Remote flue pipe temp sensor?

[JoelC]

Hey everyone, I'll get right down to the question. My all nighter is located in the basement and I would like to monitor the flue pipe temperature while upstairs. I know there are systems out there from doing some searches but I would like some info from experiences on what you guys are using. Thanks in advance.

 

[Squisher]

Auberins AT 210 here for a few weeks now. I'm very impressed with it so far. I have the washer thermocouple screwed onto single wall pipe and it's extremely accurate and fast. It's always been within 10 degrees of my IR gun. When I adjust the air on my stove I can see the results on the readout almost instantly. It makes it a breeze to run the stove without having to run downstairs.

 

[brenndatomu]

Hi Joel, I use a Maverick ET-732 wireless BBQ thermometer...dual probes...I use one in the flue and one in the supply plenum on my wood furnace...works great...battery last about a year

 

[JoelC]

I've been a little weary of using a probe style just because if I forget to take it out during a cleaning I'm sure it will be the end of it. I would probably have a hard time saying no to a good price though. How design the BBQ sensor hold up inside the flue pipe?

 

[brenndatomu]

Yeah, cleaning could be hard on it.
It is doing fine, had it 2-3 years now. I had one probe go bad right after I got it, they sent me a new one...no other problems

 

[JoelC]

Read the specs and it only reads up to 572°?
Hoping for something that will go to 800 so if it does get that high I can high tail it down to the basement lol.

 

[brenndatomu]

I've never had mine over 550, I think it says it will take up to 750 though (not read, just not melt down) You could clamp to the outside of the pipe and then wrap with insulation...not accurate...but still relative (with single wall pipe) Wouldn't take to long to figure out what temp is too hot reading external. 500 external equals 900 internal?
There are others out there (Aubers) that will read higher...just takes more $$$

 

[DougA]

I've had the Auber double wall probe unit (without the wireless remote now offered) for 3 years and love it.
It only takes half a minute to take it out of the stove pipe. Mine is located on an adjustable length, so it has to come out to lift that section of pipe. It's once a year, so no big deal.
The alarm is a real godsend. It has woken me up once to alert me to a dangerous situation and enabled me to address it fast. Spend the money and do it right, my probe is well over 800 almost daily.

 

[Clydeburner]

A cheap option is a PID Controller(<$20) and then you can get whatever type of thermocouple you'd like ... ie surface mount, magnetic, probe ect...
I am using one with a bolt on thermocouple that I've attached to the top of my stove under the warming grate ( no where to place a magnetic like A Rutland ) super easy to set up also has an alarm that's is programmable. These units can also power external fans, lights, heat, A/C, many options....
My next adventure is to add another one, maybe two, to the flue piping. I am thinking another surface mounted one lower on the flue and maybe a probe hung about 12"-18" down from the cap to get a real good idea of what the flue is doing along with the stoves operations.

 

[Clydeburner]

Follow up,
I cleaned my stove and flue this weekend, I found more creosote then I expected to so I got thinking and.....
I added a surface thermocouple on the flue, 16" past my key damper, to a second PID controller. It is strapped and insulated with kaowool material.(I ordered a probe style for more accuracy).

I have seen temps from 400-450° on reloads and cruising temps 280-350°, using the 50% rule that would be 600-625°on reloads and 400-525° cruising, flue gas temperature.

I made a box for the controllers, leaving an extra place for the top of the chimney thermocouple to have a home. There is an alarm for the stove max temp that is wired to a manual shut off if needed while attending such situations. Everything is powered through the the OEM wiring on the blower, no extra cords.
Once I find my other buzzer I will be wiring it to the next floor for more added safety. Hope this could help....

 

[Squisher]

I'm unclear on ow/why you used a probe style thermocouple for a surface mount? My understanding is a probe would be used to drill and insert into the path of the flue gases. Mounted on the surface I would expect it to be less accurate than say a screw on ring/washer thermocouple.

My auberins setup with the ring style thermocouple is still working great for me. I see 400- upper 500's on a reload measured 12"s up the pipe. These measurements are confirmed with my IR gun and usually within 5degrees of each other a variance of up to 15 degrees is the most I've seen.

If I hit upper 5's it's seriously close to overfiring or basically is over fired. Stovetop thermometer will read 700-800 and takes along time to come back down. So generally I try to time my air cutting back so I'm not overdoing quite that much.

My auberins with the ring thermocouple is extremely fast reacting. Much more so than my magnetic thermometers.

 

[Clydeburner]

I do have a surface mounted thermocouple on both the stove top and flue piping, my unit is an insert and the IR Gun doesn't like the reflective SS pipe and getting behind the unit to verify is tough without taking the surround off.
I am going to replace the surface thermocouple with a probe one in the flue and add another probe style to the top of the chimney down approx 18" or so.

 

[Squisher]

Impressive setup. I have been considering a second auberins unit to monitor my stove top but am unsure what thermocouple would be best as I read somewhere on here that the magnetic ones weren't that accurate. Although it seems magnetic would be the only option? Also having just my remote flue temps is incredibly handy for now so I'll probably wait until one day hopefully the Canadian dollar bounces back.

 

[Clydeburner]

I have heard also that the magnetic ones are a little less accurate and they lose some of their holding power around the 700° range, this could pose a problem for you running at the temperatures you describe. Maybe a strap around your flue pipe at the top of the stove and a piece of angle iron out to a spot on stove top holding the sensor, or maybe under an iron warming plate that holds a kettle the weight could be enough to hold it in place. I found some insulation to improve accuracy, you could then hide the insulation under the warming grate

 

[Squisher]

Yah good ideas I don't try to go over 700 stovetop, I aim for 6-700 running hot. But I won't say I don't end up over sometimes.

I currently don't have anything on my stovetop besides the magnet thermometer the key would be to holding it down In the right spot. The cable that runs off of a thermocouple could it just run/lay across the stovetop I'm wondering? I currently take my stovetop thermometer readings on the hottest part which is a couple inches forward and a couple inches to either the left or right of the collar.

 

[Clydeburner]

Ha yea sometimes the stoves are feeling frisky and wanna run a lil hot...No problems with mine and I've been past the limits of the thermocouple once or twice..... 752°f If I'm not mistaken
My thermocouple wire is run across the stove top and down the side, they are usually insulated and steel braided casing.