Time to put new combustor? Pictures.

[Dmitry]

This is going to be my third year with this one. As always with FPX hybrid combustor gets destroyed in the middle where flame hits it. Looks ok on sides.
Is it time to change it?
Don't beat me down on clogged combs on sides. I surprised myself, should have cleaned more often

 

[kennyp2339]

yup, after seeing the flame impingement I'd see if theres some sort of shield made to go in front of the cat.

 

[Dmitry]

I actually fabricated a shield from perforated steel and put in the middle, it helps, but still destroys cat there.

 

[stoveliker]

The question of replacing the cat is not answered by looking at how it looks (ok, a pile of dust won't function), but by its behavior, imo.

Does it light off? Do you see smoke wh n you shouldn't? (Smoke and not steam)

 

[Highbeam]

The question of replacing the cat is not answered by looking at how it looks (ok, a pile of dust won't function), but by its behavior, imo.

Does it light off? Do you see smoke wh n you shouldn't? (Smoke and not steam)

I don’t care what it looks like if it works.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

If the cells are broken in the combuster like that the performance of it will be way down. Parts of it may light off but not all of it. If your not getting smoke out of the stack and the performance of the stove is ok you have some time, but order another one because you'll need a new one in the near future

 

[moresnow]

Maybe re-engineer your flame guard and then put in a new Cat. Seems that if you could deflect some more direct flame you'd have this licked. Maybe?

 

[Highbeam]

If the cells are broken in the combuster like that the performance of it will be way down. Parts of it may light off but not all of it. If your not getting smoke out of the stack and the performance of the stove is ok you have some time, but order another one because you'll need a new one in the near future

Not true. Every bit of surface area of the catalyst is coated with the special sauce. If the first 1/2" of that center bank of cells is missing or broken off then the remaining thickness of that bank is still in great shape and doing its job along with the other two fully intact banks. The only loss positively incurred by the physical missing bit is the work being done by that missing physical bit.

Unless you are trying to say that whatever destroyed that first 1/2" also somehow killed the rest of the cat. We don't know that and the proof is in the exhaust plume.