Progress Hybrid Cat Cleaning Intervals?

[kayakkeith]

So checking on how often others clean their cat.....seems mine needs cleaning after only a couple days...

May just be the wood I am burning but seems to start getting clogged up after a week or so....

I then just take out and blow it clean with a air compressor and brush it off a bit with a soft brush...

Just wondering if others are about the same interval...

 

[fire_man]

I had a really bad clogging problem when I was burning Cottonwood. The wood was covered for over two years so was pretty dry but I had to clean the cat every week.

When I burn seasoned Oak or Beach I can go over 3 weeks between cleanings and there is barely any flyash in the cat. I think the variables are how well is the wood seasoned, and spieces of wood. Also you need to get the firebox up to temperature before engaging the cat so it so becomes active quickly.

 

[toddnic]

So checking on how often others clean their cat.....seems mine needs cleaning after only a couple days...

May just be the wood I am burning but seems to start getting clogged up after a week or so....

I then just take out and blow it clean with a air compressor and brush it off a bit with a soft brush...

Just wondering if others are about the same interval...

Kayakkeith, I know that you must be enjoying your Progress Hybrid. Here are a few things related to your question.

1. Don't ever use an air compressor to blow out your catalytic combustor. There is a special coating on the combustor which will come off when high-pressure air is used to clean it. Woodstock Soapstone Company specifically warns against doing this. I normally use a vacuum and then blow through the "bee-hive" structure in the combustor with my mouth. If you have done this a lot, you may need to order a new combustor.

2. If you have a very strong draft, it is possible that your stove is pulling too much ash into the combustor. How strong is your draft and how much air are you allowing into the stove once you have engaged the combustor?

3. What type of wood are you burning?

4. I typically clean my combustor every two to three weeks. It normally isn't that bad but I like to make sure that I am getting the best burn possible.

Hope this helps!

 

[fire_man]

Toddnic makes a really good point about not using compressed air!

Also there is anecdotal evidence that a Progress with no ashpan is more susceptible to a clogged cat.

Does yours have an ashpan?

 

[Highbeam]

When my cats approach end of life they start accumulating debris much faster.

You can certainly use compressed air to clean a cat. Just not high pressure air. So turn down the regulator to 30 and blast away. Alternatively, you can use the canned air.