How to clean/take out the cat converter on a Lopi large flush insert?

[johnblacksox]

I had a Lopi large flush insert installed last year, hybrid-fire, so it has a cat converter. I'm a totally newbie to burning wood, this was the first time I had done it. I burned 1.5 cord of wood in it over last winter. It worked great, I had no problems at all.

I'm getting my flue swept next week, and I read that I should also clean the cat converter. I called the place that installed it to ask how to do it, and they said to take it out and carefully vacuum it. They said it comes right out with no problem.

So today, I tried to do it, but I cannot see anyway to get the cat out. It's at the top front of the stove, and there's only about a 2 inch gap in front of it, just barely enough for me to get my fingers up in there. I could feel the cat sitting on something soft, like insulation. I gently tried to move the cat forward, but it seemed like it was not going anywhere, and it also seemed like there was no way the cat was going to fit down that 2" clearance even if I was able to move it. After that, I was just barely able to get a vacuum hose up there to vacuum of the front of the cat, which had a little bit of ash on it.

So what am I missing here? Is there some trick to easily take the cat out of the stove to clean it? Do I even need to remove the cat to clean it, or is vacuuming the front of it adequate?

Thanks in advance, I can post pictures if you need it.

John

 

[PaulOinMA]

Is the procedure in the owner's manual? If you don't have it, you can find the manual on Lopi's web site.

I have a Lopi non-cat insert. The prcodure for me to disassemble for cleaning is in the back of the owner's manual.

 

[begreen]

The catalyst doesn't get removed to clean it. Use a soft brush (pg 19) or a vacuum with a brush attachment (pg 30) to gently clean any accumulated ash from the front of the catalyst. Be gentle with the catalyst. It is composed of ceramic cells that are fragile.