First Burn, Pics! = Questions! Do I need insulating Batt above my baffle? Are my temps too hot?

[kolbyTheDog]

I just finished up installing a used 1991 Regency R6 "Large" free standing wood stove and have lit my first fire in it today. When I was hooking things up and going over the manual one last time, I noticed the manual says there should be some type of batt insulation above the metal baffles at the top of the firebox:

"The Large Stove uses an insulating batt above the baffle. Make sure that this batt is laying flat and does not obstruct the smoke from getting up the flue opening. Once the insulation is laying flat. position the two supplied metal bars on top of the materials as shown in the diagram. This will stop the batt from lifting if excessive chimney draft takes place." I attached a pic from the manual, it shows the baffles with the triangles pointing down and the batt on top of them.

I have the baffles in place, I took one of them out and they look OK. Nice and flat. Do I need this batt insulation above the baffles? If so where do I get it? What does it do for me beyond just having the metal baffle in place? I see the newer Regency's use firebrick above the metal baffle.

Maybe its becasue I don't have the insulating batt, I noticed the temp on the top of the stove is very high - should it be this high? I'm reading 660 Degrees F. with my infrared thermometer on the top of the stove. My old magnetic thermometer that i got with the stove is pegged at 900 but I don't know how calibrated it is...

The room feels around 75.

My double wall telescopic stove pipe reads 260 towards the base of the stove and 190 in the middle of the pipe where it is thickest. I went up in my attic where it is near freezing (16 degrees outside) and my Class A Chimney pipe is around 50 degrees and cool to the touch. I have 6 feet of Class A and about 5 feet of Double Wall stove pipe for my stack.

The stove is also making pop corn popping and pinging sound. I think that is just stuff burning off in the chimney since its so cold outside? I just don't want to damage my stove.

I have the blower for this stove but I have to put a new power cord on it. With the blower blowing air across the top of the stove will that cool it down? Am I just worried about nothing?

 

[Cearbhaill]

Never mind, sorry.

 

[begreen]

You'll want to get the insulating bat in before too long. It will help the stove burn better by containing heat in the firebox. Have you tried a Regency dealer for parts?

 

[webbie]

It is probably standard kaowool, usually 1/2" - the main thing is holding it down. It will not add to safety in any real way, just keeps the stove burning a little hotter in the firebox by insulating AND by sealing up the air spaces between the firebricks.

If you cannot easily find a piece of kaowool, I may have some sitting around....if you let me know the size you need.