If looking at a new catalytic woodstove, consider the price of the combustor

Are there any aftermarket catalyst manufacturers that make s/s cats to fit your BK?

 

Firecat & Condar
Think they make them for most all the stove manufacturers .

 

have you ever considered a steel cat vs the porcelain?

 

Yes, that is what I was quoted when buying the stove. The catalyst for the P.H. is $175; not enough difference to be a deal- killer IMO but per the point of this thread, something to consider.

Brian

 

Me too- having used several of both types, I would not use a ceramic combustor unless a S.S. type were not available for a particular stove. The Stainless steel cats. light much faster, do not (actually cannot) crumble or crack and are much less sensitive to thermal shock, mechanical shock and similar. Also the later stainless steel cats. have more catalyst surface for a given catalyst size due to much thinner walls which I would think would make them more efficient. Ash build up seems to be much less of a consideration with S.S. combustors also. Just my opinion but I do not see any upsides at all for choosing a ceramic combustor over a stainless steel one other than the slightly higher cost of the SS, which I have found to be greatly offset by the advantages listed above anyway.

Brian

 

Put a SS one in last month:
http://firewoodhoardersclub.com/forums/threads/new-ss-combustor-installed-last-night.7905/

 

In my opinion, that is the magic question regarding a combustor's declining performance: when has it 'failed'? It seems quite a few of us have noticed a definite and significant improvement when going to a new combustor even though the old one would certainly light off and work. After all, we all accept that tires have a lifespan and along the way they will degrade in performance without trying to get a warranty replacement or calling the tire 'failed'. So how should we treat combustors? My own personal choice would be to replace the combustor once an overall decrease in performance is noticeable; I do not mean it is down 3 degrees in operating temp. but overall the combustor starts to resist light- off, stalls more and more often unless a more intense fire is kept in the firebox, and starts leaving more debris in the chimney while also making more smoke (which is just about any smoke: a new cat. will burn visibly perfectly clean in my experience other than pure white steam).

I go through 4 to 5 cord of wood per year. I believe a top- notch performing combustor saves me a noticeable amount of wood and all the work that goes with burning that wood; hauling it, dumping the ashes, etc., etc.. Wood is about $200 / cord here so it is pretty obvious to me that changing the combustor every two years will easily pay for itself if it saves even 10% of the wood used. Of course those numbers will be completely different for someone who cuts his / her own wood and the combustor costs $400 to replace. But that is exactly the point to the creation of this whole thread: it will pay a potential wood stove buyer to really give a bit of thought to long term running costs, performance of the stove and the effort needed to use that stove for years.

Brian

 

Jamie at Woodstock told me their s/s cats have about the same life as ceramic around 12000-14000 hours.