Auber Thermocouple Installed

I've been considering doing this^. I called WS and they said although they drill many hole in stoves during testing, they couldn't recommend it to the public. It's probably a liability issue. To me, worst case scenario, I'd have to replace the top stone for a whopping $21 +time and cement (KS). Todd sent me pics of his condar probe- through the top vented stove pipe reducer- install. I may do that instead. Then again this digital probe looks awesome.... What to do...

Someone needs to ball up and just do it...anyone want to be the first?

 

Actually the Keystone top is very easy to remove, 2 bolts and it lifts right off. Also no cement just gasket.

The way I had that Condar cat probe through the reducer pipe was pretty close to the thermocouple lower temp readings but was much slower to react. The higher temps weren't as close, 1000 degree Condar was around 1200-1400 with the thermocouple but I couldn't get the Condar as close to the cat.

 

Todd I was referring to replacing the center stone if I botched the drilling install. I assume it's cemented in the cast frame?

On a reload, when you are waiting for the cat temp to come up to engage the cat, other than the 6-7 min that that may usually take, how much more additional lag time was there with the Condar vs the digital probe?

 

Hopefully he will chime in..

 

The top stones are not cemented in, they lay on gaskets on the cast frame and there's another steel frame that holds the stones in place and bolts to the cast frame.

The Condar doesn't seem to lag behind much during reloads but it may be picking up some of the heat going up the flue since it's installed down through the flue collar. The thermocouple gets it's reading right from the tip of the probe verses the whole stem of the Condar.

 

Yeah, that's what I thought might be happening with the mechanical probe installed in the hole provided in back of the stove, since I got about the same temp (1000-1100) weather the cat was burning or not, and the tip of the probe wasn't over the cat, but behind it in the exhaust stream.
Are you finding that you can get a certain temp on the tc, for a certain amount of time, and be guaranteed a light-off regardless of stove top temp?

 

Talked to Woodstock about probing the PH... Would have to drill the stone, then the griddle and stick a probe in the top...Don't think I'll even bother...Too bad, I would have liked to see what goes on...

 

I've been engaging the cat at 600 and the STT can be well below that 250 recommended light off mark. I haven't tried lighting off lower because I want to give it some time to drive off moisture. So far 600 has given me consistant light offs in less than 10 minutes for reloads. I haven't tried a cold start yet.

 

I do the same with my PH,,, 500-600 flue gas temp , then close things up...

 

How long does it take to reach those temps on a reload?

 

Todd, on average about 5 minutes... The PH has such a strong start up draft that you could easily get green wood going.. The intake has three what looks to be 1"x 3" damper plates.. when they are all full open you are really getting some major air into the stove. They're all lined up across the back of the stove...

 

That's pretty quick. I'd still like to know where those cat temps were at in those 5 minutes but with good dry wood and a steel cat it probably doesn't matter much since your stove has such good air flow.

 

Look up the PH on Woodstock's site and look under the parts list... scroll way down until you get to the pictures of the back of the stove, you'll see how big the air intake is across the whole back of the stove,,,, first thing I noticed when I looked at a PH at Woodstock,,, I said wow, that looks like a 4 barrel carb on a car!

 

Todd , stove has such a good draft , at some point I'd like to install a pipe damper just to see how the stove would run, maybe slowing the secondaries, thus creating more of a cat burn... be interesting. Yet I don't want to cool my chimney to the point of building up creosote at the very top.. I'd get out my mirror and check my pipe through my outside clean out with a flash light, keep an eye on things... Keeping the flue gases no lower then 400 would keep me in the clean chimney zone...

 

I'd like to see someone plug all those secondary holes and see how it would run in full cat mode.

 

I always thought a 3.0 cu ft Fireview would have been an awesome stove...

 

I would think a cat stove doesnt leave much left to cause creosote. What little it does I would think would not be an issue. Its gross negligence that causes issues. If you have a stainless steel flue or liner thats even extra protection and if its insulated thats a 3rd level of protection as if the smoke gases stay warm all the way to the top the unburnt stuff wont stick to your liner. If your burning seasoned wood thats a 4th level of protection.

 

I do have all the 4 levels covered that you mentioned... With the PH I have no way to see the cat or probe it for temps... So I guess I air the side of caution just in case it's not lit off on a very low burn... Sometimes I see 300 degree flue temps and a 250 STT ... I wonder is my cat going? Supposedly.... Being so cold out I see heat light vapor smoke from the chimney top, so I assume it's lit off.. A cat probe would be nice... I'd like to see temps as to know when the cat is on its way out , down the road...

 

Buck1200 and Chipsoflying have thermocouples installed on their PH. I haven't seen them post in some time over on that other site.