New Ideal Steel now up and running

[m67tang]

Entering the shoulder season and getting to try my new Ideal Steel stove. This is my first catylitic stove. Hope I'm using it the right way. So far I'm seeing 12+ hour burn times. Of course I know it's shoulder season, and I don't want to start a "my stove is the best" thread. I'm just comparing this to my old wonderwood stove and my inexperience as a user of combuster stoves.

So who here is using your new ideal steal stove ?

Also, when I let it burn down lower than 300 degrees am I damaging the combuster? All I see in the owners manual is not to engage the combuster before 300 degrees. No info about when the fire dies down.

 

[m67tang]

Just so everyone know I'm located 25 miles west of Cincinnati OH

 

[BrotherBart]

I'm just comparing this to my old wonderwood stove

Talk about going from the ridiculous to the sublime. Enjoy.

 

[m67tang]

Yeah, good big or go home! The wonderwood was a temporary stove from the beginning. It served its purpose. I don't regret it a bit. It prevented me from making a poor stove choice and gave me time to research what I really needed/ wanted.

 

[m67tang]

Not sure why all my pics are going sideways?

 

[BrotherBart]

Because you have an Apple iPhone. Turn it sideways.

 

[m67tang]

Ok now my pics are strait. Thanks. My install isn't pretty like lots on here. But someday that room will be my lower family room, and it'll be great sitting by the wood stove.

Other thing- my stove makes some rattling noise while warming up. Should I call Woodstock? I don't even know what to think of it.

 

[begreen]

They have a fix for the rattling, give them a call.

 

[Woody Stover]

No info about when the fire dies down.

Very nice. Later in the burn the cat will go inactive from lack of smoke to burn as the load coals. No need to open the bypass. Actually, better to leave it closed, as the exhaust will follow a longer path through the stove and less heat will go up the flue.

 

[HotCoals]

They have a fix for the rattling, give them a call.

probably just ticking from the heat.
When mine was new it did it a lot for a season or two. Now it hardly does that.
Enjoy..that stove is a great valve for the money me thinks!

 

[weatherguy]

Ok now my pics are strait. Thanks. My install isn't pretty like lots on here. But someday that room will be my lower family room, and it'll be great sitting by the wood stove.

Other thing- my stove makes some rattling noise while warming up. Should I call Woodstock? I don't even know what to think of it.

Does it sound like an alarm? If it is its nothing to worry about but like BG said give em a call for the fix.

 

[Huntindog1]

Just so everyone know I'm located 25 miles west of Cincinnati OH

I am 50 miles west of Cincy. We must be neighbors. Go Reds!

 

[tarzan]

probably just ticking from the heat.
When mine was new it did it a lot for a season or two. Now it hardly does that.
Enjoy..that stove is a great valve for the money me thinks!

I think what the op is describing is a little different than the normal ticking sounds. Something kinda exclusive to the IS from what I understand.

 

[Boiler74]

Congrats on the stove. Regarding the CAT, you'll want to bypass the CAT when reloading. Let the wood burn for a bit before closing it again. This burns out some moisture, which is harmful to CATs, or so I've heard.

CallWS with any questions about the rattle. They are great to work with.

Are you clearances to combustibles ok there? That wood bin and cat scratching post looks mighty close.

 

[unhdsm]

The rattling is from the air valve behind the stove. The part has been redesigned and takes 5 minutes to swap out. WS will send you one out if you give them a call.

 

[mellow]

I like that solid black look, I think it helps tone down all the odd angles on that stove. Glad to see you didn't get all that crazy fru fru stuff for it, its a box for fire for crying out loud.

 

[Fsappo]

I am 50 miles west of Cincy. We must be neighbors. Go Reds!

What the heck happened to the Bengals last night?

 

[HotCoals]

I think what the op is describing is a little different than the normal ticking sounds. Something kinda exclusive to the IS from what I understand.

ah.!

 

[Huntindog1]

What the heck happened to the Bengals last night?

Go Colts!! I am only 50 miles from Indianapolis also.

 

[Woody Stover]

I am 50 miles west of Cincy. We must be neighbors. Go Colts!! I am only 50 miles from Indianapolis also.

Equal opportunity fan. Heheh.The new stove will get to stretch its legs during the mini-vortex next week. All indications are that you will love it, 'tang. I'm waiting for the beta tests on little brother, which would be the size I'd need.

I like that solid black look, I think it helps tone down all the odd angles on that stove.

It does look good like that, donit?

 

[Ashful]

Also, when I let it burn down lower than 300 degrees am I damaging the combuster? All I see in the owners manual is not to engage the combuster before 300 degrees. No info about when the fire dies down.

The basic premise is that when the wood is producing combustible compounds (eg. creosote) which would normally go up the chimney, you want your combuster operating at temperature > 500F, to burn those compounds. If you engage your combuster too early, or it otherwise fails to ignite after closing your bypass damper, it will eventually clog up from forcing the creo and other compounds thru the narrow air passages of the cold combuster. However, on the trailing end of a fire, the load of wood is no longer producing these compounds. It is normal then for the combuster temp to drop, as it's not receiving any fuel with which to continue combustion. This is normal and harmless, and the clean exhaust produced during this late coaling phase will just pass thru the cold combuster.

Regarding the CAT, you'll want to bypass the CAT when reloading. Let the wood burn for a bit before closing it again. This burns out some moisture, which is harmful to CATs, or so I've heard.

Putting steam thru a hot ceramic cat can cause rapid cooling, and thus fracturing of the ceramic. This is one of the top reasons for using properly seasoned wood in a cat stove, although many cat stoves (Jotuls, VC's) won't allow any exhaust thru the cat in bypass mode, and so wet wood is a complete non-issue from the perspective of damage to the cat combuster in many stoves. The primary reason for letting the wood burn for ~10 minutes before closing the bypass is to get any normal level of moisture baked out, and ensure the wood is well-lit and producing the volatile compounds the cat requires as fuel to light off.

 

[osagebow]

Hey 67,love the IS. I have a split entry basement install. Starting to get a feel for keeping the temp hot enough for the cat without spiking the house to 78 degrees.
Had zero smoke from the chimney today 60 minutes into a medium sized load. I haven't ordered the gasketed flap yet , added a washer per their suggestion.Enjoy!

 

[smokedragon]

Entering the shoulder season and getting to try my new Ideal Steel stove. This is my first catylitic stove. Hope I'm using it the right way. So far I'm seeing 12+ hour burn times. Of course I know it's shoulder season, and I don't want to start a "my stove is the best" thread. I'm just comparing this to my old wonderwood stove and my inexperience as a user of combuster stoves.

So who here is using your new ideal steal stove ?

Also, when I let it burn down lower than 300 degrees am I damaging the combuster? All I see in the owners manual is not to engage the combuster before 300 degrees. No info about when the fire dies down.

Welcome to the club!!

I also switched from a much older stove, and WOW.

I have a thread on the gasketed bimetallic valve for catalyst air. Per woodstock, it won't hurt anything, but they will send you a part with direction to replace it. It works well.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/our-ideal-steel-in-charcoal-and-copper.132621/

Enjoy the new stove.

 

[m67tang]

Lot of good stuff here! Go Colts! Wood box needs moved a little. When I get settled in at the house again from vacation, I'll investigate all these suggestions and call WS about quieting the noise.

 

[m67tang]

So to the other IS owners- how's your burn times been? Also how of seasoned firewood do you have? I only have 1 year this season. It's all I had transitioning from the old clunker to this top shelf model.