Flue Temps

For some of you tech guys, you may appreciate this, or think I am nuts. I just spent a little over $250 to buy the parts for a digital monitor for my flue gas on the wood furnace. I have the basic probe you can get at the store, which is great if you stand right there. What I am getting is a probe and the wires to send a signal up to my living area that will read out the temperature instantaneously. I can also push that data to a laptop if I felt the need. It has a hi and low alarm also, with a visual and audible beep. This is no way controls my stove (yet), but will be nice now that we may get some weather where I will burn around the clock. As it comes together I will post pics is anyone cares to see them.

 

Parts will be here in 7-10 days...sorry for the wait, but I will be updating once they show up.

 

Are you talking about something like this
High Temperature Alarm? | Page 4 | Firewood Hoarders Club
Or is this something a little more sophisticated?

 

So instead of a mechanical visual gauge your getting a digital one that will link to a PC?

 

What I am buying appears to be comparable to the unit shown. Mine is going to be hardwired with 25ft of cable up to the living area, vs sitting next to the stove. I also bought an industrial grade monitor which has the alarms, but also a 4-20 output which I may end up controlling the combustion air inlet damper by using a rotary actuator. It has the USB port for connection to the PC for tuning and data extraction as well. Luckily a good friend of mine is an Electrical Engineer so he can complete the controls while I figure out the mechanical. For right now, I intend to hook it up such that the alarm will sound. The more advanced things will need some time and planning. Thought others would enjoy watching an overkill science experiment, while making the thing safer and in time more efficient.

 

Ok, so I looked at the posts referenced above related to that meter. That meter appears to take the surface temperature of the metal pipe. The unit I am setting up is a K type thermocouple that is inserted directly into the flue gas stream via a compression nut. It is Stainless and is good for up to 2000 deg f and the grade of stainless selected was to ensure the creosote deposits would not degrade the metal. I want the instant feedback on the flue gas temp. The primary reason is that if a fires takes off, the surface metal temps take so long to rise, that the chimney could be lit up before they register. The stove has a built in safety for the surface metal temp on the exterior of the firebox for example. I will monitor this thing for a few months, and pull the data to better understand the tuning that is required to alleviate the tail from wagging the dog on the controls. Sorry for the boring thread for some, but I manage power plants and know with some time and a few dollars I can fine tune my furnace operations while making it a little safer since I have a ton of hickory in the stacks for this year and next.

 

I'm really interested in your findings and equipment. I've been interested in the smart stove unit that is in Beta now. I notice when it gets REALLY cold I have a foaling problem worth my BK. I'd really like to find something to go wot at a set stack temp to help burn them down....

Bore away my friend.

 

Sounds cool, can't wait to hear/see more. That same company Auberins, offers k type probes also, as well as a wireless communications setup so you don't have to run a long cable.

 

Do you have horses?

 

I think bobdog was at beer-o clock when he posted. Or expensive horse problems.

 

Yea, it was the beer goggles. That and posting from the mobile device sucks......

 

Finally got all of the parts. Plan to install and debug this weekend. Doesn't look like $300 does it

 

If you have time could post product info for what you use? I'm thinking of maybe trying arduino to control my BK. After hearing some feedback on the smartstove and the BK it won't work well with the stat...

 

I will post the info tomorrow. There will be a separate control circuit which will use the same signal, that signal will run the range on the actuator to control the damper. Still a work in progress, but will be a fun winter project. The guys at omega are helpful, and sell industrial grade parts.

 

The part numbers from Omega are below. Please note, I have an 8 inch chimney, so I got a 6 inch T/C. If you go to the omega page, these number should cross reference on their search page. They have many options for the LED displays, more or less elaborate depending on your wallet. I plan to build a small enclosure for the display so it is in my living area. I bought 25 ft of wire, which should more than get me where I need to be. Should be fun with a few headaches mixed in.

TJ36-CAIN-14U-8-CC

SSLK-14-14

SMPW-K-MF

EXPP-K-24-25

DP32PT