2024/25 VC performance discussion thread

[begreen]

Agreed. I am relying on the heat pump more now to deal with these moderate condtions. Next week we should be lighting up again.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

My stove this fall has lacked a little on the performance end. Iv chalked it up to the warm temperatures and more of the lack of draft more then anything. Last nigh I lit the stove around 7pm and did a little burn. Stove has been getting to temperatures fine, but getting the catalyst to engage has been a struggle. Its the same steel cat that I used all last year, I had no issues at all at the end of the season.

I put in a new steel cat in this afternoon and engage the damper and what do you know, catalyst shoots right up to 950 and settled in staying right there.

I dont get it. I can't see how my cat died over the summer with no use. I didn't even clean the stove out, all the ash and everything left from the fire last night is still in there.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Seriously.. anyone have a cat die over the summer with no use or even heard of it.

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

Seriously.. anyone have a cat die over the summer with no use or even heard of it.

Moisture over the summer? I've never taken my cat out in the summer so no idea. Also never used the metal one. Still sitting in a box on a shelf in my basement

 

[sargeott]

Seriously.. anyone have a cat die over the summer with no use or even heard of it.

I'm not sure how our cats are made, but typically the catylist is impregnated with the precious metals that cause the reaction when the smoke particles hit it. Do they have a shelf life? IDK
We already know that condensation or moisture in the smoke can harm the cat, I wonder if the same is true for general condensation sitting for a few months...
Ammonia bath time?

 

[Todd]

I would try a 50/50 distilled water/vinegar bath on it.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I had another steel cat so zi just dropped it in

And man what a difference a good catalyst makes

 

[Mreif]

I had another steel cat so zi just dropped it in

And man what a difference a good catalyst makes

Agreed, just did the something. What brand do you use? The only metal one I can find for my encore 2040 catc is from midwest hearth. Measurements are 12.75" long x 2"deep x1" high. Wish steelcat made this size. The last one didn't seem to last to long. Looked ok but just wasn't engaging and staying engaged like it should.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Agreed, just did the something. What brand do you use? The only metal one I can find for my encore 2040 catc is from midwest hearth. Measurements are 12.75" long x 2"deep x1" high. Wish steelcat made this size. The last one didn't seem to last to long. Looked ok but just wasn't engaging and staying engaged like it should.

you used to be able to buy directly from ceramiatech.. but no longer.. you have to go through midwest.. kinad sucks

I got a replacement off Amazon.. free delivery

 

[Woodsplitter67]

So tonight is the first overnight burn of the year..All seams to be running smoothly.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

So here is how my stove ran last night. Obviously the stove was running yesterday afternoon and I reloaded on a warm stove. Catalyst temperatures was around 750, coals at the bottom at reload at 7pm exactly last night. I loaded with oak thick square splits. I could have packed it tighter. 5 splits were used. At exactly 11 hours this is what was left in the stove. SST was around 400 and catalyst was 500

Good first overnight burn if the season

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I Just burned off the glass with what was left in the box and with 2 small splits. I loaded 3 uglies in the box and have it turned down to 1/4 air to keeo the glass clean while burning for the long haul.. in an hour or so. Ill probably cut back the air all the way once its off gassed and let it sit like this the rest of the afternoon

I did an ok job on the glass as you can see it burned pretty clean

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Stove setting in now.. SST At 472 cat at 1130

Like it cold out

 

[Woodsplitter67]

So this was my stove this morning at 7.30 am dialed back all the way

 

[Eman85]

First burn started yesterday with temps in the 40's and predicted 20's overnight. Let it get a good start on about 1/2 box full, flipped the damper and cut the air at 1000*. Stove performed like a champ with the cat rising to high 1200's and cruising. About 2 hrs before bed time I reloaded to 3/4 box full and the cat recovered nicely and I cut the air at 1000*, checked on it and the cat temp had dropped below 800* so I had to open the air and get the temp back up. It finally responded and I cut the air back and all went well maxxed out at 1250*. Woke to a good amount of glowing coals so I opened the air and the cat rose back to 700's. Reloaded to 3/4 box again and got the cat to 1000* and cut it back. Sitting here nice and warm, cat at 1280*, outside temps about 30*. Pretty satisfied with the first burn of the year.

 

[Eman85]

Figured I'd follow up, couldn't add to previous post.
Let the stove roll came back in the house at around 4 and all I did was open the air, cat was down and I wanted the house warm as it was getting cool out. Went back out to work and just came in at almost 7 house is warm cat cooled down still have enough coals to get the fire going again with a few small splits. Hope it keeps going like this as it will be 24 hr. burns for a while, whether is staying cold,

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

Been burning since Friday continuously. House has been 67-70 the entire time. Going to let it go out tomorrow when I head in to the office and clean it out. Then repeat this till it has to be cleaned again. So much easier to run like this instead of constant cold starts

 

[arnermd]

Seriously.. anyone have a cat die over the summer with no use or even heard of it.

I have had issues in the fall with cat light off, but I have so many other things going on it may not be a good data point.....

My old ceramic cat has been struggling to get to temp, needed a lot of time and a lot of air. I question weather or not the cat is just completely dead and the only reason I am getting secondary combustion is because eventually I got the ceramic up to auto ignition temp....

This weekend I took my old steel cat and gave it a hot vinegar bath. Couple hours in a pan on the stove with 50/50 distilled water and white vinegar. Popped it in 2 days ago and voila, what a difference. Stove is burning great. Peak cat temps at 1300 for short bursts, most of time 1000 - 1200F with 50% air. No smoke and glass is mostly clean.... happy days.

I am on vacation till New Years, got a big pot of pea soup cooking on the stove all day with not one but TWO ham bones.... Living large, life is good.

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

The last time I made pea soup I crop dusted every room I went in for a week

Let the stove go cold to clean and decided to try the metal cat. Will report back later on the difference from the ceramic

 

[Eman85]

You know just when you feel good about running the stove it just all goes to pieces. Had to leave for a day so we let the stove go cold. Lit it this afternoon when we got home nice fire good coals loaded 1/2 box and got the cat over 1,000 and cut the air back. Cat started dropping so I opened air and got the heat back up. Running good cat cruising about 1100 and I left the house for a while. Came back and got the news from my wife the stove had puffed smoke. I opened the air and let it get hot, reloaded another 1/2 box and let the cat get over 1,000 and cut the air back to about half. Cat went down and then came back up about 1300. Felt good about it and went in the other room. A couple of hours in I could smell the smoke. Checked the stove, cat at 1150 air at 1/2 outdoor temp 26* and I watched the stove flash over and puff smoke. I shut the air down all of the way, cat dropped to 950.

 

[arnermd]

You know just when you feel good about running the stove it just all goes to pieces. Had to leave for a day so we let the stove go cold. Lit it this afternoon when we got home nice fire good coals loaded 1/2 box and got the cat over 1,000 and cut the air back. Cat started dropping so I opened air and got the heat back up. Running good cat cruising about 1100 and I left the house for a while. Came back and got the news from my wife the stove had puffed smoke. I opened the air and let it get hot, reloaded another 1/2 box and let the cat get over 1,000 and cut the air back to about half. Cat went down and then came back up about 1300. Felt good about it and went in the other room. A couple of hours in I could smell the smoke. Checked the stove, cat at 1150 air at 1/2 outdoor temp 26* and I watched the stove flash over and puff smoke. I shut the air down all of the way, cat dropped to 950.

I know the feeling very well..... You are not alone, we have a support group for this, "Hi, my name is Mike, I am VC owner...."

I had a couple burns last week where it was backpuffing as bad as I have ever seen it. I think 2 things aggravate this.

• Low draft conditions: last week was warmer and I suspect that was contributing to the issue
• Low primary burn temps: It seems to occur more often when my griddle temps are below 400.

Fixes I have tried:

• Increase the air setting: Sometimes this works, sometime it just makes it worse. Sometimes is gets worse and then better. Somtimes it launches cat temps.... hit or miss.
• Open the damper, this will increase the draft for the primary burn and stops the puffing. Problem is when that nice warm load lights off with the extra air you give it your stack temps can rocket up..... so it is a delicate balancing act.

 

[Megunticook]

This weekend I took my old steel cat and gave it a hot vinegar bath. Couple hours in a pan on the stove with 50/50 distilled water and white vinegar. Popped it in 2 days ago and voila, what a difference.

Interesting....I used to clean my combustor in distilled water/vinegar every fall, following precisely the instructions from my cat manufacturer (Condar in N. Carolina). Last year I spoke with them about this and they said it's no longer recommended. I assume that's because they had some data suggesting it's not effective. But sounds like it worked for you.

 

[Eman85]

After the humbling puffing episodes I reloaded the stove for the overnight burn. loaded 3/4 box and let it burn hot before I closed the damper. Cat rose to 1000* and at about 1050* I shut the air down and watched. It sat in the low 1,000's and behaved like a champ. Went to bed and it never caused any problems. Checked the max temp and it peaked at 1346. In the teens last night, cat likes the cold and dark.
Had to leave this morning so we opened the air all of the way and cat rose nicely into the 900's and dropped slowly as the remaining load burned down. Came home around noon and there was enough coals so a little kindling got it going and I loaded 1/2 load and let it burn hot before closing the damper. Cat rose nicely to over 1,000 and I closed the air. Now the cat has dropped lower than expected so I opened the air to see if it will come back up. Outside in the low 30's.

 

[arnermd]

Interesting....I used to clean my combustor in distilled water/vinegar every fall, following precisely the instructions from my cat manufacturer (Condar in N. Carolina). Last year I spoke with them about this and they said it's no longer recommended. I assume that's because they had some data suggesting it's not effective. But sounds like it worked for you.

I have done this several times and it works for a while... then I do it again.

Interesting Condar no longer recommends it. Wonder why?

 

[NewGuy132]

Well got my first fire of the season in today. I woke up as usual and went to work before anyone else got up. About 10:30 my wife called me and said it was cold inside. I check the Nest thermostats and sure enough heat went out. I called the oil company for service. I told the wife to light a fire for heat. I got home and the stove was running great! The house was about 1/2 warm and I was able to fix the heat before the service guy showed up.

Started with some dark glass and I walked in to this unknown STT with an 800 degree cat and semi warm house. This is why I bought this stove for emergencies/power outages.