Woodstock Absolute Steel: chimney suddenly smoking in cat mode?

Anyone who researches their purchase will see that the cats are only good for 2-3 years of fulltime burning. I knew it ahead of time when buying my first cat stove, and Woodstock will openly tell you that if you ask them about it.

 

This is because I typed a post that that I did send came up in light gray. That you were a New Hampchite and 1000 hours a year was light usage

 

as I mentioned earlier, I havent touched the stove yet this year, just have been having smallish fires to take the chill off. Tonight I loaded about 6 larger splits of cherry in the stove, and I am currently in a cat stall. Got it up to about 450-500 before remembering and engaging the cat. Waited about 7-8 mins and dropped the air down to 3, and it promptly went right into a stall. I need to give the stove some attention ASAP

 

Please forgive me if this is an old thread, I keep looking for posted dates but the best I can tell, this thread is current? "Yesterday at 4:30PM" etc.

So someone mentioned Woodstock is out of CATS for the AS? When my last cat needed replacing for my Fireview I ended up with a Midwest Hearth ceramic. Couldn't be happier. Mine gets just as hot as the old SS one and yesterday I cleaned it by taking it out of the Fv and going out to the deck and tapping it gently on both sides. I believe I'll get much more than a couple of years out of it.

Now I'm thinking my AS is going into Season 3 or something like that and getting ready to do the whole 50/50 white vinegar/distilled water spray process and I come across this thread. I'll give WS a call anyway, but are they really out of cats for the AS? What's up with that?!

 

They've been crazy busy from what I was told. It was only a few weeks wait for me to get a cat.

 

That funky angled frame the put around the Cat is probably going to prevent any other company to make replacements. I'm not sure I need one. But I'll be finding out pretty soon, Friday is supposed to be quite cold here.

 

With the cap clogged I'm surprised you weren't having troubles getting a fire going and being able to get the input air control down to where you used to.
Being a hybrid stove I'm also surprised you have much visible smoke once the fire is going well.

 

Hopefully they made a batch, to put on the shelf, as they will certainly sell. I only went with the ceramic for the Fv when I couldn't get a date to get one for that stove.

 

OH, do you have the cast frame for the ceramic cat or is it required with the one you bought?

 

Yes on the Fireview I have a cast frame that comes in 2 pieces. Take it apart and the Midwest Hearth kit consists of 2 square ceramic cat cubes, and enough gasket to wrap all the edges. So that's what I have in the Fv. (I also bought a replacement back-up from WS)

The Absolute Steel has a thin steel frame that places the cat at a forward front facing angle. Which is kind of cool and works nicely with the "hood scoop" steel cover above it. I'm thinking this combination does a good job radiating heat to the front of the stove, but it's a permanent frame, and not made for removal and reuse.

 

The downside of Cat stoves. I personally think it the SS cat stoves that are more the problem. But if buying a cat stove, check to see how much a replacement cat costs AND how difficult it is to remove and install. If it's difficult to do, that may be more of a downer than how much a replacement is.

 

Good point. I can pull my cat when it's hot, just let it cool on the hearth then give it a cleaning and bath.

 

Some stove designs are better than others regarding this “need” to remove a cat for cleaning during its useful 12k hour life. Some cats plug up fast!

Im glad it’s not too easy to remove my cat (easy, but need anew gasket every time) or I’d be cleaning it every week just because.

Love seeing it glow all night.

 

Gasket just a bit of a mess, but they all need changing sooner or later. But some stoves... like the nightmare combuster in a Vermont Castings Resolute. OMG what a ridiculous disassemble/rebuild job that was.

 

Is it me or does the inner pipe look narrower than the upper pipe ?

 

Since its starting to actually get colder out, I figured it was time to give my stove a tune up last night. I replaced all the gaskets on the AS except the ash pan door, and the top cover. My bypass gasket wasnt sealing at all, so it needed to go, and I figured I would just replace everything else since I was placing an order for it. Once that was all done, I put the new catalyst in too. The stove is back to normal operation this morning. No more cat stalls, or just leaving the bypass open anymore!

 

Oh I lurk a lot!

 

It's not--we installed the chimney system when we installed the stove 2 years ago. It's a Supervent system from Menards.

 

Is this the first time you have replaced the gaskets/cat? How long has the stove been in service?