Does anyone make a thermometer that goes inside the stove?
- Thread starter Ram 1500 with an axe...
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
- Status
Why do you ask?
fox9988
Minister of Fire
Pipe probe is close, never heard of an owner with a firebox probe. I'm sure the manufacturers use them in testing.
Don't know that they'd last too long. Condor basically gives a year's life to the stack probe thermometer. I'm hoping mine lasts a lot longer than that.
Yes, a probe makes sense, that's what they use inside of home ovens, it has special coating on it to protect it from the heat. There must be something out there. How about a laser thermometer?
Plenty of folks use laser thermometers to shoot through the glass window to check temp inside the stove.
ridemgis
Feeling the Heat
The laser is just a pointer and I suspect the infrared sensor is reading only the surface temperature of the glass. Although I'd be happy to be corrected on that!
PJ
Mine will read the inside of the stove through the glass, but it tops out at 1000F. And it freaks out and dies at temps over 1000F and will take 15 minutes or more to recover functionality. If the inside is hot it can easily be over 1000F if you point at a hot coal, e.g., so I try to avoid taking inside stove temps unless it's just warming up. If you angle it the right way you can get the temp of the glass (make sure the pointer stops on the glass -- you can see where you're getting the reading from by where the pointer stops).
That will get it as it is warming up but you can bet the temperature inside the stove is a minimum of double the reading on the outside. Some have used probes for the cats but I do not know how long they last.
The IR thermometers are handy and you can get them for around $30. It is interesting to see the different temperatures on different areas of the stove. If you get bored, check the temperature of the sidewalk sometime in July or August. Or even check the temperature of the deck railing. You might be surprised.
EDIT: Ours is made by Cen-Tech
The BKs come with a thermometer that sticks into the stove a few inches right behind the cat. It measures high temperatures, like way over 1500 degrees F and lasts just fine.
The condar probe meter will last much longer than a year, mine is several years old. Not sure why somebody thinks that it will only last one year? Maybe so they can sell more thermometers?
Other than measuring exhaust gas temps, I can't see what value the internal firebox temps offers. Why do you want to know?
The condar probe meter will last much longer than a year, mine is several years old. Not sure why somebody thinks that it will only last one year? Maybe so they can sell more thermometers?
Other than measuring exhaust gas temps, I can't see what value the internal firebox temps offers. Why do you want to know?
Highbeam - Condor has on the back of the packaging the number of hours the probe will last...limited because of heat exposure. Do the math, and heating half the year it comes out to one year. That's what I was referring to, and why I put in the comment I hope mine lasts a lot longer. I'm certain average stack temperature greatly affects life of the probe. Glad to hear yours has lasted years. I rather suspected most peoples' have or there would have been comments to the contrary here when people discussed the probes.
How do you suppose they fail? Does accuracy diminish or does the probe break off? Even while setting in a cold flue it is "measuring" temperature so clicking away operating hours. I hope retailers rotate their stock on this perishable item!
Isaac Carlson
Minister of Fire
I know the temps inside our LOPI Answer hit 1400 on a daily basis in the winter. The steel inside the box glows a reddish orange. Some of it has to be replaced this year.
The chimney is about 10 feet tall and the stove has outside air.
The chimney is about 10 feet tall and the stove has outside air.
Trilifter7
Feeling the Heat
Getting a probe in your firebox would require drilling a hole thru one of the walls to get it into it. I'm sure it'd be interesting to know what temp it is but I certainly don't think it's necessary. Getting a feel for optimum ranges of your flue temp and stove top temps should be just fine.
Doable if you want it... get a PID temp controller or digital temp display (auber instruments). Get a high temp thermocouple, drill through your stove wall, secure it with some form of compression fitting. Auber Instruments sells two high temp thermocouples... a 2000f and a 2300f (rated for ceramic kilns).
I've got a 2000F thermocouple measuring my flu temps 18" above the stove... I've seen well over 1300F on the old stove when it got away on me.
I've got a 2000F thermocouple measuring my flu temps 18" above the stove... I've seen well over 1300F on the old stove when it got away on me.
I installed an Exhaust Gas Temperature probe into my cast iron exhaust manifold of my pickup. Easy peazy. Measures at least to 1400, I don't exceed 1200 as a redline. This technology is cheap and available.
I'm not about to drill a hole in a stove to measure a temperature that doesn't matter though.
I've been using this for about 4 or 5 years now, works great. I got it from my work, the glass was cracked so it was taken out of service. 6" probe tip that sticks into a 1/4" hole.
![[Hearth.com] Does anyone make a thermometer that goes inside the stove?](/talk/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi23.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb398%2FMustash29%2FFirewood%2FDCP00697.jpg&hash=0e13ae38ad7cb8635dc3003513ce2527 "[Hearth.com] Does anyone make a thermometer that goes inside the stove?")
![[Hearth.com] Does anyone make a thermometer that goes inside the stove?](http://s23.photobucket.com/user/Mustash29/media/Firewood/DCP00697.jpg.html "[Hearth.com] Does anyone make a thermometer that goes inside the stove?")
Yeah, the old "crack-the-glass" trick...I've been using this for about 4 or 5 years now, works great. I got it from my work, the glass was cracked so it was taken out of service. 6" probe tip that sticks into a 1/4" hole.
Knots
Minister of Fire
I've been using this for about 4 or 5 years now, works great. I got it from my work, the glass was cracked so it was taken out of service. 6" probe tip that sticks into a 1/4" hole.
I recognize those from a certain SW CT factory's autoclaves.
Measuring firebox temps is possible but may require specialty instrumentation.
- Status
Similar threads
