Newbie... Having a hard time.

[bholler]

I tried searching without a lot of success to find some professional guidance on stovetop temps, but I guess I chose the wrong search terms. @bholler and @Squisher, can you help out here, please? Thanks.

For me there is way to many variables to give any sort of universal stovetop temp. I use pipe temp

 

[Elisurfer4]

I also wanted to add that my living room doesn’t have a ceiling fan.. would that make a big difference in reclaiming some of that heat off the ceiling?

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

I also wanted to add that my living room doesn’t have a ceiling fan.. would that make a big difference in reclaiming some of that heat off the ceiling?

A ceiling fan in winter mode setting (blades turning clockwise) can make a difference.

 

[Ashful]

I'm talking about stove top temps not flue gas temps. If you look at a magnetic thermo, the ideal temp is 400-500, 650 would be in the danger zone technically.

I am, too. 650 is not necessarily danger zone, for a non-cat. Bro’Bart claims running his Englander at 700F+ all day every day.

 

[Woody Stover]

I also wanted to add that my living room doesn’t have a ceiling fan.. would that make a big difference in reclaiming some of that heat off the ceiling?

It might pull a little more heat off the stove and push down heat pooling at the ceiling, but like others have said, 450-500 stovetop sounds low for a secondary-burn stove. I don't put too much stock in the "zones" on the stovetop thermometers..they are pretty generic and don't really apply to all stoves.
If you are trying to move heat out of the stove room, say with a small 8" fan on the floor blowing cool air into the bottom of the stove room, thus forcing warm air out the top of the doorway, a ceiling fan in the stove room will disrupt the natural convection loop of warm air out of the room.

 

[diverscale]

IT is because your stovetop thermometer is NOT a stovetop thermometer. It is a flue thermometer. Your danger zones are for flue and not top. I do the same and use a flue thermo on my stovetop, I just don't care about the zones.

I don't get good secondary flames going until my stovetop reach at least 600-650 on my summit and run it all day well over 700