woodstock soapstone franklin beta stove

Just lost all my typing, sorry. One of the IS threads " production Woodstock IS" has a lot of info on it with the major IS info contributors using computer generated graphs and burn time info to keep us all informed. You may want to take a peek at that thread too.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences with the IS. I'm on the outside looking in since I have only owned cat stoves. Still trying to understand the synergy that happens when the two burning technologies are combined.

I've read on several web sites claims regarding their hybrid stoves and what I can't quite understand is the line between the science and the marketing. Here are a couple examples:

1. from (http://www.woodstove.com/ideal-steel-hybrid): Both the secondary combustion and the catalytic combustor produce heat. Without a hybrid system, some of this heat would be lost up the chimney.
2. from (http://www.woodstove.com/ideal-steel-hybrid): Complete combustion, achievable only through a hybrid combustion system, and good heat exchange are what makes for record 82% efficiency.
3. from (http://www.regency-fire.com/Files/Brochures/Regency-ProSeries-brochure.aspx) : A heavy duty, secondary air tube is strategically placed to ensure maximized re-burn of products of combustion before making their way to the combustor. Serving as a pre-filter, the Eco-Boost system maximizes efficiency and prolongs the life of the catalytic combustor by decreasing its exposure to harmful combustion substances.

In #1 and #2, they are essentially saying that increased efficiency (not losing heat up the chimney) and complete combustion are only achievable through hybrid combustion. In #3, they add that the design extends the life of the cat. Is this science/marketing/both?

I agree that this is a bad time for this discussion as it is off season for most. Perhaps those with more knowledge will chime in at a later date.

 

From what I have learned, a cat stove can only handle a certain amount of flow or it will get overwhelmed. That is why a Blaze King uses a much larger cat then the Ideal Steel increasing cost.

The main focus is that both technologies are available at anytime. Let's say you want a low burn. If the temperature swings high enough, the secondaries light and burn smoke. Whatever the secondaries don't burn has to pass through the cat so that any unburnt gasses are burnt off before exiting the stove. During a high burn rate, the secondaries pull the load and the cat is there for back up. A very low burn the cat is capable of pulling the load with minimal secondary activity.

So you have two separate emissions technologies working together to provide smooth transition from high to low or low to high. This takes a major load off of the cat increasing it's life and allowing maximum efficiency and low emissions.

Take that for what it's worth. Cat stoves are also very efficient. This simply takes it to the next level. Obviously a cat only stove will burn longer and steadier. The hybrid will give you more when you need more.

 

Another thing is Woodstock is a company that has been making cat only stoves for many years. Why mess with success ?Obviously, if cat only was the way to go they wouldn't be messing with hybrids. Their test labs obviously prove hybrids are worthwhile.

 

It appears that Regency's placement of the secondary tube in relation to the cat has led to some significant flame impingement issues. At least I've read about that somewhere I think Woodstock's hybrid success has a lot to do with tube placement and the cat in a protected location in the exhaust path.

It also appears that the 82% is no longer a record, FWIW.
http://kumastoves.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=15

 

http://kumastoves.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=110

This unit has double catalytic combustors and look at the process to get them out.... what a PIA.

I can have the cat out of the Ideal Steel in about 15 seconds.

 

I imagine anyone but the VERY dedicated would avoid all that. Much easier to just lift a lid and pull out a cat.

 

I was wrong it is one combuster. $279. Woodstock has made a stove that is efficient, affordable, and very easy to work on. To me that makes it the perfect stove. I could very easily take that whole stove apart and put it back together. A new combustor from woodstock is about $120.

 

I looked at kuma and blaze king among others in my comparison research. seem to be good companies but the the IS won for 2 reasons first was cost. at least 800 less... second was both the others required an 8 inch flue and I had only put up a 6.