Auber for cat probe?

[ruSSrt]

Good day everyone.

Last year I purchased Auber AT100 to monitor flue temp with my old non cat Buck stove. I used washer probe on the flu pipe and it worked great. Really helped me get the most out of my 50 y/o stove. This year I upgraded to Buck stove model 91 (used) and working on putting it in. Buck stove model 91 has cat probe that notifies you when cat is active. I was wondering if I could purchase Auber probe sensor instead of manual dial probe?
OEM probe on Buck stove is 7 inches long. Auber only has 6 and 10 inches. Would 6" be okay to use or should I stick with manual?
Anyone use those probes for their cat stoves, would you recommend them?

Thank you very much for your imput.

 

[stoveliker]

It is very important that the cat probe is exactly the right distance from the cat - otherwise it's reading may not be correct.

I think the probe tip normally sits above the cat in your stove? See page 26 in the manual.
A 6" probe would be too short and the probe would be near the edge of the cat, being cooler than it should be.

While it may be workable if you recalibrate the temperature reading that indicates light-off, I would not do this especially if you're still getting used to the operation of this or any cat stove.

 

[ruSSrt]

It is very important that the cat probe is exactly the right distance from the cat - otherwise it's reading may not be correct.

I think the probe tip normally sits above the cat in your stove? See page 26 in the manual.
A 6" probe would be too short and the probe would be near the edge of the cat, being cooler than it should be.

While it may be workable if you recalibrate the temperature reading that indicates light-off, I would not do this especially if you're still getting used to the operation of this or any cat stove.

You saying to learn the stove first and maybe next year looking to getting that probe if I still want/need it.

 

[stoveliker]

Yes, at best. The point is that I don't know how big that cat is. The design will have the probe likely half an inch in front of the face of the car, centered. I think a shorter probe would leave it half an inch in front but not centered. That might work, but it depends on how big the cat is. Extreme example: if the cat face is only 2" in the direction of the probe axis, having a 1" shorter probe would put you right at the edge .
If it is a 4" face, 1" shorter would out you 1" from the center and 1" from the edge. That might work. I'm not sure how much lower the temp reading would be.

However if I read the drawing wring and the cat probe axis is perpendicular to the surface,then you shouldn't do this at all as the reading will be off too much, imo.

 

[Highbeam]

Some cat stoves, from before 2020 didn’t even have cat meters. The Woodstock direction was to close the bypass when the stove top was a certain temperature. I just don’t think cat temperature is all that important unless your stove design is so borderline that leaving the bypass open slightly too long would melt the innards.

I recommend a factory mechanical gauge for cat temp. The auber digital, I have one for flue temp, works great but cat temp is super boring after 500.

 

[ruSSrt]

Yes, at best. The point is that I don't know how big that cat is. The design will have the probe likely half an inch in front of the face of the car, centered. I think a shorter probe would leave it half an inch in front but not centered. That might work, but it depends on how big the cat is. Extreme example: if the cat face is only 2" in the direction of the probe axis, having a 1" shorter probe would put you right at the edge .
If it is a 4" face, 1" shorter would out you 1" from the center and 1" from the edge. That might work. I'm not sure how much lower the temp reading would be.

However if I read the drawing wring and the cat probe axis is perpendicular to the surface,then you shouldn't do this at all as the reading will be off too much, imo.

Probe being 1 inch shorter and accuracy of reading because of that was my biggest concern. Second would be temperatures of cat operation. Cat is activated at 500, but runs in a range of 900-1200. Looks like operational temp for the Auber probe is 1100. that running up the temp might shorten the life of it. So i guess on the long run it'll be easier and cheaper to just stick with manual.

 

[ruSSrt]

Some cat stoves, from before 2020 didn’t even have cat meters. The Woodstock direction was to close the bypass when the stove top was a certain temperature. I just don’t think cat temperature is all that important unless your stove design is so borderline that leaving the bypass open slightly too long would melt the innards.

I recommend a factory mechanical gauge for cat temp. The auber digital, I have one for flue temp, works great but cat temp is super boring after 500.

The stove i just got is Buck Stove model 91 manufactured in 2006 and has the catalytic probe in it. I still have washer sensor i will install on my stove pipe just to have an idea.
You are right, the only reason to know the temps of the cat is to know when its activated so I can prolong the life of it. Once i learn my stove i won't really need a gauge once its past 500 degrees. I'll still have my flu temp sensor so i can have an idea of how its burning.

 

[stoveliker]

Probe being 1 inch shorter and accuracy of reading because of that was my biggest concern. Second would be temperatures of cat operation. Cat is activated at 500, but runs in a range of 900-1200. Looks like operational temp for the Auber probe is 1100. that running up the temp might shorten the life of it. So i guess on the long run it'll be easier and cheaper to just stick with manual.

If it fails,.sure. But the temperature is not of significant value other than the 500 F mark. Beyond that not much to act on ...

 

[Highbeam]

The stove i just got is Buck Stove model 91 manufactured in 2006 and has the catalytic probe in it. I still have washer sensor i will install on my stove pipe just to have an idea.
You are right, the only reason to know the temps of the cat is to know when its activated so I can prolong the life of it. Once i learn my stove i won't really need a gauge once its past 500 degrees. I'll still have my flu temp sensor so i can have an idea of how its burning.

Oh and I thought it was a big upgrade to go to a mechanical probe meter from condar with numbers. See if they have one for your buck if you want a new one.

My cat definitely spends most of its time up near the top of the scale so 1400-1500 when I’m running on low with good fuel. If the auber bonks at 1100 it is not suitable for cat temp measurement.

 

[ruSSrt]

Oh and I thought it was a big upgrade to go to a mechanical probe meter from condar with numbers. See if they have one for your buck if you want a new one.

My cat definitely spends most of its time up near the top of the scale so 1400-1500 when I’m running on low with good fuel. If the auber bonks at 1100 it is not suitable for cat temp measurement. View attachment 329010

That was one of my concerns. I would like to eventually keep my cat around 1000. So I don't heat myself out of the house. But I guess this winter I'll figure out what works and don't work for me.

 

[stoveliker]

It's not really meant to be run tuning the cat temperature.

(Some folks are confounded when they dial back the air and the cat temp goes up ... Which is what it is expected to do .)

I'd run the stove according to how much heat you need, while keeping an eye on the cat if you have a numbered scale. The latter only to be aware of it going too high (1600 and up).

I would not aim for a cat temp.

 

[EbS-P]

I bet you can make the 10” work. I really like my alarming AT200. Busy and more than once I forgot to turn the stove down and it gave me a loud reminder. I have a 6” in single wall it would be Better if it was 3 but it works.

Max temp of the probe is 1650

The 4" (100 mm) probe (TC-K-BR) with mounting bracket can be used on double-wall pipes. User needs to drill a 1/8" hole to insert the probe. Maximum temperature 1650ºF.