After a long house remodel we should be up and running with our new Buck 74 freestanding stove (pics to come soon). We had a small Buck insert we were using before. I have never used a stove top thermometer but stopped at TSC on my way home last nigth and purchased a Rutland for about $12. My questions are 1) I am sure there are probably more expensive ones available but will this one work just as well for me as most others available for sale? 2) Stove top vs stove pipe thermometer......do I need both and what info does one tell you that the other doesn't other than the temp in the different zones? Do I need to monitor the stove pipe temp if the stove top temp tells me that the stove is burning in the "preferred range"? Thanks in advance for your input.
We had a small Buck insert we were using before. I have never used a stove top thermometer but stopped at TSC on my way home last nigth and purchased a Rutland for about $12. My questions are 1) I am sure there are probably more expensive ones available but will this one work just as well for me as most others available for sale? Stove thermometers are notorious for not being spot on accurate . . . but in general most folks find these thermos do a fair job of letting you know the approximate temp of the stove. I prefer Condars myself, but many folks have had success with Rutlands. 2) Stove top vs stove pipe thermometer......do I need both and what info does one tell you that the other doesn't other than the temp in the different zones? I like having both and actually use both. Stove top thermo will let you know if you're approaching the overfire temps and will let you know approximately when you can start dialing down the air for a successful secondary burn. The flue thermometer (probe style for double wall pipe and magnetic for single wall pipe) is good for letting you know if the flue temps are running too cool (which produces creosote), too hot (which can ignite the creosote) or just right . . . I actually find I use my flue thermometer more often to adjust my air control than I do my stove thermo . . . but I like, and rely on both. Do I need to monitor the stove pipe temp if the stove top temp tells me that the stove is burning in the "preferred range"? Not necessarily . . . but as I said previously . . . I find having both thermos quite handy as it gives me a bunch of information about what's happening both in the firebox and in the flue. It's kind of like saying you technically don't need a gas gauge or speedometer in your car . . . but when you have these it provides an extra measure of safety and allows you to operate your vehicle more efficiently . . . as you are not running out of gas, speeding excessively and can gauge when you want to re-fuel your car or slow down. Thanks in advance for your input.
