No dumb questions, right? Where to take stovetop temp of older Spectrum

[TigerEyess]

Hello! I have a question about where to take the stovetop temp of the new-to-us PE Spectrum we had installed.

The stove is a 1990 according to the tag, and was rebuilt with new baffle, brick rails and firebricks. I don't know *what* the previous owners did to the stove, as nothing is square on it anymore (did they dropkick it off the deck?) but we had it installed by a WETT tech and he said costmetics are ugly but it burns great.

The older Spectrums had a much more open trivet on the top. My understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that the porcelain enamel top is decorative and simply covers the actual stove, with space in between the two layers.

So where should I take the stovetop temp? I can easily aim my IR into the ray opening on the trivet, getting to the actual top of the stove, which is significantly hotter than the porcelain enamel area. Right now, with lovely secondaries going, I'm 663* "inside" the trivet, and 437* on the blue portion between the trivet and the stovepipe, both measured in the center of the stove.

In addition, I am worried about my stack temps not getting as high as I would expect with the stove top temps (taken inside the trivet) being what I would consider nice and hot. Right now with the stovetop temps as above, the surface temp of my stovepipe is 283*. The stovepipe hardly ever says in what is considered the "safe burn range" on the magnetic gauge, backed up with the IR thermometer.

Regardless of whatever the stovetop temp is, it heats my 2000sq ft house like nobody's business. Now if only we could have a little cold snap so DH would stop complaining when it's 24* C (74* F) in the living room.....

Thanks for your help.

 

[BrotherBart]

Ain't nothing wrong with 566 interior temp in the pipe. Pretty much perfect when the stove is settled in and cruising. That stove top temp is premo.

Rock and roll and send hubby to the garage.

 

[Hogwildz]

If it is burning hot enough to avoid creo, and heating the house as needed, that is all you need to concern yourself with. Burn on and enjoy!

 

[begreen]

The flue thermometer will tell you somewhat how it's doing. If the trivet is removable you can put a thermometer to measure off the stove top there. After a season or so of burning on the stove you will know how it is burning just by looking at it. If it is too hot you will smell the dust burning off. It's a unique hot metallic smell.