problem with cat stove?

[jnsn]

Has anybody else have problems with their catalytic stoves vis, lowering heat output? I swear that the amount of heat coming out of the stove is less than other years. The stove is a Lopi Revere insert. I am wondering if there is a way that the airflow is eventually choked by some sort of build-up. Lately I have had to leave the door cracked to keep the fire up. I can't really do anything until this season ends but I feel like I am nuts.

 

[laynes69]

Take your cat out of the stove and clean it. They tend to get built up and don't function as well. Also they are not good forever. Go to ********** and post there they are very nice people and alot of people heat with cat stoves. Sounds like the cats either dirty or getting old. Some newer ones can ignite smoke down to 375 to 400 degrees. But eventually they do go bad and have to be replaced. Hope this helps.

 

[bigair]

Are you sure your lopi has a cat? I thought they all relied on a secondary burn chamber to decrease emmisions. Does yours have tubes with holes on the top of the firebox. These are part of the secondary burn system. This is the reason I went with a lopi. Maybe they are damaged or plugged. Maybe the wood your burning isn't fully seasoned. Maybe it is not airtight anymore and needs new door gasket.

 

[Shipper50]

Has anybody else have problems with their catalytic stoves vis, lowering heat output? I swear that the amount of heat coming out of the stove is less than other years. The stove is a Lopi Revere insert. I am wondering if there is a way that the airflow is eventually choked by some sort of build-up. Lately I have had to leave the door cracked to keep the fire up. I can't really do anything until this season ends but I feel like I am nuts.

My insert in my opinion has never put out the heat I thought it should. I bought a floor model and its never heated the way I thought it would. I use seasoned wood, but it might be a bit old.

I have used my ray tech thermometer and it shows the highest temp coming out at the discharge vents in the 225 to 275 range. Don't know if that is normal or not. Maybe the catalytic stoves and inserts are the way of the past?

Shipper

 

[jnsn]

ya good point bigair maybe it is not a cat, in my mind I thought it was but the secondary thing might be more like it.I'll have to track down the manual (read:ask my wife to find it) However my problem still stands. It seems like a cold blooded stove. As Shipper50 says, it doesn't seem that hot even when it is going right along. It doesn't even feel like I could overfire it. There might be some air passages blocked or obstructed inside.

 

[Log Splitter]

jnsn, I have a Lopi Revere. It's not a cat, it only has the secondary burn pipes at the top of the chamber. I burn mostly hickory in mine, and keep a thermomoter on the top of the stove. I run it with the thermometer at about 500 degrees when it's cold (for Texas), and it keeps my 1000 sq foot game room between 75-80 degrees.

Do you have a good draft? Keep the damper rod all the way open (pulled out), and keep the air intake rod pulled all the way out until your fire gets hot and the wood has begun to 'coal up'. If you can't get at least 500 degrees on the top of the stove (mine will peg the thermometer if I load it up and don't push the air intake rod in some), then your problem has to be your fuel.

What kind of wood are you burning, and is it well seasoned?

 

[jnsn]

Well I have been corrected it has secondary burn pipes. My stove looks just like yours only smaller. The blower is great.

except for overnight I usually burn wide open, especially now that the heat production seems to be down. I have even had to leave the door just latched to get air in.

I am burning 1 to 2 year old red and white oak. It has been split and single stacked so air can get to both sides. In the fall I cover the top. I have to say that since I am currently on an island I'm convinced the wood does not fully dry like it does back home in Maine. I know that top draft stoves are at a disadvantage with green or half green wood.

Maybe at the end of the season I will find a mummified bird in the flu

 

[5555555]

Having to burn with your door open is probably creosote buildup or unseasoned wood. If your wood is dry, I'd run a brush through your chiminey soon!

Jim

 

[IndyIan]

We have a regency mid-size stove that will run the same way if there are too many ashes covering the primary intake. On our stove its under the door. Try cleaning the ashes out and see how it runs. Our stove always burns hotter with less ashes.
We aim to get the stove top over 800F and at that temp we then damp it down quite a bit. Also I find running the stove with the door cracked doesn't really result in high heat output. The wood disappears fast but there is so much air going through that the stove top temps don't rise.
If you think your chimney is full of creosote then don't go for super high temperatures until you clean it.
Ian

 

[jnsn]

I think that my stove drafts the same way. It also runs better if there are less ashes. For that reason I clean it often.This weekend it is supposed to get close to 50 degrees so maybe I will head up on the roof and give a look down the pipe. I have been suspecting a blockage of some kind.

Just spent the afternoon splitting wood for next year! Woo Hoo!

 

[ericjeeper]

as for Shipper 50

I know his stove issues are not draft related. Even though at my first look at his situation, I thought his flu looked to short. as it is not to the 2 feet higher than anything within ten feet. But he lit a newspaper in the insert and the flu sucked it right out of his hand and it went up up and away.. was slightly amazing.
But I agree it sure does not heat the room worth a hoot..Seems like all the heat goes up the chimney.Even with the top damper closed tight.
Back to topic. I think the poster needs to clean his flu.