Double Check your Stove Thermometers (now with picture)

[international5288]

OK, you asked for it. You'll have to pardon the low temp indications because I'm just getting the stove going this AM. (VC Winterwarm small insert) This is my 2nd year buring w/this unit, last year I used a IR gun and Rutland magnetic to monitor the stove temp. But because it is an insert I could never see what the flue temps were doing. Now I can, and it is quite useful because the flue temps don't have a lot in common with the stove temp. This is making getting the CAT lit a lot easier. I still need to finalize the setup and make a small box of some sort to house everything. I also picked up a solid state relay (SSR) to go with the controllers, maybe I'll use that to switch the fans off and on, I don't know.

 

[Todd]

OK, you asked for it. You'll have to pardon the low temp indications because I'm just getting the stove going this AM. (VC Winterwarm small insert) This is my 2nd year buring w/this unit, last year I used a IR gun and Rutland magnetic to monitor the stove temp. But because it is an insert I could never see what the flue temps were doing. Now I can, and it is quite useful because the flue temps don't have a lot in common with the stove temp. This is making getting the CAT lit a lot easier. I still need to finalize the setup and make a small box of some sort to house everything. I also picked up a solid state relay (SSR) to go with the controllers, maybe I'll use that to switch the fans off and on, I don't know.

That is a great idea for other insert owners who have no way of knowing what their burning temps are. Wher did you find those on ebay?

 

[international5288]

Search "PID temperature controller" and there will be a ton for sale. I bought mine from a seller named coldfusionx, no problems. They're about $40 each and come with a short threaded fitting k wire. However I bought some bulk k wire and the piezo alarm ($4) from mcmaster.com The controllers I got were AC powered, if I had to do it again I'd get the 12v DC versions because the piezo is 3-15V DC, and I have to use a separate 9V battery to power the piezo. If I used an old computer power supply (12V) then I could wire everything up with no battery needed. (not sure I'm making sense here?) I still have some testing to do, and I want to relocate the stove wire for a better reading, but so far so good. In the past I had to try and judge when it was time to light off the CAT by the stove temp, which didn't really work. Now I just wait for the flue to read X and the stove to read Y, throw the damper shut and poof! Off she goes.

 

[Ratman]

Well I had an older thermometer (left) and a newer one (right) the older one I had on the stove top and then newer one was 12inches up on the flue. I was getting some interesting numbers, really High Stove Top temp and low flue temp. So I finally decided to double check them.

Its tough to see but the left (older) one is reading a little bit more then 600F while the right is reading about 475F and as you can see buy my gun its reading 458F. So if you do not have a IR gun to check your thermometer accuracy at least buy two and confirm they are accurate to each other. I will Be going out and buying another thermometer tonight and then running it along side the others to see if I have two that are the same.


the Best news is I was extremely impressed at the heat this stove throws at 600F, but in reality it was only at about 475F, So now I can't wait till it gets real cold and get the stove up to a real 600F

Moe: Say, what's the idea of the three stove thermometers?

Curly: That's how I tell the temperature.
You see, (points at first thermometer) this thermometer runs 15 degrees high every two hours. (points at thermometer at other end) This thermometer runs 10 degrees low every four hours. The thermometer in the middle is broken, stopped dead at 458F. I add the temp from the fast thermometer to the slow thermometer and divide by the 4 in the middle.

Moe: Well, what temp is it now?

Curly: (pulls pocket thermometer from pocket) 98F.

 

[oconnor]

.....


Moe: Say, what's the idea of the three stove thermometers?

Curly: That's how I tell the temperature.
You see, (points at first thermometer) this thermometer runs 15 degrees high every two hours. (points at thermometer at other end) This thermometer runs 10 degrees low every four hours. The thermometer in the middle is broken, stopped dead at 458F. I add the temp from the fast thermometer to the slow thermometer and divide by the 4 in the middle.

Moe: Well, what temp is it now?

Curly: (pulls pocket thermometer from pocket) 98F.

Now that's funny

I like my thermometer:

Nice and Shiny!