Catalytic converter

[lvfd50]

I was wondering if anyone had ever used or seen a catalytic converter that actually goes into your flue pipe. I saw one of these and it stated that it was for older stove to help make them burn better. It is a unit that has a draft control and a catalytic unit and also a lever to move the honeycomb out of the way for free flow when starting the fire. Just curious what everyone thinks.

 

[Shane]

Good idea in theory, but really obsolete and I've also heard that many didn't work as well as they should.

 

[hookspacken]

I know my catalyst runs at about 1200 degrees and is contained in a refractory chamber, I wouldnt want something that hot sitting on my stove pipe.

 

[Todd]

These old pipe cats were just a cheap way for older stoves to clean up their emissions after the EPA standards were adopted. I heard they didn't work well and clogged often.

 

[Gooserider]

I've heard of them, never used one. Essentially they are a "band-aid" approach to a problem that needed major surgery... When clean burning in a stove became an issue these were invented (along with other gimmicks) to try and clean up the existing old smoke dragons, and maybe get a bit more heat out of them.

The problem is that they never worked very well, as a cat requires a certain minimum temperature to light off, which was hard to get unless the stove was run really hot (and a stove run hot is less of a polluter to begin with) When the stove was choked down for a long burn, the smoke level goes up, but the pipe temps go below the cat light-off temps.

This wasn't helped by the less advanced cat technology of the day, and the fact that the added air would not have been pre-heated the way it is in a modern design where the cat is part of the stove, and all but in the firebox.

Bottom line, save your money, spend it on a modern stove instead....

Gooserider