Absolute Steel Owners, Please Help Me Learn How To Run This damm Thing!

Even on a non cat stove, if you are reloading on plenty of hot coals, the stove needs to be turned down sooner to keep things from "going nuclear" (basically the stove peaking/running at the very top of the "normal" STT' range...or possibly even a bit more)

 

Then do whatever it takes to prevent those things from happening. If going to 700 works, then do that.

When you do that, can you then dial back the stove air control to below 700F? Do you even need to dial it lower in such a big home?

All that said by you...that is, just trying to sneak in a third reload, there doesn’t seem to be an issue with what you need it to do.

I’ll bet a new catalyst will ignite at lower temps. You may find out with a new catalyst that you don’t need a third reload at all.

 

So I used to sometimes put in 3 small splits and 2 or 3 medium splits at maybe 5:00 then at 8:00 or 8:30 reload full. That’s when I get the aggressive fire. When doing this, I was waiting until 700 probe. Then the temps on the probe would climb pretty quickly and I would need to shut the air way down.
What I’m saying is that when I did this, the cat was probably still working on the reload, and maybe, after the load of wood was involved in the fire, after a few minutes, I probably should have engaged the cat to prevent the aggressive fire.

 

Would tend to agree...

 

So I feel like that’s the last thing I need to work out.

 

On a day in the 30’s with temps in the mid 20’s at night, maybe even low 20’s, I can get away with two loads, 12 hours apart. 450 to 500 STT peak. House 68-70 in hardest places to heat and 70-75 in easier places to heat.

 

The colder it gets the more likely you may need to tend. Like some said earlier though, try and burn those coals down first though...which may require adding only one small split, maybe two small splits to burn them down. Then reload.

 

That’s a good tip. To put on a small split to help burn down the coals. I didn’t know that. I usually just open up the air more to burn them down, and sometimes crack the door open.

 

And it works best if you have some low BTU wood to use for burning down the coals...many like pine because it doesn't add to the coal pile

 

Reading this thread was like reading Homer. What an epic tale!
One question Troutbum, why did you buy the Condar probe over the 8inch probe that Woodstock sells? I need to get one and just wondered.

 

Woodstock sells the Condar probe.

 

ah. I didn't see the brand name on the woodstock website and just figured they were different. Thank you!

 

So sorry for the long delay in response but yes over 500* the cat is active! I’ve kept my kings cat probe at 700* for 26+ hrs then started to drop but it was time for a reload.

 

Yes most likely steam, mine sometimes has a little steam but quickly disappears within a few feet from the chimney and other times see nothing.

 

If it’s an older cat you may have to run the temp up a bit before it will light off! When I had my keystone stove when I noticed my cat was going down hill, I had to ramp up the temp before closing the bypass if I didn’t, it would hang around the temp I closed it down for a bit and not go up and start dropping.