I think my thermometer isn't working...

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newatthis said:

am still in the "fireplace" mentality of throwing a log periodically on the fire

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Most EPA stove give best result with a full load, full burn cycle. Depending on stove and chimney type and setup, as well as wood, weather and technique, a full load may give an early temp spike but then settle into hours of "cruising" at 450-650f stove top.

I like my IR gun - got it at Harbor Freight for $28, seems pretty accurate, and interesting to see variations in temp on different parts of the stove and flue at different stages of the burn.

I am under the assumption that IR's don't work too well on glass or reflective, shiny surfaces. I think the surface needs to be opaque.

CenterTree said:

I am under the assumption that IR's don't work too well on glass or reflective, shiny surfaces.

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I guess I didn't address the OP's comment about taking a reading on glass because I'd never tried it, and can't recall anyone suggesting it as a reliable means of gauging operating temps... I can't really know how it would be.

But FWIW, my gun on an exterior window in the stove room reads 70f, while the wall reads 75f. Another room's window reads 65f, while the wall reads 70f.

On a reload, I notice the temp both on the top and on the glass jumps around a lot, but while the stove top starts out around 300f and the glass 400f, some minutes later the top is up to 600f while the glass is only up to 500f

If the Oslo is a new stove to you, it needs a few full reloads, a bed of coals the get this beast up to temps of 500-600 Wood needs to be good as well. For your own piece of mind get your self another cheep magnetic and compare them. Probable there fine. All locations on the stove will have different temps. This can be easily seen with an IR.

newatthis said:

I feel stupid asking this, but how many splits do you put in the Oslo; or maybe I should ask, should I pack the stove up to the top edge of the back bricks? Is that what it takes to get it up to 600 degrees? I won't have enough wood this season!

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To get my cold Oslo up to temp ASAP, I do this. Assuming you got a fire starter, kindling, good draft and good dry wood. I load as much wood, surface area as possible. So lots of thinner pieces to fill the box. Room between the wood so the flames can lick as much wood as possible. Lots of air. All this perfectly done the stove should be an inferior with every piece of wood burning. Reload as this burns and settles. Keep the stove filled. As it gets going close off the primary air a bit and there will be a wall of flames rolling into the front glass. If it's hard to getting it going or goes out, the wood is probably to wet.

When needed I pack the stove, bricks to secondary burn tubes. I try to stay away from the glass. I have cast iron burn plates, the new ones maybe more fragile. I like to keep a bed of coals. I add a few splits on top of. They light and burn easily.

newatthis said:

I have a Rutland thermometer on the Oslo. I think it is reading way too low, but not sure. Have basically never gotten the stove into the overfire zone, and in fact, have trouble getting it to read for very long in the "burn" zone. Mostly it hovers right between the creosote and burn zones. Only time I got it into the high end of the burn zone, was when I really loaded it up with a lot of logs. Maybe I shouldn't do just 2-3 splits at a time, but really stoke it instead? I am still in the "fireplace" mentality of throwing a log periodically on the fire, rather than load and let it go for a few hours, I believe.

On the other hand, I do have some creosote on the inside of the box, in the far recesses, so maybe it is accurate.

Was going to get an IR thermometer- are they generally more accurate? Is there a consensus on a favorite? Can I use the IR on any part of the stove, including the glass? Have a Morso insert also, and I seem to recall comments about not being able to use a magnetic thermometer on inserts. Is that because it is better to get a reading on the glass?

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Random thoughts . . .

I am a bit partial to Condar thermometers myself . . . although I have a cheap Harbor Freight IR thermometer that I use on occasion. The laser pointer has died, but I get somewhat of an idea of what the temp is when I point it in the general direction of whatever I am measuring.

2-3 splits or rounds isn't giving the woodstove much fuel . . . and it's been said that when it comes to splits and rounds for some reason the wood burns best when it has lots of company (at least three splits or rounds . . . and actually I suspect the "some reason" has to deal with ignition temps and off gassing). Load 'er up a bit more . . . you also need to give this stove some time . . . it's like a train . . . takes a while to really build up to speed (or in this case . . . heat.)

Best bet is to load it up and run in cycles vs. continually adding wood to the fire . . . if a home is decently insulated you shouldn't get too much of a high and low temp difference in the home.

IR thermometers do not work well on some surfaces, including glass . . . and while pointing at your wife and commenting on how "hot" she is . . .

I also feel compelled to ask the two pre-requisite questions whenever someone posts that their stove isn't producing a lot of heat.

1) How well seasoned is your wood? Have you tested it . . . or was it cut, split and stacked for over a year?
2) How does the fire behave when you move the air control lever?

firefighterjake said:

IR thermometers do not work well on some surfaces, including . . . while pointing at your wife and commenting on how "hot" she is . . .

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I have not tried this yet. I will give it a go.

If I go missing for the day, you can assume it worked either REALLY well, or REALLY poorly. Either way I'll be in bed, just a question of whether I'm in traction or not.

Dunk the stove top therm in boiling water -if it is near 212 your know its close. Most are relatively close and almost all are used as a suggestion... ie. just an idea within 50 or so degrees and an opportunity to create consistency in your burn process.

x2 or how many others that suggest filling it up a little more and let it run a full cycle with dry fuel and then report back on the results.