Too hot or just right?

[Dano25]

Hey guys this is my first season burning in my century 244. I️ have an imperial burn indicator that’s meant to be place 18” up from collar. It was hard for me to read so I️ just slapped it on the stove top. Last night I️ raked the coals forward and loaded the stove tight with splits and rounds about 5 pieces total, charred the wood then shut the intake. My burn indicator got up to 750 but it was the first time I️ really felt this thing throwing heat. I️ faced a box fan at the stove about 3’ away.

 

[maple1]

I would put a probe type thermometer in the horizontal pipe section.

Those magnetic gauges read a lot cooler than what it is inside the pipe - so beware of that.

 

[Dano25]

I would put a probe type thermometer in the horizontal pipe section.

Those magnetic gauges read a lot cooler than what it is inside the pipe - so beware of that.

Any specific thermometer for that? Also what’s the instillation for that look like?


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[maple1]

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

I think quite a few use that one, but I have no experience with it. Mine came with my boiler from Euro-land, no idea where I'd get another one unless I go back to my boiler dealer. Maple equipment dealers could likely get you a very nice but more expensive one.

I have one like you have, on my pipe right beside my probe. The magnetic reads 100c less than the probe when burning.

 

[moresnow]

What are you getting for burn time between reloads?
Many here use cheap i.r. temp guns to measure temps. They work well.

 

[kennyp2339]

I wouldn't worry to much, those thermometers are not calibrated to be put on stove tops, they are calibrated to be placed on single wall pipe about 12-18" above the stove, If your curious about stove top temps, buy a stove top thermometer, or like another poster said, get a probe thermometer for real temps, or the laser thermometer.

 

[Dano25]

What are you getting for burn time between reloads?
Many here use cheap i.r. temp guns to measure temps. They work well.

About 6hrs if I️ pack it like I️ did last night.


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[begreen]

I wouldn't worry to much, those thermometers are not calibrated to be put on stove tops, they are calibrated to be placed on single wall pipe about 12-18" above the stove, If your curious about stove top temps, buy a stove top thermometer, or like another poster said, get a probe thermometer for real temps, or the laser thermometer.

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

I think quite a few use that one, but I have no experience with it. Mine came with my boiler from Euro-land, no idea where I'd get another one unless I go back to my boiler dealer. Maple equipment dealers could likely get you a very nice but more expensive one.

I have one like you have, on my pipe right beside my probe. The magnetic reads 100c less than the probe when burning.

A probe thermometer is not for single-wall stove pipe. It's only for double-wall stove pipe. The thermometer reading is on the high side, but may be ok if the thermometer is inaccurate as some can be. An IR thermometer will provide more accurate reading. Or pickup a brand better known to be accurate.
http://www.condar.com/Stovetop_Thermometers.html

 

[maple1]

A probe thermometer is not for single-wall stove pipe. It's only for double-wall stove pipe. The thermometer reading is on the high side, but may be ok if the thermometer is inaccurate as some can be. An IR thermometer will provide more accurate reading. Or pickup a brand better known to be accurate.
http://www.condar.com/Stovetop_Thermometers.html

An IR gun won't accurately tell how hot it is though, inside the pipe?

My probe is on single wall pipe, and is very accurate. So not sure why they would be for double wall only? I also don't see anything on those pages or the instruction page that it isn't for single wall.

 

[Highbeam]

An IR gun won't accurately tell how hot it is though, inside the pipe?

My probe is on single wall pipe, and is very accurate. So not sure why they would be for double wall only? I also don't see anything on those pages or the instruction page that it isn't for single wall.

How do you know your probe is accurate? You must be using a probe thermocouple? You do realize that the probe of a regular mechanical meter is just a heat conducting rod that transfers heat to a bimetallic spring behind the dial? The temperature of the pipe skin has a huge effect on that bimetallic spring.

The condar probe is calibrated for double wall pipe. It will read high on single wall. The surface temp of single wall is “approximately” half of the interior temperatures and again the only way to prove differently is with a thermocouple.

750 on the stove top is near max output for a plate steel stove. Most brands just tell you that it’s too hot if external parts glow! Some give 800 as the max temp.

I target 700-750 for my plate steel noncat and it’s holding up very well. Much cooler and I get smoke from the stack.

 

[begreen]

An IR gun won't accurately tell how hot it is though, inside the pipe?

My probe is on single wall pipe, and is very accurate. So not sure why they would be for double wall only? I also don't see anything on those pages or the instruction page that it isn't for single wall.

The IR gun will accurately tell the stove top temperature. It can also measure the surface temperature of the single wall pipe which will be about half the flue gas temp inside.

A double-wall probe thermometer is calibrated with the shielding provided by the outer wall of the double-wall pipe. Using it on single-wall will expose the bimetallic spring to much higher heat throwing off the calibration. If a single-wall probe is desired then a digital thermometer with a remote K-probe would be more accurate.

 

[maple1]

Mine is more like this:

https://www.ibhs.co.uk/80mm-dial-flue-gas-thermometer-300mm-stem-0-500-c.html

It came with my appliance. No advisories came with it that it was for double wall only. I would expect there to be - also for the Condors. I do not expect it to have K-thermocouple level accuracy.

If you wanted to use the Condor above and are concerned about gross inaccuracy, then you could just not install it full depth into the hole. The air space behind it should help. Or put a little shield behind it.

I would still take the Condor probe, over an IR gun or a magnetic gauge, for flue temps. Despite any inaccuracies in any of these, the latter two are only capable of measuring the surface temp. Inside is way more of a guess with those than what the probe would tell you, and can vary somewhat from setup to setup depending on the appliance, draft & how fast the gasses are moving inside. And it's the inside of the pipe that is important, as that is where creosote accumulates then ignites when the gasses get too hot. Also with increasing buildup on the inside of the pipe, comes somewhat increasing inaccuracy as the outer pipe surface becomes more insulated from the inner pipe temps.

That's my story & I'm sticking to it.

Having said all that - I also would likely have more than one measuring device (an extra to go along with the probe), and use those along with eyes-on things for day to day monitoring. Redundancy is usually a good thing.

 

[maple1]

After a bit more reading on here I would likely call that Condar a maybe- seems they had their accuracy issues in the past even when used as directed. I don't know if they've gotten better or not - but it would be interesting to see recent feedback. As I mentioned I have no experience with it, was just remembering reading that some were using it. So, a better one might be this one:

https://www.teltru.com/p-272-big-gr...ter-lt225r-5-inch-stem-2001000-degrees-f.aspx

Although you might have to watch it on the top end if you're running hot.

And I still say probes aren't just for double wall.

 

[Highbeam]

Accuracy? How can you possibly know if a probe meter is accurate? Sure, an electronic thermocouple. Not sure I want something from the bbq isle measuring flue temps in my woodstove.