How many people have a themometer for their stove top and one for the stove pipe? My themometer says to put on stove top or 6" above the level of the stove. SO the question is, should the stove top and the pipe be the same temp? Which is really the one you want to know? the pipe would be what I would think since you want to make sure it is hot enough to burn off creosote and not too hot to glow. IF two what temp differential should be there?
How many have two themometers
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I had one on my stovepipe and one on the stove top. It was located about a foot up from the stove and did not show the same temp. I think they showed different by 100 degrees or so. About a year ago I had to pull it off the pipe. You see, it was Thanksgiving and I needed to monitor the temp of the turkey I was smoking. Priorities are priorities and such. The gauge never made it back on the stove. I really like smoked meat.
I think the gauges are a good reference point as far as how the stove is burning, but I prefer to look through the window to see for my self. It's kinda like watching the weather channel vs opening the door and going outside. Which gives you a better idea of what is happening?
Matt
I think the gauges are a good reference point as far as how the stove is burning, but I prefer to look through the window to see for my self. It's kinda like watching the weather channel vs opening the door and going outside. Which gives you a better idea of what is happening?
Matt
I run 2 thermos. One stove top and one probe. They BOTH can give you good info. Stove top for obvious reasons (including watching for over temp) and the probe for maintaining a proper stack temp to ward off the nasty creosote monster. I don't think there is any hard/fast rule for temp differentials. Each setup will have its own personality.
Keep the stove below overfire and the stack above creosote machine and you are in the "Zone" baby. :cheese:
Keep the stove below overfire and the stack above creosote machine and you are in the "Zone" baby. :cheese:
Jags nailed it.
This year I own both a true flue meter which is a probe meter and also a stove top meter. I actually use the flue meter more to be sure that I don't overtemp the chimney which is really quite easy. I use the stove meter to be sure I don't overtemp the stove which isn't easy but could be disasterous. I can usually tell by looking at the fire when the flue temps are above the creosote forming temps.
We look at the flue meter more because it is easy to see from the couch and also the stone stoves don't quickly overfire. The flue can overfire in 15 minutes from a cold start.
This year I own both a true flue meter which is a probe meter and also a stove top meter. I actually use the flue meter more to be sure that I don't overtemp the chimney which is really quite easy. I use the stove meter to be sure I don't overtemp the stove which isn't easy but could be disasterous. I can usually tell by looking at the fire when the flue temps are above the creosote forming temps.
We look at the flue meter more because it is easy to see from the couch and also the stone stoves don't quickly overfire. The flue can overfire in 15 minutes from a cold start.
I like both. The flu thermometer tells me when I can start shutting the air down as it has gotten to temp. When the Stove top temp gets down to 200-225 range, it's time to reload the stove.
pen
pen
I have 3... One in the hotplate directly above the cat (probe type), one on the flue pipe about 24" away from the stove outlet and one on the front telling me the stove wall temp.. I use the flue and cat ones all the time the other is a luxury item..
Ray
Ray
I just bought a second one this weekend to put on the stovetop. I borrowed a laser thermometer last night to check out the accuracy of the flue and stovetop thermos (both Rutlands). Results: Flue thermometer is right on the money, stovetop - not so much... 25-50 degrees under correct temp up till about 350 and then it was 50-75 degrees over. So at 425 it was actually showing 500 degrees. Wasted 10 bucks on that second one!
Rob
Rob
I now have two thermometers, but they are both stovetop magnetics. I have one that I bought with my old VC almost 24 years ago. The thermometer only has VC's name on it, but it seems to be quite nicely made. After than many seasons of running across almost its entire range, I decided that maybe it might not read correctly anymore. So just to be on the safe side, I just picked up a Condar Inferno. They read within 25F of each other across the range from 100F to 600F, so I guess I could have saved my $. I do like the black Condar instead of the white VC for looks against the black stovetop, though.
Ray i purchased a love control model tsc-4010
and a temp prob - the game plan is to install this in the shroud of my insert and then it should turn the blower on at a certain temp and will beep when it gets below a certain temp so i'll know when to add wood
and a temp prob - the game plan is to install this in the shroud of my insert and then it should turn the blower on at a certain temp and will beep when it gets below a certain temp so i'll know when to add wood
Two . . . well technically three.
Stove top thermometer: (originally) 1) To prevent over-firing the stove and 2) To let me know when the stove is around the right temp to really allow the secondaries to fire off.
Probe thermometer for the double wall pipe: 1) To prevent over-firing the flue (and the posible resulting chimney fire or causing damage to the chimney) and 2) To allow me to know when I'm burning hot enough to reduce creosote production . . . at which point I know I can start to back down the air
IR thermometer: 1) With the addition of the soapstone top on my Oslo I needed a better way of checking the stove top temps since the stove top thermometer is now not as accurate as it is now on the soapstone and measuring that temp and 2) Because an IR thermometer is a lot of fun and you can check temps at a variety of places . . . i.e. sides, walls, floor, ceiling, in the firebox, your wife, your cat, etc.
In all honesty, I would not want to run my stove without the flue and a stove top thermometer (or way to measure the stove top temp) -- you can run a stove without a thermometer technically, but running with these in place gives you a better idea of what's happening in the firebox and flue and what will be happening . . . best analogy . . . technically you can drive a car without a fuel gauge or interior dashboard lights . . . I mean the car will still drive fine and get you from Point a to Point b . . . but is doing so safe or smart?
Stove top thermometer: (originally) 1) To prevent over-firing the stove and 2) To let me know when the stove is around the right temp to really allow the secondaries to fire off.
Probe thermometer for the double wall pipe: 1) To prevent over-firing the flue (and the posible resulting chimney fire or causing damage to the chimney) and 2) To allow me to know when I'm burning hot enough to reduce creosote production . . . at which point I know I can start to back down the air
IR thermometer: 1) With the addition of the soapstone top on my Oslo I needed a better way of checking the stove top temps since the stove top thermometer is now not as accurate as it is now on the soapstone and measuring that temp and 2) Because an IR thermometer is a lot of fun and you can check temps at a variety of places . . . i.e. sides, walls, floor, ceiling, in the firebox, your wife, your cat, etc.
In all honesty, I would not want to run my stove without the flue and a stove top thermometer (or way to measure the stove top temp) -- you can run a stove without a thermometer technically, but running with these in place gives you a better idea of what's happening in the firebox and flue and what will be happening . . . best analogy . . . technically you can drive a car without a fuel gauge or interior dashboard lights . . . I mean the car will still drive fine and get you from Point a to Point b . . . but is doing so safe or smart?
I have three. One on the stove pipe about 12" up, the cat probe, and the third on the side door. The most useful are the pipe thermo, for determining bypass closeing temp. and the cat probe. it the most observed, I check it about every time I pass the stove.
I am using two thermometers as well - top of stove and ~18" up on stovepipe.
I pretty much have to use two thermos because my old Morso 1125 doesn't have any windows. It's pretty easy to overfire if your not careful, and i can't judge the fire by sight.
I pretty much have to use two thermos because my old Morso 1125 doesn't have any windows. It's pretty easy to overfire if your not careful, and i can't judge the fire by sight.
Stevebass4 said:Ray i purchased a love control model tsc-4010
and a temp prob - the game plan is to install this in the shroud of my insert and then it should turn the blower on at a certain temp and will beep when it gets below a certain temp so i'll know when to add wood
According to the owners manual, the max operating temp of the unit is 158°F. You will likely exceed that in the closed in fireplace box. How about putting it in a custom made box on the mantle or hearth?
Two as others have said. One on pipe about 18" up the other on the top of stove. I'm still learning to burn right (I thought I was until I found this site). I use the pipe thermo to judge when to start closing down the primary and the stove top for reloading. I monitor the pipe temp, stove temp and go outside to watch for smoke. I've found at 500f on the stove top there is no smoke no matter what the pipe says. Thats all done with soft wood for now. I will have to relearn the temps when I bust out the good stuff :coolsmirk:
I have 2, one on single wall flue 18" up from top of stove. The 2nd is on the step up portion of my steptop, so I can see it from my desk. Flue is always cooler than stove, and around 300-350 most of the time. I like to run the stove around 450-maybe 600. I think the stove actually LIKES to run higher than 600 and kicks out TONS of heat at that temp.
The therms have really helped me learn how to better run the stove.
The therms have really helped me learn how to better run the stove.
Stevebass4 said:Ray i purchased a love control model tsc-4010
and a temp prob - the game plan is to install this in the shroud of my insert and then it should turn the blower on at a certain temp and will beep when it gets below a certain temp so i'll know when to add wood
Very nice Steve! I've installed and programmed many temp controllers at work over the years.. Does that one use type J thermocouples?
Ray
yup type J - i have a probe now that i was just going to lay on the top but i can get a thermocouple from work
and thanks for the tip pgmr good idea
and thanks for the tip pgmr good idea
Three also for me.
One on the stovetop surface, one on the machined
griddle surface and one on the flue pipe 12 inches up.
I am a gauge kind of guy!
All together, I electric oven verify them on a 1/2" piece of steel and
by a Fluke IR themometer within 25 degrees of each other.
One on the stovetop surface, one on the machined
griddle surface and one on the flue pipe 12 inches up.
I am a gauge kind of guy!
All together, I electric oven verify them on a 1/2" piece of steel and
by a Fluke IR themometer within 25 degrees of each other.
Only one, a Condar probe thermometer, mounted in 6in single wall stove pipe. They claim surprisingly good accuracy, and I believe I'm getting it. Condar FlueGard
I think this is best for my installation, a steel stove which is pretty rugged and holding up well with a lot of 'miles' on it. Would be hard to overfire this beast and not catch that on the probe thermometer (which I constantly monitor). I run conservatively and always well under the 3+ cubic ft capacity of the stove. Seems to work well and stay happy running between 400-600 F. (I've seen it as high as 800 F)
I think this is best for my installation, a steel stove which is pretty rugged and holding up well with a lot of 'miles' on it. Would be hard to overfire this beast and not catch that on the probe thermometer (which I constantly monitor). I run conservatively and always well under the 3+ cubic ft capacity of the stove. Seems to work well and stay happy running between 400-600 F. (I've seen it as high as 800 F)
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