Testing the new cat

Backwoods Savage said:

engaged the cat when the stove had reached 220 degrees.

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With the old combustor, did you have to wait until it was up to 250*. That's where mine fires off easily. I'll be interested to hear "how low can you go?" Did you put in the new combustor scoop also?

The screen all the way around may cut down on ash in the combustor, Todd thought, as well as flames into the combustor. At any rate, I'm getting the steel cats and scoops for my stove, SIL's Fireview and only a steel cat for other SIL's DW. Maybe the steel screen will slow down the leaky Fireview's burn by restricting the draft. :lol: I didn't have time to rebuild it this year.

Backwoods Savage said:

What's this about a leaky Fireview?

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That's the '96 my SIL picked up for $350 several years back. :bug:
She's got over 20' of straight up interior chimney so the draft is strong. When conditions are right in the firebox, I can see small flames coming out of a couple of the corner seams through the glass, indicating that air is entering. Due to the leaks, I had to install a key damper to slow the stove down. In a 750 sq. ft. house, main level, with a loft and high ceiling, it is probably too much stove to begin with. Need to be able to run the stove slower. With the dry wood I've got her, and a new combustor, she'll probably have to leave the doors open. :lol: I need to find out about rebuilding the stove, which I think is gasketed seams, correct? I wonder if Woodstock offers some kind of rebuild manual...or I may post and ask the rebuilders here...humpin iron, etc, for some guidance.

Thanks, Dennis! Who is the builder here? WS...?

Hey guys - newbie question but how do you know when the CAT "lit's" off? Reason why I ask is I got the impression even with the CAT engaged sometimes it doesnt glow.

So, gonna' keep the Fireview, eh?
Seems like it's unanimous on the new cats.
How long will the FV hold a temp of 550-600?

Dennis, how many years/cords on the 1st cat?

I will be buying a new cat next month and am still up in the air over getting a steel one yet. think im going to. but just curious to see how you like it.

ecocavalier02 said:

I will be buying a new cat next month and am still up in the air over getting a steel one yet. think im going to. but just curious to see how you like it.

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How old is yours and how many cords?

5yrs and +- 35 cord and all is good. Must be the pine.

Backwoods Savage said:

No manual that I am aware of but you can get help from Woodstock on the rebuild. I talked to one fellow who did exactly that and it all turned out well. And don't forget, we have one of the Woodstock stove builders on this forum who can be a tremendous help. I've talked with Vaughn at Woodstock and he knows the stove well.

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Just call woodstock. when I rebuilt mine they gave me building instructions with detailed pictures. very helpfull. would have been doing a lot of guesswork without the manual

Backwoods Savage said:

north of 60 said:

Dennis, how many years/cords on the 1st cat?

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We've had the stove for 4 winters.

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That would be 25 cord or so?
Sounds like high maintenance. :lol: Enjoy the new gadget.

Yeah, I think you will like the new s/s cat, much quicker light offs. You could probably get away with engaging under 200 stove top from what I've seen from my probe thermometer, 15-20 minutes and I'm there from a cold start.

The steel cats have been plugging here. Could be the user and his wood though. Our local dealer will not carry them.

I have engaged my SS cat at 180ish stove top and had it light off. In fact, I wonder with these SS cats, given their resistance to thermal shock, if you can engage them at ANY temperature knowing that when the stove gets hot enough, they will fire off. The reason I say that is I've had the cat, at low stove top temps, light off secondaries even in bypass mode.

Bill

north of 60 said:

The steel cats have been plugging here. Could be the user and his wood though. Our local dealer will not carry them.

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That's a concern I have with them. I could clean a ceramic with a pipe cleaner if need be, but aren't the spaces too small on the steelie to get anything through it? Maybe a broom bristle or something like that...? I agree though, probably wet wood or engaging too early is what's plugging some of them...

Backwoods Savage said:

You can always watch the stove top temperature and it will go up quite quickly. But most of the time when it isn't glowing is later in the burn when there is no longer any smoke to burn.

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I received my new SS cat about 2-3 weeks ago. I've had several fires and am impressed at the low light off temps and how quickly the temp runs up. Looks like a winner. Glad you're having similar results.

Still not sure where to put the cat probe though.

My S steel one plugged pretty fast when I was burning spruce, finer honey comb, I had to remove it to vacuum it out.
Got a ceramic & now have the SS for my spare.
The ceramic has larger holes & it lets the smaller ash/sparks pass thru better.

Dennis, I thought I read on one of your posts, a while back, that the ceramic combusters were better?
Are you testing the SS ones?