and fell out.
 
Couldn't figure out how to post a pic, but if you click on my profile and check out my member photo I put up a pic of the cat and clip the way I have it in place.
 

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JRP3,

Can you bend or stretch the clip to hold the converter tighter? Yours is in the same way as mine.


John
 
I added the picture for you. For more info on how to post pictures, go to the pictures forum and read the stick notes.
 
John H said:
JRP3,

Can you bend or stretch the clip to hold the converter tighter? Yours is in the same way as mine.


John

Yeah I did that a little, I just thought there would be a more positive fit.
Does yours have the temperature probe behind the cat? That's what seems to stop the cat from going back further, but I can't really tell.
Also, do you know of a place to get a replacement cat?

Test upload of the clip:
 

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BeGreen said:
I added the picture for you. For more info on how to post pictures, go to the pictures forum and read the stick notes.

Thanks. I tried it the first time but kept getting an error message, not sure why.
 
what was the error message?
 
Hmm, I think the error was "error submitting post" or something like that. I couldn't post until I removed the pictures.
 
JRP3,

Mine has a temperature probe behind the cat.(right side) There is a raised lip in the back that stops the cat from moving.
Try stove combusters.com for a new cat.


John
 
JRP3,
Mine has the honey comb also, Maybe someone else will check in with another answer? If the cat is working you will see a big temp difference in temp between the temp probe and a magnet stove temp guage on top of the stove. The cat should last years!

John
 
Oh yeah, it's still working, but I can see it's pretty beat up. Cracks, pieces missing, etc. I just think it takes a higher temp to set off than a newer one might, but at those prices I think I can live with it for a while longer. :bug:
 
It looks to be about hot x really damn hot right about now :grrr: but once it cools down I'll measure it. Thanks for the link.
 
there is a metal 'X' shape that holds the ceramic honeycombs inside the metal housing.

if the 'x' falls out the back, it will spring load the cat assembly and push it OUT of its sleeve.

I will remove mine and take a photo of the X

give me a few minutes.
 
here are pics of the BACK of the combustor unit, see the X, in and OUT of the pics.

I DO NOT have the probe installed in mine, there are two ridges on the BOTTOM of the combustor sleeve, that stop you from pushing the housing too far INSIDE the stove.

if the X falls out the back, it will get sprung between those ridges and the combustor housing.

Mine is missing the bolt/clip assembly to hold from the front, its common for these to be missing, and mine has never fallen out because of this.

check the photos.
 

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here are the diminsions and prices from condar website

the 2.00 or 3.00 depth difference supposedly happened in 1990 or so, mine has the 2" deep combustors in it, but could use the 3" deep honeycombs IF that X shaped spacer wasnt installed.
 

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Thanks for stopping by. No "x" on mine, I didn't see if it was lying in the back of the catalyst chamber but I don't think so.
I didn't measure when it was out but as I remember it looked like the 3 inch depth.
I doubt mine would stay in place without the front clip.
 
comparing your photos to mine, your combustor unit sticks out WAY more than mine.

possibly you have the 3" setup, and I have the 2"setup?

have you removed the temp probe to see if it will fit in then?

you can rig a bolt and trunion nut to hold the combustor unit inplace against teh front of the stove, or the air tube that feeds the cat.

that was my plan until I realized mine would stay in place without anything in front of it.

when the stove is cold, reach your hand inside, and feel those ridges that stop the cat unit from going too far back. maybe they have some crud built up in front of them?

EDIT.

just measured, my 'can' or metal housing for the cat is 3" deep, actual honeycomb unit is only 2"

I assume the ridges to be 2.5-2.75 inches back into that sleeve.

if you dont have the X to hold the back, what holds the honeycomb inside the metal can?



JRP3 said:
Thanks for stopping by. No "x" on mine, I didn't see if it was lying in the back of the catalyst chamber but I don't think so.
I didn't measure when it was out but as I remember it looked like the 3 inch depth.
I doubt mine would stay in place without the front clip.
 
ozarkjeep said:
comparing your photos to mine, your combustor unit sticks out WAY more than mine.

possibly you have the 3" setup, and I have the 2"setup?
Yes, that's what I think.
have you removed the temp probe to see if it will fit in then?

you can rig a bolt and trunion nut to hold the combustor unit inplace against teh front of the stove, or the air tube that feeds the cat.

that was my plan until I realized mine would stay in place without anything in front of it.
Well the clip is working, I was just expecting a more "positive" lock. The stove was designed to use the probe so it must belong there.
if you dont have the X to hold the back, what holds the honeycomb inside the metal can?
The honeycomb is tight inside the can, there seems to be some gasket type material wrapped around the honeycomb keeping it tight.
 
measure your metal can.

mine is 3" deep

Mine had the gasket material too, I removed it the last time I cleaned the combustor unit and hae simply not replaced it yet.

I think that we have the SAME metal cans, you have a longer honeycomb, and my X part is a spacer possibly.

mine has the block off bolt in place of the temp probe, its nearly 3 " behind the front lip of the cmbustor sleeve. it should NOT keep your metal can as far out as it is in your pics.

you need to reach up in there, and figure out whats keeping the cat from getting fully seated against those ridges on the bottom of the sleeve chamber thingy.




JRP3 said:
ozarkjeep said:
comparing your photos to mine, your combustor unit sticks out WAY more than mine.

possibly you have the 3" setup, and I have the 2"setup?
Yes, that's what I think.
have you removed the temp probe to see if it will fit in then?

you can rig a bolt and trunion nut to hold the combustor unit inplace against teh front of the stove, or the air tube that feeds the cat.

that was my plan until I realized mine would stay in place without anything in front of it.
Well the clip is working, I was just expecting a more "positive" lock. The stove was designed to use the probe so it must belong there.
if you dont have the X to hold the back, what holds the honeycomb inside the metal can?
The honeycomb is tight inside the can, there seems to be some gasket type material wrapped around the honeycomb keeping it tight.
 
Yeah I'll have to check when the stove cools down. I just thought that maybe this is a replacement cat and it originally had the smaller cat in it, that's why it's hitting the temp probe and sticking out.
 
I have not seen any in that size configuration that are deeper than 3 inches.
its a pretty common combuster size among a few different stove manufacturers.

yeah, I think you are to the point of having to get your hands dirty with a flashlight, and get in there and figure out what in the hell youve got going on.

Ive been looking at a new cat also, this seems interesting.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Catalytic-Combu...ryZ41987QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


JRP3 said:
Yeah I'll have to check when the stove cools down. I just thought that maybe this is a replacement cat and it originally had the smaller cat in it, that's why it's hitting the temp probe and sticking out.
 
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