Potential problems with BK's regarding cat temps..

[Northof49th]

A dealer told me last week that some BK owners don't run the cat hot enough, and/or they fill the box up too much, then they're disappointed in the performance. So my question is, if the cat is engaged in the active zone, isn't it hot enough? I guess I should have asked her to clarify..(I don't own a stove yet, looking at options.)

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Take this with a grain of salt coming from someone who has only run non-cat stoves. I’d bet good money that the issue is dryness of the wood. At the end of the day, poor fuel accounts for most stove related issues.

 

[Highbeam]

You can't fill the box up too much. Some salesmen (or women) really have no idea what they're talking about.

As long as your cat meter is in the active range and stays there it is working properly. I prefer to keep things a bit warmer to keep the flue clean and minimize visible emissions. Also be sure to calibrate your cat meter per the owner's manual.

 

[Ashful]

The dealer is misinformed, or else you misunderstood what they were saying. As long as needle remains in the active region, you are good to go. Furthermore, you can't put "too much wood" in the box.

That said, many do not realize there is range on the thermostat knob below the stall point of any given setup. Maybe that's to what the dealer was referring.

 

[begreen]

Furthermore, you can't put "too much wood" in the box.

Often correct, but there is an exception in the case that the wood is too dry or the pieces of wood are small. That can overwhelm the cat.