New Member Country Comfort CC325

[bjp0053]

Hello,

New to the forum and was looking for some guidance. The home we purchased 2 years ago has a Country Comfort CC325 installed. I had the chimney inspected and there was evidence of a chimney fire at some point. The people we bought it from had not used it in the 10+ years they lived there. We are having a full liner installed by a licensed and certified company. I do have the manual and after consulting it, have found that the stove is equipped with both secondary burn units and a "catalytic assist." The insert is currently pulled out (they're doing the liner right now.) I have confirmed that there is indeed a catalyst in the unit (looks pretty dirty and gunked up.) There is also no temperature probe equipped on the stove currently, but there is a port. My questions are: if the unit is equipped with secondary burn as well as a catalyst, is it safe to run the stove without the catalyst? Is it worth trying to clean the catalyst, or should I just replace it? If it is just "dirty" from dust, debris, etc. will it burn off when the catalyst is engaged? Last, (I think) does anyone have experience installing a wired probe into one of these units, and if so, is there a best practice to removing the plug on the unit and securing the probe in the unit? Also, any suggestions on a good wired temperature probe? The port is on the back of the unit, so it can't just be a "stem and gauge" type.

Thanks!

 

[Foxygrandpa]

Hi there,
I believe you could run without one but, the catalytic combustor can add up to 3 hours of extra burn time plus cuts way down the creosote buildup on the walls of the chimney liner. More info here in this video:
Cleaning could be done with a vinegar bath and boiling water. There are tutorials how to do it on YouTube. Or, if you have some luck, you might be able to find a new one on eBay that matches the dimensions.

Good luck!

 

[begreen]

Midwest Hearth has this cat listed:

Catalytic Combustor Country Comfort (3.875

Midwest Hearth MH-40C replacement combustors are a high-quality choice for your catalytic wood burning stove.Replacing your old combustor will help you improve your stove's efficiency, saving you money and producing less pollution. split Catalytic Combustor FAQ Catalytic Combustor Warranty...

midwesthearth.com

 

[bjp0053]

Thanks for the replies. I ended up getting a new cat for the stove, and a magnetic stovetop thermometer that I have mounted right above the doors in the middle, below the opening for the fan outlet. Not as accurate as a catalytic probe, but gives me a good ballpark. I burned in it for 2-3 days, and everything seems to be working alright. No smoke out of the chimney, looks like the secondary burn in the stove is working, and good heat from the insert. Now I just need to figure out how to get the other side of the house as warm as the side with the stove.