Core value of used combustors?

[Poindexter]

Somewhere in the USA, right now tonight, someone is smoking crack or meth that they bought with the money they were paid for hacking the catalytic converter out from under a motor vehicle this morning.

I am not sending another used up wood stove combustor to the landfill. I am just not. There has to be a way for us to get a few bucks out of these things after they are used up. The noble metal, the platinum or palladium or whatever is still in there.

 

[SpaceBus]

Somewhere in the USA, right now tonight, someone is smoking crack or meth that they bought with the money they were paid for hacking the catalytic converter out from under a motor vehicle this morning.

I am not sending another used up wood stove combustor to the landfill. I am just not. There has to be a way for us to get a few bucks out of these things after they are used up. The noble metal, the platinum or palladium or whatever is still in there.

Contact the local scrap yard, whomever the crack heads sell their stolen cats and copper pipe to, and inquire about values. My house had a maze of copper pipe for plumbing which I have replaced with pex, and I'm waiting for the copper price to be worth my time to take it in. Since you aren't dying for crack it might not be worth the dollar value for you to take it in, but you will at least save it from a landfill.

 

[DBoon]

When my father-in-law passed away I spent several weekends sorting through all the scrap metals he had saved in his barn because they were worth so much money. Then I took a trip to the large regional scrap yard where they weigh and pay you for scrap metals. For maybe 20 hours worth of work, including drive time and standing in line, I got $200. These things are not nearly as lucrative as you might think, especially in a down economy. My advice would be to just toss it in the scrap metal bin at your local transfer station, if there is one.

If you had a lot of copper or brass, that would be a different story. The mixed metal scrap doesn't pay well at all.

 

[John Galt]

I'm waiting for BKVP to have a garage sale. He said that most of the cats that are turned in for warranty still have 80% life in them. I'd buy an armload.

 

[unimog1300]

When my father-in-law passed away I spent several weekends sorting through all the scrap metals he had saved in his barn because they were worth so much money. Then I took a trip to the large regional scrap yard where they weigh and pay you for scrap metals. For maybe 20 hours worth of work, including drive time and standing in line, I got $200. These things are not nearly as lucrative as you might think, especially in a down economy. My advice would be to just toss it in the scrap metal bin at your local transfer station, if there is one.

If you had a lot of copper or brass, that would be a different story. The mixed metal scrap doesn't pay well at all.

I have a friend in the scrap business. Largest automotive salvage yard operations in the US. There is big money in automotive convertors in their industry. Two days ago he told me that a "Gaylord" full of convertors is $40K. Do the math on a semi load of them.

 

[Corey]

I think that is literally it, though... if you want to sell to a scrap dealer, you might be looking a a buck or two, then they sell it to someone for 3-4 bucks, then that someone may process the valuable metal out and get 8-10 bucks worth of metal.

There are all sorts of precious metals around from the cat converters, spark plugs, computer/e-waste, etc. The main issue is that it is such a 'dilute' source of precious metals, almost all 'profit' goes into the recovery.

Guess if you want to DIY, you can go sweep up platinum dust from the roadside (pro tip - pick a bridge or spot in the road with a big bump to hopefully shake out more platinum dust!)

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[jetsam]

I'm waiting for BKVP to have a garage sale. He said that most of the cats that are turned in for warranty still have 80% life in them. I'd buy an armload.

I am trying to follow his example and use the same cat for ten years plus.

I started by ditching the single-use cat gasket in my BK and replacing it with stainless steel sheet metal shims. Now I clean the cat with distilled vinegar and distilled water every time I sweep the chimney (3-4x per year).

I'm on year 2.5 with a new Steelcat now!

Also curious to know how to recycle the precious metals in an old stove cat. I bet the people at firecat or condar could tell us.

 

[stoveliker]

I am trying to follow his example and use the same cat for ten years plus.

I started by ditching the single-use cat gasket in my BK and replacing it with stainless steel sheet metal shims.

I have been a bit curious about the need for a gasket. My previous stove had a cat but no gasket. In the end, if the cat closely fits the slot in which it sits, the fraction of gases going past the cat on the outside will be negligible?

Metal shims will diminish that fraction leaking past the cat, but not eliminate it (depending on the closeness of that fit)...?

@BKVP , were measurements done of the gases in the flue with and without gasket that showed the gasket is needed?

Would a slight rim on the flue side against which the cat is pushed do the same (closing off the route on the outside of the cat)? Such a rim will have less thermal expansion issues than making the width of the cat fit its slot at all temperatures...? (The cat is stiffer along the short direction in which the gases flow?)

Wouldn't that be more customer friendly, not having this gasket need at all?

Or maybe I am missing something here?

 

[BKVP]

I have been a bit curious about the need for a gasket. My previous stove had a cat but no gasket. In the end, if the cat closely fits the slot in which it sits, the fraction of gases going past the cat on the outside will be negligible?

First, always use a gasket.

Metal shims will diminish that fraction leaking past the cat, but not eliminate it (depending on the closeness of that fit)...?

The lack of an expanding (sealing) gasket does permit bypass of particulates. But all combustors monoliths and ceramic expand and contract. The interam expanding gaskets help to eliminate cracks from lack of support.

@BKVP , were measurements done of the gases in the flue with and without gasket that showed the gasket is needed?

No. Years ago we recorded that the absence of the gasket create added particulates and premature substrate failures.

Would a slight rim on the flue side against which the cat is pushed do the same (closing off the route on the outside of the cat)? Such a rim will have less thermal expansion issues than making the width of the cat fit its slot at all temperatures...? (The cat is stiffer along the short direction in which the gases flow?)

We keep the dome area free of obstruction (visa vie your lip idea) so if bypass ever needed to be removed, there would be no obstruction.

Wouldn't that be more customer friendly, not having this gasket need at all?

No. We are very friendly...put an interam gasket on your combustor!

Or maybe I am missing something here?

Just the gasket....

 

[stoveliker]

Ok, thanks for the clear responses. (And I do have the factory installed gasket in there.)