The 2n1 stove series of stoves are extremely unique. The most recent stoves are marketed as burning with or without the catalyst as well as other features im not discussing right now.
I have always recommended.. especially for newer users .. to burn with the catalyst in. The stove is sold with or without catalyst.. purchase with the catalyst installed
The catalyst helps in a number of different ways. The most important being that it burns the smoke as fuel keeping the chimney/stovepipe cleaner and producing more heat. The other advantages are that you are able to turn down the stove quite low getting long burn times and low heat. The low heat aspect is great when your heat demand is not really high. The catalyst will also keep your flue temperatures up, when your flue temperature stays up your downdraft stove stays running and you avoid the stove stalling on you. Your stove stalling is a bad thing this creates alot of creosote
Burning without a catalyst in the stove can be done, and I occasionally do it. The 2 methods are, just not closing the bypass or removing the catalyst and burning the stove as if the catalyst was in and closing the bypass.
You can burn the stove with the damper open and burn with just a small fire keeping the air above halfway should have a clean burn without overheating the stove. This method is a little tough because if you add to much wood your turning the air down to much and your creating creosote. This method would be you adding 1 split, allowing it to burn down and adding another, and so on.. your feeding the stove small amounts on a more frequent basis
The other method is burning with the bypass closed and no catalyst. This I have also done. You can have some wood in the stove. For me no more then like 20% capacity You get the stove up to temperature and close the bypass and to a certain degree you can cut some air back maybe halfway max and this will depend on how the stove performs. If you add to much wood you'll be forced to cut the air back way more and youll be producing smoke. Some of this smoke will burn up between the refractory and the refractory engine, but not all of it. This will start to lead to creosote build up. Also this stove is a downdraft design, draft is key and when the catalyst is not in you will start to lose draft and as you do you will create more smoke. Any wood you add to the stove will go through the offgassing process.
I know this for sure and nobody can tell me any different. When my catalyst is in and burning between 1000 and 1400 degree with a full load and Im doing an overnight burn with the air all the way closed the stove stayed running because the catalyst was in.
Iv also have had cats go bad and its an ugly seen inside the stove when you open it up in the morning. Draft was non existent and you have alot of charcoal in the box
There is a member here saying that there is a debate on weather or not you can burn with out the catalyst. The answer is you can to some degree. This member has spoken to loading the stove to something like halfway or more.. You can't do this, because of the following.. amount of offgassing, the stove top temperature will be excessive because you cant dial the air back alot which means cutting the air back even more, this is creating more smoke. This is a bad cycle to be in.. if you need less heat you can't turn the stove down all the way without it turning into a creosote machine.
These stove have so many advantages, they put out a ton of heat, they look fantastic, they burn for a good amount of time and they top load, they burn clean. they burn low.
Removing the catalyst is removing some of the best features of the stove.. which are a longer burn time, lower heat output.
So.. Guys and gals.. burn with the catalyst in, get all of the advantages of the stove. Dont let anyone tell you anything different..
Hope this helps
I have always recommended.. especially for newer users .. to burn with the catalyst in. The stove is sold with or without catalyst.. purchase with the catalyst installed
The catalyst helps in a number of different ways. The most important being that it burns the smoke as fuel keeping the chimney/stovepipe cleaner and producing more heat. The other advantages are that you are able to turn down the stove quite low getting long burn times and low heat. The low heat aspect is great when your heat demand is not really high. The catalyst will also keep your flue temperatures up, when your flue temperature stays up your downdraft stove stays running and you avoid the stove stalling on you. Your stove stalling is a bad thing this creates alot of creosote
Burning without a catalyst in the stove can be done, and I occasionally do it. The 2 methods are, just not closing the bypass or removing the catalyst and burning the stove as if the catalyst was in and closing the bypass.
You can burn the stove with the damper open and burn with just a small fire keeping the air above halfway should have a clean burn without overheating the stove. This method is a little tough because if you add to much wood your turning the air down to much and your creating creosote. This method would be you adding 1 split, allowing it to burn down and adding another, and so on.. your feeding the stove small amounts on a more frequent basis
The other method is burning with the bypass closed and no catalyst. This I have also done. You can have some wood in the stove. For me no more then like 20% capacity You get the stove up to temperature and close the bypass and to a certain degree you can cut some air back maybe halfway max and this will depend on how the stove performs. If you add to much wood you'll be forced to cut the air back way more and youll be producing smoke. Some of this smoke will burn up between the refractory and the refractory engine, but not all of it. This will start to lead to creosote build up. Also this stove is a downdraft design, draft is key and when the catalyst is not in you will start to lose draft and as you do you will create more smoke. Any wood you add to the stove will go through the offgassing process.
I know this for sure and nobody can tell me any different. When my catalyst is in and burning between 1000 and 1400 degree with a full load and Im doing an overnight burn with the air all the way closed the stove stayed running because the catalyst was in.
Iv also have had cats go bad and its an ugly seen inside the stove when you open it up in the morning. Draft was non existent and you have alot of charcoal in the box
There is a member here saying that there is a debate on weather or not you can burn with out the catalyst. The answer is you can to some degree. This member has spoken to loading the stove to something like halfway or more.. You can't do this, because of the following.. amount of offgassing, the stove top temperature will be excessive because you cant dial the air back alot which means cutting the air back even more, this is creating more smoke. This is a bad cycle to be in.. if you need less heat you can't turn the stove down all the way without it turning into a creosote machine.
These stove have so many advantages, they put out a ton of heat, they look fantastic, they burn for a good amount of time and they top load, they burn clean. they burn low.
Removing the catalyst is removing some of the best features of the stove.. which are a longer burn time, lower heat output.
So.. Guys and gals.. burn with the catalyst in, get all of the advantages of the stove. Dont let anyone tell you anything different..
Hope this helps
