broken Cat

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So I pulled my cat and swept the chimney like i do every year before I start the burn season.
I find the cat in this condition. The stove is a Fpx 44 elite installed november 07


It shows I have warranty coverage on the cat years 3 thru 5 coverage for thermal crumbling and Disintegration only.

Do I bother with the warranty or just replace with the steelcat ?

 

[leeave96]

Does the cat work in the condition it is in? If so, keep using it, but get a new one to keep ready to use when you need it. I replaced a ceramic cat with a SS one on my Keystone and so far like it better.

Good luck,
Bill

 

[bogydave]

When I asked about the warrantee, I was told it had to be sent to the factory to be tested before warrantee $$ would be paid.
Don't know how your warrantee works but it's work a phone call to find out.
But I've also read that the life of a cat is 10,000 hours of burning.
http://www.woodstovecombustors.com/How_They_Work.html

A broken combustor is going to let smoke & gasses thru the bad section, reducing efficiency. Replace & check to see if you can get any $$ refund.
Interesting to see if it is "pro-rated" like car batteries.

 

[HotCoals]

When I asked about the warrantee, I was told it had to be sent to the factory to be tested before warrantee $$ would be paid.
Don't know how your warrantee works but it's work a phone call to find out.
But I've also read that the life of a cat is 10,000 hours of burning.
http://www.woodstovecombustors.com/How_They_Work.html

A broken combustor is going to let smoke & gasses thru the bad section, reducing efficiency. Replace & check to see if you can get any $$ refund.
Interesting to see if it is "pro-rated" like car batteries.

With Blaze King I think I read its full coverage the first three years then pro rated for another 3.

 

[Todd]

If that was my cat I'd get a new one. Sounds like your warrantee covers it, and it looks like thermo shock crumbling to me.

 

[WoodpileOCD]

http://www.condar.com/combustorcleaningmanual.pdf

Here is a link to a good pdf on cleaning and caring for cats from the Condar page. Good to have and reread every once in awhile.

 

[hughmyster]

If it is covered under warranty it should be covered. If you replace with the steel it could void your warranty on the whole unit. It was designed to use the ceramic.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I definitely would replace it. As for steel vs. ceramic, so far I have to say that the steel is outperforming the ceramic but we've only been running the steel cat about 6 weeks. Still, it is performing much better so I have no reason to think that will change.

 

[hughmyster]

I definitely would replace it. As for steel vs. ceramic, so far I have to say that the steel is outperforming the ceramic but we've only been running the steel cat about 6 weeks. Still, it is performing much better so I have no reason to think that will change.

How is it outperforming? Are your temps higher of just able to engage sooner?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Although we are able to engage the cat sooner, it is in the heat given where this cat really shines. The temperature will get up much quicker and seems to stay high longer. Hope this helps.