Ideal Steel Season #2 Tips, Tricks, and Improvements.

I couldn't wait lol I let the cat fire on our second curing burn.

 

yeah mine was fourth one to see cat flame show... got to 40 degrees that night and all bedroom (5) windows were open

 

I had two windows and the porch door open till midnight sitting in the stove room with shorts while it was mid forties and the cat humming along at 500 and a pretty flame show a cross the top of the stove. I'm really looking forward to this weekend when the lows dip deep into the 30s

 

I engage the cat at 5-600 degrees on the cat probe. Get the stove hot until the top hits 250. Then I turn it to 3/4 open. This works like a charm. One of these days I will post a video of me doing it. Then you slowly bring it down to burn rate. The cat probe really helped me.

 

Probe is a definite need then is what your saying?

 

I think it's nice to have in don't think it's a need.. call Woodstock and ask them what temp range should be for double wall pipe.. I am currently moving the one they sent me with stove to other locations to see where else you could put it to get a close reading..

 

The reason I recommend it is because it tells you very quickly when you can close the bypass. The delay in stove top temperature makes it a little more guess work. I went my whole first year without a probe and it was ok, but I find it much easier and trustworthy to utilize both.

 

Where did you get your cat probe? Do you use it instead of a thermometer on the stove pipe or in conjunction with it?

 

Reading the firebox, the cat and the exhaust temps. all really help run the stove I find. If a digital gauge is used for the cat. probe (does anyone else find that term hysterical? ) you can watch it light in a matter of seconds literally. Same thing if it is not going to light- the temp. will drop immediately when closing the bypass.

No, no gauges of any kind are required to use any woodstove I have ever seen but like most tools, they help and are useful.

Brian

 

3-12-1 from Condar. I'm sure other suppliers have one too. The probe is 4".

 

Yeah more tools!

 

Got some secondaries going. Hard to see in the pic but the flames are coming from the top. Took a video too. Gotta upload it to YouTube first.

 

The secondaries have settled down about 20 minutes ago. Box is mostly dark except for the back right corner. It's glowing there so I assume that's where some of the air comes into the firebox. No flames but the stove is still putting out lots of heat. Had maybe 40% of a load in there, if that.

This stove is no joke. I would have had to reload my old Russo stove by now. The heat is definitely a lot more steady with this stove. Interested to see how many coals and ash I have in the morning.

 

Looks like you got it dialed in. Looks good !

 

I have a cat probe & a pipe probe in my double wall, I can tell exactly what its doing at a glance. this stove runs very even for long periods & I've never even filled it up. Have 5 cords stacked on the front porch, bring it on!

 

I have the pipe probe in my double wall, also. Is it safe to say the cat can be engaged when it reaches 500?

 

Yes at 500 degrees engage the cat. Then use a stove top thermometer to gauge how you shut the air down.

 

Well I loaded mine with popular and birch 65% full threw cat put air at notch 4 went to watch movie with wife at 9.. at 7 am 4 inch coal in bottom 3 small splits living room still 79 perfect hoping 3 splits gets me to temp to shut her back down and take daughter to riding lesson

 

I would say yes. When mines up & running I'll see 1000* cat temp & 350-400* pipe temp. Thats on 1/4 air or less with 19 1/2 Ft. straight flue. At those temps it's rocking some heat !