Country flame catalyst install and questions

[heavensheros]

Finally got around to installing a catalyst for my country flame stove after using it for a year, purchased on mountain view hearth, still not 100% with using as I am learning this thing, waiting on the thermometer to arrive, it was a pain trying to find one with an 8 inch probe. So far I notice that the top of the insert gets much much hotter (I assume by design with the cat getting to temp)


what I do notice so far is when I did overnight burns previously I would wake up with embers to start a new fire and snap disc(fan) off with a cool firebox but now after roughly 9 hours I woke up to still some wood in the firebox and it was still blowing hot air out the vents loaded wood that morning then didnt have to touch until around 530.

here are my questions. i still wake up to a pretty black front glass door lots of buildup and also i still notice about the same amount of smoke coming from the chimney and still the same smell. I have read many different things but some saying that I should have no smoke coming from the chimney when the cat is turned on? when I choke the insert I'm closing the slides almost all the way

flame was picked up with door open to take picture, I'm new still to stove's so any other tips or pointers is always welcome in regard to how I'm loading etc. burning red oak wood.

 

[stoveliker]

I don't know your stove. However black windows happen when you smolder the firebox. The cat can clean that up. But if you see smoke, it doesn't do that completely.

Both symptoms can also happen you burn wood that's wetter than ideal.

So,.how do you determine how dry your wood is?

 

[heavensheros]

Terrible answer and I should probably get a moisture meter but I just assume wood cut and split from last year is dry enough. could be that the wood is to damp, any recommendations on a moisture meter? will also add that the smoke coming from chimney does seem to be white.

 

[stoveliker]

Any $30 moisture meter would work.
I have a general tools mmd4e

Oak from last year is unlikely to be below 20 pct in my experience. I don't know how your climate (Mississippi?) affects this; hot but humid.

 

[heavensheros]

just checked and my home cheapot has a gernal toms meter will pick that up tomorrow and report findings. with split the logs I brought into the house tomorrow and check moisture.

Thank you.

 

[heavensheros]

Just got the thermometer for the stove 8" probe and the instructions show to insert till the base touches, well I am unable to with this stove, does this look correct and will it be an accurate temp reading?

 

[ahle926]

I just purchased a home and it has what looks to be this same stove. Do you mind telling me which model it is? Also, where and what part number is the catalyst? Mine doesn't seem to have one. It just has a steel plate covering the round hole where your catalyst is. Thank you.