Ideal steel 210 or any cat stove Fog lurking in the firebox

[pontiacgta2002]

Hello,
This is my first CAT stove the Ideal Steel Hybrid and noticed that there is a heavy fog like substance lurking around the bottom inside the firebox. I suppose it's just dense smoke and that the CAT feeds off of? I imagine this happens on other CAT stoves as well. Thoughts other experience this as well?

 

[quotejso]

A fog hmmmm must be smoke. How's your draft?

 

[pontiacgta2002]

A fog hmmmm must be smoke. How's your draft?

Draft is all good. I figure it's a CAT stove thing as the CAT's engaged and the air shut down to about 10% open. ST temp is hanging around 500 and the temp gauge near the CAT is hanging at 750. Just wondering if any other CAT users are seeing this as well.

 

[TheRambler]

Is it just a haze on the glass or is it actual smoke inside the firebox your seeing? I have a PH and definitely dont see this.

In fact the only time i ever see smoke in the firebox is maybe for a period of 1-3 minutes after a reload before it starts to catch.

If its actual smoke your seeing i would assume that your draft just isn't quite strong enough at your current air setting. That may improve as it gets colder out though. If you set the air a notch or two higher does it go away?

 

[pontiacgta2002]

Oh it's definitely a heavy smoke/fog and not the glass haze. I'll try to video it the next burn I have Friday night.I will play with the air control and see if i can make this fog disappear.Going down to the low 30's starting Friday night for a week. Can't wait to do the 24x7 burns when it gets cold enough. Once the logs are good and chard i lower the air in stages until its down to 10% air supply and the long burn begins. Can see red hot coals below the logs and cat glowing.

 

[TheRambler]

Out of curiosity, how tall is your chimney?

 

[pontiacgta2002]

It's 21 foot tall.

 

[quotejso]

Well as long as it stays in the stove

 

[begreen]

How is the cat temp?

 

[pontiacgta2002]

The temp gauge I have at the front center just above the door hangs at 750 while the ST is 500. I monitor the stove top back right of the top exhaust plate. I connect the chimney to the back.

 

[begreen]

Good, the cat is active it's burning up the smoke. If none coming from the chimney the stove sounds like it is working properly. As it gets cooler outside that smoke should disappear when more heat is needed.

 

[TheRambler]

Good point. Do you see visible smoke coming out of the chimney?

 

[JA600L]

All the heat is above the firebox so it is not as hot in there. This time of the year I really run the stove hot for a while before closing it down. This sort of boosts the draft before I do the cat only burn.

 

[jeff_t]

When I could see through the glass of my BK, there would definitely be a lot of smoke in there with no flame. The geometry of the firebox and the airflow didn't allow for any smoke to hang anywhere. It was a swirling, turbulent cloud. It's a bit disconcerting at first, but the glowing cat and clean chimney means all is well.

 

[pontiacgta2002]

The fog/smoke is moving around it's not just siting still. I will play with the air supply on my next fire probably late this evening. I'll see if the cat engaged or not shows a difference in the fog/smoke appearing.

 

[JA600L]

It's probably just the air wash.

 

[pontiacgta2002]

All the heat is above the firebox so it is not as hot in there. This time of the year I really run the stove hot for a while before closing it down. This sort of boosts the draft before I do the cat only burn.

What are you doing to run it hot. Full air no cat or with cat?

 

[pontiacgta2002]

What are you doing to run it hot. Full air no cat or with cat?

I've come to the conclusion that the pine was causing the fog. I tested this by burning just hard wood and had no fog effect. I then added half pine and half hardwood. The result was some dense fog at the very bottom of the stove. I then opened the air and burned hotter before turning the air back. This has eliminated the fog effect all together.

 

[JA600L]

I've come to the conclusion that the pine was causing the fog. I tested this by burning just hard wood and had no fog effect. I then added half pine and half hardwood. The result was some dense fog at the very bottom of the stove. I then opened the air and burned hotter before turning the air back. This has eliminated the fog effect all together.

Glad you figured it out.