Catalytic vs. Non-catalytic Dutchwest Stoves

[bluefrier]

I have never run a non cat stove personally, but dont you still have to get it up to a certain temperature before the secondaries light off?

No. Well you don't have to and that's the beauty, there are no requirements. It is conceivable that you could just leave the air control at a low level and just keep feeding wood as needed. We enthusiasts obsess with the perfect and most efficient burn.

On a cat stove you don't really have a choice, if you follow the little clock/meter procedure and throw all the willy wonka levers at the right times then it will burn great and if you don't then you risk cat damage and backpuffing, etc.

On a non-cat you can burn very cleanly if you want to with minimal effort or if you are willing to tolerate a period of smokey chimney you can just leave the draft "closed" or nearly closed and stuff dry wood in and it will eventually turn into a clean burn. There's no rigid procedure and no requirement to light off secondaries. I've restoked in the middle of the night and simply threw wood in and went to bed, draft closed, and in the morning the glass was as clean as ever. With wet wood you might not be able to do this without getting a dirty window but nobody should be burning wet wood.

Don't be so sensitive to the relative difficulties of the cat/non-cat operation. Both systems are well within the grasp of the typical wood burning enthusiast.

Are you kidding me? This is exactly how the old stoves got the nickname smoke dragons. I don't care how dry your wood is, you still need to char it and get your chimney back up to a good drafting temp or you will smoke out the neighborhood and clog up your chimney. Maybe you got lucky or loaded while the stove was still hot enough, but if your down to coals and just throw wood on while the damper is on low chances are it won't burn worth a damn.

Now say you reload half way through the burn cycle in a hot stove and chimney, there is less need to refire before turning down and the same goes for a cat stove as long as you have dry wood.

I'm not being bias because I have a non-cat but I have to agree that if you reload with dry wood on a coal bed and turn the stove down it will eventually go into secondary mode. It will smoulder and smoke yes, but will eventually clean up the burn (it just takes longer).

 

[wellbuilt home]

Ive burned a EX large dw cat stove for 15 years and loved it . They are great . I would not wast my time with a non cat stove .

Also, don't you now own and run a non-cat stove?

I would not waste my time on a VC non-cat stove but the non-cat stoves make up the vast majority of all current stoves for a reason.... they are cheaper, simpler to run, better flame picture, etc. which is totally different than saying that a cat stove is more complicated.

Yes i here what you are saying . But I really loved my old DW I just packed it with wood and it would burn hot and long . I change the cat a few times . I agree that the flam is real nice but i don't think it any cheaper and it could not be any easier . I have a Equinox now and its Ok but its finicky about the wood it burns. I'm always fooling with the air and damper . watching to see if its to hot , not hot enough . I get burned all the time . Ive installed a bunch of ever burn stoves and they can be a nightmare to operate . I would have bought a new DW but I want to add a new addition to the house and the DW would not be big enough. I think i will need a second stove any way. I installed a HS home steed on Friday for a customer and its a sweet unit . I mite add one in the new family room . John