PH Combustor after approximately one week of use. Is that normal?

[fespo]

As I posted before, I am new with this progressive hybrid stove with a combustor. I cleaned the combustor one week ago to be exact. Last night on a cold night the firewood almost completely choke out once I engaged the combustor so I let the stove cool off this morning and pulled out the combustor. This is what it looks like after one week, is this normal? Thanks

 

[Rearscreen]

I don't know your air intake, flue length (ext. or int.) temp gauge location or what you specifically were burning. For one week it does appear to be more clogged than usual although I have never checked mine in one week. Last time I cleaned mine I did it because "that window of opportunity" presented itself and I said it's now or whenever it decides to clog. Anyway, the cat was functioning properly but when I took it out it was evenly clogged (fine grey ash particulate), however I could peer through it from the unclogged end and see light (when it's really bad no light and sometimes I send it off to the vinegar shower). My advice is make sure you are engaging it at the proper temp, and you might want to send that pic to Woodstock for their thoughts. There is/was a learning curve with my Progress...

 

[fire_man]

That is alot of buildup for one week of burning. Like rearscreen said, make sure you get the stove up to temp (250F or so) as measured by a thermometer located on the stove lid. Engaging at low temps or burning wet/unseasoned wood could cause this.

What stovetop temps are you engaging at?

 

[fespo]

250-300 I’m engaging the combusted. Wood is dry maybe to dry Ash, locust,oak and hedge. Draft can suck the horns off a billy goat!


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[toddnic]

250-300 I’m engaging the combusted. Wood is dry maybe to dry Ash, locust,oak and hedge. Draft can suck the horns off a billy goat!


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As has already been stated, that is a lot of buildup for just one week. Try engaging your cat at 350 to 400 and see if that changes the buildup. I'm burning hard right now and will probably check my cat this next week just to see how it looks. Please let us know what changes you make and how it affects the cat.

 

[fespo]

Well. I just checked the temp with my IR about 50-75* lower then thermometer was reading. Now two questions, where do you place thermometer to get a reading? And what about reloading, stove top is already hot , how long till I engage the cat again? Thanks everyone

 

[fire_man]

I'm not sure if this matters, but I never load the stove full until the stovetop is already near 250F. I get it there by burning a couple small splits. Then I load the stove and let it heat up with good flames for about 10 minutes.

I place the thermomter directly in front of the top vent - on the soapstone lid. I'm surprised that a Woodstock thermometer is that far off as your is - mine are always spot-on with the IR gun.

 

[Sconnie Burner]

Is it fly ash, or creosote that has turned ashy due the heat? With a good draft every time you rake the coals around ash will det sucked up towards the flue and could be causing the issue. My ideal steel gets a lot of fly ash that settles on the sled and radiator. But I stir and move coals around 2-3 times before a reload.