Encore 2550 CAT condition

[Jimmy C]

I was doing some upkeep on my Encore 2550 before the season starts and my CAT is looking a little rough. What do you guys think? Will I need to replace it this year?

 

[Diabel]

I would.

 

[Jimmy C]

I would.

Not the answer I was hoping to hear but your probably right.

 

[Diabel]

How many burning seasons on that cat?

 

[Jimmy C]

How many burning seasons on that cat?

Three

 

[Diabel]

It should last longer in perfect conditions. These stoves love to overfire and that couses the cats to disintegrate prematurely.

 

[Jimmy C]

It should last longer in perfect conditions. These stoves love to overfire and that couses the cats to disintegrate prematurely.

The cracks and protrusions must have happened at the end of last season. I had to burn some bio-bricks because the wood I had left was not seasoned yet. The probe temp in CAT chamber usually was around 1400 but got up to 1600 a couple times and even got to 1700 (possibly more) once. Wont be using them again.

This CAT was Midwest Hearth brand. The condor is a little more expensive and does not have the gasket around the honeycomb part. Would you recommend the condor or another for a replacement?

 

[Diabel]

I have used mainly condor cats, on one occasion i used a cheap, way thin (cannot remember the name) it crumbled mid the first season

 

[Highbeam]

The cracks and protrusions must have happened at the end of last season. I had to burn some bio-bricks because the wood I had left was not seasoned yet. The probe temp in CAT chamber usually was around 1400 but got up to 1600 a couple times and even got to 1700 (possibly more) once. Wont be using them again.

This CAT was Midwest Hearth brand. The condor is a little more expensive and does not have the gasket around the honeycomb part. Would you recommend the condor or another for a replacement?

Midwest hearth doesn't make cats, they sell cats from Applied Ceramics. Great cats. I'm on my third from them. Price is good and they have come with a gasket installed. Condar seems to be selling ceramic cats now too at a good price and of course they don't make them either but I don't know who does. That company seems to think that you don't need gaskets on cats which is false so I don't trust them. They make great thermometers though.

That cat may work fine, cracks are normal, but the falling apart is why I would replace it. Get one ordered and be sure that it is installed with the gaskets VC requires.

 

[Diabel]

VC refractory box expands as it heats, hence gasket is not needed. At least on the encore 2550.

 

[Jimmy C]

Midwest hearth doesn't make cats, they sell cats from Applied Ceramics. Great cats. I'm on my third from them. Price is good and they have come with a gasket installed. Condar seems to be selling ceramic cats now too at a good price and of course they don't make them either but I don't know who does. That company seems to think that you don't need gaskets on cats which is false so I don't trust them. They make great thermometers though.

That cat may work fine, cracks are normal, but the falling apart is why I would replace it. Get one ordered and be sure that it is installed with the gaskets VC requires.

This one on Amazon is made by Applied Ceramics?

 

[Diabel]

Where is the VC rep, when you need him?

 

[Highbeam]

Just today I went through this for cat gasket material. Applied ceramics website sends you to firecat as their stove product website but when you click on a product you get linked to Midwest hearth. The firecat guy told me that Midwest hearth was “their “ online store.

Call up Midwest and ask them who their supplier is. They told me it was an applied cat.

 

[Jimmy C]

Any thoughts on the steel one?

 

[Highbeam]

I’ve used both steel and ceramic cats and found that there is no benefit to the steel in my application. Even without the significant upcharge for steel, if price was the same, I would choose ceramic. The bigger cells are less of a restriction and less likely to clog with ash.