WS Steel Cat update

OK next question: Was it top covered for at least the last 3 years? I found covering made a HUGE difference.

 

Came home to a cold stove this afternoon, so it was a good opportunity to do an inspection, clean out the firebox and since I had the time, give the cat a bath.

 

Only the last two, the wood on the edges was a bit punky, that's what I think is creating the fly ash but its only a guess. That's why I need a shed, I have the materials just need the snow to melt and its going up, all my seasoned wood is going under, I should be able to get 6+ cords under cover from now on.

 

Did you do the vinegar spray thing?

 

Sort of, I had a gallon to use so I gave it an actual bath. I think it sat in there about 15 mins or so.

 

I'm not sure how frequent I want to be bathing the cat, I did notice a small amount of the substrate coating run out after washing it. Not sure how liberal the coating is on these new cats but so far its working well, not the hyper active mode like new but much quicker to react.

 

I notice a shiny substance washing out each time I do the bath, and for that reason I don't plan to do it more than one time per season.

The best way I found to ensure the cat fires off consistently is after engaging the cat, keep the air setting higher for 5 minutes or so before reducing it.

 

It takes a good bit for me to remove my cat out of my High Valley. I have to drop a metal C channel. But to pull my cats I need lots of new gasket material. I gasket the housing to the top and the cats need new gaskets. I did not remove my cat last season and that was their first season ...this is the second season so I will pull them and vacuum them and reg basket them.

 

If some is coming off do you want to do it at all? How can burning the thing at like 1600f not get the gunk out???

I have never seen mine clogged, period.

 

Same with mine, just some fly ash build up in the outer corners.
This was my first time giving the SS cat a bath, not much came though but the vinegar
did change color when it come out of the combs. Not sure what is good and what is bad
when it comes to material in the vinegar in the tub underneath.

 

The difference in cat performance after running through a vinegar bath is AMAZING. The cat lights off like brand new - hyperactive again. Still, like Dennis said, you probably should not do it more than 1-2 times a year.

 

Just back from a weekend in Maine, and have a cold stove, so we hunted down some distilled water on the way home and cleaned the cat. Got the distilled water at the grocery store. I looked long and hard and was ready to give up. My wife walked over and pulled it right off the shelf.

Ash-colored water during the rinse. I rinsed enough to get rid of all vinegar smell, but was still getting some ash-colored water. Now it is sitting on the hot air furnace vent, drying out a little. Still using the iconel screen, but it is not going to last forever...

 

Yea distilled water is easy to find. Walmart grocery or drug store has it

 

I VERY strongly doubt what you guys are seeing in the wash is the coating coming off. Your seeing debris from the wood and ash that is stuck to the coating which is exactly why you are washing it in the first place.

Are you first cleaning the cat, before giving it the bath? I first clean the cat by vacuuming the ash off both sides with a small hand vacuum (Dyson DC34) and a small soft bristle attachment, then I blow thru it with my breath which seasm to blow most ash out of it, and THEN I pickle it (aka vinegar bath...). I don't see much of anything come out with the vinegar soaking...

After doing this, I clearly see a huge difference in the heat output of the stove! I do it in the spring clean up/shut down for summer, and they at least once during the burning season.

 

I downloaded the cleaning g instructions from condar. It advises a cleaning every other year or every year in heavy use. Good quick easy to read PDF.

 

Yes, vacuum with brush attachment, clean/brush both sides first. Then I did the spray "bath". Soaked it to the point that I could easily shake liquid back out. Repeated several times. Then repeated several times with the rinse. The rinse water was not clean the final time, but I was sure I had the vinegar off and was ready to move on.

 

I've been thinking about the cat for the last few weeks, and tossing an idea around in my head. I'm going to call Woodstock tomorrow, and depending on what their reaction is, may post my thoughts. The last few days thread postings are reinforcing my feeling....