Can I get my unit hotter than 350 F ?

[albrown60]

Hi everybody,

I just discover this very interesting site and happy I did. I have a Regency insert model I1240 with a firebox of 2.3 s.f and on specs should send 75,000 btu. I have a magnetic temperature gauge over the right side of the door. The maximum reading I am getting is 350 to 375 F. It is really cold here in winter and I want to keep the main space which is about 800 s.f at a comfortable 72 F. I am getting about 4 hours of good heat with a full load but the stove won't go more than 350F. I am using maple but mostly beech which is an excellent firewood. I split and cut my wood in may. In cold months, i would like to get my unit up to 500 F. I am questioning is it my stove that is not performing or my wood not dry enough. In a different house, I had a Regency I1300 large unit . 3.0 s.f firebox and estimate 80,000 btu, I had no problem with the same temperature gauge bringing it to 500 F and more. There are many experience persons on this forum that could maybe help me with some suggestions. Thank you and keep warm.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

It sounds like your wood may not be seasoned all the way, but your thermometer might be inaccurate too.

 

[jatoxico]

Reading off the door isn't usually the best. Can you get a thermometer in the vent so you can get a stove top reading?

 

[albrown60]

Reading off the door isn't usually the best. Can you get a thermometer in the vent so you can get a stove top reading?

I am comparing with my other Regency which had the gauge at the same spot. It is actually the same gauge, so I don't think it is the gauge.

 

[albrown60]

It sounds like your wood may not be seasoned all the way, but your thermometer might be inaccurate too.

I think I will go buy a moisture meter a the hardware store. My wood was cut and split in May but facing north, so no sun but in the shed, so no rain . I am thinking that my wood could also be too dry. More than 8 months now. I notice that it burns quite fast even with the flu partially close. I guess a meter will good to have.

 

[jatoxico]

I am comparing with my other Regency which had the gauge at the same spot. It is actually the same gauge, so I don't think it is the gauge.

Didn't say it was the gauge, saying a reading off the door isn't very true. When stove manuals specify they usually want a top reading.

 

[weatherguy]

I doubt the beech is seasoned enough. The maple may be depending on species.

 

[albrown60]

Didn't say it was the gauge, saying a reading off the door isn't very true. When stove manuals specify they usually want a top reading.

I understand but on insert , not many place to put it on.

 

[jatoxico]

Doesn't that insert stick out like 8"?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I notice that it burns quite fast even with the flu partially close. I guess a meter will good to have.

Please tell me about your chimney From the top of your I sent to the top of the chimney. Do you still get secondary flames with the air turned all the way down?

 

[jetsam]

2.3cf, 4 hour burn. I don't think he is turning the air down much!

 

[Woody Stover]

An I-2400?

 

[Hogwildz]

The thermo is fine where it is at, most of us take reading in same area. Just use a a reference, and keep your eye on the fuel load, that will tell you everything. Split in May probably is not ready to burn, or even close. Are you cutting the air back when the fire gets established? 4 hours sounds like air wide open, should be much higher than 350.

 

[Woody Stover]

with a full load but the stove won't go more than 350F...I split and cut my wood in may.

Sounds like yet another case of wet wood.

 

[jatoxico]

Sounds like yet another case of wet wood.

Maybe, possibly but 350 on the door don't mean much, at least to me anyway. Tell me it's 600 on the top (apples to apples) while cruising (very possible) and I'll say it may be the stove is too small compared to the old one the OP was running. In that case maybe a block off plate cold help.

 

[Woody Stover]

Maybe, possibly but 350 on the door don't mean much, at least to me anyway. Tell me it's 600 on the top (apples to apples) while cruising (very possible) and I'll say it may be the stove is too small compared to the old one the OP was running. In that case maybe a block off plate cold help.

It's above the door, and maybe about where the top of the stove intersects the front? That's where I had it on the Buck 91, it would get up to 500 or more. If I opened the door and shot the stove top from inside, it was 150-200 hotter. Then again, the cat was mounted to the bottom of the stove top not far from there so maybe that came into play as well.

 

[Woody Stover]

Tell me it's 600 on the top (apples to apples) while cruising (very possible) and I'll say it may be the stove is too small compared to the old one the OP was running.

Heat output of the 2400 is definitely a notch down from the 3100, if that's what he had before.

 

[Don.S]

Definitely wood is too wet and you are not cutting the air back.
Since you live right near me I can say that this summer was very bad for drying wood. I have ash that was cut split and stacked last fall that has sat in full sun and wind all summer that is not ready. I live just south of valleyfield in Saint Louis de Gonzague

 

[jatoxico]

It's above the door, and maybe about where the top of the stove intersects the front? That's where I had it on the Buck 91, it would get up to 500 or more. If I opened the door and shot the stove top from inside, it was 150-200 hotter. Then again, the cat was mounted to the bottom of the stove top not far from there so maybe that came into play as well.

Really I don't mean to harp on this. I just know my door reads much cooler than my top. Just trying to get a number that can reasonably be compared to other stoves so I could understand if he's actually running cool or just undersized.

 

[BrotherBart]

The airwash that keeps the glass clean comes down over the glass and turns back into the fire at the bottom. Keeps the door cooler than the stove top. Even cooler than the face of the stove on either side of the door.

 

[weatherguy]

You should be able to get the stove top temp tp 500+ with dry wood.

 

[albrown60]

Doesn't that insert stick out like 8"?

Hi , I did a few things yesterday night. I chose logs in my garage that I am pretty sure have no more than 20% humidity . Load up at 6pm, got a 400F reading after one hour and another load at 10 pm. Fire was rolling and I got a nice 74 F in the house. Now, it was cold during the night , -15 F, this morning at 7am , I had a good bed of red coals but the fan was off because the is stove not hot enough.Normal. I put in a few smaller logs and get it going again. I set my gauge temp right on the top right corner of the unit, just over the door as I usually do. I will check the gauge in the kitchen oven at 400F for what it is worth. I will also check it on the top shell of the unit which I think is not getting as hot as where I usually put it, on the front part. That will give me a general idea of the accuracy of the gauge and the best place to stick the gauge. I might just go buy another similar gauge and put it on the top part and compare the reading with the other gauge on the front spot. I will let you know what the reading are. See pic, this is where I stick the gauge on my I2400 and I1300.

 

[Woody Stover]

The airwash that keeps the glass clean comes down over the glass and turns back into the fire at the bottom. Keeps the door cooler than the stove top. Even cooler than the face of the stove on either side of the door.

Plus radiation doesn't hit the door itself since the front of the stove shields it, and the door is isolated from the front by the gasket.

 

[chazcarr]

I had that stove, I had my thermometer in the generally same spot and was usually always near 500. My insert ran very hot and the stove room was usually around 90 degrees!

 

[albrown60]

Please tell me about your chimney From the top of your I sent to the top of the chimney. Do you still get secondary flames with the air turned all the way down?

Yes, I do. I close the vent leaving about 1/2 inch open. Fire rolls but doesn't last long , maybe 2 to 3 hours.