STT, Flue temps, Auber Thermometer.. necessary, or stove geek gear?

[MongoMongoson]

I look at mine all the time. I look beside the stove at it in the summertime to see how well the A/C is doing. It’s pretty accurate for that too. My stove pipe is usually within a degree or two of what the thermostat in the hall says when the stove is cold.

If we are traveling in the winter, I check in on mine to make sure the furnace is still working. Like you said, with no fire going, the inside of the stove pipe pretty much matches the room temperature.

If I am traveling in the winter and my wife is home, I can check in to see how the fire is doing (or if she has one going). She loves that less than I do. Right now the stove pipe is 559 and I am hundreds of miles away. She is doing a nice job.

 

[MongoMongoson]

I have done a lot of research and I am leaning towards not adding a probe. It seems like with a probe I would spend my time chasing a flue temp which will be constantly changing. I have a large glass window on the of the stove so I 100% know what is going on in the fire box. If I can see the fire and know my STT what would be the benefit of a probe?

I used to use a map, and if I still could not find the place I would pull over, look up the number in the yellow pages and use a payphone to call them and ask for directions. I would write those directions down in my notebook. I didn't really need a GPS or mobile phone until I had one.

Now I fiddle around with my smart phone typing with two thumbs to some person on a web forum about wood heat and that is just a waste of time.

So, you are correct. You do not need a probe. But if you had an electronic probe would you ever give it up willingly? Maybe.... but I bet you would not.

4 Years ago or so I switched back to a dumb phone for 2 years as an experiment. It was a slider, with the slide out keyboard for texting. At first it was pretty painful, but after a couple of months I was good with it again. I only went back to the smartphone because I needed to find a new job, and being always connected really helps with that.

I would give up my smart phone again before parting with my stove pipe probe.

 

[Dajolu]

I only went back to the smartphone because I needed to find a new job, and being always connected really helps with that.

And because you have to check on how the wife is doing with the stove while your away 😁

 

[30WCF]

I have done a lot of research and I am leaning towards not adding a probe. It seems like with a probe I would spend my time chasing a flue temp which will be constantly changing. I have a large glass window on the of the stove so I 100% know what is going on in the fire box. If I can see the fire and know my STT what would be the benefit of a probe?

With the stove top, you will be chasing it. Flue temps you can monitor and adjust in real time, way before a STT indicates that it’s climbing or cooling. This will be more noticeable with a magnetic STT than with an IR, but still true.