Old Federal Airtight Stove Question

[FireRod]

A friend of mine just move into a house with a Federal Airtight stove in it. I noticed that it has a catalytic combustion system in it. It's not known how old the cat is. Can the stove burn wood without the cat?

 

[kennyp2339]

I would gently remove that cat, give the stove a good cleaning, painting, check for cracks, new gaskets and fire brick then gently put the cat in to see if it would lite off, the photo leads me to believe the cat may still have some life left in it.

 

[Grisu]

He should have checked out the whole system and especially the chimney by a certified sweep. If the rest of the pipe looks like the first two feet I would seriously question that it is can still withstand a chimney fire nor that it has been installed properly to begin with.

 

[branchburner]

I agree with the advice given by the other posters, but to answer your original question: yes. It cannot, however, burn cleanly or efficiently (and as a result, possibly not very safely) without the cat. It becomes just another old metal box with dirty fire in it, also known as a "smoke dragon" around here.

 

[FireRod]

He should have checked out the whole system and especially the chimney by a certified sweep. If the rest of the pipe looks like the first two feet I would seriously question that it is can still withstand a chimney fire nor that it has been installed properly to begin with.

I told him to replace the pipe, cheap fix. The outside chimney looked great.

 

[FireRod]

I agree with the advice given by the other posters, but to answer your original question: yes. It cannot, however, burn cleanly or efficiently (and as a result, possibly not very safely) without the cat. It becomes just another old metal box with dirty fire in it, also known as a "smoke dragon" around here.

I'm guessing you take the cat out? Does "smoke dragon" pertain to all other stoves that do not have cat combustion?

 

[bholler]

he outside chimney looked great.

How was it inspected?

 

[FireRod]

How was it inspected?

Just by me, the outside pipe looks brand new compared to the inside pipe that the landlord put heat tape on.

 

[bholler]

Just by me, the outside pipe looks brand new compared to the inside pipe that the landlord put heat tape on.

What does it look like inside? Especially the joints. Just because it looks good on the outside doesn't mean much

 

[branchburner]

Does "smoke dragon" pertain to all other stoves that do not have cat combustion?

To all other stoves that do not have either cat combustion, burn tubes, or other (functional) forms of secondary combustion technology. So basically, to any pre-EPA stove or to an EPA stove that has been rendered inefficient (=smoky) by virtue of having non-functional secondary combustion technology.

For that matter, I can turn my Oakwood into a smoke dragon by burning green wood, because that will cause the fire to be too cool for the secondary combustion to occur. To my mind, any stove that can be made to smolder and become a creosote factory could be called a smoke dragon.

To burn the Dutchwest like that with a non-functioning combustor I don't know that you'd even have to remove it. But it certainly makes sense to try and clean that one, to see if it works, or to buy a new one (assuming the stove and flue are otherwise in good shape). If the stove is used as designed, with a functional cat, the reduction in wood used for the amount of heat produced should pay for the new combustor well before the combustor needs to be replaced again.

 

[bholler]

To my mind, any stove that can be made to smolder and become a creosote factory could be called a smoke dragon.

Pretty much any stove can be burn that way