Cat or Non Cat
- Thread starter mtnxtreme
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
- Status
- Nov 6, 2006
- 407
not a dumb question at all.
but one that has been covered MANY times here.
if you use the search function here, you will find MANY threads on the subject.
here are a few to get you started.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/9330/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/10727/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/1597/
and some external links.
(broken link removed to http://www.customfireplacesandmore.com/hearth-articles/catalytic-non-catalytic.html)
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/C/AE_catalytic_wood_stove.html
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/N/AE_non-catalytic_wood_stove.html
hope that helps.
but one that has been covered MANY times here.
if you use the search function here, you will find MANY threads on the subject.
here are a few to get you started.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/9330/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/10727/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/1597/
and some external links.
(broken link removed to http://www.customfireplacesandmore.com/hearth-articles/catalytic-non-catalytic.html)
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/C/AE_catalytic_wood_stove.html
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/N/AE_non-catalytic_wood_stove.html
hope that helps.
mtnxtreme said:
Simply, A CAT stove has a honeycomb like part that smoke passes through. At sufficient temp. (between 500-600 degrees for OEM and 350 =/- for aftermarket supercats) the Catalytic Converter (CAT) ignites and burns all the smoke. The non-cat stoves employ differing methods of creating a secondary burn that is similar to the CAT burn. The stoves that use secondary burn tubes or baffles, function well and emit little smoke. The stoves that use a refractory downdraft assembly function well when they function, it takes a bit more work to get them to work. (You have to make sure there are coals in front of the opening, sometimes they stall, etc.)
A CAT stove will provide you with a stove that will require minimum "fiddling" to get and keep going. The secondary burn non-cats (NC) will also do this.
The actual catalytic converter is between 90-350 to replace depending on its size, where you get it, etc. That is the drawback many people find with the CAT stove. The converter can last from 1 to 6 or more years. This depends on use, care and (yes) luck.
I personally have had both types. I used to think replacing the CAT was a big expense. Now, I think it should be seen as a routine maintenance cost.
Unfortuately, you have to experience this to know it.
I also think the secondary burn tube and baffle stoves are a good bet.
SO, YOU have to go look at them with this info in hand and pick out what you like in terms of function and beauty. Whatever is important to you.
A CAT stove will provide you with a stove that will require minimum "fiddling" to get and keep going. The secondary burn non-cats (NC) will also do this.
The actual catalytic converter is between 90-350 to replace depending on its size, where you get it, etc. That is the drawback many people find with the CAT stove. The converter can last from 1 to 6 or more years. This depends on use, care and (yes) luck.
I personally have had both types. I used to think replacing the CAT was a big expense. Now, I think it should be seen as a routine maintenance cost.
Unfortuately, you have to experience this to know it.
I also think the secondary burn tube and baffle stoves are a good bet.
SO, YOU have to go look at them with this info in hand and pick out what you like in terms of function and beauty. Whatever is important to you.
- Nov 21, 2005
- 827
Most important is, there is no winners or losers. It's like asking what's better a diesel or gas car. Well, each is suited to a particular person.
The short answer is, a cat stove allows more room in the stove, once engaged it's self-sustaining, produces a longer burn, and some say it's more efficient and I feel they are slightly (I have a non-cat by the way). The bad, they do need replacing usually every 5-6 years some can last 10 some can last only 3. They can be damaged so you have to make sure your stove is up to temp before engaging, remember to disengage when reloading and re-engage a bit afterward. Lastly, cat stoves tend to be rather finicky about outside chimneys or low draught situations.
A secondary burn unit, gives quite a "fireworks" display being more entertaining to watch. Should last the lifetime of the unit, unlike a cat if you're not up to temp and have to run out the door you can turn it down and the secondary burn should kick eventually. The bad, the secondary burn up top takes room out of the firebox. You can't turn them down as much as a cat so their burn times are slightly less. You have to worry about the logs collapsing on themselves which will extinguish the secondary burn whereas cat stoves are self sustaining once started. Also, flames need to reach up to the secondary burn baffle, no flames you'll have no or intermittent secondary burn action. I will say you learn how to stack the wood to prevent collapse and maximize flames reaching so failure does eventually happen few and far between.
Although a cat should be removed, inspected, and cleaned each year I don't consider that anything more than a secondary burn unit. A secondary burn unit also should have its baffle removed, blown out, and I scrub the tubes with a wire brush. A cat you have to wait until a certain temperature to engage, a secondary burn unit you have to wait for the fire to get going before turning it down. I don't personally see one better than the other in that regard either.
In the end, I think if you're one that likes to light a fire and leave it burning all day I give a slight edge to cat stoves for their set & forget and bigger firebox size. If you're one who plans on sitting in front of the fire and watching it (as in you don't have a big TV in the same room) a secondary burn unit is very entertaining to watch or don't have a lot of draught I give the edge to secondary burn units. In any case though, you can't really go wrong with either in my opinion getting the stove you like the look of is far more important. You'll be looking at it all summer, fall, winter, and spring so you better like what you're looking at and to me that is really what's going to be most important not the cat vs. secondary burn.
The short answer is, a cat stove allows more room in the stove, once engaged it's self-sustaining, produces a longer burn, and some say it's more efficient and I feel they are slightly (I have a non-cat by the way). The bad, they do need replacing usually every 5-6 years some can last 10 some can last only 3. They can be damaged so you have to make sure your stove is up to temp before engaging, remember to disengage when reloading and re-engage a bit afterward. Lastly, cat stoves tend to be rather finicky about outside chimneys or low draught situations.
A secondary burn unit, gives quite a "fireworks" display being more entertaining to watch. Should last the lifetime of the unit, unlike a cat if you're not up to temp and have to run out the door you can turn it down and the secondary burn should kick eventually. The bad, the secondary burn up top takes room out of the firebox. You can't turn them down as much as a cat so their burn times are slightly less. You have to worry about the logs collapsing on themselves which will extinguish the secondary burn whereas cat stoves are self sustaining once started. Also, flames need to reach up to the secondary burn baffle, no flames you'll have no or intermittent secondary burn action. I will say you learn how to stack the wood to prevent collapse and maximize flames reaching so failure does eventually happen few and far between.
Although a cat should be removed, inspected, and cleaned each year I don't consider that anything more than a secondary burn unit. A secondary burn unit also should have its baffle removed, blown out, and I scrub the tubes with a wire brush. A cat you have to wait until a certain temperature to engage, a secondary burn unit you have to wait for the fire to get going before turning it down. I don't personally see one better than the other in that regard either.
In the end, I think if you're one that likes to light a fire and leave it burning all day I give a slight edge to cat stoves for their set & forget and bigger firebox size. If you're one who plans on sitting in front of the fire and watching it (as in you don't have a big TV in the same room) a secondary burn unit is very entertaining to watch or don't have a lot of draught I give the edge to secondary burn units. In any case though, you can't really go wrong with either in my opinion getting the stove you like the look of is far more important. You'll be looking at it all summer, fall, winter, and spring so you better like what you're looking at and to me that is really what's going to be most important not the cat vs. secondary burn.
- Status
Similar threads
