Flue Performance

[Typ0]

I recently installed a new chimney. It's 14' double insulated stainless out the roof and 6' single wall to the stove with 2 45 angles.

I am looking for a probe thermometer to get the flue temperature. My plan is to put it right below where the single wall meets the double. I will place this in the location in lieu of a screw holding the pipe.

What temperatures should I be looking for? I have one of these ir thingies but when the stove gets hot it always reads OH which is no good to me. I think it's over 700 you see that if I remember correctly. Why I bought one with that feature I have no idea so you can suggest one of those too.

I am trying to get my head around why I want so much heat going out the flue. When I put the stove in I was green while I am still a newbie I'm learning. I have a damper installed but have never used it until now...I did just go damp it down because I was writing this post .

Your suggestions are appreciated. What kind of results should I expect? The wood is ash a year old 15-18% moisture.

 

[bholler]

Your theromometer should be 18 to 24" off the stove. and there is no need for a probe if it is single wall. you can use one if you want but a magnet will do fine

 

[Sconnie Burner]

I like to see a cruise temp of 325-350 for surface temp on single wall for the main portion of burning anyway. Obviously once you get towrds the tail end and coaling stage it won't stay there. They say it is double in the pipe so 650ish. The reason you want "that much" heat up the chimney is to keep the pipe temp up preventing creosote. It may be that warm by the stove but you want the top near the cap (definitely cooler) to still have enough heat to prevent cooling/condensation of the smoke near the top which causes the most creosote.

 

[Typ0]

I like to see a cruise temp of 325-350 for surface temp on single wall for the main portion of burning anyway. Obviously once you get towrds the tail end and coaling stage it won't stay there. They say it is double in the pipe so 650ish. The reason you want "that much" heat up the chimney is to keep the pipe temp up preventing creosote. It may be that warm by the stove but you want the top near the cap (definitely cooler) to still have enough heat to prevent cooling/condensation of the smoke near the top which causes the most creosote.

So it is strictly a creosote issue and nothing to do with stove performance?

The stove got hotter when I damped it down...but since I didn't have a temp reader that was accurate I opened it up again pretty quick. I think I can squeeze a lot more heat out of this thing ....

 

[bholler]

So it is strictly a creosote issue and nothing to do with stove performance?

well creosote production is a huge part of stove performance so that is not really true

 

[kennyp2339]

Typo - push that air control in and let that stove heat up, you will be fine, after establishing a good fire start turning the primary air down, this will help the stove heat up more creating a vacuum and the secondary's should take over, you want some slow flames coming from the wood, and a gas furnace coming from the secondary's. FYI if you never burned your stove hot you may get a paint curing smell from the stove and black pipe.

 

[Typ0]

Typo - push that air control in and let that stove heat up, you will be fine, after establishing a good fire start turning the primary air down, this will help the stove heat up more creating a vacuum and the secondary's should take over, you want some slow flames coming from the wood, and a gas furnace coming from the secondary's. FYI if you never burned your stove hot you may get a paint curing smell from the stove and black pipe.

Thanks. I have to get tools to measure temperature and I will play with it.

 

[Typ0]

well creosote production is a huge part of stove performance so that is not really true

I see what you are saying. For our purposes in this thread we are not talking about the creosote production dimension of the stove performance measurement.

 

[bholler]

Yes

I see what you are saying. For our purposes in this thread we are not talking about the creosote production dimension of the stove performance measurement.

but from my veiw point there is no way to seperate that from the rest

 

[Typ0]

Yes

but from my veiw point there is no way to seperate that from the rest

That is because it comes from a set of highly correlated variables. That model doesn't take into account I can just clean my chimney more often though.

 

[bholler]

That is because it comes from a set of highly correlated variables. That model doesn't take into account I can just clean my chimney more often though.

Yes but if the creosote is bad you will never get it clean and in the mean time how many fires will you have?

 

[Sconnie Burner]

The warmer the flue the better the draft, and the more you can close the draft lever and extend the burn time. Play and learn away! Thats why its a hobby to most of us!

 

[bholler]

And all of that creosote you would be cleaning out of the pipe is potential heat you worked to cut split stack and then load in the stove. If you dont burn it efficently some of that work is wasted and then you have to work again to clean it

 

[firefighterjake]

The warmer the flue the better the draft, and the more you can close the draft lever and extend the burn time. Play and learn away! Thats why its a hobby to most of us!

Speak for yourself . . . burning wood is no hobby for me . . . it's about cheap heat and keeping warm in the winter.

Now hanging out here on the other hand . . . on hearth.com . . . that's more like a hobby.