WS Steel Cat update

Been running the latest generation woodstock combustor in the fireview 24/7 since this fall. Other than a quick brush or a blast with the low pressure air can things have been running along great.

Last night, I could smell a faint amount of smoke getting blown back into the house (windy) came down stairs and saw the cat was partially stalled, opened the bypass gave it some air again and off and running.

Came home from work, gave it a 50/50 mix of vinegar and distilled water with a liberal rinse, 20 minutes of dry time in the oven at 275 and the cat is now working again good as new.

The funny thing is, I did not notice any serious fly ash, creosote or substantial buildup.

I did this to my last steel cat and saw a semi improvement, but this newer version responds better to a good cleaning.

I think I will be doing this once every mid season from now on. Anyone else been doing doing a rinse or bath?

I guess I am a "cat" hoarder too, have the original ceramic cat, 1st generation cat and the latest. Upside is, I will never have to worry about not having a working cat =)

 

Yep I've done the bath. Better watch it you might turn into a crazy cat person.

There is an older lady that I have for a customer. She takes her cat for a walk on its leash everyday. As long as you don't get to that point I think your ok

 

Nope just have two forms of CAD, Chainsaws and Wood Stove Cats

 

I wonder if you could use CLR instead of vinegar, or would it damage the metal coating? My SS cat in the Keystone has been cleaned once thoroughly and once just a plastic bristle brush off while cleaning the screen. Just that seemed to help a lot. I'd clean it more if the weather would let me shut the stove down for a minute

 

Anything over three cats is crazy,,,leash or not

I haven't tried the bath yet but i'm cleaning it often now that i'm burning all oak.
i do have the old cat just in case something comes

 

That is where things started to change was after burning a lot more oak. CSS 3/4 years

 

I was burning a mix of hardwoods (mostly ash, cherry and locust) and was cleaning the cat about every three weeks.
After a week or two of burning oak (c/s/s 2 years)I started getting lower stove top temps and more coaling.
Clean the cat and it goes back to normal. Now I just clean it weekly when I shovel the ashes out. Only takes a few extra minutes

 

Has Woodstock put out any guidance on this? Upon seeing the thread title, my first though was CLR and Midfielder had already mentioned it. I am legendary for fixing stuff that is not broken.

 

I've had my cat out 2x this winter, both times there was a small amount of fly ash stuck to the outer corner. Gave it a brush and put it back in. Are you guys saying a vinegar bath may be something that needs to happen when it's out for cleaning anyways? Do you think it helps?

 

I'd say only if you are notice a decline in performance of the stove and cat temps. I'm just going to do an annual mid-season spray as insurance, I think the verdict isn't out yet if there is any loss of precious metals when you flush it with distilled water.

 

Mine started clogging once I started burning oak and was cleaning every 2-3 weeks, I went to sugar maple and went 3 weeks with no drop off in performance, switched to oak and had to clean it within a week. You guys think oak makes more fly ash?

 

Majority of wood here is Oak...

 

Here too but also a lot of ash, I have my BIL holding 6 cords of ash for me, he'll bring it to me once the snow melts, he has over 150 cords at his yard of mixed and most people want oak so I told him I'd take ash. Seasons quicker and burns almost as well in the PH. I'd like to get a few more cords of sugar maple too.

 

I'm guessing your oak had high moisture content. It's true that it really takes 3 full years (at least in North MA) to season Oak.

 

I've been digging out since late January. My wood stacks have almost 4 feet of compressed snow on them. What a winter!!!!

 

It was seasoned 4 years, its dry, last year it was between 19-22% so another year had to lower it a bit.