Temp probe not installed properly

[Chippy Chaser]

Ever since my new Astria Ladera cat stove was installed I wondered why the temp gauge mount was such a lousy design. So after a minute or so of research today I discovered that the design is fine & it was the installers that were just incompetent.
My probe sits on the top of the stove and is "supposed" to be inserted into the chimney pipe. Instead the installers never completed the job by drilling a 3/16 hole and inserting the probe, It was just gently sitting against the inner wall of the pipe.
No surprise here, the installers have been out three times to finish things that they "forgot"

I ordered a 12" long 3/16 drill bit today from Amazon. So Friday I'll have a better idea of what my actual temps are.

I'm curious how much the gauge is off by just touching the outside of the pipe over being inserted? Hopefully I haven't been burning too hot. With my wet wood I doubt it...

 

[bholler]

Ever since my new Astria Ladera cat stove was installed I wondered why the temp gauge mount was such a lousy design. So after a minute or so of research today I discovered that the design is fine & it was the installers that were just incompetent.
My probe sits on the top of the stove and is "supposed" to be inserted into the chimney pipe. Instead the installers never completed the job by drilling a 3/16 hole and inserting the probe, It was just gently sitting against the inner wall of the pipe.
No surprise here, the installers have been out three times to finish things that they "forgot"

I ordered a 12" long 3/16 drill bit today from Amazon. So Friday I'll have a better idea of what my actual temps are.

I'm curious how much the gauge is off by just touching the outside of the pipe over being inserted? Hopefully I haven't been burning too hot. With my wet wood I doubt it...

Isnt that unit a built in fireplace not a stove?

 

[Chippy Chaser]

Isnt that unit a built in fireplace not a stove?

Correct, It's an insert, not a stove.
I keep using the wrong terminology. My apologies.

 

[bholler]

Correct, It's an insert, not a stove.
I keep using the wrong terminology. My apologies.

Not an insert either is it? I thought they were fireplaces. Regardless what pipe are you drilling for a probe? Can you post a pic?

 

[Chippy Chaser]

I'm batting a 1000 today...
It's a fireplace.
Not an easy thing to photograph, but here is my best attempt. The fireplace is too hot to get the camera closer.

To help explain, the outer wall of the pipe has a notch cut out and the probe is gently resting against the inner wall of the pipe.
Simply shutting the door to hard or dropping a log near the fireplace and the probe bounces forward away from the pipe.
Condar's website says the probe should be inserted thru a 3/16th hole into the center of the pipe.

 

[CincyBurner]

ordered a 12" long 3/16 drill bit

Why so long ? Confused.

 

[Chippy Chaser]

Why so long ? Confused.

Without completely removing fireplace I only have a small gap to get to the pipe.

 

[begreen]

Condar's website says the probe should be inserted thru a 3/16th hole into the center of the pipe.

Can you provide a link to the Condar site for this product? It's the first time I've seen it.

 

[Chippy Chaser]

Can you provide a link to the Condar site for this product? It's the first time I've seen it.

http://www.condar.com/Catalytic_Thermometers.html

 

[begreen]

This seems like it should have been factory installed. Where are you getting the guidance for installation? How do you know where to drill a hole and why wasn't this done at the factory? Have you been in touch with Astria or BIS tech support?

 

[Chippy Chaser]

This seems like it should have been factory installed. Where are you getting the guidance for installation? How do you know where to drill a hole and why wasn't this done at the factory? Have you been in touch with Astria or BIS tech support?

I'm looking at the installation instructions & the temp probe should penetrate the "chimney adapter" which is not installed at the factory, but rather installed at the time of fireplace installation.
Yet nothing about the probe is mentioned in the install instructions?

The probe install info I'm getting is straight from Condar.
I just happened to do some research today as to why my temp probe was just loosely sitting against the chimney pipe. It didn't look right to me & could easily move away from the pipe giving a false reading. After looking at Condar's site and other sites who sell that probe I read that the probe should penetrate the pipe.

Unfortunately I wasn't here when the fire place was installed, I was working & I had my father come over and let the workers in. The company that installed this unit have been in the fireplace business since 1976, however Like I mentioned earlier they had to come back a couple different times to finish the job correctly. I was NOT happy with the install. In fact the last two times they were here the owner showed up with the installers to oversee their work.
Long story short, the initial install was said to be complete, the catalyst and ceramic baffles were missing. I called & they claim Astria shipped it that way and it's not their fault for not noticing... They also never installed the fresh air kit that comes with the stove & is mandatory. They also had to come back out to install that.
Obvious things were missed, so It's no surprise to me that they didn't dill a hole for the temp probe.

 

[begreen]

Before drilling any holes I would ask the the manufacturer for guidance.

 

[Chippy Chaser]

I think I will, just to make sure.