FHC Exclusive! Long low oak burn in the new Ideal Steel stove

Thanks and especially for this detailed report (good job Brian). Here we see the cat showing with stove top open-

Do you suppose the unburned gasses go UP through the cat or DOWN through it? How does the exhaust get there from the tubes and where does it go after cat treatment?
Just wishing to know how the magic works...

 

Flow is up through the cat, and then out the back to the flue.
There is a heavy plate, not in the photo, that sits above the plate to diffuse the cat's heat. See http://blog.woodstove.com/2013/10/under-hood-7-catalyst-heat-radiator.html#more

So with the bypass closed, the firebox exhausts upward, near the front door. Here's a rough diagram....

------------------stovetop------------------
F heavy plate
r exhaust to flue--->>>> flue----->>>
o cat
n <<<----- smoke from firebox <<<
t --closedBypass--------------- |
---->>>> smoke from firebox--->>>
D ^ secondaries baffle
o | secondaries airflow <<<------
0 | bottom of secondaries baffle
o | <<---smoke<<----
r firebox firebox firebox firebox firebox


{edit: ugh. I'll post an image later.}

 

Also see... http://blog.woodstove.com/2013/09/under-hood-4-catalyst-air-we-apply-old.html

 

Now that you gave me that great hint, I do remember seeing something like that in a CDW I helped a neighbor with one time. I thought that was the strangest thing.

 

Thank you Flamestead, the rough diagram is perfect. It's very interesting that the bimetallic cat air control adjusts the balance of secondary air between the baffles and cat for low, medium and high burn rates. Downright brilliant IMHO.

 

If you watch this video, you can see how the cat slides into place over the firebox opening, starting at 0:30 or so.

 

Nice video. I'm kind a surprised at the size of the cat, it doesn't look much bigger than the Fireview. I like bypass system.

 

Very neat. Thanks again! I sorta inferred from the diagram how the cat sled worked, but a video is worth a thousand pictures. My wife's criteria for a stove is that she can cook on it (awesome beef stew in dutch oven) and it seems this unit can deliver good heat to the top.

 

Well I guess if it's a hybrid they don't need as large a cat? Seems small for a 3 cu ft fire box compared to other similar size cat stoves.

 

Does anyone know how many beta units are being tested?

 

2
Brian and Flamestead.
Oh, you mean including the rest of the country too......no idea.

 

My understanding is there are several (more than a few, less than many!). When we got ours it was not the second (maybe 4th or 5th?) - there are more out there that are not being written about.

 

There were a number already out being tested before we received our Beta.

Apparently they also have Woodstock staff Beta testing a number of stoves but I have no idea of total units out there at present.

 

Brian, could you repost or link to the dimensions of the stove again?

lowest height, width and depth. Plan on working on the Kitchen fireplace come spring and I can not find the post in which you mentioned the dimensions.

 

Ok, stove top is 28" wide, 23 1/2" deep and on the highest leg setting is 35 1/2" tall. On this Beta unit there is about 4" of adjustment on the legs so minimum height would be ~31" on this particular unit. Production dimensions could vary a bit from this stove.

Length from mid-flue collar to the front of the stove 18 1/2." (On this stove the flue collar is 8" and its 22 1/2" from the back of the top flue collar to the front of the stove.) Height from floor to top of 8" rear flue opening is 34" or (30" to its center).

 

Brian, AWESOME video showing the cat and bypass!! Thanks..... That looks like a genius way of doing it, love that! And easy to maintain. Nice work Woodstock!