I purchased this recently. The guy I purchased it from said he used one for years and had this one as a spare. It's never been used. He said he loved the one he used. Anyone ever use one?
Woodstock Soapstone inc. is working on a new product like this right now. I think your on to something... Woodstock Soapstone Co. Blog: R2Z Detour: Once There was a Thought...
I was thinking of waiting until next season to hook it up. But we are supposed to get up into the 70s next week--early spring! So maybe I'll get it hooked up sooner. Will keep you posted
There is another firm with a cat + heat exchanger retrofit system coming to market supposedly. Under the name Heat Booster. There was a patent for the add on cat system back in about 87, expired due to non payment of maintenance fees. It wasn't under the Nu-Tec name though. Woodmans still has the element inserts listed for the Nu-tek- company itself long gone.
If I am not mistaken, the Heat Booster is a heat reclaimer, AKA "flue stopper." Generally not recommended. I am a skeptic of add-on cats. How hot do cats run? I suspect much hotter than one would want within the stovepipe. Will it be able to distribute the heat? Is there enough "excess" air to feed the cat? (I am far from a pro, so these may be dumb questions - just my thinking.) That said - if I had one, I would try it! Greg
Might want to review the heat boosters web sight- this isn't no magic heat reclaimer system. That said just sticking a cat at the exit of the stove - those run at what 1100 deg's? - that's going to be one hot pipe with the bulk of any extra heat generated just going up and out without adding some sort of attenuation system. ( ya I can use bigger words when needed). Lots of pictures over the years of divided flue systems to eek out a bit more heat from the exhaust. I have nothing to do with Heat Booster. Just for a reference point the tier 4 diesels exhaust on the over the road rigs are exiting at close to 1200 degs.
This one attaches to the stove first and then you put the pipe on. I'm not sure how hot it will run. I've never had a catalyst before. I will be testing it out and watching closely. As far as heat reclaimers. I had one and it was way too damm noisy and my electric bill went up with it. So I got rid of it.
So far the stove pipe has been staying in "optimal burn" temps. I would love to get a probe thermometer.
