How do you know when the metal cat is burned out on a flexburn as even without the cat in the combustion chamber will still burn the smoke but not quite as much? The Condar web page says any Temps over 1300 will destroy the cat. I've had my Temps over 1300 a few times so no I'm wondering if it's burnt out.
VC flexburn cat burned out?
- Thread starter Kevin Weis
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Temps up to 1500º should be ok. Does the cat still get up to temperature, in the active zone? When was it last cleaned of fly ash build-up?
On a flexburn the cat is installed in the combustion chamber. The cat is an option on the stove. The gases will be burned (at least somewhat) by the combustion chamber before it would get to the cat. There is no routing of the gases to bypass the combustion chamber to be able to just go through the cat. So really with the cat in place you have a double burn in effect. Now with that said it appears that the cat should ignite the particulates at a lower temp than if it goes through the combustion chamber only. What I've noticed so far is without the cat the combustion chamber on its own is effective above about 750 (no or little smoke out the chimney). With the cat in play it's supposed to light off at around 500. So the only way to tell is run the stove at about 650 and see what's coming out the chimney. In my post above should have said without the cat installed. Right now I'm running without the cat in. Supposed to get close to 70 in the next several days so I'll have to wait awhile to do this. Thanks for the reply.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
if you have a digital probe in that should make it pretty easy. no way the back of the stove will get 800 to 1000 degrees.. also when you turn the air down the cat shouldn't stall.. again you will see this with the digital probe
Yes, I have a digital probe installed. For some reason I feel better being able to have a ceramic cat in there as opposed to a metal one. But doesn't appear to be one out there for the Intrepid.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
so what is the cat actually doing.. id it not lighting off at all, are able to get it to light and it stalls
