Ideal Steel - Stovetop temperature when engaging the catalyst?

Hello,

I'm a complete woodstove newbie, having purchased my first wood stove ever -- a Woodstock Ideal Steel. We have it all set up and have done one initial firing so far to test it out. I'm reading the manual and I have a pretty basic question -- it says in there that the catalytic converter should be engaged when the temperature of the smoke reaches about 500F, which is at the same time that the magnetic thermometer they provide reaches about 250F, when placed on single-wall stove pipe. The problem is that we used double-wall stove pipe, so that temperature on that is much lower, so I'm unclear on what I should be measuring for this 250F, to know when to engage the catalyst.

Is the temperature of the stovetop next to where the stovepipe exits upward pretty close to what single-wall stovepipe reads? That seems to be the hottest part of the stovetop. Or should I be measuring the flue collar that goes between the stove and the stovepipe?

I have the magnetic thermometer that came with the stove, as well as an infrared thermometer.

Thanks!

 

I'd jump in but I'm quite sure a number of the IS owners will be along shortly to give you the technique and temps they're using.

It might also be hiding in one of the large IS threads already in existence. I used Google to find this thread. Give a read through it while you're waiting for an IS owner to give you an answer. Or, call Woodstock and just ask. I'm sure they'll be happy to help you out with that.

Ideal Steel Season #2 Tips, Tricks, and Improvements. | Page 19 | Firewood Hoarders Club

 

Without any thermometer you can start shutting down in stages when the secondaries start firing off (this is what WS production peeps told me in my house lighting off the beta unit) then fine tune as you get a feel for it. I highly encourage you to get a probe thermometer for the stove pipe. It's really easy to install and there is no more estimating or guessing.

 

I re-read that that thread and was not sure if there was a clear answer.. I 2nd call woodstock.. I have single wall pipe put thermostat 14 inches above stove top hits 275 drop cat...

 

I found it helpful to buy a probe for cat temps. That gets yiu spot on at the exact location your looking for

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Any links to the probe you are suggesting?

 

I've been looking through all my notes. I'll have it shortly

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3-12-1 is the probe I bought off ebay

4" probe $27.00 plus $6 shipping

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I bought my probe from WS.

 

This is a blaze king video but it does a pretty good job explaining how to get a cat stove working. Put the gauge that came with it on the top deck near the exit and wait for it to come within the catalytic range. Watch the video.

 

Went with a probe here too. Well actually 2 of them. A cat probe and a double wall pipe probe thermometer. I use the cat probe for determining cat light off.

 

I think the OP is just looking for a temp and spot on the IS to set the magnetic thermometer to give him a good approximate equivalent of the temp by a more accurate method before engaging CAT. Maybe one who has a single wall flue has put a 2nd gauge near the flue collar to identify the temp.

I'm going to do some break in fires today on my AS so I'll post a pic of Single Flue Pipe Temp VS. Stove Top Temp just assuming they are ballpark similar. If this helps.

 

Thanks for the responses. I called Woodstock as suggested and they said to put the magnetic thermometer on the stovetop in the back near the flue collar, or on the side of the stove. I would still be curious if anyone measures the temperature of the single wall stovepipe and the stovetop to see if they are similar.

 

You can't really think about it like that. They are two different things you are measuring. If you log both you will see that in some conditions they might be the same but other times, depending on burn cycle and cat engagement, they can be completely different. In fact, at most points they should have an inverse relationship. I find stovetop temp and the fire appearance to be a better indicator of when to engage the cat than stove pipe temp- but I also want to know those- and even then I prefer to know the smoke temp and not the temp of the outside of the pipe which is only an estimate of internal temp.

 

Thanks. So do you find that the stovetop is around 250F-300F when you end up engaging the cat?

 

I want to say closer to 400f but I haven't used the stove more more than 1.5 years so I'm not certain. It should be all over the archives if you do a search. Like I said, just go by the fire and see what temp it is.

 

I have the Woodstock gauge near the flue collar on mine. I also have a cat probe for the front. I've found that the cat probe reaches the 500 degrees needed to engage the cat before the stove top gauge reads 250. I think you should be fine following that.

The important thing after you engage the cat is to give it plenty of air . Don't choke it back too soon. I usually run it on high for 5-10 minutes after engaging the cat.

 

Still suggesting a cat probe. Easy peasey

 

Yeah, a cat probe takes All the guess work out of it. I'd hate to be without one now.

 

Babaganoosh, is there a write up on the install someplace and a How-to? I think what the OP is asking for is a simple answer of stove top temp on a cold stove start. Obviously that doesn't meet all of the various burn stages and needs but it will get him going on the basics of lighting the stove and engaging the cat.

I'm interested too, as I'm wondering if whatever method to implement a cat prob and also be used on a Absolute Steel.