Hot Burn & Glowing Cat?

[leeave96]

I've kind of hit a crossroads with my Keystone - I think......

With smoldering, cooler burns, I'd get a nice glowing cat. As I opened the damper a bit, the flames would come out and the cat, though working, would dim.

Now I am working my stove harder and getting over 500 degree stove top temps and with that, my cat is glowing. It will dim as the wood nears the charred state.

Do you get a glowing cat with hot burns?

Just courious.

Thanks!
Bill

 

[Todd]

I get the same thing. Every fire can act differently but basically the cat will start to glow at temps over 1000 degrees so whether the cat is creating it's own 1000 degree heat with smouldering fire or if the fire box is full of flame and 1000 degrees the cat should be glowing. If it's somewhere between it could be dim or glowing more in one spot than the other or not at all.

I know everyone says the cat doesn't have to glow to be working which is true but if it never glows no matter what kind of fire you have going something isn't right, either wet wood or bad cat. You should have 1000 degree internal temps at least some of the time.