How and where do you measure your temperature?

[mgeary0624]

How and where does everybody measure the temperature of their stoves? I have a laser/ir thermometer and a Harman p61a. I get vastly different temperatures depending on which surface I aim the laser at. The side of the stove is commonly well over 300 degrees. I usually aim thru the glass to the bricks for consistancy and average 250-275. Currently burning AWF pellets. I know there has been testing done here on this forum and wondered how the temperatures were measured.

 

[DexterDay]

I use a battery operated digital cooking thermometer. Made by Taylor. Around $20 at Target last season. Measures just the air temp (what I want to measure). IR guns are a way of measuring, but very inconsistent, depending on where you point it. I quit using mine a long time ago..

I stick with a Magnetic thermometer for a Woodstove, on the side of my Firebox (inside right door panel) and my digital cooking meat thrrmometer..

The meat thermometer is by far the most accurate way of reading pellet temps (between IR gun, magnetic thermometer, or cooking thermometer)

 

[Trickyrick]

I only measure the exhaust temp of the convection air used to heat my room. I leave the temp inside the fire box alone as that is the stove adjusting that to do its job.

One thing about IR thermometers, they measure the temperature of a surface and NOT air temp. Surface finish can affect this reading significantly.

 

[ChandlerR]

You want to measure the discharge air temp from your heat exchanger tubes. Even then, you will find some tubes are hotter than others. I found the hottest tube and used a digital thermometer with a thermocouple inside that tube. This is the air that actually is heating your room. Some stoves have some radiant heat from the front and glass...but not a lot like a wood stove. I suppose you could hang something in front of the heat exchanger tubes and measure the temp of that with your ir thermometer, but the best way is to use a thermometer slid inside a tube.

Chan

 

[Bigjim13]

I have a far better way to measure heat from my stove: my wife!

When she complains it's cold, I need more heat.
When she complains it's to warm, well I don't know- never happened!

 

[ChandlerR]

Bigjim...wish I had that problem! I'm on blood thinners so I'm always cold. DW is always hot. I have a blanket on my chair

Chan

 

[richkorn]

I look at my Skytech Thermostat hanging on the wall next to my boiler stat. Anywhere from 68 - 72 deg is good by me.

 

[Bigjim13]

Bigjim...wish I had that problem! I'm on blood thinners so I'm always cold. DW is always hot. I have a blanket on my chair

Chan

Sounds like your household is the exact opposite of mine!

 

[ChandlerR]

Yup, and because of that, I burn less than 2 tons a year!

Chan

 

[Bigjim13]

Yup, and because of that, I burn less than 2 tons a year!

Chan

Lucky man! I went through 4.5 last year, all I can say is thank God it wasn't oil!