Imperial Thermometer question

[Seanbear]

I have a magnetic Imperial stove thermometer....I can keep it in the yellow range, which I assume is good? Once in awhile itll go into the red, but not real far, 550-600 degrees. I am asking if that is way too hot, or semi normal? Im kinda new to this, second year. Its a United States Stove Co. the kind like for a small cabin, if that helps. I cleaned my chimney 2 days ago, and very little creosote, so I think Im doing good. I burn kiln dried ends from a carpenter friend, and store bought logs sometimes. I use a creosote shot once in awhile, are they any good....do they do anything? Thanks for any info

 

[Ctwoodtick]

550 to 600 is perfect stove top temp. Getting into the 700’s is ok too. Any more and that gets to be too hot. I would not use creosote removal products- just a waste of money if you’re normally burning at those temps and getting little buildup when you sweep.

 

[Seanbear]

Thanks for the info. I feel better now, I worry about everything, lol....My gauge is on the pipe, about a foot or so high. Is that too low,,or should I put it right on the stove top?

 

[bholler]

Thanks for the info. I feel better now, I worry about everything, lol....My gauge is on the pipe, about a foot or so high. Is that too low,,or should I put it right on the stove top?

Your temps are to high for pipe temps. And the thermometer should be 18" above the stove. What stove is it? What is your chimney setup etc?

 

[Seanbear]

United States Stove Company cabin stove I call them. Like a long pot belly stove. it holds 19 inch logs. I used it last year no problems, but I replaced the chimney with double wall pipe. I have a clean out, and I jut cleaned it with hardly any creosote. What shoud the pipe temp be at 18 inches? I know the stove is cheap, but it heats my whole house great.

 

[bholler]

United States Stove Company cabin stove I call them. Like a long pot belly stove. it holds 19 inch logs. I used it last year no problems, but I replaced the chimney with double wall pipe. I have a clean out, and I jut cleaned it with hardly any creosote. What shoud the pipe temp be at 18 inches? I know the stove is cheap, but it heats my whole house great.

Max it should be 18" up is 450. Min about 250.

Be very careful with that stove they are extremely low quality castings that crack very often. They also are not sealed well at all which means they can easily get way to hot.

By double wall pipe do you mean insulated chimney pipe? Or black double wall pipe?

 

[Seanbear]

Its black telescoping double wall. Last year I had bad wood, single wall pipe, and didnt clean it all winter. I hope im doing this a little better this time.

 

[bholler]

Its black telescoping double wall. Last year I had bad wood, single wall pipe, and didnt clean it all winter. I hope im doing this a little better this time.

Ok what type of chimney do you have? Is it just the connector pipe or does that hook up to an actual chimney

 

[Seanbear]

Its double wall the whole way to the top, which is about 15 feet. Not the ideal setup probably, but Im LOW on money right now. The double wall set me back about 300 bucks, which isnt bad I think. I look at the casting like this......I collect cast iron skillets, ect. The newer ones are rough castings compared to a 100 year old pan, which is very light and smooth. The rough ones work just fine, jut heavier and just not like the old days, lol....I wish I had more money............

 

[stoveliker]

If you have a magnetic thermometer on a double wall stove pipe reading 550, then you are in chimney fire territory inside....

 

[bholler]

Its double wall the whole way to the top, which is about 15 feet. Not the ideal setup probably, but Im LOW on money right now. The double wall set me back about 300 bucks, which isnt bad I think. I look at the casting like this......I collect cast iron skillets, ect. The newer ones are rough castings compared to a 100 year old pan, which is very light and smooth. The rough ones work just fine, jut heavier and just not like the old days, lol....I wish I had more money............

Ok first off you don't have a chimney you have stove pipe. That is extremely unsafe and insurance will absolutely never pay a claim if there ever is a fire associated with it.

Next are you seeing those temps on the surface of double wall?

When I say poor quality castings I am not talking about cosmetics. I am talking about actual quality of the metal.

 

[Seanbear]

The thermometer is on the only single wall pipe, that comes out of the stove. My gauge is almost always in the Optimal range. Just goes higher sometimes, and im paranoid as it is. This set up has to be better than what I had last year.

 

[stoveliker]

Regarding the creosote logs, it is my understanding that they don't do anything to prevent creosote chimney fires. What they can do is make any glazed/tough creosote more brittle and flaky, so it comes out easier when brushing.

So if you have creosote then you have an increased risk of a chimney fire.

However, with dry lumber cut offs that may not be a big problem if you don't choke down the fire too much. (And if the stove leaks, it'll run hot anyway.)

 

[bholler]

The thermometer is on the only single wall pipe, that comes out of the stove. My gauge is almost always in the Optimal range. Just goes higher sometimes, and im paranoid as it is. This set up has to be better than what I had last year.

Very marginally better but still extremely unsafe.

 

[Seanbear]

Thanks for the info! I never un it at night, just during the cold part of the day ( which is almost year round in PA ). I know I have the Chevy Citation of the stove world, but I just cant do oil anymore, its 5.79 a gallon! Just got 150 gallons for back up heat....850 bucks. My tank is 250 gallons, so I have like 3/4 tank. Hoping for a good winter here in the Keystone State. Another question....why do they even sell double wall if its unsafe? Im just trying to keep my family warm like the rest of us.

 

[bholler]

Thanks for the info! I never un it at night, just during the cold part of the day ( which is almost year round in PA ). I know I have the Chevy Citation of the stove world, but I just cant do oil anymore, its 5.79 a gallon! Just got 150 gallons for back up heat....850 bucks. My tank is 250 gallons, so I have like 3/4 tank. Hoping for a good winter here in the Keystone State.

Honestly knowing your "chimney" setup the stove is the least of the problems honestly.

 

[Seanbear]

I see on here all the time about 4000 units warping, not sealing, glas smoked up. ect. Im not being an idiot but what did they use for pipe "back in the day"? No chimney sweeps, no double wall, they burned 24/7 too. Just curios if you know what they did use?

 

[bholler]

I see on here all the time about 4000 units warping, not sealing, glas smoked up. ect. Im not being an idiot but what did they use for pipe "back in the day"? No chimney sweeps, no double wall, they burned 24/7 too. Just curios if you know what they did use?

Back in the day there were several options. Most common was masonry chimneys.
They did sometimes run single wall pipe up through the house to masonry chimneys built on attic floors. At each level there was usually a bucket of water to use when the floor started smoking. And yes many houses burnt down.
And yes there were chimney sweeps back in the day. Many more than now actually.
I don't know what 4000 units you are referring to. Can you explain that?

 

[stoveliker]

Sure, they did so too.
And many more homes burned down as a result.

The reason home fires are much less frequent these days is the realization that those set ups were dangerous, and as a result code was updated, and insurance requires safe installations.

 

[Seanbear]

I just meant the name brand stoves, anywhere from 2000 dollars to the skys the limit. My house was built in 1886, so NO insurance will look at me, lol.....I do thank you both for the info, Im just a newbie trying not die this winter.

 

[bholler]

I just meant the name brand stoves, anywhere from 2000 dollars to the skys the limit. My house was built in 1886, so NO insurance will look at me, lol.....I do thank you both for the info, Im just a newbie trying not die this winter.

Yes there are sometimes issues with higher end stoves. But those issues don't involve side panels breaking in half during a burn. And many of those issues are covered under warranty.

Pretty sure setting your house on fire isn't preferable to being cold.

 

[bholler]

By the way I am not trying to beat up on you or put you down in any way. I am just trying to make sure you understand how unsafe running stove pipe as a chimney is.

 

[Seanbear]

Oh I know, its all good. Im just thankfull for the info. I hope to upgrade next year, but times are TOUGH as we all know. I paid 850 for 100 gallons, and that nothing compared to what I need. We are all feeling the crunch. Im home all the time its running, which I know doesnt make it more safe, but I never leave it unattended. I let it burnout and start all over whe I get home....thats where the oil comes in. Fast heat, then fire time. I have semi small fires too, Im usually in the ow part of the yellow. Im still paranoid, but ya only live once!

 

[begreen]

If you can post some pictures of the setup including the chimney and outside termination, we can detail safety issues.

 

[bholler]

Oh I know, its all good. Im just thankfull for the info. I hope to upgrade next year, but times are TOUGH as we all know. I paid 850 for 100 gallons, and that nothing compared to what I need. We are all feeling the crunch. Im home all the time its running, which I know doesnt make it more safe, but I never leave it unattended. I let it burnout and start all over whe I get home....thats where the oil comes in. Fast heat, then fire time. I have semi small fires too, Im usually in the ow part of the yellow. Im still paranoid, but ya only live once!

What clearances do you have from the stove to combustibles? The single wall pipe to combustibles? Double wall pipe to combustibles?