Clean the CAT combustor while it's still in the stove?

[Gridlock]

I recently purchased a VC Defiant CAT, and for the first time followed the procedure in the manual to remove the CAT combustor in order to fully inspect and clean it. I noticed that by just sliding the throat cover off it's support brackets and not removing anything else, there is access to the top of the combustor while still in the stove. I could easily get a vaccuum in there to clean the top of the combustor's honeycomb without completely removing it, which would neccessitate removing the firebrick, refractory cover, etc.

Would it be Ok to clean the combustor this way? I could still completely remove the combustor once a year to fully inspect and clean it, but it would be convenient to do quick mid-season cleanings without having to remove all the other parts to remove it completely. Anyone else cleaning it in this way?

Thanks!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm not sure of your setup but we also have a cat stove. It might work. You would have to go by your experience. How often have you been cleaning the cat? How badly did it need cleaning? If very little cleaning has been done then probably you can do your experiment with no problems but remember that it is an experiment at first. You can always say it didn't work and go back to your old way of cleaning it.

 

[Gridlock]

I'm not sure of your setup but we also have a cat stove. It might work. You would have to go by your experience. How often have you been cleaning the cat? How badly did it need cleaning? If very little cleaning has been done then probably you can do your experiment with no problems but remember that it is an experiment at first. You can always say it didn't work and go back to your old way of cleaning it.

This is the first time I've cleaned the CAT; I just replaced my old stove with the new CAT stove a few weeks ago. I've been burning mostly 24x7, and the CAT was very clean; it didn't actually seem to need a cleaning yet.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

On our stove, Woodstock generally recommends cleaning the cat after each cord of wood has burned. We did follow that plan the first year but found it did not need cleaning that often so now I clean it once in mid-winter and again when the summer cleaning gets done. However, please understand that our wood is very, very dry as the wood we are burning is 5-6 years since being split and stacked. If you buy wood I would not think it is anywhere near that dry even though wood sellers like to say their wood is seasoned. Most simply don't know or just tell folks what they want to hear and that causes problems.

Like I stated, it is worth an experiment. I hope it works for you. Good luck.

 

[Gridlock]

On our stove, Woodstock generally recommends cleaning the cat after each cord of wood has burned. We did follow that plan the first year but found it did not need cleaning that often so now I clean it once in mid-winter and again when the summer cleaning gets done. However, please understand that our wood is very, very dry as the wood we are burning is 5-6 years since being split and stacked. If you buy wood I would not think it is anywhere near that dry even though wood sellers like to say their wood is seasoned. Most simply don't know or just tell folks what they want to hear and that causes problems.

Like I stated, it is worth an experiment. I hope it works for you. Good luck.

Thanks; my wood is defintely not as dry as yours; in fact it could use more seasoning. The CAT was still suprisingly clean despite that; I have probably burned about a cord or so with this stove and the CAT hardly had any ash at all. I think the only problem with vaccuuming the CAT from the top while it's in the stove, is that the top is on the chinmey side, not the intake side, so more of the ash might develop on the side I can't vaccuum directly unless I remove it.

 

[Todd]

Thanks; my wood is defintely not as dry as yours; in fact it could use more seasoning. The CAT was still suprisingly clean despite that; I have probably burned about a cord or so with this stove and the CAT hardly had any ash at all. I think the only problem with vaccuum the CAT from the top while it's in the stove, is that the top is on the chinmey side, not the intake side, so more of the ash might develop on the side I can't vaccuum directly unless I remove it.

You need to inspect the other side, that is where i find most of my ash and a vacuum won't pick it off from the opposite side. Also be careful of that fragile refractory surrounding your cat, I've heard of people poking through it with vacuum hoses.

 

[Gridlock]

Thanks; my wood is defintely not as dry as yours; in fact it could use more seasoning. The CAT was still suprisingly clean despite that; I have probably burned about a cord or so with this stove and the CAT hardly had any ash at all. I think the only problem with vaccuum the CAT from the top while it's in the stove, is that the top is on the chinmey side, not the intake side, so more of the ash might develop on the side I can't vaccuum directly unless I remove it.

You need to inspect the other side, that is where i find most of my ash and a vacuum won't pick it off from the opposite side. Also be careful of that fragile refractory surrounding your cat, I've heard of people poking through it with vacuum hoses.

Interestingly, VC mentions in the manual that the combustor can be inspected while still in the stove, but should be removed to clean it. How can it be properly inspected if most of the ash would develop on the side you can't see?

I agree about the refractory being very fragile; I realized this as I was trying to figure out how to remove the refractory cover; I almost broke a piece off as I thought the cover was a different piece and it is not clear in the manual.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm not sure but I think you actually get more fly ash (which is what you brush off the cat) with dry wood than you do with wet or not well seasoned wood. Of course one of the reasons is that with less than ideal wood you have to give the fire more air and that will move the smoke through the cat faster so the cat can't do all of its intended work.

The fly ash on the underneath side is what I was worried about too and that is why I suggested just an experiment.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Seems like all it takes is a quick light brush on the face of the cat to get it to light off like new.

 

[maxed_out]

I have the same stove and the only way I found to clean that cat is to take off the plate in the back (4 bolts) and pull it out. I can say that its a good idea to do this before the burning season and also about half way thru. Mine does see fly ash because the holes are smaller than the ceramic cat. One quick vacuum and back in and she burns sweet. This is my first year with the stainless cat and it seems to have absolutely no damage.

 

[begreen]

I'm not sure of your setup but we also have a cat stove. It might work. You would have to go by your experience. How often have you been cleaning the cat? How badly did it need cleaning? If very little cleaning has been done then probably you can do your experiment with no problems but remember that it is an experiment at first. You can always say it didn't work and go back to your old way of cleaning it.

This is the first time I've cleaned the CAT; I just replaced my old stove with the new CAT stove a few weeks ago. I've been burning mostly 24x7, and the CAT was very clean; it didn't actually seem to need a cleaning yet.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Whatever you do, be careful. Cats like to clean themselves. :coolgrin: