Are flue pipe thermometers useful?

grahamc2003

suki1964 wrote: »

I wish someone would explain to me in simple words what the optimum temp for a stove is and why there is such a thing and how do you get to it

As graham says there - I could be thinking Im going great ( my flu is never sooty and doesnt appear to have tar ) but I am after all a novice and I might be spending the next 50 years totally delusional

In my opinion, if you burn so as not to produce any smoke, then you can't be far off ideal. No smoke means no soot or tar, and it means you're getting heat from all the fuel you've paid for - sounds like you're there already!.

Since a stove is mainly a radiator of energy, then the hotter, the more efficient (i.e. you get more heat output per unit of fuel energy you put in the hotter it is). So the upper limit of an 'ideal' stove temperature is probably to do with expansion/spec of materials inside or even the safety of eg wooden fire surrounds installed to standards. My fire cement in the flue pipe joints probably crumbles earlier than it should due high stove temps.

suki1964

Swipe wrote: »

Optimal temp is between 300F and 500F according to my thermometer. I wouldn't worry about burning too cool with smokeless coal though.

is that stove top or flue temp?

suki1964

grahamc2003 wrote: »

In my opinion, if you burn so as not to produce any smoke, then you can't be far off ideal. No smoke means no soot or tar, and it means you're getting heat from all the fuel you've paid for - sounds like you're there already!.

Since a stove is mainly a radiator of energy, then the hotter, the more efficient (i.e. you get more heat output per unit of fuel energy you put in the hotter it is). So the upper limit of an 'ideal' stove temperature is probably to do with expansion/spec of materials inside or even the safety of eg wooden fire surrounds installed to standards. My fire cement in the flue pipe joints probably crumbles earlier than it should due high stove temps.

Well the only time my stove produces smoke is when Im lighting it which I assume is normal till the flue gets hot and theres a good draw happening?

Using smokeless I dont get big flames after the initial full blasting to get the stove going, I tend to get low flickering blue flame - is that what I should be aiming for? Obvious once the coals are white theres not much of anything happening other then a general red glow

Swipe

suki1964 wrote: »

is that stove top or flue temp?

Either I believe but you only need to worry about low temps when burning wood. Smokeless burns are much more consistent. To over fire with smokeless you'd have to draw the coals that hot that they'd be glowing white hot.

werdnareklaw

welda wrote: »

If I can add tho, I found since using eco-fan, rate of knots of fan is a good indicator too of performance!!

I've looked at these eco-fans and they seem quite expensive. Which one would you recommend welda? One of my stoves is tucked around a corner of a room making it difficult for the heat to circulate.

Mind you, I watched a YouTube video of one in operation and it reminded me of a night I once spent in an hotel near the runway at East Midlands Airport

welda

Hi,

Yes, they aint cheap, I have twin blade fan, three of course is a few bob more. I see W50nky has a Vulcan fan, these are top dollar!

Eco makes no sound at all, where vulcan I believe makes a tick, ticking as it turns.

There are a few threads in here with regards to both types of fans, a wee search will through up plenty info!

I think I paid around the £80 mark, this was last year, I think Suki bought her one via Amazon (eco-fan) this worked out even cheaper, as it was imported.

Again a wee search will source this info.

On a personal note, I find the fan works a treat, pushes hot air around three rooms, including dining room where stove is located.

HTH?

Regards..........

werdnareklaw

Thanks welda, I found the twin blade version for £85, £120 on Amazon!

I wonder if it would get here by Christmas

welda

werdnareklaw wrote: »

Thanks welda, I found the twin blade version for £85, £120 on Amazon!

I wonder if it would get here by Christmas

Try Amazon.com. One there at $80 USD = £51 GBP. I'd imagine there may be a shipping charge, you would have to go through process to check out?

Cheers....................

werdnareklaw

I have been thinking about a trip to the US, not been for years

welda

werdnareklaw wrote: »

I have been thinking about a trip to the US, not been for years

Sorry, I should have explained, buy via Amazon US website, as said, other members in here have done the same, no probs with customs either, no doubt they will reply with first hand info?

On a different note, I bought a auto sliding gate opener from same site, a hell of a lot cheaper than .co.uk.