to thermometer or not?

[morpho]

Hey folks,
I have been reading the threads about thermometer reliability...or lack of...and have been trying to figure out if it's worth fussing with.

Can you not get a pretty good idea of the state of the fire...whether it is burning well or not... by looking at the flames/smoke?

The idea that I put a probe thermometer into the connector and then have to guess at the real temp through a series of voodoo math manoeuvres and guesswork seems frustrating and nerve wracking actually.

 

[bholler]

you only need to have a general idea of the temp doesn't need to be exact. I like to run a stove top and a pipe thermometer. And no you cant really tell that well by looking at the fire

 

[ddahlgren]

I have and recommend a high quality probe for the stack and a magnetic one for the stove top. Not much to learn from just looking at the fire other than a rough idea of how you are doing. In all honesty 50% of the magnetic ones are junk and if you buy two of the same brand on the same day they vary by 100 degrees.

 

[HotCoals]

Hey folks,
I have been reading the threads about thermometer reliability...or lack of...and have been trying to figure out if it's worth fussing with.

Can you not get a pretty good idea of the state of the fire...whether it is burning well or not... by looking at the flames/smoke?

The idea that I put a probe thermometer into the connector and then have to guess at the real temp through a series of voodoo math manoeuvres and guesswork seems frustrating and nerve wracking actually.

No matter how accurate you will establish a base line with one but no you don't have to have any of course.
I have one on the stack plus the cat probe and a IR temp gun that I like to play with...lol.


Think..cold,hot , very hot and way to hot instead of degrees.

 

[morpho]

those are some pretty decisive opinions. Ok, I can concede the point.
So who makes the greatest probe thermometer in all the land?

 

[begreen]

If you are a good observer and an experienced burning a thermometer is not a necessity, but they are helpful. Just like if you have a good sense of speed and a lot of experience driving you can get along fine without a dashboard, but it is helpful. Instruments let you know better how the system is working. With modern stoves they can help you fine tune your burning experience and catch obvious mistakes before they become dangerous or stove damaging. Example being a spaceout with the air control or bypass left open which is a pretty common error.

 

[HotCoals]

Check this for better accuracy.
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=292

 

[DougA]

What I LOVE about the Auberins unit is that if you have a fire problem, the unit will beep incandescently just like a smoke detector. You set the temp you want as a max. for the alarm to go off and it has saved/alerted many people who might have got into serious problems without it. I can honestly say that it's the best thing I have bought for the wood stove, ever. The temperature of the gasses in the flue will tell you so much more about the fire than a stove top thermometer. The real question is: do you want to know what the stove is doing or what the fire is doing? They are not the same.

I have 2 magnetic stove top, one Auberins and 2 IR guns. If I could only have one, I would take the Auberins hands down and no, I do not work for them or get get anything for pushing them on the forum - wish I did though!

 

[morpho]

...everyone...
Thanks for the wisdom folks.

And as usual the doodad that people recommend needs to be plugged in.
So...what's the second best probe thermometer in all the land..(that doesn't need electricity)

 

[begreen]

Condar is ok, though I like the looks of the older models better.

 

[morpho]

Wow...

Condar is ok

I am guessing this is not the text on their advertisements!

Seems like there is room for an "Excellent and reliable" thermometer on the market.

The look of them is probably not as important as it works great..but I have to admit I think the ones I see look ugly. (just my opinion...I'm sure all of yours look great!)
Do you think I could spray it with black stove paint and just make my own subtle marks?

 

[realstihl]

Wow...



I am guessing this is not the text on their advertisements!

Seems like there is room for an "Excellent and reliable" thermometer on the market.

The look of them is probably not as important as it works great..but I have to admit I think the ones I see look ugly. (just my opinion...I'm sure all of yours look great!)
Do you think I could spray it with black stove paint and just make my own subtle marks?

Don't see why you couldn't. I'm in to the digitals myself simply because I can lay on the couch and see temp. It just makes it lot easier. Ok, I'm lazy!

 

[BrotherBart]

Do you think I could spray it with black stove paint and just make my own subtle marks?

After you pay for it and get home...

 

[morpho]

hahaha...I like the image.

 

[begreen]

The older Condar 3-19 has a black face with silver markings with a red pointer. It's nice and subtle yet I can see the pointer position from across the room. I told the folks at Condar that many people do not want garish markings on their thermometer, but they disagreed. Email them if you want them to make a plain faced thermometer again. SBI has one that is somewhat similar to my Condar. The face is black and silver though busier than the older Condar.
http://www.amazon.com/SBI-Builder-International-THERMOMETER-AC07840/dp/B0035FLWPO
Or just skip the flue thermometer all together. It's not like you have a lot of control over that temp. It'll go up and down according to the stage of the burn.

 

[morpho]

Ya...I would agree with you about not wanting a garish thermometer.
I just spent a whack-o-cash on the stove...I don't want to have my eye's drawn to the orange and yellow of a thermometer.

I'll spray mine and make it blend a bit.

Or just skip the flue thermometer all together. It's not like you have a lot of control over that temp. It'll go up and down according to the stage of the burn.

What do you mean by this?
I assumed the thermometer was there to tell you you were over or under.
If all it is doing is is telling me I am at the end of beginning of a burn...well...I know that because I put the wood in the box!

 

[begreen]

It not essential if the installation is well within the stove installation requirements for chimney height. If you are a stove enthusiast it is more info that may be helpful, but a good eye on the fire and familiarity with the stove and its proper operation can do pretty much the same thing. Other than not running the stove with the air and bypass (if there is one) wide-open, it's not like you have as much control over the flue temps as you do the stove top temp.

 

[firefighterjake]

I like my Condar thermometers . . . not sure which style they are . . . when measuring the temp on the stove with the IR thermometer the Condar was pretty close to the same temp.

Personally, I like thermometers on the stove and stove pipe . . . in my own case I think it helps me run the stove better . . . and cleaner.

 

[begreen]

Oh I do to, but then I am an admitted stove geek and firebug.

 

[ddahlgren]

I bought an industrial one with a 3 inch probe from MSC.com they sell industrial supplies tooling machines etc. It is white dial and black numbers and accurate to 1%. It reads to 750 degrees and was told not high enough by many but find with the startup it runs around 650 and when air cranked down around 450 so plenty high for me as not running a incinerator.

 

[Knots]

I did a little comparison between an expensive piece and one of the cheaper ones. Not too far off (differential did not follow the thermometer when swapped side-to-side). This is all I know...

 

[ddahlgren]

I did a little comparison between an expensive piece and one of the cheaper ones. Not too far off (differential did not follow the thermometer when swapped side-to-side). This is all I know...


View attachment 137025 View attachment 137026

10% is not far off to you?

 

[morpho]

Hmmm?
Sorry folks, I wasn't getting an e-mail alert on this thread...left you all hanging and just waiting for my next dumb question!

Ok, I will get a thermometer and see what it tells me.

 

[ddahlgren]

Hmmm?
Sorry folks, I wasn't getting an e-mail alert on this thread...left you all hanging and just waiting for my next dumb question!

Ok, I will get a thermometer and see what it tells me.

Get one that has some quality to it as bad info is just worthless as it leads to bad decisions. If I spent years believing the rutland surface thermometer I would be running a stack temp of 700 to 800 to be 'safe'.

 

[morpho]

I'll get the best one I can find.

After all the expense I have swallowed in the last few weeks with the stove and the chimney etc...40 bucks for a thermometer doesn't even hit my radar at the moment.
Anyone know where to sell a kidney?