My stove did not seem to be burning as normal for a couple days. Last night I especially noticed it did not seem to draw right but with the wind coming from all directions I thought maybe just that was the culprit or hoped it was. When I finally got the cat engaged the box went flameless and black but the cat was glowing but again I assumed maybe the few pieces of oak that I had come upon in my pile was not quite seasoned enough. Today since the roof was finally snow free I ran a brush down the liner, not much of anything in it but the top had some tar creosote on the large screen (not bad and not blocked). Started back up this evening with some bone dry ash, maple and cherry. Still not drawing like I am used to seeing but I wondered if the warmer outside temp might be doing it. Got it up to temp and engaged the cat. Firebox went fairly dark again, not normal here. As I am sitting here perusing FHC I look over and see flame up high. Low and behold the cat is flaming which is a new sight for me. I had wanted to have a look at the cat before I started back up but with my set up I have to have a cold firebox to drop the shield to see the underside of the cat. Well we have a few warm days Monday and Tues so I will let her go cold.
Interesting. Let us know what the cat looks like when you find it. I get the no flame firebox with a hot cat often. It just glows beet red.
It is very common to clog your cat with ash. It can clog on the front face, the back face, within the cells, or a combination. If yours is clogged the cat could be totally fine once cleaned. Don’t use high pressure air or harsh physical contact. Vacuum, low pressure air, soft paintbrush.
Found the culprit on no draw. The cast iron stove adapter is held onto the top of the stove with 2 L shaped bolts. Some how they came loose. The liner has enough tension on it that it just raised off the insert and I had 2 inch gap at the top of the stove. It is not a one man job to put back together in close quarters so my friend that has helped on the stove install and liner install came up. Everything fought us but we won the war. Still a little reassembly but the 2 man work is done. I glanced at the cat and I think it will be fine.
It's always a good feeling when I come to a discovery of a mechanical issue that is clearly the problem. Even when it might be hard to fix, at least I know what the problem is. This is an issue more frequently with one of my power tools than anything else. Commonly carburetor/gas related, but not always.
All back together, just in time for the cold weather to move back in. The surround panels are about the hardest part of reassembly, you almost have to be a contortionist.
Got the Buck fired back up this evening and she is burning like a dream again. Makes me wonder how long that adapter had been loosening up.
