Howdy folks: I hasn't been around these parts in a while and hope you all rockin. Quick update, I've had a few combusters for the Ideal Steel and never seemed to be able to get more than three years out of them despite thorough cleanings and vinegar/distilled water baths. This may be a placebo effect however, I bought a new CAT from Woodstock about a month ago and this thing is a tiger. It's cranking into CAT burn temps long before the other CATS and this is with wood that is reading a bit higher on a moisture meter than in the past. I'm going to re-clean the prior CATs and see what they do, however, this new one is definitely dialed in. Happy burning.
Pretty sure they're making many if not all of their own CATS now. Can't say if it is in-house or by their own direction ...
The BK company let out information that there is a new type of catalyst coating that has been released. Should have longer life and better performance. BK doesn't make their own cats and if there is a better coating then maybe woodstock cats are using it too? I have my next cat ready to install, purchased early to avoid supply chain issues. It may or may not have the new coating. Oh and three years would be awesome! I have never gotten three years out of a catalyst. They (the old coating anyway) are only rated for 10,000 hours and that's not much for a full time burner.
Merry Christmas folks. We have definitely gone beyond the placebo effect with this new CAT. it's lighting off by itself when the CAT and flue temp probes are below 400 degrees and this is with the CAT disengaged. When engaged, the CAT probe rockets up. The wood I'm currently burning isn't the best, 18 month old white ash that spent more time in a pile than stacked.
