Progress hybrid, Fire slows down when engaged cat

[drz1050]

Ok, is it normal to have to clean/vacuum out the cat? If so, how often do you think? Fespo

I think it depends on how ashy the woods you burn are, some woods create much more ash than others, depends on your draft- I think a stronger draft will suck more ash up into the cat, depends on how you open the door too. If I open my door fast, I'll get a big cloud of ash.. if I crack the door, then open it slow, it mostly stays in place.

I inspect it visually on the regular, mostly just cuz I like seeing the glow, but also to check for any buildup. About once every few weeks/ month or so, I'll vacuum it out when the stove goes cold.

 

[Woody Stover]

The WS stoves are built tuff. My stove was inspected and WS scolded me for not burning it hotter.

Why the scolding..some creo in the box isn't going to hurt anything, is it?

Yes, I had creosote in the box and in the exhaust area.

How is the exhaust area going to be creod up if the cat is burning the smoke when the stove is smoldering? I see a little creo in the flue exit area when I have the top flue plate off to go after the cat, but just flaky dry stuff. I figured that was from bringing the stove up to temp with the bypass open on a somewhat cool stove and the cat not processing the smoke.
I reloaded just now and snapped this pic. A bit of creo in there but not too bad I don't think. Mainly in the back corners. I only run flame in the box intermittently, and then only maybe an hour before I go to all-cat mode.

Exactly.....best to burn the PH hot and keep the creosote to a minimum....

That's probably the way to burn these stoves the cleanest. If you get a buildup of creo in the box and then have a lot of the flame in the box when firing up a fresh load extra hot, the creo in the box burns off and smokes out the 'hood..so much for the myth of the "low-emissions cat stove." But burning with more air throughout the burn is sending more heat up the flue and efficiency is going to drop I would think. You'll have to burn more wood for the same amount of heat so I guess it's six of one, half dozen of the other.

Should the screen be install or removed? I have if off, that's what Woodstock said.

Why do they say that the screen shouldn't be used? The screen on the Keystone catches a lot of dust and keeps the cat cleaner. Maybe the screen is harder to clean on the PH? When the Keystone is somewhat cool, I can just reach into the box with an old toothbrush and clean the screen when needed, maybe once every 4-6 weeks. I brush off the cat maybe once in the middle of the season.

I vacuum out the face of my cat whenever the stove goes cold, don't know how accessible it is on your stoves?

Lift the top, grab the cat and pull it out, like the Fireview. On the Keystone it's a little more work., I have to take four screws out to remove the top flue cover plate, remove a bolt holding the heat shield above the cat, then grab the cat and pull it out. But like I said, only once mid-season.

 

[toddnic]

fespo, I've used the PH with the screen in and the screen out. IT IS best to take it out. The screen seems to cause more air flow problems than the cat. Regarding the cat, vacuum it out monthly and you should be good. The pic of your cat was pretty bad. I've never had my cat anywhere near that dirty. Glad that you are figuring out your stove. You will really enjoy it!

 

[3fordasho]

My initial install of my PH required the short leg kit and no ash pan. 15', maybe 18' class A chimney through the wall and up. Lots of problems plugging the screen and cat, sometimes required cleaning every 2 weeks. Moved the stove to new place in 2014, fireplace install with 25' insulated liner, installed standard height legs, ash pan kit and removed screen. Now I can go a couple months or more before the need to vacuum off the cat.
To be fair there is too many changes here to narrow it down to any one thing, and then there is the fact that I burn the stove less because the wood furnace can handle the house load 85% of the time.


I do agree, no screen is better.

 

[fire_man]

Why the scolding..some creo in the box isn't going to hurt anything, is it?

I think they were concerned it might indicate poor burning practice and creosote in the flue. I clean my flue twice a year and get some fluffy stuff but nothing terrible. I can't say I changed my burning habits since they "scolded" me but i don't worry as much when the stove gets really hot.

Why do they say that the screen shouldn't be used? The screen on the Keystone catches a lot of dust and keeps the cat cleaner. Maybe the screen is harder to clean on the PH?

Yes, the screen on th PH is a pain to clean. The screen is held in by three cotter pins and over time the screen deforms/sags and is hard to get back in. Try cleaning a clogged screen in the middle of a cold snap when the stove never cools down and you will know what I mean after you burn your arm . It degrades performance faster than just letting it thru the cat. And the cat is easier to clean when the stove is hot.