Finally got an IR Gun-Now I have questions

[Hatrackr]

So menards had an ir gun today for $6.99 the one and only thing I bought on Black Friday-I think I have a wood burning problem I couldn't wait to get home and start testing temps all over the house. So I learned that my red devil thermostat is at least 30-50 degrees off I have it on the face of the insert just above the door. My insert likes to cruise around the 400 degree mark measured in that area. My question is what is an acceptable/good temp when measuring there also I'm going to pull off my surround and read the flue collar and stainless liner what temps are acceptable/good when reading there. As always thanks for any input

 

[KB007]

What insert is this? I presume the red devil thing is a magnetic bi-metallic spring thing - they are notoriously inaccurate... test it in your oven one day.

 

[OhioBurner©]

No clue about your insert but I measure on the top of the firebox on mine, through the blower vent. Top dead center is about the hotest spot on on the stove, and I start backing it down once its over 400-450 and it often cruises in the 500-650 range, another 100º if its packed full of dry black locust.

As for the differences in thermometers I noticed too.

However with both the others about the same I was wondering if this cheapo harbor freight IR gun was the one that was off.

 

[jigger47]

You might need to set the emissivity I was advised that black stove top has a emissivity of 1.0 If you have it at a lower setting it will give you a higher reading.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/index.p...d-on-PE-stoves-looking-for-Emissivity.136088/

 

[OhioBurner©]

Does that $7 IR gun have adjustable emissivity setting? My "cheap junk" $35 harbor freight one doesn't even.

 

[Hogwildz]

30-50 degrees variance is not bad at all. Honestly, if you have to rely on a thermo, whether mechanical or hand held, you might want to consider turning the thermostat up and letting the stove sit idle.
A first year burner, yes, the thermo is like a road map, and offers some security for whatever reason it may be. But at some point, most know what the stove is doing by looking at the splits themselves, and what stage they are in, then looking at the thermo for reference and to fill the curiosity need.
It is amusing to see posts of pictures after picture of a strange hand holding a hand held meter, pointing out the exact importance of their burn.
I can think of one member who loves posting photos of his hand held thermo. But hey, if that is your thing, then have at it.

 

[OhioBurner©]

30-50 degrees variance is not bad at all. Honestly, if you have to rely on a thermo, whether mechanical or hand held, you might want to consider turning the thermostat up and letting the stove sit idle.
A first year burner, yes, the thermo is like a road map, and offers some security for whatever reason it may be. But at some point, most know what the stove is doing by looking at the splits themselves, and what stage they are in, then looking at the thermo for reference and to fill the curiosity need.

I was thinking of mentioning the same, but there is certainly nothing wrong with extra knowledge of whats going on in your stove. Much like folks who state the moisture content of their wood all the time. I can run my stove just fine by looking at it, I just still tend to check the temperature constantly out of habit.

It is amusing to see posts of pictures after picture of a strange hand holding a hand held meter, pointing out the exact importance of their burn.
I can think of one member who loves posting photos of his hand held thermo. But hey, if that is your thing, then have at it.

Not sure whats amusing about seeing a hand holding a IR gun? I think I took that shot a year or two ago but this might be the only time I've ever posted it (or maybe once before?). Just adding to the topic of discussion about thermometers not all being that accurate. Don't think I've really ever seen any other pics of a "strange hand holding a hand held meter" but I havent been very active on the forums in the last year.

 

[Hatrackr]

The insert is an enviro kodiak 1700 yes the ir gun has the emissivity setting it is preset at 1 so I should be good there. I am new to wood burning and am trying to learn the insert. The thermo is a great reference as I learn the stove I'm already way ahead of where I was a month ago. Being an inset it's hard to find a place to get an accurate reading being that I can't put it on the stove top that's why I got the ir gun to find the hottest spot to make sure I'm running it at safe temps

 

[BSH1F]

30-50 degrees variance is not bad at all. Honestly, if you have to rely on a thermo, whether mechanical or hand held, you might want to consider turning the thermostat up and letting the stove sit idle.
A first year burner, yes, the thermo is like a road map, and offers some security for whatever reason it may be. But at some point, most know what the stove is doing by looking at the splits themselves, and what stage they are in, then looking at the thermo for reference and to fill the curiosity need.
It is amusing to see posts of pictures after picture of a strange hand holding a hand held meter, pointing out the exact importance of their burn.
I can think of one member who loves posting photos of his hand held thermo. But hey, if that is your thing, then have at it.

This is my third year burning and i bought a temp gun the second year. I haven't picked it up this year because now i can walk by the door to the room it's in and tell if it's good or not. i also noticed the readings get way out of wack if i stand there getting multiple temps while the front of the gun is half the temp is reading.

 

[Hogwildz]

I was thinking of mentioning the same, but there is certainly nothing wrong with extra knowledge of whats going on in your stove. Much like folks who state the moisture content of their wood all the time. I can run my stove just fine by looking at it, I just still tend to check the temperature constantly out of habit.



Not sure whats amusing about seeing a hand holding a IR gun? I think I took that shot a year or two ago but this might be the only time I've ever posted it (or maybe once before?). Just adding to the topic of discussion about thermometers not all being that accurate. Don't think I've really ever seen any other pics of a "strange hand holding a hand held meter" but I havent been very active on the forums in the last year.

I was not referring to your pic of the hand & thermo.

 

[BobUrban]

They are all just kind of a reference in the low dollar range. It is just a good appeasement to my curiosity and always fun to look at.

I do not have an IR but note - it is taking the temp in the general area you are pointing and not at the tip of the laser beam - that is just an aesthetic aiming tool and something for kids, cats, and stove owners to play with.

If you are truly curious as to the accuracy of your device dunk it in boiling water and compare to boiling point temps. This should be rather accurate unless you live on top of a mountain

 

[tinman1]

No clue about your insert but I measure on the top of the firebox on mine, through the blower vent. Top dead center is about the hotest spot on on the stove, and I start backing it down once its over 400-450 and it often cruises in the 500-650 range, another 100º if its packed full of dry black locust.

As for the differences in thermometers I noticed too.

However with both the others about the same I was wondering if this cheapo harbor freight IR gun was the one that was off.

No clue about your insert but I measure on the top of the firebox on mine, through the blower vent. Top dead center is about the hotest spot on on the stove, and I start backing it down once its over 400-450 and it often cruises in the 500-650 range, another 100º if its packed full of dry black locust.

As for the differences in thermometers I noticed too.

However with both the others about the same I was wondering if this cheapo harbor freight IR gun was the one that was off.

I have the harbor freight IR gun also & measured up against a very high quality Infrared gun & the harbor freight gun was 5-6% lower. I also noticed that HF IR gun fluctuates at times and as much as 10% lower. To me that difference don't matter when Im measuring these high temps like 200-700 degrees.
I feel the HF IR gun is very comfortable to hold & not big & clunky.

 

[OhioBurner©]

I have the harbor freight IR gun also & measured up against a very high quality Infrared gun & the harbor freight gun was 5-6% lower. I also noticed that HF IR gun fluctuates at times and as much as 10% lower. To me that difference don't matter when Im measuring these high temps like 200-700 degrees.
I feel the HF IR gun is very comfortable to hold & not big & clunky.

Yeah a little bit off is fine. Burning wood isn't an exact science here. I mainly use mine anymore just to monitor the startup. Even after years I can't always tell by looking when its time to start backing down, but if I check the temp I can normally do it with the least amount of fuss. On a fully packed dry & high btu load sometimes the difference of a 100º during startup can mean the difference of the thing getting out of hand, and that often can happen within 5 minutes. So while I don't always mess with checking temps it does come in handy sometimes.

However my Harbor Freight meter has been horrible. For one, I got it several years ago, when the cheapest I saw it for was around $40 I think. Today its cheaper as well as other options cheaper yet too. And within a year it developed several problems. The battery contacts are loose, and to get it to work at all I shove some folded over paper or even a splinter of wood or small piece of bark to push the battery against the contacts better. Also the battery door doesn't fully snap shut, and sometimes it has come open and the battery falls out. Then the display is hard to read, sometimes all the segments are lit up, and the only way to know what the reading is is to look closely at which segments are a little darker than the rest. If I scan a few times the extra lit up segments tend to fade slowly until its clear again. Now the trigger is sticking. I actually just this morning said the heck with it and ordered a new one from amazon. Less than I paid for the HF one, has adjustable emissivity, much tighter 16:1 spot reading with dual lazer that show you the edges of the reading zone not just a dot in the middle. Tinman, hope you have better luck than I did.

 

[tinman1]

Yeah a little bit off is fine. Burning wood isn't an exact science here. I mainly use mine anymore just to monitor the startup. Even after years I can't always tell by looking when its time to start backing down, but if I check the temp I can normally do it with the least amount of fuss. On a fully packed dry & high btu load sometimes the difference of a 100º during startup can mean the difference of the thing getting out of hand, and that often can happen within 5 minutes. So while I don't always mess with checking temps it does come in handy sometimes.

However my Harbor Freight meter has been horrible. For one, I got it several years ago, when the cheapest I saw it for was around $40 I think. Today its cheaper as well as other options cheaper yet too. And within a year it developed several problems. The battery contacts are loose, and to get it to work at all I shove some folded over paper or even a splinter of wood or small piece of bark to push the battery against the contacts better. Also the battery door doesn't fully snap shut, and sometimes it has come open and the battery falls out. Then the display is hard to read, sometimes all the segments are lit up, and the only way to know what the reading is is to look closely at which segments are a little darker than the rest. If I scan a few times the extra lit up segments tend to fade slowly until its clear again. Now the trigger is sticking. I actually just this morning said the heck with it and ordered a new one from amazon. Less than I paid for the HF one, has adjustable emissivity, much tighter 16:1 spot reading with dual lazer that show you the edges of the reading zone not just a dot in the middle. Tinman, hope you have better luck than I did.

Im sorry to hear your having such problems. I know what youmean I had other tools from them & swear never buy again from them but it just seems like none of these tool stores never have in display, its all about mail order , so I did not want to wait. This infared gun not a problemfor me.