I have strange CAT problem, where full loads of wood don't light-off the CAT very well, but small to mid loads do.
This has been my procedure for packing the stove for the night, or for the day when I leave to go to work:
Pack stove full over some hot coals left from last burn. I leave about 2-3 inches of space between the top of the packed wood, and the top (griddle) of the stove. I let the stove heat up for about 30 minutes at which point the stove-top thermometer reads about 600 degrees. I then engage the CAT.
The Condar digital CAT temp readout (probe is installed on exhaust side of CAT) shows a very slow rise in CAT temperature; it takes about 30 minutes just to reach 800 degrees, with lots of smoke coming out the chimney. If I repeat the same as above but with a much smaller load of wood, the CAT lights off much faster with temperatures rising to 1400 degrees or so within about 10 minutes, and with no smoke coming from the chimney at that point.
I did an experiment a couple of times which seems to work a little better: instead of packing the firebox full right away, load it half way of so, get it hot and engage the CAT for about the 10 minutes needed to get the CAT to the 1400 or so degree point, at which point add remaining wood to pack it full and re-engage the CAT. The CAT temp does drop a bit, but seems to remain high enough initially to burn most of the smoke, then will eventually rise more where it gets to a temp that burns all the smoke.
Anyone have had similar experience or can shed some light why the CAT doesn't light off well with a fully loaded firebox?
Some specifications:
Wood is dry (moisture readings are between 15 and 20%)
Flue is 8 inch insulated stainless running 23 feet; one short one foot horizontal run into a 90 degree T fitting
Draft is VERY strong
CAT was new at the beginning of this season and is the ceramic type
Stove is VC Defiant CAT model 1945
This has been my procedure for packing the stove for the night, or for the day when I leave to go to work:
Pack stove full over some hot coals left from last burn. I leave about 2-3 inches of space between the top of the packed wood, and the top (griddle) of the stove. I let the stove heat up for about 30 minutes at which point the stove-top thermometer reads about 600 degrees. I then engage the CAT.
The Condar digital CAT temp readout (probe is installed on exhaust side of CAT) shows a very slow rise in CAT temperature; it takes about 30 minutes just to reach 800 degrees, with lots of smoke coming out the chimney. If I repeat the same as above but with a much smaller load of wood, the CAT lights off much faster with temperatures rising to 1400 degrees or so within about 10 minutes, and with no smoke coming from the chimney at that point.
I did an experiment a couple of times which seems to work a little better: instead of packing the firebox full right away, load it half way of so, get it hot and engage the CAT for about the 10 minutes needed to get the CAT to the 1400 or so degree point, at which point add remaining wood to pack it full and re-engage the CAT. The CAT temp does drop a bit, but seems to remain high enough initially to burn most of the smoke, then will eventually rise more where it gets to a temp that burns all the smoke.
Anyone have had similar experience or can shed some light why the CAT doesn't light off well with a fully loaded firebox?
Some specifications:
Wood is dry (moisture readings are between 15 and 20%)
Flue is 8 inch insulated stainless running 23 feet; one short one foot horizontal run into a 90 degree T fitting
Draft is VERY strong
CAT was new at the beginning of this season and is the ceramic type
Stove is VC Defiant CAT model 1945