Where do I put a magnetic thermometer when I have an insulated flue?

[j7art2]

I've always kept a magnetic thermometer on single wall flue to gauge my temperature.

With my new wood stove, my stove pipe is double wall, so this won't give me the correct temperature reading. I tried it on the side of the stove, but because of the air pocket created between layers of steel, it's still reading far too cool when this thing is rocking and rolling and clearly well within the burn zone (clear secondary burn in tubes, no smoke or smell emitting from chimney and it being 77 in the house)

I'm wondering where to put the magnetic thermometer to get the most accurate reading when I can't put it on the flue.

The stove top? The step? The front of the unit maybe if it'll fit? Any suggestions welcome.

 

[begreen]

You will need to get a good, probe thermometer for the double-wall stove pipe. Condar makes a good one. Or go digital for even greater accuracy.

Condar stovepipe probe thermometers

stovepipe probe thermometers

www.condar.com

 

[j7art2]

You will need to get a good, probe thermometer for the double-wall stove pipe. Condar makes a good one. Or go digital for even greater accuracy.

Condar stovepipe probe thermometers

stovepipe probe thermometers

www.condar.com

Thanks. Condar and a few others are on Amazon. It appears there are multiple types that are magnetic but also have a probe.

My current pipe is non-insulated double wall telescoping pipe. I guess I need to learn how these things slide together and apart and what not so I know where to put the hole so it doesn't interfere with collapsing it partially "up" to clean the chimney (Obviously after removing it first)

Also, is there any danger of any smoke/creosote build up getting between the layers of pipe between the probe and the hole? I know obviously the gap between the probe and the hole drilled will be only fractions of a decimal apart, so maybe this is a non-concern with these new units.

Sorry if this seems silly -- I'm just trying to not over fire my new unit. The other day I had a bed of coals in there so hot I could hardly open the door, but had no idea what I was at temperature wise other than "well, it's not glowing yet."

 

[begreen]

Also, is there any danger of any smoke/creosote build up getting between the layers of pipe between the probe and the hole? I know obviously the gap between the probe and the hole drilled will be only fractions of a decimal apart, so maybe this is a non-concern with these new units.

The stovepipe is under a vacuum due to draft. The hole is tiny and a magnet holds the thermometer over it. No worries.

 

[GrumpyDad]

Thanks. Condar and a few others are on Amazon. It appears there are multiple types that are magnetic but also have a probe.

My current pipe is non-insulated double wall telescoping pipe. I guess I need to learn how these things slide together and apart and what not so I know where to put the hole so it doesn't interfere with collapsing it partially "up" to clean the chimney (Obviously after removing it first)

Also, is there any danger of any smoke/creosote build up getting between the layers of pipe between the probe and the hole? I know obviously the gap between the probe and the hole drilled will be only fractions of a decimal apart, so maybe this is a non-concern with these new units.

Sorry if this seems silly -- I'm just trying to not over fire my new unit. The other day I had a bed of coals in there so hot I could hardly open the door, but had no idea what I was at temperature wise other than "well, it's not glowing yet."

When your stove puffs back, and Im sure it will once or twice here and there - you will see that your concern about the hole size vs probe size doesnt matter. Smoke will puke out of every orifice of the stove, including the air intake. The draft sucks air into those areas, it doesnt let smoke escape technically.

 

[bholler]

When your stove puffs back, and Im sure it will once or twice here and there - you will see that your concern about the hole size vs probe size doesnt matter. Smoke will puke out of every orifice of the stove, including the air intake. The draft sucks air into those areas, it doesnt let smoke escape technically.

Not everyone has a VC that puffs all the time. Lol sorry I just couldn't resist

 

[j7art2]

When your stove puffs back, and Im sure it will once or twice here and there - you will see that your concern about the hole size vs probe size doesnt matter. Smoke will puke out of every orifice of the stove, including the air intake. The draft sucks air into those areas, it doesnt let smoke escape technically.

I've only got 6 fires under my belt on this unit, but I'm happily heating shoulder season in northern Michigan (32° mornings) without a single bit so far! I assume this would be the worst time of year for that.

To be fair I'm also running double wall uninsulated to double wall insulated straight up. I absolutely love it compared to what I had. My old basement wood furnace with 30' external terracotta lined masonry loved to smoke into the house. Lol.

 

[cahaak]

I mentioned this is another thread, but instead of poking holes in things, I would suggest a laser IR thermometer, they are quite cheap at harbor freight. Using it, you can measure the temperature of any surface including the front glass, or even the fire itself if you open the door. Once you play around with it a bit, you will understand what the temp of surface X should be when your stove is in a good operating condition. I just keep mine by my other stove implements.

 

[j7art2]

I mentioned this is another thread, but instead of poking holes in things, I would suggest a laser IR thermometer, they are quite cheap at harbor freight. Using it, you can measure the temperature of any surface including the front glass, or even the fire itself if you open the door. Once you play around with it a bit, you will understand what the temp of surface X should be when your stove is in a good operating condition. I just keep mine by my other stove implements.

I actually have one, I'm just not sure where the best critical points are to read. If it's 700 in the firebox, I don't know what that equates to in the flue.

I did purchase a Condar flue thermometer, but haven't installed it yet as I'm just getting back into action after an elbow surgery. Maybe I can just take it back and save the $40 if I know what I'm looking for. Surface cooktop temps on my guy surprisingly are only around 275 so it claims. I was surprised it wasn't hotter!

 

[stoveliker]

The point is that you don't want to measure a surface temperature; you want to measure what you are pushing up the flue. And with an insulated flue, a probe thermometer is the only way.

These are safe. I use one. All the moderators use one. It's good. Even on start up I never have smoke coming out of the (closed of with the magnet that holds it up and filled with the probe ...) hole for the probe thermometer.

Efficiency of burning is hard to judge from stove surfaces. What matters is what heat you are pushing up the flue (and minimize that *for each heat output you need from your stove*).

 

[bholler]

I actually have one, I'm just not sure where the best critical points are to read. If it's 700 in the firebox, I don't know what that equates to in the flue.

I did purchase a Condar flue thermometer, but haven't installed it yet as I'm just getting back into action after an elbow surgery. Maybe I can just take it back and save the $40 if I know what I'm looking for. Surface cooktop temps on my guy surprisingly are only around 275 so it claims. I was surprised it wasn't hotter!

Just put the probe in. It's the right way to do it with no guessing

 

[j7art2]

Just put the probe in. It's the right way to do it with no guessing

That was my plan. I contacted SBI and they recommended 12-18" away from flue.

So just so I'm understanding correctly (and please correct me if I'm wrong, I really dont want to screw this up)

Its just a matter of center pinching, drilling the hole, and done? I'd be putting it on the bottom half of this pipe, which would slide up and into the upper pipe during cleaning.

Does the inner and outer liner move independently inside the pipe? I just want to make sure that when I remove the probe and slide the pipe up that when it comes back down the holes will still be lined up.

 

[bholler]

That was my plan. I contacted SBI and they recommended 12-18" away from flue.

So just so I'm understanding correctly (and please correct me if I'm wrong, I really dont want to screw this up)

Its just a matter of center pinching, drilling the hole, and done? I'd be putting it on the bottom half of this pipe, which would slide up and into the upper pipe during cleaning.

Does the inner and outer liner move independently inside the pipe? I just want to make sure that when I remove the probe and slide the pipe up that when it comes back down the holes will still be lined up.

View attachment 301794

The inner and outer walls should be attached together at one end. Follow the directions on the thermometer you usually drill a hole through both walls and then a slightly larger one through only the outer wall.

 

[stoveliker]

As long as you are below the seam where the telescoping pieces start overlapping, you'll be fine.

Take it out, slide the top half down, take the pipe off, clean, put the pipe back, slide up, put the probe back in.

 

[j7art2]

Thanks so much!