Englander 30 Stove Top Temp

[northernwoodsman]

I have been burning my Englander 30 for about three weeks. We love the heat and it has no problem keeping the whole house warm (1700 square feet - no wall insulation). We've had overnight temps close to 0 and the stove has kept the house warm.

My question: Because I have a double walled stove pipe, I put the thermometer on the stove top. When I load the stove for the night, stove top temps are frequently near 650. This is in the "overfire" zone according to the thermometer, but as I understand it, the thermometer is meant to be on a single wall stove pipe. When reading stove top temps for this particular stove, what is a safe temp to operate?

Thanks for all the help. My family is warm and safe because of the advice I've gleaned from this site. Although I take most of the credit for the warmth as it is I who fell, bucked, hauled, split, stacked and loaded the wood!

 

[BrotherBart]

I run mine in the 500-600 range based on temp of the stove body and the center of the lower step. 650 on a fresh load isn't unusual and the upper step getting up to 700 for a short period at the same time isn't either. Once the burn is established it just loves to cruise at 500-550 for hours. That gives me a stove body temp of 200-250 after around 11 hours.

Into the the third season and the stove hasn't split in half.

 

[Jags]

The temp ranges of those thermos were set with the expectation of the thermo to be used on a single wall stove pipe. The external temp of a single wall pipe is roughly half that of internal, so that dictates why the "ranges" were set where they are. For stove top, the thermos work just fine, but you can't pay attention the the painted on "ranges" of the thermo.

 

[SlyFerret]

First of all, I don't trust the little thermometers to be even remotely accurate.

According to my IR thermometer (~$40 from Harbor Freight), my stovetop was at about 625 last night on a fresh load before bed. That's pretty usual if I load up a full load on a good coal bed.

Sounds like your stove is doing exactly what it should be doing.

-SF

 

[northernwoodsman]

I would like to know at what stove top temp I should be getting worried.
Where do you keep your draft control for an overnight burn? I'm afraid to leave it open too far as I don't want it to get too hot. I shut my almost completely and still have enough coals to start a fire in the morning. I am worried that the stove is getting too cool because the glass is sooted up - which I assume is also happening in the chimney.

An IR thermometer is on the Christmas list!

 

[SlyFerret]

Once I get my stove running, I almost aways close the air down to about 25% (or what I imagine is about 25%).

I push the lever in until the tip of the spring handle is even with the front edge of the ash lip. I put it there almost all the time, not just for the overnight.

-SF

 

[Hiram Maxim]

Once I get my stove running, I almost aways close the air down to about 25% (or what I imagine is about 25%).

I push the lever in until the tip of the spring handle is even with the front edge of the ash lip. I put it there almost all the time, not just for the overnight.

-SF

I have tried my stove at that spot and because of how my stove drafts its to much air.

Basically once I get the stove going I push the handle all the way in and then slightly pull it out maybe 1/8 on an inch.

You and BB are lucky that you don't chew through wood like I do at the edge of the ash lip. It could be the Ash wood I'm burning though?


EDIT: I just inspected the handle and it was barely on the rod. So it seems I have been run at the same spot. LOL

 

[SlyFerret]

I'm not sure how ash compares to other woods. I've switched over to burning mostly oak lately. I was burning box elder and pine earlier in the season. Both the pine and the box elder were very easy to light, but burned pretty quickly. Nice for a quick shot of heat in the shoulder seasons.

The oak burns MUCH slower at the same air setting. I've found that the same air setting is about right based on the balance of air needed with my specific setup to keep the secondary system stable. With the oak, it takes longer before I can get to that position with the air control.

-SF

 

[dboone]

This post is alive again. Those who have NC-30's do you also have blowers? How do you get an accurate temperature on the stove top with a blower? Since I installed my blower I have moved the thermometer to the side of the stove. It definately gives me a higher reading on the side, but I guess it still gives me some idea of how it is running. However it is not very helpful for knowing how my temps compare to the rest of yours.

 

[northernwoodsman]

Since I originally posted this topic, I've discovered the stove top temps are only a guide. I now pay more attention to how the wood is burning. I would however like to know at what point I should be worried about temps being too high. Last night I had the needle buried. It didn't take long to bring it back down - about 2 minutes. The outside temp was -10 and I'm not used to such a strong draft. I did get a few funny smells, but nothing else told me I should be worried.

 

[Jags]

When you say "needle pegged", do you mean that the surface temp of the stove was over 900F?? If so, yeah, thats an overfire. Slow 'er down big guy.

 

[savageactor7]

HUH 900 and the stove didn't turn red...that's good, maybe I'll give those nc30's another look now that the price is coming down.

 

[northernwoodsman]

Yup, it was only there for a few minutes as I was in front of the stove the whole time. I looked up and it had gone up way faster than normal. Like I said it came down in a few minutes.

Do I need to worry about anything?

 

[savageactor7]

Wait till Brother Bart weighs in ...that's his stove.

 

[BrotherBart]

It will live through it but keep that thing to seven hundred max. Or as advised by Mike at Englander six fifty peak when starting up the overnight burn. You can burn'em hotter but I am presuming that you want to own a stove that isn't warped for a good long time.

 

[Jags]

Yeah, BroB might be able to give you some specifics to look at. My guess would be, no harm no foul, but its better to be safe than sorry.

Edit: Whoops - BroB must have got his page quicker than expected.

 

[Rockey]

This post is alive again. Those who have NC-30's do you also have blowers? How do you get an accurate temperature on the stove top with a blower? Since I installed my blower I have moved the thermometer to the side of the stove. It definately gives me a higher reading on the side, but I guess it still gives me some idea of how it is running. However it is not very helpful for knowing how my temps compare to the rest of yours.

Excellent point. I have asked this question many times as well. It is very misleading for the poor sould who comes on here trying to achieve 500+ degree burns for hours at a time when he is running his blower on high. There is easily a 200 degree delta in readings between running the blower on high and not running it. It is definitely something to consider for those who are "green" still.