Flue temp - stove top temp ?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Billybonfire

Feeling the Heat
Jul 6, 2012
274
Lancashire NW England.
Hi folks,
I don't have a stove top thermometer only a magnetic stovepipe one.
Was wondering about the differences in these temps, are the stovetop temps generally higher than flue temps ?.
My stovepipe temp rarely goes over 500f, down to 200f or so when refuelling on coals, does the flue temps rise and fall correspond to the stovetop temp rise and fall or does the stovetop stay more constant ?.

Thanks for replies.

Billy.
 
I generally see higher flue temps when I have more primary air going into my stove. The heat is escaping up into the flue causing the rise in flue temperature. As I shut down the p rimary air, the stove top temp rises and the flue temp begins to fall. I generally see a 100-150 degree difference between stove top and flue temp once envy thing is shut down.

HOWEVER, once Ina while I will see consistent temperatures between the stove top and flue even after shutting down. This is most likely due to my long chimney run.
 
Thanks remkel,
was wondering about this because I saw on a thread somewhere a gauge that was up at 900f, guess that would be the stovetop temp, on my flue gauge over 500f is shown as to hot, have had it up to 600f a time or two but wouldn't want to overfire and damage anything. :oops:

Billy.
 
From the look of your avatar pic, just move your pipe magnetic thermo down to your stove top for a few minutes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Billybonfire
Will do Huntingdog1,
wasn't sure if a stovetop thermometer was different.
I will see what happens ;).

Cheers.
 
Once my stove is cruising the stovetop will rise and the flue will drop some because the air is closed or almost closed keeping more heat in the stove.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Billybonfire
Just switched from stovepipe to stovetop and done a reload, temp rising but more slowly than when on the flue.
Could someone advise what temp would be to high when on the stovetop as its marked up for the pipe, ie over 500f = to hot ?

Cheers

Billy.
 
Could someone advise what temp would be to high when on the stovetop as its marked up for the pipe, ie over 500f = to hot ?

Yeah, I don't have an exact answer to that. I've had mine up to about 800. My manuals states that the stove is being overfired if it starts to glow red, and it didn't glow at 800, so...

As a general rule I like to let the stove top cruise between 400-600 degrees. I'm sure others will chime in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Billybonfire
400 to 700.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Billybonfire
Yeah, I don't have an exact answer to that. I've had mine up to about 800. My manuals states that the stove is being overfired if it starts to glow red, and it didn't glow at 800, so...

As a general rule I like to let the stove top cruise between 400-600 degrees. I'm sure others will chime in.

Thanks Ethan,
just watching what happens now i've switched onto the stovetop, remkel seems to be spot on, temp now upto 600f which is about 100 more than I usually see on the pipe.

Billy.
 
At a stove top of about 400F you can start easing the air input down in 1/4 way increments.

I have had my stove top 750F and thats pretty hot but people say the stoves are made to take more than that.

My stove likes to cruise around 600F - 650F as once good secondaries are kicking the stove will heat up more from the 400F to the 600F on my stove.
 
I was thinking of getting a magnetic thermometer for my new stove and noticed that some of them say over 475 is overheating and others (Rutland) say over 575 is overheating .
Which is it? Do I need a magnetic pipe thermometer and a separate stove top one? Wouldnt they read the same? Thanks
 
The zones are somewhat arbitrary because it varies with the thermometer type, its location and stove. A flue thermometer may say overheat at 475 and a stove top thermometer at 700F. That's why I like one that just gives me temperature and is accurate.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Billybonfire
Billy, you should get another thermometer so you have both stovetop and flue temp. You did not say but are we right in thinking you have single wall pipe? I hope so as there is a tremendous difference between single and double wall pipe.

What happens is when you first load or reload the stove, leave the draft open full. This gets the initial moisture from the wood burned off. Usually once the wood is charred, it is time to start dialing down the draft. After this initial open draft, then the flue temperature will come down while the stove top goes up. Hope this makes sense to you.
 
Just to help, your manual will usually show where a stove top thermometer should be placed. And to provide some piece of mind, my stove will cruise anywhere from 550-650 when it is rip roaring. My old Vigilant would see 700 quite often.

I purchased an IR thermometer last year and found my magnetic thermometer could be 50 degrees off compared to the IR reading.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Billybonfire
Just switched from stovepipe to stovetop and done a reload, temp rising but more slowly than when on the flue.
Could someone advise what temp would be to high when on the stovetop as its marked up for the pipe, ie over 500f = to hot ?

Cheers

Billy.

Woodstock recommended that I keep the stove under 600 for regular burning, saying consistently higher temps over a long time can damage the cast iron in the stove.....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Billybonfire
Thanks for your comments everyone, was curious as to differences between stove top and flue pipe temps, thought about getting another gauge for on the stove top but
think I will just keep the one on the pipe for now.

Cheers

Billy.
 
Would it be a good assumption that the magnetic stove pipe thermometers were designed for the older style wood stoves? Meaning lots of heat prduced but needed to keep the draft and therefore up the flue. Or is it just a universal gauge and each stove reacts differently?
 
Not sure about that Ryan, got the flue thermometer free with the new stove which replaced an older Scandanavian stove with no window, having a window has made me pay more attention to running the stove. :)
 
Ryan there isnt any difference in the thermo, they just read temps, but some have pre-defined zones painted on them like begreen mentioned above.
Just read the temp. Alot of guys are going to the infrared as they are more accurate and versatile.
 
Had to light up tonight, my son was excited (he'll fit in here!). Had a great top down start up. Tried air control off the stove top temp. Had much better results. Almost a 150° difference. Waited till stove was at 400, shut air down a third, and the secondaries took off. Got almost another hour and change off a medium load! Thanks for all the info guys!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Billybonfire
The zones are somewhat arbitrary because it varies with the thermometer type, its location and stove. A flue thermometer may say overheat at 475 and a stove top thermometer at 700F. That's why I like one that just gives me temperature and is accurate.

Thanks begreen, thats very useful info. :)
 
Billy, you should get another thermometer so you have both stovetop and flue temp. You did not say but are we right in thinking you have single wall pipe? I hope so as there is a tremendous difference between single and double wall pipe.

What happens is when you first load or reload the stove, leave the draft open full. This gets the initial moisture from the wood burned off. Usually once the wood is charred, it is time to start dialing down the draft. After this initial open draft, then the flue temperature will come down while the stove top goes up. Hope this makes sense to you.

Hi Dennis, yes its a single wall flue going through a block off plate into a brick chimney stack with a SS flexi liner, no stack insulation as it is an internal chimney and was told it wasn't needed unless on an outside wall, which made sense to me.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.