Buck stove Model 81 insert

[Woodedacres_PA]

Hi, first time wood stover. Had it installed by a professional company in September. I have a Buck stove model 81 insert and they dropped in a flue and insulation in the existing masonry chimney.

I have a few questions that I’d like to ask this group.

1. When people refer to the “stovetop” they are talking about the top part where most people put a kettle to add water/humidity back into the air, correct?

2. Burn times, those are from when the fire starts to the time it stops giving off heat, not actually flames and burning, correct?

3. What’s the best way for me to accurately determine the temperature? The flue is behind trim from the insert install. I’m worried about over firing and I have a magnetic thermometer and a IR thermometer but I’m not 100% sure either of those are accurate. And if they are good “gauges” where should I be checking on my particular model? So far I haven’t seen anything glow red but i have gotten the magnetic thermometer into the “danger zone” but the IR’s about 300° less than what the magnetic one shows.

I’m trying to get used to my new source of heat and maintain a level of safety. Luckily for us, we’re on a wooded 5 acre lot with lovely neighbors who have 100+ who will let us harvest our own wood next spring.

 

[EbS-P]

1. Yes the but it’s difficult on an insert.
2. Burn times are subjective and based on load size, burn rate ect. But generally it’s light up to last usable heat that means it’s time to reload.
3. I don’t like the magnetic ones some are for stove pipe and may be calibrated different others stove top. I have the Albert at200 thermometer alarm. It’s great. You can get a washer end or a probe to mess flue gas. Probe is best. I drilled a small hole in my appliance adapter. I trust my IR thermometer.

Either way relative temps are ok. You will get used to taking visual cues and be able to judge air settings. But I really like the Auber. The high temp alarm has saved me from several overfires.

How tall is the chimney?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

2. Very subjective. At the extreme end of calculations it's time that you can toss a split on and it lights itself. Don't trust manufacturer numbers on this, lol.

 

[Woodedacres_PA]

Hi, thanks for the input. I feel something is wrong, I’m going to do a proper test on Monday and include pictures. I’m getting max 2 hours of “burning” and maybe another 2 hours of heat being produced from the wood stove while it’s dampened down to low and stacked full.

The hottest I’ve seen right below the blower vents and right above the glass door was around 700°. It was throwing off good heat and nothing was glowing red, just curious as I’m learning and I’d hate to over fire it and keep doing that out of ignorance.

The chimney liner was ran down the existing masonry chimney so it’s about 2 floors down… if I had to guess maybe 40-50’, I’ll include a picture of it from the exterior.

 

[Bobbob]

I have the same model Buck. We are on our third year with it. I have learned to run with an STT placed right where yours is. Occasionally we hit 700. Most of the time it runs between 500-600, as long as I start turning down once 350 is hit ( about halfway). Then shut completely once it's 450. The only other times it hits 700 is if my coal bed is really thick on reload. I've learned to open primary and burn down the thick coal bed prior to reload. Maybe once or twice a day, depending on what species I'm burning. My chimney height is 23ft. I doubt yours is as tall as you think,unless you have 20ft ceiling heights . Anything that high would make an extremely hard to control draft. Burn times are generally 4-6 hrs. That is reloading once temp hits 300.However, it'll hold heat and relight easily overnight after 8-10 hrs.