stovepipe thermometer?

[RichL35]

Looking for a good stovepipe thermometer that can be used with 8" double walled stovepipe. Any recommendations? How far from the stove should this be mounted in the stovepipe? Why do I care about stovepipe temps and not just the temp on the top of my stove?
Does anyone make a stovepipe damper for double walled stove pipe? My VC Encore shouldn't need one but I hear a lot of people on this forum recommending one for safety reasons.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Bobcatter]

I think you would need something like this for the flue gases, but I haven't used one:

http://www.builderdepot.com/browse.ihtml?pid=704356&step=5&prodstoreid=8923

You drill a hole in the pipe and seal it with high temp sealant.

 

[RichL35]

OK... makes sense with the probe but is it OK to drill through the double wall stove pipe? And why do I care what the flue gas temps are if my stove is in it's proper operating range?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[begreen]

Yes, you can drill through double wall pipe for the tiny hole required by the probe thermometer. As far as what's more important, stove top temps are the bigger priority, but it's nice to see how the flue temps are responding to the air control settings. In EPA stoves this is often counter-intuitive. As the stove top temps go up, often the flue temps decrease. Also, if one has an exterior flue, it's nice to know when it's becoming a creosote factory.

You shouldn't need a damper with only 14' rise. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[firefighterjake]

Looking for a good stovepipe thermometer that can be used with 8" double walled stovepipe. Any recommendations? How far from the stove should this be mounted in the stovepipe? Why do I care about stovepipe temps and not just the temp on the top of my stove?
Does anyone make a stovepipe damper for double walled stove pipe? My VC Encore shouldn't need one but I hear a lot of people on this forum recommending one for safety reasons.

Thanks,
Rich

I don't know if any brand is better than another, but I have a Condar probe thermometer mounted 18 inches from the flue collar per the manufacturer's specs.

As BeGreen mentioned if you're only going to buy one thermometer I would buy a stove thermometer so you can avoid over-firing a stove . . . but buying a flue thermometer is pretty darn nice since it lets me know if my flue is getting a little too hot or if it's running a little too cool and producing creosote -- in general it just gives me a better idea of how things are running in both the stove and flue and where "things" are going with the fire and temps. In other words I watch the flue temp pretty closely on reloading or starting a fire . . . when the temps climb out of the "creosote making temps" and the stove top temp is in a good range (400-600) I can start shutting the air control . . . and conversely if the temps are starting to approach the "whoa mama the flues are getting really hot to the point where we might have a chimney fire temp" I know it's time to most definitely shut down the air control.

For double wall pipe you will want a probe thermometer . . . easy-peasy installation with just two different sized drill bits and an electric or battery drill.