Top loading stoves - what's your stack temp?

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begreen

Mooderator
Staff member
Nov 18, 2005
104,430
South Puget Sound, WA
In light of the recent discussions on the everburn technology stoves it seems like it would be helpful to know what kind of stack temperatures are being read when the stove is running normally. We are considering returning to a top loader and this would be helpful information. Can you all post your temps in this thread?

Please indicate the make & model of the stove, the stack temperature and whether this is with a surface mount or probe thermometer. If you also have a concurent reading of the stove top temp, that would be great too. If you want to post the normal operation range of temperatures, that would be super.

Example:

Jotul F400 (front loader)
450 stack probe
550 stove top
average stack temps 250 - 450
normal running stove top temps 400-600
 
BeGreen my rear exit is so short that reading surface temps is useless What I have found is to measure stove temps middle of the griddle top There I can give you a complete run down od the intrepid II the resolute Acclaim and the encore I have two ways to indicate when to engage secondary burn one is when the griddle top exceeds 500 degrees but I probably hold off till 600 degrees and second It I open the griddle top and view the char conditions of the wood. If above 500 and evidence of the charing process has happened I engage the damper. From there I wait 10 tom 15 minutes to make the final adjustment to the primary air. I want the secondary burn cycle fully established Nights that do not go under 20 my primary air may be set to all the way closed or 1.8 open. Every load of wood reacts differently so it takes practice to learn how and when to make adjustments there is no real set approach. the calm night 20 of above 500 griddle top does the job windy colder night 600 may be the set range real cold windy night 650 is my target temps. after the secondary combustion has take hold I adjust the primary air for my desired results Never is it more than 1/2 open usually for 600 to 650 degrees it is 1/4 to 3/8. I measure the griddle top with two rutland thermo side by side dead center I have found that some of these thermos stick and that once stuck they usually stick oon the highest setting I have tapped them and the needle will jump backward. The two I'm using now seem to be working decent. At times I move them between the two stoves as a comparison of being able to sync them 50 degrees discrepancy between them is normal they are not that accurate. that too is why I confirm the char conditions and observe the flame conditions. Again it takes time and experience learning what to look for as far as burn characteristics and charing What I need is an internal probe to really compare stack ve stove top. But like Roo, I can tell by looking when things are right without instrument's
 
It would be helpful to get some actual stack temps for top loaders. Does a daily 1000 degree stack temp sound normal? I'd like to get some perspective on this. Maybe it is, but I would prefer to see the maximum heat returned to the room and not heading up the stack.
 
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