Stove Top Temperatures

[Shawn]

Hi all, just wanted to get your opinion on something. I've recently had a Lopi Freedom Bay installed and have a question on what the proper burning temperature should be with the thermometer on the top of the insert above the door. I usually burn with the air control open until I reach about 450 degrees and then start closing it a bit to keep the temperature around 500 or a bit higher. It's been as high as 600, but I try to keep it steady around 500. The manual doesn't really give a good temperature to keep, just says that over 800 is considered overfiring. THe insert is installed into a masonry chimney with a insulated SS liner. Obviously, I'd like to burn at a temperature that minimizes creosote, yet is never in danger of overfiring. Your opinions are appreciated.

Shawn

 

[Roospike]

Its got a lot to do with the size stove you have for what temp your running at on an average. The average seems to be anywhere from 425° - 550° and there again at what temp you running to keep you house a comfortable temp and what the out side temp is .

You also need to gauge it off of the wood you have in your stove and to make sure you have a good coal bed and what ever wood you load to make sure it is chard before dampening down.
I dont think you want to be at 600° and over for an average and if it takes over 600° to keep your house warm then it sounds like the stove is too small for the house.

I normally run my stove up to 475° and then pull it back to around 375° / 400° for an out side temp of 28° - 50° of course my stove is 97,000 max btu so again with all stoves are different. I heat my house 100% with wood so i have the extra room to heat the whole house when it gets below 28° down to -20° then i can turn it up a bit more or a lot more.

It will come to you with practice just remember when reloading a load of wood and you leave the damper open to char the wood dont forget it open and go off to do something else.

Damper setting when loading/reloading wood:
With a new start of wood i will leave the damper open 100% to get it started.
When reloading a warm coal fire ( in the A.M. ) I'll reload at 90% open damper.
When reloading a hot coal fire I'll run the damper at 60% open.

 

[Shawn]

Thanks for the comment...I'm definitely finding out it takes practice. The house is definitely warm when I burn it at 500, but my concern was whether it was ok to back it down to say 400 and maintain a lower temperature. We have not had a lot of cold weather yet (down to the high 30's at night - a couple times). My big concern was whether burning a bit lower temperature would result in an abundance of creosote. Unfortunately, the manual only says not to burn so the temp is over 800, which does nothing to tell me what the lower end temperature should or could be.

Shawn

 

[Roospike]

I beleive the low side of setting is 320° so your 400° would be OK .
Of course i have double wall black pipe and a stright shot up from the stove and out the house and my pipe is inside the 2 story house so my stove temps can be lower to keep a higher pipe temp as long as i keep up secondary burn temp i dont have a problem.

Your black stove pipe inside the home + how ever it run to the top could change things for your chimney temps.

Some one else on here with a Lopi Freedom stove might have a better idea of actual stove top temps.

 

[Mike Wilson]

Well, I'm using an insert, and she normally runs at 600-650, which is the temperature Jotul told me it should run at. She will eventually drop down to 550, then 500. Under 500 I lose secondary combustion, but by then, its usually just smaller flames and coals.

-- Mike

 

[webbie]

Keep in mind the lopi might have an air intake chamber along the front inside of the stove. This would make a lower temp there than if it was directly on a single wall part of the stove.

In your case, best to use the therm as a relative gauge - in other words, get the feel of it and keep within the best ranges.

 

[Roospike]

Good call on the air intake Craig as to the chainge of stove top temp.

I wonder how much difference it makes from a 1/4" steel top vs a 3/8" steel top vs a cast iron top. ???

We already know the Soapstone top is going to be difference from the others.

Well, I'm using an insert, and she normally runs at 600-650, which is the temperature Jotul told me it should run at. She will eventually drop down to 550, then 500. Under 500 I lose secondary combustion, but by then, its usually just smaller flames and coals.

-- Mike

Thats lof of difference from mine . What size fire box and max BTU is the Jøtul Kennebec?