Combustion analzyer on wood insert?

[Brian26]

I have a combustion analyzer that I use on my oil furnace. Its interesting to fine tune the oil burner with it and see the effect on flue temps, draft, CO2, O2, etc. Mine calculates efficiency off all the various readings. I have spent hours dialing my oil furnace into maximum efficiency with it.

It has a wood/pellet setting on it and made me think it would be really cool to see the readings on it with my insert with various air settings.

Would there be any issue with drilling a small test hole in the liner a foot above the insert and using a stainless steel screw to plug it after? I would assume a small hole like that would just pull in air from the draft and there is no danger of anything coming out?

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Not a pro here, but I would not. Liners, especially light wall like most people have, are a lot thinner than the stovepipe that people use to connect stove to chimney. I would not want any holes in it that are unneeded, screw used afterward or not.

 

[yooper08]

It would be really interesting to see, but also not sure about going through the liner. If one wanted to run their stove/insert as efficiently has possible or even automate it, using that type of data is the first step.

 

[Brian26]

I actually just realized I might be able to use the screw holes that are holding my liner to the top of my insert. The only downfall is it would be right at the outlet of the stove so I don't think it would give a good reading but I might give it a try this weekend.

I also remember reading that people drill holes to insert flue thermometers in free standing style stoves. Has anyone ever done it with a stainless steal liner?