Using a Stove Pipe Thermometer on the Stove Top???

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BurnIt13

Minister of Fire
Jun 10, 2010
636
Central MA
So I bought the wrong thermometer. I bought a Condar Chimgard stovepipe thermometer, intended for single wall pipe. My mistake, since I wanted a Stove Top thermometer. I have double wall pipe so I can't use this on my flue. But can I use it on the stove top instead?

I know that the "too cool", "just right", "too hot" color indicators are at different spots on the dial.....but will it correctly read the temperature? Or is it calibrated differently and will be way off?

I called Condar a couple of times and just get sent to a voicemail for the tech department....no response yet.

Thanks!
 
Try shooting them an email. I seem to remember in a conversation w/ a condar vp of manufacturing last year that there was a difference other than the scales, but I'm not 100% sure on that and can't find the email now (In other words, I could be wrong.)

If they respond to your email, would you let us know what you find?

pen
 
I think you will find that the thermo will work just fine. ONE possible issue will be the temp being slightly off because of the difference of air convection (vertical vs horizontal), but in most instances its about a 50 degree diff (if any).
 
I just got back from talking with Condar. They told me not to use it. They said that the measuring coils are different and will have different readings. He would not say how much or in which direction it would be off. He reccomended buying the proper thermometer. I'll pick one up this afternoon and see how it goes. I'll leave the old on there to see the actual difference. I'll report back.
 
woot! not going crazy :)

pen
 
BurnIt13 said:
I'll leave the old on there to see the actual difference. I'll report back.

Please do, I find this interesting.
 
We'll see! I'm bettiing it is going to read lower than the stove top thermometer. I had a uber hot fire this morning, the hottest I've had yet.....and the stove pipe thermometer read 550 without the blower on. The fire was hot enough that my stack temps were 800 and I was getting that new paint smell. It wasn't an overfire....its a new stove, so I'm sure I just cured some paint that wasn't fully cured yet. I'm guessing I was at 650 degrees or so.

The results will be in tonight!
 
If there really is a difference, I'm betting the chimgard will read higher. The vertical surface doesn't transfer heat to it as well as the horizontal stove top will

pen
 
I have a Condar Chimgard thermometer and when I lay it down next to the Woodstock stove top thermometer on the stove top it reads 50 degrees warmer. Both thermometers have identical numbers but different heating zones. It also reads about 50 degrees warmer on the stove pipe. It could also just be one or the other thermometer is off by 50?
 
Hmmmmm...well I just went to three different stove places and none of them had the stove top specific model. They all tried telling me that the ChimGard was for the single wall pipe and the stove top. Looks like I'll have to order one online.

Well I suppose I could get the Lowes/Home Depot one but its made by Rutland. It says Made in China right on it. I'll just wait for the Condar to come in....its made in USA :)
 
Maybe madee in USA but my surface temp condar went TU over the summer.Sprung its spring. The old rutland is just fine wherever it's made.
 
Highbeam said:
Maybe madee in USA but my surface temp condar went TU over the summer.Sprung its spring. The old rutland is just fine wherever it's made.

The Rutland 701 is made in the USA *and* China. I talked with Rutland about it. They ship the China ones here when the demand is high. Buy one in the off season and it will be made in the USA.
 
The results are in! I wasn't able to purchase the proper stove top thermometer but I did borrow my works IR meter. I'm sure it is much more accurate since it is calibrated to be +/- 2 degrees accurate!

The ChimGard reads up to 100 degrees TOO LOW!!!!!

I cranked up the stove and had a rip roarer. The IR gun said 650, the Chimgard said 575. The stove settled in to a 500 degree cruise (on the IR meter) and the ChimGard read 400.

The stove is now at about 450 and the ChimGard is reading 375.

Either my particular ChimGard is off or the guys at Condar are really smart and calibrated it differently than a stove top model!
 
Wouldn't have (and didn't) guess that

hmm
 
Interesting and thanks for posting the results.
 
So is the Rutland #701 stovetop or pipe? I didn't know there was a diff.
 
BurnIt13 said:
The results are in! I wasn't able to purchase the proper stove top thermometer but I did borrow my works IR meter. I'm sure it is much more accurate since it is calibrated to be +/- 2 degrees accurate!

The ChimGard reads up to 100 degrees TOO LOW!!!!!

I cranked up the stove and had a rip roarer. The IR gun said 650, the Chimgard said 575. The stove settled in to a 500 degree cruise (on the IR meter) and the ChimGard read 400.

The stove is now at about 450 and the ChimGard is reading 375.

Either my particular ChimGard is off or the guys at Condar are really smart and calibrated it differently than a stove top model!

Your stove is off by 100 deg.
 
Bub381 said:
So is the Rutland #701 stovetop or pipe? I didn't know there was a diff.

I was always under the impression that the #701 was for pipe and the #710 was for stove top use, but the packaging on the #701 says for stove top use also. The only thing I can think of is that the temps are the same but the little areas of the thermo are marked differently for each. My 701 says 'overburn' starts at 560F, which I don't think is true...

steve
 
My dealer says use the numbers on the lower scale for stove top on the chimguard. I bought one because my stove top some how broke this summer. I will have to see how it stacks up with a stove top thermometer that a friend gave me.
 
I did some with/without the fan readings last night. I can't remember the difference. Since I like standing by the stove and using the IR gun on various things in the room....I'll repeat the test tonight and post the results.
 
Bought an IR gun,i'll compare it to my 2 stovetop thermometers and go from there.
 
BurnIt13 said:
I did some with/without the fan readings last night. I can't remember the difference. Since I like standing by the stove and using the IR gun on various things in the room....I'll repeat the test tonight and post the results.

I believe that you will get your most accurate comparison without the fan. Thats why I was asking.
 
Okay so I just got the "correct" Inferno Stove-Top Thermometer from Condar. Well, it reads the same as the ChimGard. I have them placed side by side. If anything, they both read low by the same amount when measured with the IR gun. The IR gun read 650 and both thermometers read 575-600.

Either way, I'm happy. I now have two thermometers on the stove, one probe type in the flue, and an IR gun. That should just about do it.
 
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