Does Catalytic chamber need to be replaced?

[THEMAN]

I got a deal on a wood insert and wanted to know what to look for in regards to the catalytic combustion chamber condition. How could I tell if it needed replacement or simply cleaning? The price is right for the stove even if I have to replace the cat's but I still would like to know what to look for when the time comes to replace them plus it will still give me some bargaining power when I deal with the seller

 

[mellow]

What stove make/model are you talking about? On most the holder is good, only the cats and gaskets need to be changed.

 

[semipro]

The catalytic element is usually a honeycomb-like structure that will start to fall apart as it gets older. They can still malfunction even if structurally sound if "poisoned". Poisoning can occur if something is burned in the stove that contaminates the catalytic metals (usually platinum or palladium) in the element. In either case, if you get the stove up to temp, engage the catalyst, and don't see a dramatic decrease in the amount of dark smoke exiting your chimney, the catalytic element is bad. I said dark smoke specifically because white smoke (steam really) resulting from burning wet wood can still be produced in a stove with a working catalytic element.

 

[THEMAN]

What stove make/model are you talking about? On most the holder is good, only the cats and gaskets need to be changed.

Its a Buck model 91. I am leaving right now to go take a look at it. As I understand it they have a square honey comb bricks as combustors. Hopefully intact and I have no way of knowing if they are "poisoned" as Semipro mentioned. If they are broken then I will try to drop the price. Thanks for the input, I will report what I find when I return.

 

[stockcarver]

Check Condar Combusters website for a replacement price, and info on the care and feeding. You will go nuts if you believe all the inuendo on the net about combustors. They are a consumable part of a stove, and not expensive for the payback recieved. A good combustor stove will easily outlast other stoves since they do not require a raging fire to function well.
If I were inspecting a used stove, and wanted to know the cat conditon, I would look at the face of the honeycomb (if you can get to it. Take a good flash light, maybe a mechanics mirror). If the face is level or flat without crumbling or missing chunks and the surrounding gasket (if it has one) is solid, that is good. Color is hard to tell, but it should not be or clogged. A good fire is the acid test, and would reveal the true conditon. More important would be the condition of the firebrick and firebox. It is normal to have creosote in the interior of a cat stove as they do not need a raging fire to function, but a corroded interior is not a good sign. If I found a used stove in excellent condition, I would buy it without concern for the cat conditon. I certainly would not pass up a good buy on a car because the spark plugs needed replacing. My blaze king is 19 years old, I bought it used at a good price without worrying about the cat, knowing it was something that needed replacement, just like the door gaskets. I figure 50.00 bucks a year for cat cost, and that is repaid before I finish the first cord of wood I burn.
Let us know what you decided.

 

[THEMAN]

Well the cat looked intact with no broken cells that I could see. It was however, about 60% clogged. I will take it out clean it and see what I have. The small glass window on the right was broken but that will be replaced and the blower worked great! Too great. I think this thing is going to heat us out of the living room haha. I will have to trim the backing plate so that it fits my fireplace. Over all it is in pretty good shape and for $300.00 I think I made a pretty good deal.

 

[Wet1]

Sounds like you got an excellent deal. That 91 is a big heater... enjoy it.