I didn't know this: Cat vs non-Cat

[bholler]

I changed to a cat stove about five years ago. I also bought a new cat from Woodstock a few months ago. First replacement. It was something like $140, perhaps a few bucks less.

Meanwhile, I burn a lot less wood. I fell, cut, split all my own and have for the past 45 years, so I am rather in tune with my supply. By a lot less, I mean I used to burn 4 1/2 cords on a normal winter, now it is more like 2 1/2 cords. Considering the sweat equity and effort, though I enjoy doing it, $75 a year in cat cost is very minor.

What stove did you switch from though? We hear accounts like this all the time but most times the switch is from an old pre epa stove. I agree in some situations switching from a modern non cat to a good cat stove will save you some wood. But not that much.

 

[SpaceBus]

I changed to a cat stove about five years ago. I also bought a new cat from Woodstock a few months ago. First replacement. It was something like $140, perhaps a few bucks less.

Meanwhile, I burn a lot less wood. I fell, cut, split all my own and have for the past 45 years, so I am rather in tune with my supply. By a lot less, I mean I used to burn 4 1/2 cords on a normal winter, now it is more like 2 1/2 cords. Considering the sweat equity and effort, though I enjoy doing it, $75 a year in cat cost is very minor.

Does your Esse run a cat? It seems like there's an optional cat for the 990 making it a hybrid. I'm really surprised more stoves haven't gone the hybrid route.

 

[begreen]

What stove did you switch from though? We hear accounts like this all the time but most times the switch is from an old pre epa stove. I agree in some situations switching from a modern non cat to a good cat stove will save you some wood. But not that much.

I think it was an old Shenandoah IIRC. They also supplement heat with a (Heartland?) cookstove. Steve brings up another good point though, cat prices and cat availability can vary. Woodstock has been out of cats for some models (the PH) for a period of time and they are the only source of replacement. It's a good idea to have a spare on hand. If the cat no longer is made the stove is essentially obsolete unless it's a hybrid.

 

[thechimneysweep]

Like it or not, we're going to be seeing a lot more hybrid models as manufacturers add a third-stage catalytic reburn to their existing non-cat designs in order to meet the 2020 2 gram/hr standard. Hearthstone's Castleton model recently got the hybrid treatment, and the new version scored less than 1 gram/hr in EPA testing.

However, the non-cat option isn't going away. PE's non-cat LE models are sailing through testing at 1.8 grams/hr.

 

[bholler]

Does your Esse run a cat? It seems like there's an optional cat for the 990 making it a hybrid. I'm really surprised more stoves haven't gone the hybrid route.

Yes the 990s I work on have cats. But not really hybrid the only other secondary combustion comes from the grid over the firebox. Which does help but isn't great.

 

[KJamesJR]

Just another government mandate to save the planet. I wonder how the forest fires in California hurt the environment compared to how many stoves are burning without a catalytic converter. Maybe the government should Outlaw wildfires

Let’s cap all the active volcanos while we’re at it.

 

[begreen]

Time to stick a fork in this one.