Cat or no Cat?

The hybrid. With secondary air and cat.

 

Thanks, Steve! And I realized after looking closely at your pics that the thermometer is WS, not some aftermarket unit that could have whatever range printed on it. Clearly the stove is approved to run that hot. I wish Hearthstone would just list a limit so I could know.

Better safe than sorry... I'll try to keep mine under 600* just because.

Sorry to everyone else for jacking the thread.

 

A little drift in the threads here is something I love about this site.... so that in mind, and especially because you're asking a question that feels directly related to your comfort and perceived safety in your home while operating your stove, I don't want you to feel like you're still waiting on some missing information.
I read through the owner's manual of your stove and on pages 23-25 it gives a roundabout discussion of the normal temperatures that you could anticipate but these are internal temps from the firebox and the catalyst's running temperatures. You might consider placing the thermo in a couple of different locations on top of the stove. If you're having it placed directly over the catalyst it could be skewing the temp reading slightly higher due to the nature of the way a cat works.
Moreover the manual indicates the catalyst could produce temperatures in excess of 1000F under normal proper function. Without a doubt the internal temp is going to be different than the stove top temp, however comparatively high temps are the name of the game. The only variable I hadn't seen you mention are the air controls. "Play around" with them and see if you can get yourself comfortable with how the stove continues to operate, but I feel comfortable with my stove getting in the 650F range, and I don't happen to have any soapstone on my model.
Safety first of course, but it does sound like you're on top of things.

 

Thanks for this! My problem is not about how to get to a temperature, but what temperature is my limit.

I've practically memorized the manual. I've read the section you mention so many times, but in the end it's just loosey goosey info that a user can't really follow since there's no way to know internal temperatures when burning. Also in that section they have several paragraphs talking about overfire and the potential to damage the stove if it's allowed to get too hot.

At the end of the manual, it says to monitor your stove pipe and if it's at 400* you're operating properly. Surely that's a mistake leftover from the non-cat stoves. As discussed in this thread, cat stoves don't get hot pipe. The most I've very seen is about 215*.

The EPA report on the stove shows the testers had surface temps from 345* to 510*, but who really knows if they're using those temps because that's what the EPA calls for or if that's what Hearthstone wanted.

Google the question and you see the whole gambit.

Bottom line, Hearthstone should just publish a surface temperature limit in their manual, like Woodstock! Until then, guess I'll just use 600* to be safe.

 

Oh! And here's another thing:

I'm right at the minimums as far as clearance to combustibles. Surely that distance if predicated on a maximum stove temperature. So as long as I don't exceed that limit, I don't need to worry about those combustibles.

Soooooooo, shouldn't they publish what that number is?

Because if it's 600* max, and I'm burning at 675*, then my combustibles are too close and at risk!

Haha, okay, I'm done ranting.

Edited to add:

Since I was feeling frisky, I looked up the previous generation heritage just to see if a limit was listed, and if fact it was! 600* sustained as measured on the center top stone! GREAT, now I know where to be.

 

Could this be because they are quoting flue gas temperature and you are comparing that to your pipe surface temperature? I can run my cat stove from 400 to 800 flue gas temperatures just fine. 400 surface temperature corresponds to 800 flue gas temperature which is fine on a high burn.

Weird

 

Probe sits flush as delivered. Unmodified.
Bypass handle is included with every BK stove.
Lid lifter? Do you have the ashpan option? You should have received a fire poker rod with the ash plug hook.
Should have been one or more Super Cedar starter pucks included.
Better pull the flame shield and make sure the Cat is installed!
Did your owner's manual, combustor warranty sheet, owner registration sheet arrive inside the stove also?
Somewhat abnormal delivery!

 

The meter just sits in the hole and the probe dangles down behind the catalyst. It’s currently 350 but I could hold it for a bit!

 

The newest model princess might have a similar meter but with sort of a cup that surrounds the dial to block the wind from the blowers so it doesn’t change the reading.