How Long to Bypass on Reload

[Sandy Alan]

You are right, of course, on both counts! I failed High School chemistry! Carbon monoxide, not c02! The hand held units are way more sensitive than the household alarms that are designed to go off only at dangerous levels. Also, I agree, just thinking bypass for the excess chimney smoke. 3.5 hours at 1.5 on the thermostat, still active and nice clean burn. No smoke. Minimal smell.

 

[Highbeam]

For folks following along. This is what the proper labeled thermostat looks like. I think the insert is different but we’re not talking about o’clock positions.

 

[Highbeam]

For folks following along. This is what the proper labeled thermostat looks like. I think the insert is different but we’re not talking about o’clock positions.

 

[BKVP]

Forget about the bypass gasket, it's not the problem.

Tell us about this fuel. Is it stored outside in the snow? How many years cut split and stacked in the shed? How big are the splits?

I would suggest that you buy your next cat online for about 250$ shipped but this one should still have plenty of life left. I am also on a cat that was installed in november of 23 and it's working great still.

Is it really cold there where cars and folks burning natural gas have huge plumes of steam from their exhaust pipes? Wood burning can steam if conditions are right.

Is the plume of smoke with a very active cat white smoke? If so, that's mostly water. Blue smoke is mostly unburned fuel.

It could be bypass if not cam over and locked..

BKVP

 

[Highbeam]

It could be bypass if not cam over and locked..

BKVP

I can’t imagine how an imperfect bypass seal would cause smoke in the living space or plumes of visible emissions.

 

[BKVP]

I can’t imagine how an imperfect bypass seal would cause smoke in the living space or plumes of visible emissions.

It can as far emissions exiting the stack.

BKVP

 

[stoveliker]

Significant, big plumes through tiny gaps?
I can't see light thru a noncammed bypass in my stove.
Measurable yes, but significantly visible, I would be surprised

 

[BKVP]

Opacity can vary. Folks with older stoves where the gasket isn't replaced after extended period of ownership, indeed 100% visible smoke can be seen. I've seen it. What I am trying to highlight here is not your or others individual experiences, but the greater experience of the manufacturer. We've posted about this in the past, while this is related to a specific user and model of a certain age, readers of these threads could misconstrue content. We have made different types of bypasses, some were gasketed, other were not. Some were cam over, others were not. Some were and are sliding. Saying to forget about it, it's not the problem might discourage someone from checking their bypass. That is my point here.

BKVP

 

[Sandy Alan]

From almost a full load my stove burned down to just a couple of fist sized coals with the thermostat set at 1.5, so pretty certain the cat is good. But just out of curiosity (future reference), do folks have any luck buying cats on line? If so, any recommended stores?Time before last when I replaced it (2014 I think), I bought one on line and it never worked. I ended up buying another from BK. That one lasted until 2023.
As for fuel, I am currently using (around) ten year old split pine. Normally every spring I get a delivery of three or four cords (which the guy tells me is a year old at delivery). It sits outside all summer and winter. The following summer I load it into my woodshed for burning that second winter. That means some old stuff in the shed gets buried by "new" stuff. This year I decided to clean out the shed of old wood. I haven't seen the back wall of that shed in at least eight to ten years, but I'm seeing it now! There's stuff back there from when I used to take a chainsaw out to the woods! That was a long time ago.

 

[BKVP]

From almost a full load my stove burned down to just a couple of fist sized coals with the thermostat set at 1.5, so pretty certain the cat is good. But just out of curiosity (future reference), do folks have any luck buying cats on line? If so, any recommended stores?Time before last when I replaced it (2014 I think), I bought one on line and it never worked. I ended up buying another from BK. That one lasted until 2023.
As for fuel, I am currently using (around) ten year old split pine. Normally every spring I get a delivery of three or four cords (which the guy tells me is a year old at delivery). It sits outside all summer and winter. The following summer I load it into my woodshed for burning that second winter. That means some old stuff in the shed gets buried by "new" stuff. This year I decided to clean out the shed of old wood. I haven't seen the back wall of that shed in at least eight to ten years, but I'm seeing it now! There's stuff back there from when I used to take a chainsaw out to the woods! That was a long time ago.

'M GOING TO PUT THIS IS BOLD FACE NOT BECAUSE OF YOUR INQUIRY, BUT BECAUSE IT IS 100% TRUE! WHEN MANUFACTURERS TEST WITH COMBUSTORS, WE MUST, UNDER FEDERAL LAW ONLY SELL THE SAME COMBUSTOR AS THE REPLACEMENT. THE ORIGINAL COMBUSTORS ARE MORE COSTLY DUE TO THE GREATER DEGREE OF PRECIOUS METAL OF PALLADIUM AND PLATINUM USED IN THE WASHCOAT.

COMBUSTORS SOLD ONLINE ARE NOT HELD TO THE SAME FEDERAL REQUIREMENT. IF YOU ASK THE COMBUSTOR MANUFACTURERS, THEY WILL STATE THE COMBUSTORS THEY SELL TO ONLINE RETAILERS ARE NOT THE SAME AS THE ONES SOLD TO MANUFACTURERS.

I SUSPECT EPA KNOWS OF THIS AND WILL AT SOME POINT TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.

BKVP

 

[Sandy Alan]

As I suspected. I can attest that the one I bought on line was junk, and they wouldn't take it back. I also suspect you get what you pay for. That's why we went to the dealer for the one in 2023.

 

[Dieselhead]

I believe I have read https://www.firecatcombustors.com/Default.asp is the oem supplier, sold by Midwest hearth.

 

[stoveliker]

Many folks use cats from online, as Midwest hearth and are happy about them. Of course it's impossible to compare longevity unless you have two stoves that run the same wood in the same weather and having the same flue height...

 

[BKVP]

I believe I have read https://www.firecatcombustors.com/Default.asp is the oem supplier, sold by Midwest hearth.

True, but they our OEM supplier. The same company sells combustors online that are not OEM.

BKVP

 

[Dieselhead]

True, but they our OEM supplier. The same company sells combustors online that are not OEM.

BKVP

So if I went to a dealer I’d get a better cat then if I ordered from Midwest hearth/firecat?

 

[BKVP]

If that dealer ordered it from us, you would receive a combustor with improved performance due to increase in precious metals coatings.

BKVP