As a new Accentra owner and avid reader of this forum, I have noted with interest the differences in heat output with various pellets. What instrument are you guys using to measure the temperature?
What Instrument Are you Using to Measure Heat Output?
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GrahamInVa
Minister of Fire
CDN DTP392 Digital Probe Thermometer
Seems to be pretty accurate... Although, DexterDay's new thermocouple has me wondering how accurate mine is?
$15 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000095RC4
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Seems to be pretty accurate... Although, DexterDay's new thermocouple has me wondering how accurate mine is?
$15 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000095RC4
Cole Parmer k type thermocouple. Search Amazon. Many cheap ones that work well. Got mine for $30. Until this year, I used a digital cooking thermometer with a probe. Did the same job, but this one looks better on the stove. Got the cooking thermometer at Target for less than $20.
Whatever you buy. Suspend the probe or thermocouple in front of or just inside the heat exchange tube and dont let it toich the steel. You want to measure air temp. Not stove/steel temp.
Whatever you buy. Suspend the probe or thermocouple in front of or just inside the heat exchange tube and dont let it toich the steel. You want to measure air temp. Not stove/steel temp.
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Are you guys just sticking the probes into the heat exchanger pipes? I just use an analog meat thermometer. It only goes up to 220, but when the temp gets that high I'm happy anyways.
I do place mine in the tube and there is metal to metal contact. Not sure how much this affects the reading.
I do place mine in the tube and there is metal to metal contact. Not sure how much this affects the reading.
DexterDay said:
I almost registered as "Omega man" when I joined. I owned this meter back then, But not the stove. I had the bigE then, And was shortly looking into the Maxx. hearthtools is the one that suggested I get the Omega. About the same money and a more versital stove.
But really thinking about "pellet swami" for my new handle.
j-takeman said:
The name sounds very fitting.
The name may change. But the Avatar must stay the same.
Harbor Freight. Seems to work OK.
http://www.harborfreight.com/instant-read-digital-thermometer-95382.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/instant-read-digital-thermometer-95382.html
Millsk said:
It affects your readings totally! The temperature of the metal is not an accurate indication of what your air temperature coming out is going to be. THAT depends on the speed of your convection blower and the volume of air coming out of your tubes or whatever air carrying system you have. The volume and speed of the air WILL NOT be the same across your stove. Therefore, suspend your probe in the air stream and take all readings from the same location along your outlets. That way you will get an indication of relative heat output of each pellet brand.
One other thing comes to mind when you are trying to compare pellet brands. That is that the length and density of the pellets most likely won't be the same so you'll have to adjust your feed rate to get the same flame height and that is subjective as heck. The chances of getting exactly the same pounds per hour being burned is pretty small so results will be subject to interpretation.
I go by if I can take of my flannel shirt or not. If I can't I turn up the firing rate. That's why my stove has 7 ;-) .
If your stove is sized correctly, Feed rate-Feed dial-Feed setting whatever your stove has. Can be raised to compensate for lesser heat producing fuel. Lower for ones that crank out more. Works for both the 24/7 and the stat burners.
The poor sole that isn't sized correctly, Temp checking could be more critical. Specially when there is no other heat supply to assist. Say its -20ºF outside and the stove is pegged(maxxed out) with a pellet that produces 240ºF and you have a pellet that produced 280ºF, Its time to start using them! I know this well as I was this poor sole!
My latest stove is properly sized so it is much less critical, I also use a stat to assist stoves control. All I need to do is cover my heat loss and have some extra for heat rise. Knowing what produces the ultimate heat is stashed for the cold. What produces the moderate heat is in when the temps are moderate. The pellets that were reasonably cheap and don't have much for horsepower are used in the shoulders to save some cash. Stove stays on medium heat setting until it has the ultimate's in it and the stat isn't rising. But that hasn't happend yet. Only been set to 4 of 5 feed rate to finish off the moderates when a cold snap snuck up on me. And when I had the Inferno's in while testing.
This is a game, Object is to keep stat at temp your comfy with. How you achive this is all up to you. As long as you are winning. Loosing $uck$! And it will beat the crud out of you stove. Tick's off the spouse and family. You'll feel like a ????? too!
All I know is if you ask anyone about a particular brand, Usual comment is something about how hot they were. Its mostly about the heat! Just comes in bags! That's why I measure it. Its a bit more acurate than the hand or checks method. Plus it adds some interest to the game. Something to track.
It all started with that little magnetic gauge I stuck on the flue of my wood eater.
The poor sole that isn't sized correctly, Temp checking could be more critical. Specially when there is no other heat supply to assist. Say its -20ºF outside and the stove is pegged(maxxed out) with a pellet that produces 240ºF and you have a pellet that produced 280ºF, Its time to start using them! I know this well as I was this poor sole!
My latest stove is properly sized so it is much less critical, I also use a stat to assist stoves control. All I need to do is cover my heat loss and have some extra for heat rise. Knowing what produces the ultimate heat is stashed for the cold. What produces the moderate heat is in when the temps are moderate. The pellets that were reasonably cheap and don't have much for horsepower are used in the shoulders to save some cash. Stove stays on medium heat setting until it has the ultimate's in it and the stat isn't rising. But that hasn't happend yet. Only been set to 4 of 5 feed rate to finish off the moderates when a cold snap snuck up on me. And when I had the Inferno's in while testing.
This is a game, Object is to keep stat at temp your comfy with. How you achive this is all up to you. As long as you are winning. Loosing $uck$! And it will beat the crud out of you stove. Tick's off the spouse and family. You'll feel like a ????? too!
All I know is if you ask anyone about a particular brand, Usual comment is something about how hot they were. Its mostly about the heat! Just comes in bags! That's why I measure it. Its a bit more acurate than the hand or checks method. Plus it adds some interest to the game. Something to track.
It all started with that little magnetic gauge I stuck on the flue of my wood eater.
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