Question concerning new Condar catalytic probe thermometer.

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Hope everyone has a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving!
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here

ohlongarm

Minister of Fire
Mar 18, 2011
1,606
Northeastern Ohio
First off the service from them was really quick, I ordered it on Friday, and received it yesterday.
In the provided instructions it say the combustor can be engaged when the probe thermometer reaches 500 degrees.
In a Blaze King King would this temperature be hot enough, I did try it and the temperature jumped up to 1600 degrees on the new cat probe, when using the Blaze king probe in the past it seemed like it took forever to reach the temp before I closed the bypass.Right now on a partial load of honey locust she's cooking at about 1700 degrees and the cat is cherry red. I do like numbers on the new probe, not detracting from Blaze king as I love their stove.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Highbeam
I remember when I bought my Princess, I picked up one of those Condar probes with numbers. When I replaced the bk one with the Condar one, it behaved exactly how you described. 30min into the “normal” burn it would sit at 1700-1800*F.
I was told that perhaps the spring is calibrated differently. It confused me, went back to the bk probe.
 
30min into the “normal” burn it would sit at 1700-1800*F.
Is the cat brand new? If not, the accuracy seems dubious. The cat would not last long if run steadily at that temp.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Diabel
Is the cat brand new? If not, the accuracy seems dubious. The cat would not last long if run steadily at that temp.
The stove was relatively new. Its first season. Using oven mitten I removed the condar one while it was reading 1700, replaced it with the bk one and that one settled at around 2:00pm
 
First off the service from them was really quick, I ordered it on Friday, and received it yesterday.
In the provided instructions it say the combustor can be engaged when the probe thermometer reaches 500 degrees.
In a Blaze King King would this temperature be hot enough, I did try it and the temperature jumped up to 1600 degrees on the new cat probe, when using the Blaze king probe in the past it seemed like it took forever to reach the temp before I closed the bypass.Right now on a partial load of honey locust she's cooking at about 1700 degrees and the cat is cherry red. I do like numbers on the new probe, not detracting from Blaze king as I love their stove.

As with numbers on the thermostat dial (swoosh debate!), your questions are the most likely reason that BK sells the cat meter with no numbers! It doesn't really matter, every install is different, and cat temperatures do funny things depending on throttle position and the specific fuel load.

So all that really matters is the engagement point. If that meter delivered on the active line (verified by cat light off) then the rest is just gravy. Glowing cherry red is really hot. It's entirely possible that you were near 1700. Does the meter even read that high?

My condar cat meter reads just as I would expect and spends most of its active life near the top of the normal scale. No good way to verify if the meter is accurate unless you have a more trusted probe thermometer capable of those temperatures.
 
As with numbers on the thermostat dial (swoosh debate!), your questions are the most likely reason that BK sells the cat meter with no numbers! It doesn't really matter, every install is different, and cat temperatures do funny things depending on throttle position and the specific fuel load.

So all that really matters is the engagement point. If that meter delivered on the active line (verified by cat light off) then the rest is just gravy. Glowing cherry red is really hot. It's entirely possible that you were near 1700. Does the meter even read that high?

My condar cat meter reads just as I would expect and spends most of its active life near the top of the normal scale. No good way to verify if the meter is accurate unless you have a more trusted probe thermometer capable of those temperatures.
The meter goes to 1600, however I was pegged a quarter inch forward, nine hours later the probe shows 700 degrees and the partial load is still throwing heat house at 76 in a raw wind and rain environment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Highbeam
Is the cat brand new? If not, the accuracy seems dubious. The cat would not last long if run steadily at that temp.
No about three years, looks as new, I believe I'll engage the cat at the 600 degree mark to be on the safe side.
 
interesting .. I need a new cat probe