Interesting catalytic combustor test results

[raybonz]

This pdf offers tremendous insight to cat effectiveness over time and reinforces why I like cat stoves..

(broken link removed) Heat Symposium.pdf

Ray

 

[WoodpileOCD]

I'm getting a 404 error from the link you posted. Can you check it and repost. Sounds like an interesting article. Thanks

 

[yooperdave]

yes, 404 is coming up...

 

[raybonz]

yes, 404 is coming up...

For some reason the forum doesn't like the link unless you copy and past it into the address bar.. Please try this (broken link removed) .

Thanx,
Ray

PS: Give it time to download it takes a minute or so..

 

[Todd]

Yeah, I've read this before, good info. Love heating with a cat stove, good to see continuing improvements in cat technology.

 

[raybonz]

Yeah, I've read this before, good info. Love heating with a cat stove, good to see continuing improvements in cat technology.

What is interesting is the charts showing cat effectiveness after so many years of use.. Burning 3 cords a year and vacuuming the cat and not impinging the cat with a flame it seems 10 years is not unrealistic.. I only have seen slight combustor cracking and that was on the original cat which was made by owens corning back in 1988.. Consolidated Dutchwest began using cats back around 1983 and I wonder which company was the 1st to use them.. I searched the web and so far haven't found which company used them 1st..

Ray

 

[Todd]

Yeah, I've read this before, good info. Love heating with a cat stove, good to see continuing improvements in cat technology.

What is interesting is the charts showing cat effectiveness after so many years of use.. Burning 3 cords a year and vacuuming the cat and not impinging the cat with a flame it seems 10 years is not unrealistic.. I only have seen slight combustor cracking and that was on the original cat which was made by owens corning back in 1988.. Consolidated Dutchwest began using cats back around 1983 and I wonder which company was the 1st to use them.. I searched the web and so far haven't found which company used them 1st..

Ray

Are you saying your cat is 23 years old?

 

[raybonz]

Yeah, I've read this before, good info. Love heating with a cat stove, good to see continuing improvements in cat technology.

What is interesting is the charts showing cat effectiveness after so many years of use.. Burning 3 cords a year and vacuuming the cat and not impinging the cat with a flame it seems 10 years is not unrealistic.. I only have seen slight combustor cracking and that was on the original cat which was made by owens corning back in 1988.. Consolidated Dutchwest began using cats back around 1983 and I wonder which company was the 1st to use them.. I searched the web and so far haven't found which company used them 1st..

Ray

Are you saying your cat is 23 years old?

Hi Todd!

Nope I've replaced it 3 times and just bought a 4th on E-Bay for $59.00 shipped It's a Sud Chemie steel cat and I called the company and was told that they make the steel cats for Condar :cheese: Sud Chemie no longer sells them direct and makes them for Condar instead as they are not set up for direct sales.. Thinking I got a hell of a deal.. VCBurner got the same deal on the other one.. Sud Chemie has been involved with cats since the very beginning and did the coating for Owens Corning and some other companies and did all the testing.. I never heard of Sud Chemie until I saw that cat on E-Bay.. Sometimes I just can't pass up on a deal like that! Funny thing is nobody else bid on the cat I bought or VCBurner's and one more came up for auction and 10 bids went out and it sold for $76 and change shipped!

Ray

 

[Todd]

Great deal! I wonder if they make the new steel cats for Woodstock? I'm going on year 4 with this ceramic cat and it has cracks but still holding together and heats well. I think those steel cats should last even longer than the ceramics just because they wont crack and crumble but the vertict is still out on how well they heat. I did hear a few reports of more frequent clogging from fly ash because the holes are smaller.

 

[raybonz]

Great deal! I wonder if they make the new steel cats for Woodstock? I'm going on year 4 with this ceramic cat and it has cracks but still holding together and heats well. I think those steel cats should last even longer than the ceramics just because they wont crack and crumble but the vertict is still out on how well they heat. I did hear a few reports of more frequent clogging from fly ash because the holes are smaller.

Yes they make all Condar steel cats and Woodstock uses Condar as far as I know.. Condar seems to only direct sell the steel cats and they are quite expensive making me think they are making a killing on them and eliminating dealer profits.. The corrogations on this cat seem pretty big to me and the claim is they are sharp edged so they tend to cut the fly ash.. I know a company called Clear Skies sells a steel cat and it looks like it would clog easily and be impossible to unclog, maybe those are the ones you heard about? Woodstock is giving you a good deal for $125.00, they are a class act from all I see and hear...

Ray

 

[pgmr]

Yeah, I've read this before, good info. Love heating with a cat stove, good to see continuing improvements in cat technology.

... I wonder which company was the 1st to use them.. I searched the web and so far haven't found which company used them 1st..

Ray

First magazine that Google Books has scanned that mentions a catalytic stove is the Jan 1981 Popular Mechanics. See http://preview.tinyurl.com/4w9h9o9 for the article.

 

[raybonz]

Yeah, I've read this before, good info. Love heating with a cat stove, good to see continuing improvements in cat technology.

... I wonder which company was the 1st to use them.. I searched the web and so far haven't found which company used them 1st..

Ray

First magazine that Google Books has scanned that mentions a catalytic stove is the Jan 1981 Popular Mechanics. See http://preview.tinyurl.com/4w9h9o9 for the article.

Thanx for the link that was interesting! They had no idea how long the combustor would last and cost $100.00 back in 1980! Wonder if the stove company is still around? My 1st combustor was an owen corning too and cats had been around with Dutchwest since 1983 so I reaped the benefits of the mistakes in the earlier models being corrected....

Ray