Stack Temp vs Stove top temp

[Hitchy]

Hi and Happy New Year to all,

I am sure that this topic has been gone over several times but I would really appriciate it if you wonderful people could just help me out a bit here.
My Insert is a Quad 5100i and I am just trying to get a good idea of what a good rule of thumb would be to determine what my stack temp would be if my Stove top is whatever I am running it at. In other words is it like 2/1, or if my stove top is 400 take off 100 for a stack temp. Not being able to get a stack temp on a insert is driving me crazy.I am really finding out that I am getting so anal about this, more even than anything else... lol Hey easy Some are sicker than others...lol.

I also have noticed that I do get a difference of as much as 50-100 in temps with the fan off or on. so should I be doing my reading with the blower on or off too?

Thank you for any suggestions and your Patience

John

 

[Jfk4th]

I have the 5100i also, nice choice ;-)

I actually have 2 thermometers on my insert, I just like the looks, anyway, I heat her up to around 500-550F and close it just about all the way down for some decent burns. I wouldn't get too anal about knowing the stack temps, just go outside and look at the cap....no smoke just heatwaves are you are burning correctly and cleanly. I don't go any higher than 700F on the stovetop, which I verify with my laser thermometer because Rutlands are usually off by 50F. It stays on 700F for a little bit then cruises around 550F for 3 or 4 hours. Now in my situation I don't stuff her full because I am home usually in 4 or 5 hours and I don't need an longer burn, I like the hotter temps in the house

You can do your reading with the fan on or off and like you said there will be a difference as the fan cools off the top. No worries, like I said, just burn around 450-500F and heat the stove up quickly and your pipes will stay mostly clean. If you can check your chimney pipe easily go up there and check after a couple of weeks of burning, just to ease your mind. Or do what I did and clean it after a month and see how much " brown powder" comes down the pipe. Now I know the Quad 5100 is a pain the arse to open everything up inside the box and clean but then you can see how your burning habits are working.

Just be sure to put that insulation blanket on carefully and nice and flat, any "bumps" with the blanket with cause your draft to be slowed down. Plus make sure you take that blanket out carefully too. Although if my memory is correct on the new 5100i you don't have firebricks on top which makes the process easier...wish I had a knew one but I am lucky this sweet stove came with the house I bought 3 years ago :cheese:

OK I am too tired to proofread this, going to bed...HAPPY NEW YEAR AGAIN TOT ALL!

 

[WES999]

There really isn't a direct coloration between stove top temp and stack temp.
On a cold start up the stove may be around 100 °F and the stack may be around
900 °F, after the stove has been burning for a while and the air is closed down, the stove top and stack will be quite close.

Right now my stove which has been burning for a while has a stove top at 380 °F and a stack temp of 420 °F

The only way to really know what the stack temp is to measure it. With an insert you are limited as it is harder to access the flue. You would need a TC probe and and remote readout.

I have 2 digital to monitors measure flue temp and stove top temp.

 

[Jfk4th]

Damn Hitchy,
I just looked at your sig, 3 sweet stoves, what do you have a mansion Or are you a stove addict like me ;-)

 

[Hitchy]

Thanks JFK,

That is just about where I run her. Usually right around 400-450-500. After I thought about it I wasn't so sure if I was getting accurate temps because of the blower being on, but then I realized as long as I am consistent about it..It was OK.
It's Funny When I do check the the cap area at around 350, little bit of smoke, very little.. (white) At 400 gone... Its amazing, and every time too. So I too thought that as long as I was seeing the ripples and no smoke, I must be running hot enough to keep pipes clean.

Only complaint I have about this stove are those darn small side glass's... hard to keep clean. I do take the time though in between burns to clean em though... looks better when one can see.. lol
I tried to look at your pic but kept getting error message for your 5100i.
Yeah this is a nice stove. I am waiting for my soot eater to come in, If not soon I am going to pull out the tubes, Baffle board and blanket and give it a whirl to clean myself. Chimney too high for me to go up and clean. I will still get the whole thing checked out once a year by a pro, but I think I should be able to handle the in between. I just prefer knowing for sure... again my anal at work. Thanks for the heads up on the baffle removal, yeah it looked to me like it was going to be a little bit of a pain but... gotta do what I gotta do.. right?
Thank you for your reply it helps knowing

I am thinking about getting a lopi for my other home. I like the bypass damper setup. It appears to give you more control.

Have a great New year

John

 

[Hitchy]

No... not a Mansion, but my friends do refer to me as a "wood whor-"... No really they do!!

Hey... I love the heat

 

[Jfk4th]

No... not a Mansion, but my friends do refer to me as a "wood whor-"... No really they do!!

Hey... I love the heat

You must be my brother from another mother' :lol:
Or as it sounds "Brotha from anotha motha"

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hitchy, I burned wood for around 50 years before I ever used a stove or flue thermometer. We got along just fine although I do like the stove thermometer we got with our newer stove. As far as the two temperatures relating, I'd say sometimes they will and sometimes they won't.

A lot depends upon how you have your draft. For instance, we see folks wondering why they can't get more heat from their stoves but then find they are running the stove with the draft full open. Natually, most of the heat is going up the chimney!

On ours, this morning is a good example. I put a few splits in the stove when I got up and when the flue temperature reached 500 the stove top was at 300. I engaged the cat and the temperatures did a complete flip. I soon had 500+ on the stove top and the flue was around 300. After I typed that last sentence I got up to look and the stove top is at 500 and the flue is at 325. It is cozy in here right now. Love it!

Conclusion, if it were me, I would not worry about it at all and just go by the stove temperature.

 

[Hitchy]

Ah..." could be Doc"

So how you like your Lopi? I am seriously looking at their big free standing.. of course! or the Avalon Olympic. They look the same... Made by the same company, big fire box... Hmmm

 

[Hitchy]

Thanks Dennis,

Yeah...I lot of folks tell me the same. I just get so anal some times. i am now thinking that as long as I am getting ripples of heat from the cap and the stovetop one day is at 300 and another day is at 350 ( Different wood, Draft...etc) it really makes no never mind cause as long as i am seeing the ripples of heat from the cap outside all is good. I will just stick to my routine cleaning in between to monitor any creasote and leave well enough alone.

John

 

[Jfk4th]

Ah..." could be Doc"

So how you like your Lopi? I am seriously looking at their big free standing.. of course! or the Avalon Olympic. They look the same... Made by the same company, big fire box... Hmmm

In my next house I will have the Lopi Liberty, Travis Indistries makes a damn fine stove, although so does Jotul, and Hearthstone, and Harmon......Oh boy decisions....

I like the look of the Liberty but the Olympic is sweet too, Avalons have a little better gasket seal but Lopi is good too.... my father in law will be getting a new Olympic when he moves in 2 years....It's all good in my book
I love my Lopi Berkshire, but I still need my wood stove fix