How often do you dust your cat?

Everything I've read or have been told about placement of a cat probe is to locate it 1/2-1" downstream of the cat exhaust stream. I've talked with Sud Chemie and Applied Ceramics. Also tried getting some cat temp info from WS R&D to compare but all they could come up with is some PH data.

 

Something else to be aware of with Condar probes is they recently recalibrated and changed the dial face. The old probe was all black and read up to 2000, the new one is black and silver and only reads up to 1700. Call them and make sure you get the new one, some people are still getting the old one. I had both and found the new one was more accurate. I think they made this change due to complaints that the radiant heat off the stove was giving high readings so they recalibrated.

Another thing to look into if you want true accuracy is to get a thermocouple. There are a few out there with a digital read out. I'm thinking of going this way but not sure I would like the wire hanging out. Something like this would work if you had a longer probe and you could stick it in the back of the stove where the access bolt is.
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=292

 

The vinegar wash had no affect. Dead cat. WS is sending a new style stainless frame steel cat under warranty. I also ordered a 8" cat probe. After looking it over, the through the pipe reducer install looks like the easiest option. Thanks again Todd.

 

I'll be looking forward to comparing our temps. I rarely get over 1100, it seems to cruise at 800-1000 for 3 hours on a full load then drop off to 400-500 when it's time to reload.

 

I split the two extremes of spraying vs boiling. 1 hr soak, turning it every 15 min. Thorough rinse and dry.

 

Questions:

1. How do you know, "the CAT is dead"? What are you using as a determining factor?

2. Spay the cat to clean/bath? More info please?

3. So what does the cat probes actually tell you? I have a hard time understanding why you put them in front of the cat? Seems like you only seeing the temp of the exhaust before it goes into the cat. So you really still don't know what the CAT is doing?

 

I knew my cat was dead cause I was getting constant smoke out of chimney and I creosoted up like crazy on the slow burns there designed for.

And as far as cat temps mine goes to 2000f it will cruise around 1100-1300 on a partial load or mostly pine. If I load full pine it oak up it will cruise 1500-1600 for hours then slowly taper off to like 1000 6-8 hours in!

 

1) Zero visual activity, STT are 200F cooler than usual, low heat output, smoke, creosote.
2) http://www.condar.com/combustorcleaningmanual.pdf Some are just using the vinegar/distilled water mix in a spay bottle, then rinsing.
3) Shows the cat's temp/activity. The probe is placed of the downdraft side of the cat.

 

Most cat probes measure the temps of the exhaust stream past the cat. If it's up over 500 and rising it means the cat is working, if it stalls out and drops below 500 you may have a smokey creosote mess. I think it's a good tool to have for all cat stoves.

 

When my cat was NOT working temps would still rise and I could see 1200f on it. Its just my design. I can run in bypass mode and see those temps.

 

Wait! If you "spay a cat", then you can't make any new cats? How would you then replace it?

 

Stem cells,

 

Machria, the the airflow design to the cat in the PH is different from all the other Woodstock stoves. With others, the far side (rear) is the exit side for the firebox gases, not the entry side.

 

Before you write off your cat as dead, bring in a labrador retriever in to give it a sniff then bring in another live cat to to check it as well. That way, you have the LAB results and a CAT SCAn to verify it's passing................

 

Understood. I wasn't questioning which side the exhaust or intake is on, what I was commenting on is why we would want to measure the intake side, because it seems to me the temp on the intake side will not be affected by the activity or inactivity of the cat. It would make more sense to measure the exhaust side (exit side) of the cat, as you would then be measuring the temp of the air leaving the cat, which would be directly indicative as to what the cat was doing.

But maybe if your close enough to the front, you get residual heat coming off it. Which is good enough?

LOL!!

 

Thank you ladies and gentleman, and a big hand for rottiman. He'll be here all week. Don't forget to tip your waitress.