What does my stove do while I'm sleeping ?

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Brian VT

Minister of Fire
Jul 30, 2008
817
Southern VT
I place an L-shaped piece of aluminum foil on the hot side of my stovetop thermometer's needle before I go to bed.
In the morning this "soldier" tells me the max. temp. my stove got to during the burn.
My Resolute likes to cruise @ 550 but it sees 700-750 at the peak of the burn.

I plan to replace the warped upper fireback and combustion box next time it's warm enough to shut her down for a day.
I'm curious what effect that will have (for $275). I'll post results here somewhere.
 
I would have never thought of that...very clever.
 
I like it! I just made my own "high level marker" and put it on my stove... not just for overnight, but also for when I pop off to work etc. I'm still learning my stove and building up trust so it will be nice to know where it is topping out all the time.

Thanks for sharing the idea. I love the simple, and cheap solutions best!
 
SORRY... Maybe head is still cloudy, but how does this work? and how do you set it up ? I would like to try it.
 
Have a beer to clear up the cloudiness.....

But in seriousness .... the thermometer will push the piece of tin foil (clockwise) as the temperature rises. When the stove has peaked at temperature and starts to cool off, the needle on the thermometer will retreat (counterclockwise) but leave the tinfoil behind at the max temp so one can read it in the morning.

Great idea!
 
Awesome Idea!
 
Do you really want to know what goes on in your stove while you are sleeping? :gulp: :snake:
 

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I was wondering too, but then my magnetic thermometer is in a vertical position, so the piece of foil will just fall off, i.e., as the needle goes past "due north" the push side of the needle is looking down, toward the floor.
 
My thermometer has a glass face which I really like, but won't work for this clever idea.
 
Its ideas like this that make me check the forum 365 days a year. Very nice idea thank you BrianVT
 
I thought everyone knew this trick...I've been doing it for years

...Now where do we keep that aluminium foil...?

Seriously, cool trick thanks for sharing it. Just made one myself.
 
Chettt said:
Man I nominate you for the next Governor of Michigan. Cool idea.


That is a bit of simple country brilliance now isn't it? I nominate this guy for the Emperor of New York, complete with tax payer furnished hookers!!
 
LOL ! You guys are a riot. I thought about posting it a while ago but figured it was no biggie. Then this morning I looked at mine and thought someone else just might find it handy. I didn't expect this kind of response. Now, about those hookers...I"m gonna stick with my wife but maybe I could trade them for beer or firewood or they could mow my lawn ? (listed in order of preference) lol !
 
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Goldenearringz said:
even if thermometer is vertical, perhaps it could be rotated (if magnetic) so that the needle would pick up the aluminum "hitch-hiker" and deposit it in the likely hottest range. lol if not, use a test animal, child, or illegal alien or some other approach that is politically incorrect lolol.

Excelsior!

Actually, you can buy children from Chinese sweat shops pretty cheap.
 
Bravo! I'm doing my first overnight burns this weekend and will add the "Brian Mark" to my thermometer tonight.
 
My rutland is vertical too- on the door. When the temp goes past 800, it starts to slide slowly down the door as the magnet loses it's attraction to the cast iron. When I get up in the morning or come home from work, if it moved from the corner, I know she's been a baaaad girl. Once, it just plain fell right off :ahhh:
 
My wife and I went to a Christmas party last night and I set up the thermo with the now famous
"BRIANVT.FOIL HIGHTEMP INDICATOR"... 550 max on that load.

Cool Idea Brian
 
Let Me Stand Next To Your Fire said:
"BRIANVT.FOIL HIGHTEMP INDICATOR"

LOL ! If only I was smart enough to come up with something big like the Illudium Pu-36 Explosive Space Modulator. lol



Marvinthemartain.jpg
 
adrpga498 said:
Its ideas like this that make me check the forum 365 days a year. Very nice idea thank you BrianVT

holy cow!
you do realize you wrote that on your 365th comment?
play that # on lotto or something.



and the tin foil idea is great.
 
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