StoveCombustors.com cat

[EatenByLimestone]

I finally replaced the old cat with the new last night. I figured, since the weather is strangely too warm to start a fire I might as well sweep the stove pipe out and make sure it's safe to use. I figured it will also tell me if I was running the stove correctly.

Well the pipe was quite dirty. I didn't measure the crap I took out... don't know that I want to, but it sure had more in it than the half jar I've seen some of you say came out of your chimney. Hopefully most of it came from when I had first started lighting up the stove and had not figured out how to keep the fire burning right. I'll break everything down again in December just to make sure it's clean(er?). I looked into the chimney when I removed the thimble and it looked strangely clean in comparison. I can't wait to get a brush to run through it. Hopefully I'll be able to pick one up this weekend.

Anyway, curosity was killing me and I had to light a small fire tonight. Tonight is also too warm to get a real fire going, but it's a new gadget in the stove. I had to test out the light off at 380 degrees off their site. I lit a fire and let it bring the probe thermometer up to just under 500 before I flipped the baffle. I think the probe thermometer exagerates a bit so I'm thinking the temp was around 400. Within a minute it starting to tick up. Within a few minutes it was registering 800. I left the room and it was 1100 when I came back in. The odd thing was the temp on the probe I have stuck to the door. I lit the fire far enough back that it only registered 150. It really was a small fire.

So, I'm convinced the cat does, in fact light off at a much lower temp than the old one did. I'm quite impressed with it. I went outside and shined a light up at the top of the chimney. It's burning clean!

While much of this was going around I went over the stove looking for air leaks. I found a few that I will try to plug when the stove cools down.

Matt

 

[DavidV]

Mine are on year three. I like them.

 

[elkimmeg]

Last month we had an epic debate about cat vs non cat. It was my contention that the aftermarket cats, from stovecombustor.com expanded the ignition heat range, from OEM 500 degrees to 380, about a 24% improvement. It is refreshing for another member's experience to confirm this point. There is very little one can do to improve stove preformance plug leaks and add a more effecient cat combustor. VC has told me,that they are going to use the Everburn technology and add a super effecient combustor. One that will ignite at 300 degrees or less. This would increase the range 40% or more
Trader got your ears on care to comment now? I did not make up the 380 ignition. Really, I have to thank David V for pioneering this product.

BTW stovecombustors recomends the 50/50 vinegar/ water solution for cleaning. I recomend also using pipe cleaners and compressed air and a shop vac combination
Cleaning is condusive for top preformance and effeciency. That is why I do it at the start of the season and at mid season.

 

[Roospike]

The information that cat combustors degrade over time ................
Is light off temp one of the showing signs of a degrading cat ?
With normal cleaning of the cat what are the degrading signs over time?
I know they get less efficient but can we break the information down in detail.

And no , these are not baited questions to turn into a "shoot out" thread of Cat vs Non-cat .

 

[Todd]

The information that cat combustors degrade over time ................
Is light off temp one of the showing signs of a degrading cat ?
With normal cleaning of the cat what are the degrading signs over time?
I know they get less efficient but can we break the information down in detail.

And no , these are not baited questions to turn into a "shoot out" thread of Cat vs Non-cat .

One sign is the red glow of the cat. After awhile it doesn't glow as much but still works.
Other signs are stove temps and smoke out the chimney. I guess lite off could be one too.

 

[Sandor]

It would be great to track degradation.

Todd, I know you have the probe thermometer. Did you notice anything from the beginning to the end of the year?

And thanks for sharing that info 'stone.

 

[DavidV]

The stovecombustors.com cats are inexpensive enough that if I only got 3-4 years out of a set I could deal with that. I paid about $120 for the set. If I can get 5 or more years from the set it's a bonus.
7 years is the figure I have seen bantered about and I think that is based on the replacement gurantee that used to come with the honeycomb type.

 

[ozarkjeep]

is that extra 24% of improvement really worth the $125 cost difference between this combustor?

https://appliedceramics.com/default.aspx?id=64&category=388

I guess it is, with the warranty, and better engineering and design, it does LOOK visably different.

has anyone used the CHEAPEST ones out there? isnt it possible they are better now to ( compared to older factory shipped cats)

 

[Todd]

It would be great to track degradation.

Todd, I know you have the probe thermometer. Did you notice anything from the beginning to the end of the year?

And thanks for sharing that info 'stone.

I purchased the stove last Feb, and didn't get the probe til this year.

How long have you had your Keystone? Is the cat still glowing like before?

 

[Todd]

I finally replaced the old cat with the new last night. I figured, since the weather is strangely too warm to start a fire I might as well sweep the stove pipe out and make sure it's safe to use. I figured it will also tell me if I was running the stove correctly.

Well the pipe was quite dirty. I didn't measure the crap I took out... don't know that I want to, but it sure had more in it than the half jar I've seen some of you say came out of your chimney. Hopefully most of it came from when I had first started lighting up the stove and had not figured out how to keep the fire burning right. I'll break everything down again in December just to make sure it's clean(er?). I looked into the chimney when I removed the thimble and it looked strangely clean in comparison. I can't wait to get a brush to run through it. Hopefully I'll be able to pick one up this weekend.

Anyway, curosity was killing me and I had to light a small fire tonight. Tonight is also too warm to get a real fire going, but it's a new gadget in the stove. I had to test out the light off at 380 degrees off their site. I lit a fire and let it bring the probe thermometer up to just under 500 before I flipped the baffle. I think the probe thermometer exagerates a bit so I'm thinking the temp was around 400. Within a minute it starting to tick up. Within a few minutes it was registering 800. I left the room and it was 1100 when I came back in. The odd thing was the temp on the probe I have stuck to the door. I lit the fire far enough back that it only registered 150. It really was a small fire.

So, I'm convinced the cat does, in fact light off at a much lower temp than the old one did. I'm quite impressed with it. I went outside and shined a light up at the top of the chimney. It's burning clean!

While much of this was going around I went over the stove looking for air leaks. I found a few that I will try to plug when the stove cools down.

Matt

Hey Matt,
How long did you go between cleanings? How old was the cat you replaced? What kind of stove?

 

[Sandor]

It would be great to track degradation.

Todd, I know you have the probe thermometer. Did you notice anything from the beginning to the end of the year?

And thanks for sharing that info 'stone.

I purchased the stove last Feb, and didn't get the probe til this year.

How long have you had your Keystone? Is the cat still glowing like before?

I burnt the Keystone all last year. Moved in with the women this past summer, and the soapstone is sitting in storage!! And its killing me.

We are burning the Resolute Acclaim now.

I would like to build a new hearth and install the Keystone in the house. But I don't own the house, and the M word is totally freaking me out. Never been married before.

Oddly, moving the Keystone in is more of a commitment than moving my bed in. Oh, maybe the bed weighs less.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

First year running the stove. The stove was made some where between 88 and 90 and is a CD Federal Airtight Rocky Mountain. I have no idea how old the cat was. It may have been original. It still lit off, but that may not mean anything.

It's in the 30s tonight. I got the stove going strong. While writing this email I got up and looked at the cat temp. The probe is peged and the surface temp is 750-800. I've dampered down the stove to where the intakes are closed and opened the exhaust damper to bypass the cat and dump the heat. The exhaust damper won't open all the way... probably expanded too much. I'm going to be watching it carefully to get it cooled down. This may take some getting used to.


Matt

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Ok. Down to 1400 from over 1700 for the probe. Stove top temp down to 550.

The cleaned pipe undoubtedly is helping draft... I wonder if I really increased draft that much...

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Stove is back to a comfortable operating temp...

Lets try this again with the intake damper open half the amount it used to need before the cleanout and new cat.

 

[Todd]

It would be great to track degradation.

Todd, I know you have the probe thermometer. Did you notice anything from the beginning to the end of the year?

And thanks for sharing that info 'stone.

I purchased the stove last Feb, and didn't get the probe til this year.

How long have you had your Keystone? Is the cat still glowing like before?

I burnt the Keystone all last year. Moved in with the women this past summer, and the soapstone is sitting in storage!! And its killing me.

We are burning the Resolute Acclaim now.

I would like to build a new hearth and install the Keystone in the house. But I don't own the house, and the M word is totally freaking me out. Never been married before.

Oddly, moving the Keystone in is more of a commitment than moving my bed in. Oh, maybe the bed weighs less.

She must be the one if you can put your stove in storage. Sounds like true love! :lol: