Defiant griddle / pipe temps

[ccady]

I'm a little uncertain on where I should be monitoring temps on my stove. I have a magnetic thermometer that says "stovepipe temp" on it, so I have it about 12" above the stove outlet on the pipe. When the stove is up to temp and running well (updraft mode, still have some cleaning to do to get horizontal mode going) the thermo will read around 450 - 500. This temp seems right for the amount of heat I want to get out of it, however, if I move the thermo to the griddle it will read closer to 800+. Am I overfiring at this temp?

ps I spend WAY too much time on this website...next years wood is still a big pile of logs!

 

[homebrewz]

First, read your manual. If you don't have one, you should be able to download one online somewhere.

Ideally, you should really have a thermometer on both the griddle and the stove pipe. If you only have one
thermometer, keep it center on the griddle. If this stove is like other VC's with the griddle feature, then the
griddle temp is one of the best indicators as to how that stove is running. I suspect that 800f is overfiring.
I have an older VC Defiant Encore, and the optimum griddle temp range is 500 to 650, with a max of 750.
Get a hold of the manual and check it out.

 

[Diabel]

Pick up another magnetic thermometer place it on the griddle, that way you can monitor both pipe & the stove. 800* is as said by Brewz is overfiring. The sweet spot on mine is 600* griddle & 400* pipe.

 

[CTBurner]

I'm a little uncertain on where I should be monitoring temps on my stove. I have a magnetic thermometer that says "stovepipe temp" on it, so I have it about 12" above the stove outlet on the pipe. When the stove is up to temp and running well (updraft mode, still have some cleaning to do to get horizontal mode going) the thermo will read around 450 - 500. This temp seems right for the amount of heat I want to get out of it, however, if I move the thermo to the griddle it will read closer to 800+. Am I overfiring at this temp?

ps I spend WAY too much time on this website...next years wood is still a big pile of logs!

I agree with above suggestions and would like to add, if you have not done so, check the accuracy of your thermometer by setting oven temo to 500 degrees with the thermomerter inside over and see what it reads, i wouldn't be surprised if it is off by 100 degrees or so.

 

[VTSR5]

I'm a little uncertain on where I should be monitoring temps on my stove...if I move the thermo to the griddle it will read closer to 800+. Am I overfiring at this temp?

Monitor on the griddle. At 800* you are overfiring according to the manual for the pre-EPA Defiant: "...Monitor griddle temperatures with a surface thermometer. The usual operating range is 350-600 degrees…Surface temperatures higher than 700 degrees are considered excessive..."

Snipped from (broken link removed to http://www.vermontcastings.com/catalog/elements/files/Defiant_Vig_Res_Intre_Pre88-0226.pdf)

P.S. If I had a nickle for every time I have posted this link, I would have, like, twenty-five cents now!

 

[ccady]

Thanks all, I will calibrate the thermo I have and pick up another. VTZJ, Thanks for the link, I owe you .25!