The irony of it all - confessions of a Hearth.com addict

[oconnor]

So I'm sitting hear reading posts and asking/answering, but I forgot that I reloaded the stove. Temps pegged at 800 and the paint on the thermometer has now turned white. I think it got hot.

My wife says - So you are so into burning wood that you forgot you were burning wood eh?

 

[stoveguy2esw]

WOOOHOOO! got a bit warm i gather. ive done it , got caught up in somthing and "overcharred" been there done that . good news is that most stoves can handle the occasional 800F with no issues , however dont make a habit out of it , maybe put a post it note on your monitor "hey , did you just reload?" ;-)

 

[oconnor]

Before and after - note the colour change on the thermometer paint - I really want a thermometer that has a high heat buzzer I'm still working on that problem. Of course the primary problem is forgetting about the reload, not the lack of buzzer.

Mike - someone out there must have a cheaper solution (under $80) for a flue temp monitor for an insert stove - any ideas?

I'm am now remembering one of the "seasoned" members mentioning using a wind up kitchen timer for reloads - must get one of those.

 

[Todd]

Wow! Also looks like your stove top has a lighter color too? I think most people here will admit doing this a time or two.

 

[Prada]

I feel your fear.......Mine went to 900 the other day right after a reload. I had started sorting though some pictures while waiting for it to get up to proper temp so I could choke it down and FORGOT all about it! I never did tell Hubby. lol I ran over and choked it all the way down and turned on the blower real fast. Thank goodness it came right down......but oh my, I GOTTA figure out something to never let that happen again.

 

[bcnu]

Guess I'm glad I'm to be a wood burning rookie as I have only passed the 500 degree mark once or twice. However, I do have a nice secondary burn going right now with stove top temp close to 430 and rising a bit more.

 

[Cearbhaill]

I can see my insert if I move my head three inches left of the computer screen- put an extra computer here for that very reason
Left to right is big TV, insert, monitor. A cup of coffee and I'm good for the morning.

What I do need is a thermometer where the needle glows in the dark
That would make it far easier to read from 20 feet!

 

[JMF1]

Yeah, we've all done it! My insert last nite was cruising at 800 with the air shut down to less than 1/4 open, not a raging fire at all just alot of secondary but really hot! I can't figure out why.......

 

[Corey]

JMF1 - Sounds like you hit an 'optimum' point of combustion. The fire will generally be the hottest when you have 'just' enough air for full combustion, but no excess - which just flows through the stove and cools things off. It may seem strange, but turning the air down to this optimum level can actually make the stove hotter.

 

[firefighterjake]

I can see my insert if I move my head three inches left of the computer screen- put an extra computer here for that very reason
Left to right is big TV, insert, monitor. A cup of coffee and I'm good for the morning.

What I do need is a thermometer where the needle glows in the dark
That would make it far easier to read from 20 feet!

I hear ya about the glow in the dark needle . . . I keep a small flashlight on a loop on a hook on my woodbox just for that purpose.

 

[firefighterjake]

Before and after - note the colour change on the thermometer paint - I really want a thermometer that has a high heat buzzer I'm still working on that problem. Of course the primary problem is forgetting about the reload, not the lack of buzzer.

Mike - someone out there must have a cheaper solution (under $80) for a flue temp monitor for an insert stove - any ideas?

I'm am now remembering one of the "seasoned" members mentioning using a wind up kitchen timer for reloads - must get one of those.

Your post actually got me thinking . . . they meet fixed temp heat detectors for use in residential kitchens (and other places) where smoke detectors are not suitable due to the possibility of "false" positive alarms (i.e. the alarm activates as it should . . . but due to known issues such as excessive steam, minor smoke issues, etc.) These fixed temp heat detectors are relatively inexpensive . . . in fact one rather crude type uses a wind-up type of alarm system . . .

However the problem as I see it is that they activate at 136 or so degrees F . . . I wonder why someone couldn't maybe come up with a simple, manually-operated heat detector that one could place on their stove or flue to go off at a crucial temp . . . might be a market for something like that?

 

[roac]

I wonder why someone couldn't maybe come up with a simple, manually-operated heat detector that one could place on their stove or flue to go off at a crucial temp . . . might be a market for something like that?

Ask and ye shall receive. Took a few different Google searches but here ya go...


(broken link removed to http://cgi.ebay.com/WOODSTOVE-FLUE-ALARM-CHIMNEY-THERMOSTAT-TEMPERATURE_W0QQitemZ160304366404QQcmdZViewItem)

 

[meathead]

The good new is, I think your thermometer looks better in white