What do you recommend as far as how hot the stove should be ? Is over 500 f too hot and should I put a kettle of water on top of the stove to add some moisture
Stove Heat
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Huntindog1
Minister of Fire
Your stove top surface temp on the top of the stove can get hotter than that with no issues. My stove can cruise at 600 - 650 easy , I have had it up to 750 using an Infrared hand held thermo which is pretty accurate. My spring thermo's are not always that accurate but they are old.
Ok that's good to know. It's my first year burning and the stove top thermometer said 500 I broke it in as per the instructions. How accurate are the thermometers
Huntindog1
Minister of Fire
New ones are better than my old ones, mine are like 20 years old.
But some people have reported on here the metal spring ones are not that accurate. So I bought a infra red one. For around $25
This is a really good deal same one I have as this one reads over 1000 deg F other cheapers ones just read up to 750 deg.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B005K1N7F4/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new
But some people have reported on here the metal spring ones are not that accurate. So I bought a infra red one. For around $25
This is a really good deal same one I have as this one reads over 1000 deg F other cheapers ones just read up to 750 deg.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B005K1N7F4/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new
Varies, some times a lot. You are doing fine at 500F. When it gets colder you may be pushing for more like 650F.
Random thoughts . . .
Temp depends on the stove manufacturer . . . check the manual to see if there any recommended temps. With the F-500 the "standard" operating temps are 400-600 . . . you can go a little above that though without any major issues.
Water in the pot . . . every little bit may help . . . but the general consensus is that it's just that . . . "a little." To really get the moisture in the air you would want a humidifier going. I still run my steamer . . . but I often fill it with cheap potpourri to add a nice scent in the house . . . meanwhile the humidifier is running nearby and making things a bit nicer so that I don't electrocute my wife every time I scuff over the carpet and kiss her.
Thermometer accuracy . . . depends on the brand and usage I suspect. My magnetic Condar thermo was pretty accurate when I last tested it by placing it on the stove while it was running and then comparing the reading to my infrared thermo . . . I think it was within 25-50 degrees which I figured was close enough for what I need -- I'm just keeping things from overfiring . . . I'm not baking a cake.
Temp depends on the stove manufacturer . . . check the manual to see if there any recommended temps. With the F-500 the "standard" operating temps are 400-600 . . . you can go a little above that though without any major issues.
Water in the pot . . . every little bit may help . . . but the general consensus is that it's just that . . . "a little." To really get the moisture in the air you would want a humidifier going. I still run my steamer . . . but I often fill it with cheap potpourri to add a nice scent in the house . . . meanwhile the humidifier is running nearby and making things a bit nicer so that I don't electrocute my wife every time I scuff over the carpet and kiss her.
Thermometer accuracy . . . depends on the brand and usage I suspect. My magnetic Condar thermo was pretty accurate when I last tested it by placing it on the stove while it was running and then comparing the reading to my infrared thermo . . . I think it was within 25-50 degrees which I figured was close enough for what I need -- I'm just keeping things from overfiring . . . I'm not baking a cake.
To be a little clearer on this, free standing stove top temps really depend upon your stove.
With a steel stove, like you have, cruising at over 700 happens and is within the stoves capabilities. With a cast iron stove, usually a manufacturer will recommend operating temps no higher than 700.
With Hearthstone soapstone stoves, top operating temps should not exceed 600.
Sprinter
Minister of Fire
I'm looking for a kettle for our stove, but mostly for a splash of color and looks. The small amount of water evaporation from one is negligible for humidification. If low humidity is a real problem you would need a proper humidifier. Or put a Bowflex in the room and start sweating!
HDRock
Minister of Fire
As far as the magnetic thermometers, I have three, all are of different age.
Last year I bought a infrared thermometer to help diagnose a cooling system problem on the jeep.
Now that I have checked the thermometers, for accuracy, I find one is 85% to cool, one is 130% to cool , and the oldest one is almost 300% to hot, so you can glance at the thermometers and know what the temp is, after U buy a infrared thermometer and find out how far off the thermometers are.
I think everyone that burns should have a infrared thermometer , 20 or 30 bucks
Last year I bought a infrared thermometer to help diagnose a cooling system problem on the jeep.
Now that I have checked the thermometers, for accuracy, I find one is 85% to cool, one is 130% to cool , and the oldest one is almost 300% to hot, so you can glance at the thermometers and know what the temp is, after U buy a infrared thermometer and find out how far off the thermometers are.
I think everyone that burns should have a infrared thermometer , 20 or 30 bucks
As stated by others, you have no concerns at that temperature. Even our soapstone stove can run at 700 and we know of one that had burned at 850. Now that is a bit scary but the stove held together okay. I'm betting if you get that stove to 700 it will roast you out.
As for the accuracy of the thermometers, we've found mixed results. We've heard and read about folks liking the rutland brand but we have had no success with them. So far the condar thermometers are very accurate for us and we've checked them with an IR gun. Woodstock sells the condar thermomenters or did and I don't think they have changed. This is where we bought our second thermometer (one came with the stove). We really like one on the stove and one on the flue.
As for water on the stove, we've done that for as long as I can remember. It does help a little and every little bit does help. For us though, my wife hates to use the dryer, except for the solar dryer she has outdoors so in the winter she dries her laundry by the stove. Now this really raises the humidity and along with the pan of water I think our humidity never gets too low in the winter months.
The thermometer I got is a inferno, is that any good , however , I did order the gun to be on the safe side.
They are all mostly about the same. I have several and compare. When they all read the same, I figure they are fairly accurate. It is really too bad nobody makes a really quality one, that of course costs more, but it is a relative thing anyway. I just correlate what the stove is doing to what the thermo says and go from there. For a lot of years, I had no thermo and just went by my instincts. Still do I guess. The thermo is just kind of a novelty for me. When the stove is too HOT
I know it.
Sprinter
Minister of Fire
The Inferno is the Condar. Well liked. I have that also and am still awaiting my IR gun. I like knowing the temp of my stovetop because It's still new to me. I imagine after a while you need it less, but I do think some kind of high temp alarm is a good idea for anybody.
Once we get burning 24/7 we run the humidifier, our highest stove top temp we can run at is 800, we usually burn between 600-700 in the dead of winter. Our pipe temp will run between 450-500 to start with. Check your manual for the temps you should burn at.
zap
DianeB
Feeling the Heat
the inferno is made by condar - a good company. I have two - placed them on either side of my new stove to make sure both sides burning equally as hot and no gasket leaks. Both read about the same except at cold start when one side may have more flame than the other.
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