Rutland +accuracy

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Pagey

Pagey

Minister of Fire
Nov 2, 2008
2,436
Middle TN
For all the Rutland magnetic stovetop thermometer users out there: how accurate have you found yours to be? I have a newly installed Lopi Endeavor, and according to the thermometer (placed on the middle of the stove top, just above the door), I am hitting my sweet spot for a burn around 700 to 750F. Out of curiousity, I stuck the thermometer in a preheated electric range oven this morning set at 350F. The thermometer read 450F. So I have to wonder, which is right: the oven or the thermometer? When it says the stove top is running at 750F (only 50F away from over fire according to Travis Ind.), I see no sign that the stove is in danger of over fire. Nothing is red (save the secondary tubes) or burning out of control. There's no loud or unusual popping coming from the stove. The stove pipe appears normal. Makes me wonder if the thing really is reading 100F too high.

I'm curious to hear about your experiences. Are you running high? Low? Thanks!
 
My Rutland is not accurate, but my one from sand hill is pretty close, i check with my infrared ,i dont even use my rutland anymore . Maybe i bought a lemon. The infrared is the best you can check any part of the stove in a second.
 
I picked mine up at Tractor Supply Co. yesterday mainly out of curiosity. After spending a lot of time here and reading, I felt it would be best to have some idea of how hot the stove was. I should probably invest in a good IR thermometer, as you say. Glad to hear that it's not just mine that's not accurate.
 
It varies, some are close and some aren't. The QC seems a little loose. I picked up a Drolet 2" thermometer at True Value for my friend's Morso and we tested it against my IR thermometer. It was close for most of the range up to at least 550 which was the hottest we got the stovetop that night.
 
The thermometer (I my opinion) is not really for exact measures of temp it is more an easy reference as to how the stove is performing this time compared to last time. IE I start to cut my air at 350 -400 just a little then a little more at 400-425 then I close it almost all the way at 500 then it cruses at about 550 is this accurate I have no idea but it does give me a little insight at a glance and it has to be more accurate than it looks like 500. and hopefully it will repeat it self by that i mean when it hits X in temp it will always show Y on the face.
 
I have two thermometers, an "Imperial KEL KEM" and a Rutland Burn Indicator. I was using one for stove top temp and the other for frontal temp.

I was curious as well so I stuck both in the oven setting it at 400 degrees. The Imperial read 500 and the Rutland read 450... Now I have three temps to choose from. Now I'm not even sure of my oven!

Guess I have to buy an IR therm...

That's my experience with these magnetic therms.
 
Yours sounds just like mine, which also reads about 100 degrees high. I've checked it in my oven and with my infrared thermometer. I realize that now, and just use it as a reference as to when to adjust the damper. I really don't look at the temperature numbers on it anymore, just where the needle is positioned.

Since your in Tennessee, maybe we got two from the same batch that reads high? lol
 
I bought my two from ACE hardware and compared to the IR they are close, less then 50 degrees. At 450 IR the Rutland is about 1/16 - 3/16 away from 450.
 
How do you know the IR thermometer temps are correct? Are they calibrated?
 
I have two Rutlands, I put them both in the oven and one is right there! 400* and the other is 75* off "high" i have to assume the oven is right...wife hasn't burned anything LOL
 
I also have 2 Rutlands. Put both in the oven at 450. One read 425, the other 500... I just made a note as to which is which.

Chris
 
Zzyk said:
I also have 2 Rutlands. Put both in the oven at 450. One read 425, the other 500... I just made a note as to which is which.

Chris
Click to expand...


Great idea Zzyk. My Rutland reads 25F less than my IR thermometer.
I should have the IR calibrated again.
 
Pagey said:
For all the Rutland magnetic stovetop thermometer users out there: how accurate have you found yours to be? I have a newly installed Lopi Endeavor, and according to the thermometer (placed on the middle of the stove top, just above the door), I am hitting my sweet spot for a burn around 700 to 750F. Out of curiousity, I stuck the thermometer in a preheated electric range oven this morning set at 350F. The thermometer read 450F. So I have to wonder, which is right: the oven or the thermometer? When it says the stove top is running at 750F (only 50F away from over fire according to Travis Ind.), I see no sign that the stove is in danger of over fire. Nothing is red (save the secondary tubes) or burning out of control. There's no loud or unusual popping coming from the stove. The stove pipe appears normal. Makes me wonder if the thing really is reading 100F too high.

I'm curious to hear about your experiences. Are you running high? Low? Thanks!
Click to expand...


They're a piece of junk, don't rely on it. I did for a over 1 month, and it contributed to cresote buildup, it was always reading 100F hotter than what the stove was putting out. I now have a dual thermocouple meter, one attached to the top surface of the stove and the other to the stove pipe. I compared this to the bimetaic thermometer and found out it was way off. We have numerous temp measuring tools where I work and the best is a thermocouple placed on a surface. It depends on OCD you are, but those laser IR's are not as accurate as a surface thermocouple
 
I agree with crazy dan. They arent for exact measurements, they are for reference. I have 3 different brands, one being Rutland so I put them all on the stovetop just to see, they are all different temps, spread within about 100* range.
 
the best was of checking the thermometers is to boil them, since boiling temp is the most accurate. more so than your ovens
 
I will disagree somewhat and say that the thermometer is an actual tool to measure temperature. I depend on this measurement to know when I have voided my stove's warranty and routinely run to within 50 degrees of the limit. So to accept a 100 degree range of precision is not going to happen.
 
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