Production Woodstock IS

Just checked on my cat today. (I have a radiator with the stainless plate on it.) There was absolutely nothing on top of the radiator, however the steel is beginning to sag above the cat Stat. I would say it's about 1/4-1/2" sag and about 4" wide from where it starts to bend. Not sure how much this thing is going to keep sagging??

 

Just spoke to Woodstone (Penny): they are replacing my radiator with one of the newer types wearing the stainless steel sleeve. And they are not out of stock but <may> be waiting for a batch to come from production but she expects it to go out this week.

All done at no cost under extended warranty; as always, superb customer service and sometimes even above and beyond fair and just IMO.

Brian

 

....Said the old man to the doctor..... Easy Boys!

Mine stopped sagging when it came to rest on my thermocouple. After calling Woodstock today, they asked me if it was hitting the catalyst yet so that kinda' indicates how far they can and may sag- until they are no longer functional. IMO, if moving the sled drags the radiator into or across the cat, the stove is not functioning correctly and then both items should be replaced, assuming that cat foil is damaged by the radiator striking it.

I am going to take a measurement when the new radiator gets here and see if there is any room for a piece of steel across the top of the radiator. If so, a tall (as much as what will fit), thin piece of stock welded to the radiator should stop or greatly slow the sagging part.

Brian

 

I think mine is due here tomorrow. I'll probably put it in and the ash pan door gasket this weekend during our spring weather preview....

 

Make sure they get you the right gasket. She sent me a 3/8 gasket by accident and I didn't think about comparing it to the old one. So I installed it and almost had a runaway stove. Luckily I had built a smaller fire that time.

 

I'm normally the one dishing out the be careful with ashpan door advice lol!
I don't find mine that sensitive at all though if its just cracked. It shows about no change in performance with the handle opened half way (like a 45 angle). That is where I run it typically, about a 45, maybe a hair less. I still get my 15 hour burns. Maybe my gaskets are better fitting. Its certainly something that needs careful attention when you try, but I've been doing this all winter.

 

So I got my new radiator and warming rack installed. The rack is pretty basic, not even sure if I'll use it much but just felt like accessorizing. I bought the tool set last year so figure I'd put this on the other side of the stove.

 

Will do, thanks. Bet you had no problem burning down the coals on that load!

 

I"m wondering if a piece welded to the underside of the radiator (toward the open side front of stove that sags) would help "brace" it on the sagging side. It may even help keep the heat in the stove longer.

 

It <might> slow down the sagging but really, it would get just as hot as the hottest part of the radiator and so would likely just be something else sagging.... along with the radiator. As far as keeping heat in the stove longer, the front is the wrong end of the radiator to add a flow restriction to. Blocking off part of the back of the radiator works well to increase the heat yield of the stove by forcing more of the flue gas forward and then up and around the radiator; this increases both the flue gas length and the time the flue gas remains in the stove to transfer more heat to the stove itself before racing up the chimney can melting the polar ice caps (if you believe in that sort of stuff).

A flat piece of steel welded on the top of the radiator would be the better way to stiffen (Easy Boys!) the radiator lip I think. Unfortunately there is not much room between the radiator and the stove top, especially when the sled is moved because it arcs upward on its way forward or backward. I think a piece of S.S. of, say, 1/4" thick X 1" high, welded to the radiator at the front lip, would stop the sagging but there is not a full inch above the radiator to begin with. The less high that strap of steel (the 'strongback'), the less well it will work until finally, it would be so thin as to be not worth bothering with at all.

Brian

 

What thermocouples are people using for a digital cat thermometer on the IS? The one the comes with the Auber says it isn't rated for direct flame, and the ceramic shielded ones seem like they wouldn't fit.

Or is it better just to stick with the Condar analog probe?

 

I love my IS. Less wood, less fuss, less filling, and more heat vs. the tube stove it replaced.

Did I mention, the cat is also working fine and no bent radiator

Cheers,
Gpsfool

 

The warping of the radiator depends mostly on how you run the stove. If you run hotter fires with more secondaries the cat does not glow as much. Shutting the air down low and killing the flames causes the cat to hit 1,200 + degrees and over time the radiator will warp.

 

No bent radiator here. Just checked it a couple days ago. Gotta say I really like this stove. What I like even more is how little propane I've used this winter so far.

 

Coyoterun to answer your question.. BDF and Hollywood I know are using them.. they talked about it 1000 posts ago or so.

 

Ok, I thought I remembered seeing some posts that specified which probes were being used, but couldn't find them when I went back looking. After about 50 pages or so they start to blur together.

 

Yep, lots 'o posts about the IS and they wander around regarding topic.

To use a 'digital' probe (thermocouple) you will also need some type of display or recording device. I use these probes: New 3 Meter High Temperature -100~1250 C Thermocouple K type 100mm Probe Sensor | eBay They are 8 mm on the threaded section so the hole for the thermometer on the IS must be drilled out and tapped (Oy Vei- my probe is too big for the hole! (Easy Boys)) to accept it. Note that these do not have standard K- type ends so you will have to buy some of those too and screw the wires to the adapters, not a big deal and the adapters are inexpensive.

Then I use one of these to read the thermocouples: 4 Channel K Type Digital Thermocouple Thermometer Measurer SD Logger Generic | eBay

They are nice because they are 4 channel and record data on SD cards. This can be useful is you want to see how different settings affect an overnight burn for example- you can see the temperature of the cat., firebox, stove top and flue gas all at once for hours, days or even weeks at one time. I think it is what allows us to get the most out of a stove.

Brian

 

Thank you, Brian. That's the information I was looking for and just couldn't seem to find.

These are the type of connector I would need for those probes, correct? K Type Thermocouple Mini Connector, Male, Economical [TCMALENC] - $1.80 : auberins.com, Temperature control solutions for home and industry

 

I knew Brian could tell you off top of his head! he's like a mad scientist with these stoves! .

 

Yes, and by the way, those look like quality (read: usable) connectors. I usually buy five or ten at a time from China and they vary all over the place in quality and usability from fair to downright awful. Those look like a decent part that you can actually use.

By the way, most of these components coming from China are 'iffy' regarding quality so I would suggest buying a few more than you think you need. Those S.S. sheathed probes I linked to in the earlier post are quite inexpensive (OK, downright CHEAP) but occasionally they do not work, the sheathing is not grounded, the threads are not usable, etc. A decent western brand of sheathed thermocouple would cost a tremendous amount more money but would be a good product. What I normally do is split the difference; if you need two sheathed thermocouples, buy five or six instead and you will be able to find two that are fine and then have some spares also (their longevity can be questionable also), all for much, much less than two name- brand thermocouples would cost. Just a thought.

Brian