Heating up the flue

[MoDoug]

Every once in a while I run the temperatures up there to help burn things off in the flue. Is this flue temp getting a little high or is this about right? I have double wall.

How about the stove at 700 derees?

 

[BigJ273]

Is this a trick question? There’s a clue in both photos

 

[gthomas785]

When the thermometer says "too hot" that means it's...

 

[Caw]

Is this a trick question? There’s a clue in both photos

I dont think those ranges are gospel at all. 700 STT is not too hot for a well made steel stove. I personally tend to cruise around 650...and sometimes touch 700 briefly when ramping up.

If you're concerned definitely verify with IR and look at your stove specs. My manufacturer defines over fire as 840 degrees.

 

[gthomas785]

Stovetop less so, depending on the stove, but for flue temp I would say 1000 is the cutoff. Also,"burning things off" in the flue is an antiquated and dangerous practice I do not recommend.

(Whether the flue probe is accurate or not is a separate question)

 

[NickW]

The occasional trip up there generally won't cause damage, but I don't think I'd aim to do it just to clean things out...

NC30'S hit 750 stt regularly with occasional trips to 800+ (personal experience and thread discussions). I try not to go over 700 personally, but they can be a little touchy.

 

[MoDoug]

I do run the temps up at least once a week, but those temps are on the high side. I loaded two fairly heavy splits of red oak to a good bed of coals, getting it ready for overnight. Needless to say, it's good wood. Perhaps, when getting ready for the overnight burn, I should build up to it, by staggering loading wood into the stove. I don't see any mention of stove over fire temperatures in my manual, and of course it's Saturday so I can't call the manufacturer. I'm not concerned at those temps from last night, but I don't want to go any higher

When the temps get on the high side like that, I wait for them to back off to the orange zone before going to bed.

 

[jetsam]

A brush is $10 or $20, and actually cleans the flue.

"burn off things in the flue" and "chimney fire" are closely related phrases.

(This is my stock response for magic creosote removing logs and sprays, too...)

 

[MoDoug]

A brush is $10 or $20, and actually cleans the flue.

"burn off things in the flue" and "chimney fire" are closely related phrases.

(This is my stock response for magic creosote removing logs and sprays, too...)

"burn things off in the flue" was a poor choice of words on my part. I agree there should never be any burning in the flue.

I do have a sooteater, and clean twice a year.

 

[clancey]

What kind of stove do you have McDoug? I am a novice here and never burned but that sure seems too high to me and how would you decrease that type of temperature in order to get it down--maybe stop feeding wood or something? Do you have a fire extinguisher near for safety? Just wondering on what to do if one discover it being too high especially in the 1000 range?? clancey...

 

[gthomas785]

What kind of stove do you have McDoug? I am a novice here and never burned but that sure seems too high to me and how would you decrease that type of temperature in order to get it down--maybe stop feeding wood or something? Do you have a fire extinguisher near for safety? Just wondering on what to do if one discover it being too high especially in the 1000 range?? clancey...

Close down the air

 

[begreen]

For a short period of time, say 5 minutes, it's ok. For a long period of time, it will stress the stainless liner and is a waste of fuel. Shoot for a lower high temp next time.
FYI, if one is burning dry wood properly, then this may be unnecessary unless one is running a cat stove low and slow most of the time. Or if the stove is venting into a cold, exterior, uninsulated liner. With a straight-up, interior flue I get very little buildup. During our annual sweeping it is typically less than a cup of brown powder that comes out.

 

[MoDoug]

What kind of stove do you have McDoug? I am a novice here and never burned but that sure seems too high to me and how would you decrease that type of temperature in order to get it down--maybe stop feeding wood or something? Do you have a fire extinguisher near for safety? Just wondering on what to do if one discover it being too high especially in the 1000 range?? clancey...

I have a Pleasant Hearth 1800, nothing fancy. I'm barely past novice stage myself, I'm still learning. The first time I hit the red zone I was a nervous wreck, till the temps settled down. I've read on here and other places, where it's ok to reach "low" high temps on occasion, depends largely on the stove and pipe. My temps last night were getting hotter than I've reached before, which is why I asked about them.

I do have a fire extinguisher nearby, and I also installed new smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Get the temperature gauges, one for the stove, one for the pipe, if you have double wall pipe, you'll need one with a probe, like the fluegard I use. Learn how your stove operates, how the air flow works on it, and how to regulate it. Perhaps the most important thing in using a wood stove is to use only seasoned wood, this will help keep the creosote down. Get a moisture meter and learn how to use it, don't just trust that someone says it's seasoned. Search this site for discussions on how to use the moisture meter.

A side note, I also get my wife involved in operating the stove, the process of lighting the fire, adding wood, adjusting the air and keeping an eye on the temperatures. I'm building up to having her go out and scrounge for wood, cut, split and stack. Ok, that last comment won't ever happen...

 

[MoDoug]

For a long period of time, it will stress the stainless liner and is a waste of fuel. Shoot for a lower high temp next time.

I hadn't considered the stress on the liner, that's good to keep in mind.

The temps last night caught me off guard. I've read where some people will open the door just long enough to send cold air up the flue to bring the temps down. Is there any merit in that?

 

[begreen]

I hadn't considered the stress on the liner, that's good to keep in mind.

The temps last night caught me off guard. I've read where some people will open the door just long enough to send cold air up the flue to bring the temps down. Is there any merit in that?

Hey, it happens to all of us. It's why I have a remote wireless thermometer in front of me. Now on startup I typically run the flue temp up to about 650-700º for a few minutes, then cruise between 500-650. Today is a long slow burn so it is down to 486º for a fire started 4 hrs ago.

Yes, the rush of cold room air will decrease flue temp pretty quickly.

 

[begreen]

Condar probe thermometers are ok, but the lag time is high so I would err on the conservative side and not take the flue temp over 7-800ºF.

 

[Supersurvey]

Interesting enough my Hampton HI200 just says not to let the stove glow. I shoot for 550 F stovetop.

 

[Caw]

I'm building up to having her go out and scrounge for wood, cut, split and stack. Ok, that last comment won't ever happen...

Hahaha. Got a good chuckle out of that one. My wife helps run the stove when she needs to and knows what to do but I think we should settle for our wives letting us go get more wood without complaining it's taking too much space.

RE temps as I said earlier my stove is very consistent and likes to cruise at 650 STT when fully loaded. Partial loads cruise at 550-600. Ocassiobally I touch 700 when settling in. If it stays at 700 for too long I just turn the blower on high (I usually only use it on low) for a brief time and it settles right into cruising. I have an insert so getting flue temps would be difficult. One of the downsides of an insert!

 

[MoDoug]

Condar probe thermometers are ok, but the lag time is high so I would err on the conservative side and not take the flue temp over 7-800ºF.

With good flames, I usually keep the flue temps about 6-700º. On good coals it's usually about 400º. This is one area that I prefer to not work with ballpark numbers, what would be a good probe thermometer? You mentioned a remote wireless thermometer.

If you resized my original pictures, thanks, they were annoyingly large.

 

[begreen]

I have an Auber Instruments AT-210 combo wireless setup. They also make a simpler one-unit wired system. These units are instantly responsive and have a user-settable temperature alarm. They have changed my burning habits.

 

[MoDoug]

Hahaha. Got a good chuckle out of that one. My wife helps run the stove when she needs to and knows what to do but I think we should settle for our wives letting us go get more wood without complaining it's taking too much space.

My wife loves the fire and wood heat! She doesn't realize it, but she actually gets a little cranky when we don't have a fire. She's made comments about starting one when I've been out, so I knew right there, I needed to get her involved long before she tackles it on her own.

 

[clancey]

Thanks for the good advice--Hey your wife ain't that stupid she knows what a good man you are and believe me us women learn to make life easier for ourselves especially when its time to do the shoulder work...we just disappear...lol lol Good Luck with your stove hunting and choice...clancey

 

[Highbeam]

I have an Auber Instruments AT-210 combo wireless setup. They also make a simpler one-unit wired system. These units are instantly responsive and have a user-settable temperature alarm. They have changed my burning habits.

I have the cheaper one unit wired auber meter. It was just about 60$ and I would love to have another one for my house stove. The digital meter also changed my burning habits. Running cooler now and more efficient over a longer burn cycle.

 

[kborndale]

Close down the air

Actually, just the opposite. If your stove is running away and too hot you need to open the doors and let cold air in. Seems wrong and I have never needed to (knock on wood) but that's the quickest way to cool the stove off.

 

[gthomas785]

Actually, just the opposite. If your stove is running away and too hot you need to open the doors and let cold air in. Seems wrong and I have never needed to (knock on wood) but that's the quickest way to cool the stove off.

Quickest way but rarely necessary. Turning the air down will slow the fire and cool off the flue after a few minutes. I've never had to open the doors to cool off my stove and I don't think I ever would.