Jotul firelight model 12 How do you monitor the cat?

[jsb]

I am getting ready to order parts for a rebuild and was wondering how other firelight 12 users monitor their cats. I have had this stove since 1997 and have replaced the cat a total of 4 times including this current rebuild for a total of five cats. I have always just used the temperature of the stove top to indicate when I engage the cat. How do any of you do it. I am thinking about getting a cat temp probe for the rear of the stove but really wonder how useful it would be, seeing that I would have to go around to the back of the stove to read it. I also thought about the digital remote type but that cost about $80.00. What do you use?
Thanks.
Also how often do you change cats?
What cat do you prefer, Ceramic or steel? why?

 

[Ashful]

I'm only one season into using this 1993 Firelight 12, left in the house by the previous owners. Like you, I monitor stove top temperature (with my hand, not a thermometer) to determine when to engage the cat. Burning in daylight hours (weekends), the light-off of the cat is quite obvious when watching smoke pour from the chimney. By experimenting with engaging at different stove top temperatures, I have a pretty good feeling for when the cat is going to light off.

While the hand can be a very accurate measurement device, this is not so scientific, in that the stove top temperature doesn't always correspond to catalytic converter temperature. However, I feel that burning wood should not be that scientific an endeavor, and should involve some gut feeling to make it properly fun.

I replaced what may have been the original 1993 cat a ceramic cat from Condar last fall, but had a problem with the design for this stove, so they swapped it out for a steel cat in February. That seems to be working well for me so far. Whatever you use, make sure it does NOT have an expanding gasket around the perimeter, or it will damage your soft refractory.

I read you should get 3 - 5 years out of this cat, depending on usage. Looks like you're getting 3.75 years per cat, on average, so you're in the zone. Carry on.