what temps are you guys running your inserts at

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

tumm21

Member
Jul 16, 2011
212
North Jersey
I have a regency I2400 wood insert. I have been burning for about 3 years and I have a magnetic thermometer right on top of the stove. The thermometer has a burn zone of about 300 to 600. where should I be and how do you guys run your stoves. Should I get my stove up to lets say 650 and then back the damper way down? Or is there a better way to do it so my burn times are a little longer? I seem to reload about every hour and a half with another split of wood.. Is this normal?
 
I try to run mine about 500-550 or so, as that seems to be the sweet spot for my insert. Burning n the 300 range is going to lead to more frequest chimney cleans
 
IR gun directly at it and I'm ~650. Also, burn in cycles. During shoulder season or when I like to have a fire going and watch the flames for ambiance I might do a log or two at a time and reload every couple hours, otherwise, put in a load, let it get down to coals, then go again.
 
My wood isn't exactly perfect this year (a touch under-seasoned) but I typically try to hit the 500-550F mark. I'm very happy when I hit 600F but it never lasts long...

Note - these are insert-front temps. (top right corner)

To me, it sounds like you can dial back your inlet air a bit more. I tend to shut mine to about 1/4 open when the stove hits ~400F and the temp builds nicely from there. When I hit ~500F, I can usually shut the air all the way and I get some decent burn times out of my small-ish stove.
 
With my Regency insert I don't take a temperature measurement on the top because the air from the fan is blown out there and it wont show the true temp. I have a IR gun that I point at a spot above and to the left of the handle and when I get above 400 that insert is really putting out the heat. I have never been able to get a 650 degree reading. I think it would melt with a reading like that.
I assume you are using the fan. I run my insert with the damper about 3/4 closed.
 
I get mine up to 600 and start closing the air down. She balances out somewhere around 500-550.
 
Same here with my 3100 I let it roll up to 600-650 and begin shutting the air. In the good season, we limit the the times we open the door. Let it do its thing and reload only when needed.
 
On the Olympic placing a thermometer next to the door gives a very low reading. Anywhere on the sides and you either fight with the blower output or you're taking a reading off of the shell and not the stove itself. If you place it on the 'cook top' you get the highest reading even though it's not ideal because of the blower vents. How relevant is a reading off the door glass?

steve
 
I get to about 650 measured with a Rutland in the blower chamber. This was with an outdoor temp of 30 and a 1/2 load of oak and black birch and secondaries firing. I always measure with no air blowing, and then turn the blower on if I want to. Lately, I have not run the blower because it's not that cold out. This is the first year running with a really stuffed softplate of Roxul. I filled the smoke shelf and damper area so now the heat stays in the fireplace and hearth. The past few years I would never get this kind of reading.

This is of course the peak. I run in cycles (low to hi to low). The low being what ever it is when I reload and that vaires from 200 - 350 area.
 
My Lopi likes the 550-600 range. 17' insulated chimney liner. 350 is too cold. 700 is too hot.
 
I burn my Osburn between 400 and 700. With a full load on a bed of coals and a 50 MPH wind outside with the air all the way closed it will be about 650.
 
The PE cruises with a Rutland on the front over the top door hing @ 700 - 800 F after it settles down with a full load, easy reload @ 200 - 250 F. Smoke only on reload :)
 
450 seems to be about the normal cruising range for me, however last night I loaded it up and pushed it up to about 750 or so according to the one stove top thermometer which is on top, but just left of center. The second stove top thermometer I added this year is just right of center and it reads about 100-150 lower. So I will say that my temps were somewhere between the two.
 
This is a question I've had too. My thermometer is on the front, above the upper right corner of the door. I'm pretty comfortable with a reading of 475. Tonight is the coldest it's been so far this season, so I might nudge the temp up a bit and see how it goes.
 
I had to let mine run a little hotter just to see. I loaded a chunk of fir and a chunk of alder, left the throttle all the way open until things got rolling, then shut the air off. It's been holding steady at a comfortable 525.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.