A standard of measure would be helpful to all

[offroadaudio]

Many posts here are the topic of temperature. Most new burners are concerned with weather they are burning hot enough to keep creosote at bay - or burning too hot and melting their new stoves. Unfortunately, there is no way to compare temperatures between users because of the wildly varying situations. For example:

Measure on the stove top PROBLEMS - channel for air flow underneath, different materials (steel (what gauge?) stone, cast), cook surface or not

Measure stove pipe 12" up PROBLEMS - single or double wall, what gauge, no access on inserts, type of thermometer

The one thing that almost all of us have in common is a glass (ceramic) window. I use an inferred thermometer to measure temps on the glass front - dead center.
Many others have these IR thermometers as well, and they are available for less than $40 from Harbor Freight and several online retailers.

Now I'm not bold enough to suggest that my method be the new standard - but, what if it was? What if we had any standard for temp monitoring?
My guess is that the more accurate and standardized data would allow us to share more helpful and accurate information - at the very least, it will give us wood burners something else to obsess over.

'FRank

 

[karri0n]

Does the IR actually hit the glass? it would seem to me that it hits the inside of the firebox. Reasoning: Hold a sheet of glass in front of your IR TV remote, and attempt to change the channel. Channel changes, telling me that IR can pass directly through glass. The perfect standard of measure seems to be a probe-type thermo.

 

[Todd]

I was thinking of buying one of those to play around with. If you point it at the glass does it read the glass temp or the firebox temp?

 

[offroadaudio]

If I hit the front of the glass and get 650, when I open the door and hit the fire in the same spot I can see over 1,000.
So I'm pretty sure it's reading the glass correctly.

 

[GaryS]

Do all stoves draft over the glass to keep it clean? Seems like my glass door is the hottest part of the stove. At least that's the way PE designed it.

 

[Cearbhaill]

[/subscribes]

 

[offroadaudio]

I think all modern stoves have air wash - however, you make a good point in that the amount of draft would affect the glass temp

 

[begreen]

It's a good idea to check one's thermometer with an IR thermometer. I like having the additional information. But if the stove top thermometer is correctly placed and giving accurate readings, day to day I prefer to take temps from top because it shows me the rate that the mass of the stove is heating up at. For example, with this morning's feed, the stove is heating up. Reading dead center on the glass shows 591 degrees, but the stove top, is still only at 350. Ultimately it's the stove body temp I want to know to avoid overheating and to gauge how well the wood I am burning is heating the house. I also like to have the flue temp to compare with because it gives me a relative sense of how cleanly it's burning.

In addition, with some stoves like soapstone, it's important to keep track of the stone temps. Getting the stones too hot can damage them. Also, is all stove glass created equal or are there different IR coatings on it?

 

[Todd]

Wonder how it would read double paned glass like my stove?

 

[awoodman]

How accurate are those magnetic gages ,I put mine about 16'' up on the single wall flew pipe.

 

[karri0n]

My stovetop can be ice cold and the glass 400+. The glass changes temp too rapidly to really be trusted, IMO. If you are looking at the temps to determine whether you are getting a clean burn, I can just look at the flames to find this out for the most part. I want to know the temp so I know I'm not gonna warp my stove body or damage my singlewall.

 

[Bill]

I checked my magnetic thermometers against the IR and they seem to be right on. But then again I wouldn't of know or thought that without checking them with the IR. I also check the surrounding area of the stove, floor, walls, and ceiling. Just for my own info.
I guess if you have gadgets you have to play with them.

 

[karri0n]

Not saying an IR thermometer is not good to have. Just that the glass doesn't seem to be any more standardized than flue or stovetop. I think all stoves are different materials, construction, and setup, so it's just a matter of knowing your stove. I think most people will be hard pressed to not find someone who has the same stove as them on here.

 

[raiderfan]

[quote author="BeGreen" date="1228421585"] But if the stove top thermometer is correctly placed and giving accurate readings, day to day I prefer to take temps from top because it shows me the rate that the mass of the stove is heating up at.quote]


so Green, where would the correct placement on the stove top of my rutland magnetic be, exactly, on my jotul 602. I would initially assume dead center top, but that is where the cookplate happens to be...

 

[gpcollen1]

Don't most manufacturers note the appropriate place to place the 'thermometer' on the stove - and pipe even?? Now what you use as your 'thermometer' of choice is another thing.

I do pretty darn well with my simple stove top thermo and some common sense.

 

[raiderfan]

Don't most manufacturers note the appropriate place to place the 'thermometer' on the stove - and pipe even?? Now what you use as your 'thermometer' of choice is another thing.

I do pretty darn well with my simple stove top thermo and some common sense.

i looked in the manual for the 602 (online) and couldn't find where it said a placement of a thermometer. wood burning and this stove is totally brand new to me (didn't even think of using a thermometer til i read info on this site) so i guess i have no common sense yet!! :red: i just want to make sure i'm doing things correctly and safely.