My neighbor across the street has a Woodstock Soapstone, model classic 200. It’s a catalytic combustor unit and I have zero experience with them. Her husband ran the stove while he was alive, and she knew nothing about it. She has been having problems with it since they moved into the house. They use to live in our house then retired across the street. He died before finishing installing it. I piped the chimney in for her. The chimney runs straight up with no bends. When she lights it and leaves the door open, it gets up to temperature then they close the door and the fire dies. They haven’t found the manual for it. Today I tried running it up 700 degrees before shutting it down. Which is higher than they have taken it. It almost immediately dropped to 300 degrees, when I shut down the internal dampener and air inlets. It seemed to hold at 300 but I had to leave for supper. So I’m not sure how long it stayed there. Not sure at what temperatures things are supposed to be adjusted at. Also not sure what this hole at the back by the damper is. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
I checked her wood with the moisture meter it read about 12% to 14%. I’m not entirely certain my mm is correct. I don’t use it often and have not believed it in the past. Wood was room temperature and I resplit it.
Sounds like the wood is good and dry. I’d take a look and make sure the stove pipe is unobstructed just to rule that out. When the stove is cool open the top lid and take a look at the catalyst. If the cat is plugged or hasn’t been cleaned it won’t work correctly. It very well may just be worn out or damaged. I believe those models came with a ceramic cat. Take some pics and post. Here is the link to all of the maintenance documents. You can also call Woodstock customer service they are great. Classic 200 and Fireview 201 Maintenance Documents I own a Fireview 205 which is the updated version of this stove. Also Backwoods Savage and Oldhippie own the 205 model. Good on you for helping your neighbor in their time of need. Post some pics and we can give you some feedback.
For the fire and temp to die out as you describe I would immediately suspect the air is not getting through. You state When you let the temp (stovetop or flue temp?) get to 700 degrees then shut it (I think you mean you shut the door) it dropped 400 degrees!!!!. That says the fire suddenly stopped getting air. Wow! No mention about the cat here. Was the bypass open or closed? Is the cat plugged? Has the cat ever been replaced? Is the bypass able to open and close? I don't mean is the lever working but open the lid and watch the bypass as you move the lever. Does it open and close? All in all it does not sound like a fuel problem but something must be plugged.
The air comes in the door, check and make sure the mechanism is working. The top dial on the door that says open and close is a kind of boost air that you open to help get the fire going. The bottom knob slides left and right and is the main air control after you close the boost air. The rod in the back is the bypass and should be open when starting the fire and closed after you get the stove top above 250. After you close the bypass leave the air wide open til you see the stove top temps rise then you can adjust the air down as needed. Of course this is all if your catalyst is in working order. I’ve always liked the looks of the Classic and wish Woodstock would have kept it an option for the Fireview. Offered a guy on Craig’s List a fair price on one this year but he’s stubborn thinking a 40 year old stove is worth $1500!
Another thing to check is the expanded metal fire shield under the cat. It could be clogged with ash.
Also, do you have a temperature gauge on the top of the stove? I much prefer to have the stovetop thermometer (250 before engaging the cat) but also a thermometer on the flue (I don't want to exceed 500 on the flue but at least 300 flue before engaging the cat).
Flu temp, I didn’t measure the stove top. I’ll test that out. I didn’t figure it had been running long enough to fully heat the soapstone. I haven’t seen the cat and don’t know anything about them. Every time I’m over they already have a fire started. I’ll try to stop over tomorrow and take some pictures inside and check the mechanism. Bypass all the way open when starting. I shut the bypass down with starting intake at the same time and within a couple minutes the temperature dropped significantly. I can see thru the intakes with the door closed so I know air is getting in. I’ve never owned a cat but my understanding was the bypass gets shut all the way. My neighbor and her son were under the impression that it gets left open about an inch. I’m guessing the cat has been replaced at sometime. I remember him saying he had a spare. I’ll ask about that but he had lots of spare parts for everything he owned and she doesn’t know where most things are.
I’ll test that out using the stove top reading she only has a flue thermometer. I’ll bring over my infrared meter and use that. Is that hole next to the bypass supposed to be open?
We're new to cat stoves. Our procedure is pack stove as full as possible, burn fire w til fully engulfed with cat OPEN and glass door ajar, then close door and ensuring/or waiting till everything is fully engulfed with glass door closed. Then close the cat bypass all the way. Full air intake during lighting, only after cat bypass is closed is when to dial air intake down. I have to admit I missed and confused the procedure when we first got it. I wonder if the the "leave bypass open 1" " they remember might be similar to my missing a step mistake or possibly a work around while he got a new cat delivered?
I don’t know what hole that is? Some of the classics had a secondary air tube in the firebox. That could be the hole you’re talking about? Look inside the firebox under the baffle, that is where there would be a cast iron secondary air tube.
Stove is in the basement. Six inch black single wall to the ceiling. Not sure what’s above it. Before they moved in there was an open, hooded fire pit, she said. I need to get home while still light out to see the cap.
If you were just measuring the flue temps then it is normal for them to fall after you close the bypass and engage the cat. Flue temps should drop and stove temps should climb. 300 flue temp should be a good cruising temp.
