Absolute steel run question

OK guys. I'd like a little input from anyone running one of these absolutes....
I'm burning softwoods, and right now my magnetic thermometer that came with the stove is 8 inches above the flue. (Top vented). I have the condor probe installed that feeds from side, directly over the cat.

The flue is reading at 170 (single wall), and the cat is running at 570. Turned down to 1.5 on the damper. Stove us burning very clean right now. Cat has been staying spotless. So does this pose any problems that AS runners can see? On the old princess I wouldn't care less, not certain on this stove.

Been really enjoying it so far. Loves to burn in cat mode, very similar to the BK stoves, but much more responsive, and very easy to load.

I did read through all the AS threads I could find, and haven't seen anyone with super low flue temps, without a stalled cat.

 

A brand new cat will light off VERY easily.

 

The magnetic thermos read about half the actual temperature and are sometimes notoriously inaccurate. (Some can read a couple hundred degrees off). If you're reading 170 on a mag-therm, a probe-therm in the same spot should read 325-350.

I installed a probe last year just above the mag-therm and my numbers on the IS routinely run 200/400 when I'm set for a long low burn, so your numbers sound perfect to me.

Not sure where I heard this, but I think the recommended height for the thermo is 16" above the stove top.

 

Thanks. I put three old magnetics on the pipe, and stove, They were everywhere on the temp differences. I'll order a couple three inch probes, and give it a shot. I know this house is different, along with my setup, but I'm getting lower flue temps with the AS, as compared to the princess. Thanks for the heads-up!

 

What you really want to watch is the start-up temp with that flue thermo.
The other thing is to keep the flue temp up high enough to carry any residual moisture up and out of the flue so it can't condensate and make creosote.

 

Yes. This is what happens when you burn off all the volatile gases inside the stove/Cat. The heat is all released into the stove top.
The only things going out the flue are moisture, spent gases and a little heat.

 

I didn't have much luck with a cat probe. I put one in last year and it lasted a month. It was bent and deformed when I took it out...I felt like I wasted $25 dollars ... The flue probe seems good, but not particularly necessary. I went 4 years without the probes and didn't really gain anything but seeing the cat temp going to 1500, which I knew it was doing already.

WS doesn't really tell people that their wood stove cat gets up to 1500* because they know people would panic...They put a port in for the probe but don't supply the probe.

 

I can only add the flu temp is usually about twice what the thermometer says. So if your stack is running about 340 and your cat is running about 570. Sounds good.

Do not have an A S I have an IS, but should be pretty similar.

 

They actually send the cat probe now. The magnetic thermometer is more important than the cat probe I've found, with the BK it was washer to overshoot on the shutdown. I'm actually liking the AS, better than the bk. Never thought I would. I'm thinking about selling the BK, and getting another AS for the garage, but won't know until after june. I want one full 10 month burn season before I know.
I loaded it up yesterday morning at 0600, and had the cat still going at 1700. That was with lodgepole. I'm not going to use fir, I'll save that for the shop, garage and sauna. Thanks for the heads-up on the cat probe life expectancy. I'm probably not going to replace it either

 

We will see what happens as the cat settles down. Flue running at (170)×2, and cat running around 800 to 1000. My wife mentioned the flue, and cat jumped up alot higher around 1300 yesterday. Then settled back down.

 

One thing over noticed, if you have a mag thermometer on the stove top, you will see HUGE variations on the AS from one side of the top flange to the other.

 

Right side runs hotter on mine. I'm sure happy with the ash drawer. Better than the plug on the asford 30 I babysit on occassion.

 

Turbo, what probe did you have in that failed if you don't mind my asking?

 

I’m guessing the probe will give you more typical temps. Stepping outside to check for smoke is one of my fall-backs when I’m doubting the readings.

 

I ordered a three inch probe. I hardly got any smoke from three cold starts so far. Ofcourse my wood is so dry most of it doesn't read anything on fresh splits. 4% and under gets readings like that, even from my trusty analog. It is quiet for a steel stove. Pops on occassion is all.

 

condar

 

Just took this pic last night.
Flue temp. Probe therm vs mag therm.
This was shortly after a reload. Cat engaged but air still at 50%.
225° vs 450°

 

A question for all. I have the plug on my stove. I sometimes wonder if it's sucking air and giving me a run away fire. Ideas on how to seal it. Its just metal on metal.

 

The magnet and the probe, are reading about the same. I've not had an issue with the flue temps getting over 400 yet. I know it will change when the weather gets really cold. The cat probe is still alive. I bet the probe takes more of a beating with hardwoods.

 

Could you leave a little more ash in the bottom?