Meaningless But Fun Chimney Temp Observation

[BrotherBart]

I have been burning low and slow during the daytime due to high 30 and low 40 daytime temps and decided to go up top and look at the pipe today. Since the stove was at 425 degrees stove top I knew I wasn't going to be sticking my nose too far into the liner but was just curious if it was getting gunky. As an afterthought I dropped my IR thermo into my jacket pocket on the way out.

The liner was fine with no accumulation but what surprised me was with the lazy burn and 425 stove temp six inches inside the top of the 21 foot single wall un-insulated liner running in what everybody calls an evil outside masonry chimney the temperature was 283 degrees. I have always wondered what the temp difference would be and expected the pipe to be cooler than that. Since I can't measure liner temp down at the bottom I have no idea what that temp was but the flue collar was at 325.

I can live with that. Anything over the boiling point of water all the way up is just fine with me.

 

[mellow]

But as you say, the temps are warmer, what do you think the difference would be back in January on those 10 deg. days with 30 mph winds?

 

[BrotherBart]

I don't know and when it was three degrees outside at night in January I had no urge to go up and look. But the lack of creosote in the liner and the few flakes on my Cadillac hubcap sized chimney cap told me that the difference wasn't much. While the liner isn't insulated the top five feet of the chimney around it including any of it above the roof is packed with Rockwool.

Like the title says, a meaningless observation. Another observation was that the cap for the chimney right next to it for the basement stove that hasn't been used since I cleaned both liners in December was covered with creosote from the exhaust from the active liner. Most likely from smokey start-up fires.

Edit: And the nights have been in the teens lately.

 

[BrotherBart]

still hate the MAGIC HEAT?

Yes. I don't own a snake that needs oiling.

 

[Todd]

I've often wondered what the temps are up there and since your chimney setup is just about identical to mine I have a good idea now. Thanks BB.

 

[DrivenByDemons]

I guess I shouldn't have to worry about my HT103 chimney getting too cold at the top then, huh???

 

[pen]

I found a similar thing recently with my clay lined "evil" exterior chimney. Due to warmer temps I am burning a bit colder than normal. Went and checked things out after a month since the last clean the only accumulation I had to speak of was above the chimney itself in the area that the clay liner sticks above the chimney about 6 inches.

pen

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Somehow I can just picture Brother Bart out there checking his chimney temperature when the time is 10:00 pm and the temperature is at zero. What would his neighbors think?! What would his wife think?! lol

 

[Todd]

Somehow I can just picture Brother Bart out there checking his chimney temperature when the time is 10:00 pm and the temperature is at zero. What would his neighbors think?! What would his wife think?! lol

Yeah, that's almost as bad as BB hiding behind his wood pile doing the liquid soap bubble test to find out if his wood is dry yet. :lol: