england commits to overfire temp with new 17

550? That sounds real low to me. Jeez I burn at 600-650 all of the time. Granted, I am burning a cast iron Jotul, but still, those #'s sound conservative.

They say 400-600 is the optimal operating range. No info on overfire temp other than not to make the stove glow. This happens around 800. I have done it a few times, though not on purpose. Tthe stove takes 650 easily.

550 just seems really low for a hot burn temp. I really like burning a hot stove around 600 as I feel the wood burns the best up there and you have the most complete combustion.

Especially if the IR reads 100F higher on the stove too... Or are you reading 550 and actually at 650? Then 122 walls makes sense!

He's talking about 122 degrees on the outside walls of his house!

I don't know how you regulate your stove to cruise at 550. I've tried closing my air down at 300 and everywhere up to 500 and it always cruises at 600-650 depending on wood types, outside temperates and how much I load into the stove. If I left the air open slightly I think the temp would climb but it seems predetermined to run at 600-650.

bsa0021 said:

I don't know how you regulate your stove to cruise at 550. I've tried closing my air down at 300 and everywhere up to 500 and it always cruises at 600-650 depending on wood types, outside temperates and how much I load into the stove. If I left the air open slightly I think the temp would climb but it seems predetermined to run at 600-650.

Click to expand...

Mine is the same way: happiest from 600-650. The blower does shave anywhere from 50 to 100 off that, but without the blower I cannot get it to cruise at anything less.

The Lopi manual does not seem to give any temp indications. How common is it for the manufacturer to define them? I have gotten most of my info on that from Pagey here! Because our initial wood supply was REALLY good we accidentally crept up close to 700 twice last week but got it back down to 600 or so easily. Wood we are getting down to now not quite so good. So we will see. These other posts about thermometers reading 50 to 100 degrees off does make me wonder though how I would really know what is too high without seeing damage!

Heck, my thermometer often FLOORED on most of my stoves - the Resolute Acclaim and Avalon 945 (exposed single top) would do that quite often. I think they put this stuff in there for the lawyers. As has been mentioned, it is near impossible to have 2000 degree red-hot logs a few inches below the top plate of the stove, and a 1500 + degree flame...and keep the temp under 600 constantly.

A little common sense is in order here. You have to consider the particular stove, chimney, wood, etc.

However, in the cold of winter there was no way I could keep my Resi griddle from hitting 750 almost every day.....or even at some point in a full load of wood.

On a slightly more technical basis, lab testing is obviously done with the air control full open and with dry wood (firebrands). If you have regular cord wood and a reasonable chimney, there should be very little danger of overfiring in normal operations. You have to change some of the variables to get to that point....like a chimney that is too strong, scrap 2x4's, etc.

Picture of the wood they use for testing enclosed. Notice the plywood behind them with the temp sensing thermocouples embedded in it.

carinya said:

Here's an excerpt from the owner's manual

• England’s Stove Works, Inc. always recommends the use of a magnetic stove thermometer, so
that the temperature of the unit can be monitored. When using a magnetic stove thermometer,
locate the thermometer above the door on either the left or right side of the stove and use the
following temperatures as rough guidelines to determine the burn rate and heat output level of
the stove:
o Normal wood stove operation should occur between 350°F (177°C) and 550°F (288°C),
with 350°F (177°C) to 450°F (232°C) being a low to medium heat output level and 450°F
(232°C) to 550°F (288°C) being a medium to high heat output level. Operating the stove
at 600°F (316°C) would be considered the maximum continuous operating temperature
permissible and unit damage may result from operating at that high of a burn rate for
extended time periods. Allowing the unit to reach 650°F (343°C) or higher is defined as
over‐firing and will result in unit damage.

I think I'd be more comfortable if they had recommended an IR thermo.........

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I find that they recommend the thermo above the door a lil confusing & strange? Is this on the face above the door, or on the top above the door?

I just tested my Rutland thermo in my oven. I don't know how accurate a result that gives you but my results show the thermo is dead on. It was 2 seconds faster clicking than the digital readout on my stove. Now I have to figure out how not to hit 650* on my stove... Can someone define for me an extended period of time? If I put three to four pieces of good seasoned wood in my stove let them coal up and then shut the damper down it goes straight to 600-650. It will stay there for 20 minutes (maybe) then hold at 550 for a while than settle down to 450 all of this lasting about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs before I am at 400/350 and have broken up coals and then maybe reload a little more. At this point my house is at 70 degrees almost.

Why don't stoves come with a built-in thermometer?