Information Regarding Condar Probe Thermometers

[DanCorcoran]

On a separate thread, I mentioned that I wanted to buy both a stovetop and a stovepipe thermometer for my new freestanding woodstove. The stovepipe will be single wall. I was told that I should not buy a Condar probe thermometer, inasmuch as it is calibrated for double-wall pipe, not single-wall.

I just spoke with Condar customer service. They assured me that their FlueGard probe thermometer will work with either single- or double-wall pipe, with no loss of accuracy.

I just want to set the record straight, for anyone who may need to make a similar purchase.

 

[mikepinto65]

I run both a Condar stove top thermo and a Condar probe thermo in single wall stove pipe (both are great products) and it works......as it obviously would.....the probe measures the internal gas temp, it does not matter if it were single wall or quadruple walled, it is measuring the gas on the inside.
I think it is wise to have both stove top and probe thermo in use, and Condar makes one good product IMHO.

 

[Todd]

Of course Condar is going to tell you it will work in either pipe, they want to sell their product, but the fact is their probe doesn't just give you the internal temp. I have one on sigle wall pipe and if I blow on the dial the temp drops like a rock for a few seconds then goes back up. If it only read the internal temp that wouldn't happen. A good double wall pipe you can just about hold your hand to, you can't do that with single wall so that extra heat is effecting the temps. I also have seen differences between others who have the same stove but double wall and their temps are much lower.

Will it work? Yes, I use mine and it's a good guide but I still think it reads a little high. A 700 internal temp relates to 280 external for me.

 

[Highbeam]

I'm quite certain that the probe meter will "work" for both single and double wall pipe. The design of the meter with the external coil spring dictates that it must be calibrated for either the single or the double wall pipe. Now what we can't be certain of is what the spread is. Maybe it's 2%. I expect that the error for using a single wall calibrated probe meter on double wall is small enough that I can overlook it.

Besides, really, the continuous rating is 1000 and 2100 for up to an hour. Who knows how long you are allowed to keep it at 1100? I use it on the low end to know when the fire is junk.

 

[mikepinto65]

Todd....not sure why your odd test should relate to Condars recommendations....If he is concerned with flue temp than he should get a probe, it really dosnt seem like Condar is trying to one up him.

Blowing of the back of the probe def could effect the reading...it has an external coil, but rest assured it IS reading the internal temp (I can constantly get, offset, coinciding readings with the probe and two externals on the stove pipe). I can honestly say that I just tried blowing on mine and had no such luck with temps dropping. Perhaps you have leaf blower strength lungs?

 

[Todd]

Todd....not sure why your odd test should relate to Condars recommendations....If he is concerned with flue temp than he should get a probe, it really dosnt seem like Condar is trying to one up him.

Blowing of the back of the probe def could effect the reading...it has an external coil, but rest assured it IS reading the internal temp (I can constantly get, offset, coinciding readings with the probe and two externals on the stove pipe). I can honestly say that I just tried blowing on mine and had no such luck with temps dropping. Perhaps you have leaf blower strength lungs?

I just think it's a cheap meter since it's calibrated to read or guestimate the temps. There are more accurate ones out there that don't have an external coil, but spendy and probably not worth it. IMO, Your better off to just use a magnetic external on single wall and double the reading to figure your internal temps.

I don't have to blow very hard to make that dial move, maybe mine is no good? Wouldn't be the first time I had a bad thermometer, but I know Highbeam has done the same test and it works for him too. I also held a lighter under it and it jumps up fast, the coil gets hot, constricts and moves the temp arrow.

 

[mikepinto65]

Hmmm, i guess it makes sense as the probe is heating the coil to reflect the temp.....I just dont see how that should be an issue since most arn't running a fan on the stove pipe or burning a candle next to it! To each his own, I like mine, cheap design or not! If you want to be 100% than maybe one ought ta get a digital probe or something along those lines!

Oh ya I just tried again and got it to drop....guess I blew like a wuss the first time (still dont think it matters tho!).

 

[Todd]

Hmmm, i guess it makes sense as the probe is heating the coil to reflect the temp.....I just dont see how that should be an issue since most arn't running a fan on the stove pipe or burning a candle next to it! To each his own, I like mine, cheap design or not! If you want to be 100% than maybe one ought ta get a digital probe or something along those lines!

Oh ya I just tried again and got it to drop....guess I blew like a wuss the first time (still dont think it matters tho!).

Well, what I was trying to state is there is a difference in external temps between single wall and double wall pipe and I think that extra heat given off by single wall effects the coil on the thermometer more than it would on double wall, but not sure how much or even if it matters unless your a wood stove geek like me.

 

[mikepinto65]

I see now, lol sorry. I cant imagine it would be enough to even notice on it, but who knows.

 

[Highbeam]

The blow test demonstrates that the condar probe meter relies on an external coil to determine the reading. Once you make that leap then you can take the next step to say that the heat radiated by the pipe right next to that coil spring will have some bearing on the gauge reading. You can then conclude that since the outside shell of double wall will always be much cooler than the inside wall, the condar meter will never have the same gauge reading for a given internal flue temp if you using double wall vs. single wall.

It might not be a big difference but we won't know until a real stove geek sets up a thermocouple to measure real internal temps and then flip flops between single and double wall pipe.

 

[3fordasho]

The blow test demonstrates that the condar probe meter relies on an external coil to determine the reading. Once you make that leap then you can take the next step to say that the heat radiated by the pipe right next to that coil spring will have some bearing on the gauge reading. You can then conclude that since the outside shell of double wall will always be much cooler than the inside wall, the condar meter will never have the same gauge reading for a given internal flue temp if you using double wall vs. single wall.

It might not be a big difference but we won't know until a real stove geek sets up a thermocouple to measure real internal temps and then flip flops between single and double wall pipe.

I had one that read several hundred degrees low and was very slow to react. I had it in an adjustable section of double wall pipe (only place I had to put it).
The adjustable pipe has essentially 4 layers of metal when the adjustable sections overlap. This is where mine was installed and it plain didn't work right. The probe part transfers some heat to the coil but it also relies on radiated heat from the pipe as well. Since have installed a tel-tru probe thermometer that has the coil right in the probe- now I get readings I can trust. The down side is they are more fragile, a trip past their limit (1000F in my case) can mess it up.