Catalyst Troubleshooting

[Farenheit 451]

Hi all, so a little over halfway through my first burning season with a PH and already having some concerns. I’m not sure if it’s operators error or something else going on.
1) the gasket around the catalyst burned up and fell apart after four months of use, bother external and the one that is cemented into the groove and it happened in the same area on the top.
2) some of the soapstone on both corners has begun to crack and even crumble
3) the catalyst itself seems to clog quickly despite a thourough cleaning no longer than one month in between and usually more frequently. (Some wood I had used recently was much higher moisture content than the rest of my stock that was accidentally used which probably accounts for the initial humming of the cat.

*the stove runs continuously since mid September so we have not used lots of paper or other materials to restart fires as we just load on the coals from previous fire
*coals are raked into ash pan upon each loading to ensure ash does not clog air flow and combustion
*internal stove temps always reach a minimum of 500* and we have never exceeded the manufacture recommended temps of external, we usually burn between 450-575 external temps when we can or the need calls for it
*to my knowledge we have never rapidly heated up the stove from cold to roaring, though we do sometimes leave the damper open when it seems to have a hard time getting caught and staying warm.
*wood used is a mix of seasoned pine, cherry, birch, maple etc. we usually try to load the stove each time with a ratio of 1/4 pine to 3/4 hardwoods. Moisture content is never above 20% and usually closer to 16-19% for all logs.

So I’m unsure why I’m having these components fail way before their average lifespan and it’s very frustrating considering all the work I put into logging my own wood and not getting the full benefit. Any recommendations would be helpful and if I haven’t provided enough info just ask I’m happy to answer!

 

[kennyp2339]

I'd place a call to them and explain the issues, they are one of the few companies in the country that prides themselves on good customer service.

 

[SteveKG]

I don't have a PH or know anything about them. I do have a cat stove, a Woodstock. I have been using it for six winters now. I notice that the intervals at which I need to clean ash from the cat vary. Some wood creates more ash, of course. Sometimes I can go a couple months without cleaning, other times it might be three weeks. My stove also has a stainless mesh screen the smoke goes through prior to the cat. That screen catches a lot of ash and sometimes I brush it off every week, again sometimes only once a month.

Have nothing to offer on the gaskets. As Kenny P said, you should call them.

 

[Farenheit 451]

I don't have a PH or know anything about them. I do have a cat stove, a Woodstock. I have been using it for six winters now. I notice that the intervals at which I need to clean ash from the cat vary. Some wood creates more ash, of course. Sometimes I can go a couple months without cleaning, other times it might be three weeks. My stove also has a stainless mesh screen the smoke goes through prior to the cat. That screen catches a lot of ash and sometimes I brush it off every week, again sometimes only once a month.

Have nothing to offer on the gaskets. As Kenny P said, you should call them.

When you transition between loadings how long do you leave the damper open and the bypass open before closing bypass and engaging the cat? Often times if the temp is 350 or higher externally I’ll load it and then almost immediately engage the cat because the stove is already hot, there isn’t any reason to wait right?

 

[SteveKG]

When you transition between loadings how long do you leave the damper open and the bypass open before closing bypass and engaging the cat? Often times if the temp is 350 or higher externally I’ll load it and then almost immediately engage the cat because the stove is already hot, there isn’t any reason to wait right?

No, I don't wait, either. Just push in the wood, close the door, engage the cat, set the damper.