What are your stove top temps?

I realize everyone's stove setup is unique and will run differently but I was just wondering what stove top temperatures everyone runs. I'm very new to all of this. It seems like I can maintain 450 degrees fairly easily but i don't see any secondary flames until the temperature is up to around 500 or so. Is this normal? Should i be aiming for temperatures where i can see a few secondary flames?

I had a fairly full box of locust last night and the temps got over 680 degrees before I backed off the secondary air. It was a neat little light show!

I have a non-cat Quadra- Fire 3100 Flat top with Duravent DVL double wall pipe and an exterior class A chimney. I bought a cheap IR Temp gun to monitor temperatures.

 

My Fireview normally tops out at about 550 (max has been 575). I'm guessing it may stay in the 500 range for a couple hours before gradually moving down in temps. I have had a 12 hour burn where the STT was a bit over 300 on reload, but that was a pretty big load of oak. I had been reloading at about 250 STT, but recently have been reloading around 300 STT so that I can immediately close the bypass.

 

STT is about 600 right now (measured with an IR gun) with the primary shut down completely and the top of the firebox is full of rolling secondaries.
No way to control the secondary intake.
I'm going to open the primary just a bit before bed, so I imagine the STT will get back up to between 6-700 degs.
I got the temp up around 400 before closing down the primary incrementally. Getting to that temp usually takes a few minutes when the stove is either cold or down to 150 or so.

 

With our Quadrafire 2700i, I normally run it at door surface temps of 300-550 F. I'm not sure how much higher temps are "normal" for this unit, but the flames/sparks are cranking away when it's much over 500F, so I shut off the air inlets at that point.

 

Thank you. I guess I'm close to where it needs to be. I'll start measuring door surface temps to see if I'm comparable to you, CrufflerJJ.

I seem to recall others reporting much lower stove temperatures and was wondering if I'm doing something wrong. I figure I should run it to where I'm at least seeing some of the secondaries.

 

You'll get some secondaries without lowering the primary air, but the real show starts when that primary gets closed down at least 1/2 way.
If your firewood isn't dry, you'll probably not see a ton.
Secondaries are a nice light show, but they really mean you're now letting less exhaust gas/particulates go up the flue.
Do you have any idea of the moisture content of the wood you're burning? If the STT is only hitting 450 max, I'd suspect wood that's marginal, until all the moisture gets cooked out.

 

The lower temps were with small loads. The one time I had a bigger fire (fullish firebox) is when I saw the 680 degree F plus temps. The wood is black locust that's been split and stacked for at least 1.5 years. Moisture content on a few fresh splits ranged from 14-16%.

 

Beautiful.

 

I'm running a 3100 step top. I see 600-650, which is what I shoot for, on about every load. With blower on an 1/8 turn above as low as it will go. And get about 8-9 hrs of good house temps before I need to reload. I can stretch 10-12 in temps above freezing, but barely have enough coals for a reload. Flue temps will spike to 475-500 surface temp on reload and settle in about 350 when cruising. It will hold the 600/350 combo for about 3-4 hrs. And drop down to 275-300 at the 8-9 hr mark where I will reload. I'm heating fron the basement so a little hotter keeps the house temps 71-74 upstairs, mid 80s in the lower level living room by the stove.

 

Your description sounds a lot like the 30NC burn cycle.

 

I have a quad 4100 insert. It is fully engulfed at 500 degrees. I'll choke down the air at that point.

I would take a look at your chimney when you have a fire going and let that be your gauge. If you see any more than a barely perceptible wisp of smoke you aren't burning it hot enough. If there is no smoke at all then you are doing it right. That is providing you are not burning it too hot.

 

You don't sound like that much of a newbie. I think you've pretty much got it down pat.

 

I joined the site a couple of years ago when we bought our house with a fireplace. I've lurked... The stove is a different animal though. I guess I'm just getting into the learning curve.

 

I'm also heating from the basement. I've checked and after start-up there's no smoke from the chimney. Maybe I'll try to run it around 500 degrees. I think I'm at the point where I'll feel comfortable loading the box for a nice long burn.

I'm stoked that I managed to heat the upstairs the other day to 74 degrees F with the furnace set to 68. I guess I should pick up a flue thermometer but I'm hesitant to drill into my new pipe. Lol.

 

Different stoves will behave very differently as far as stove top temps. vs heat output and how far the stove is being pushed. To reach and maintain 500F + stove top temps. in my Ideal Steel, I have to maintain a firebox full of active flame and a LOT of heat output from the front of the stove. Even when it is below 0F outside, I really cannot maintain stove top temps. that high without over heating the house. Not to mention it goes through wood like the oak is balsa.

Brian

 

You can run a magnetic surface thermo if your pipe right out of the stove is single wall. A general rule of thumb is the inside temp is around double the surface temp. Some guys will only run flue thermos, none on the stove.

I should add I could run mine cooler too if I wanted, which I sometimes do on the weekends and evenings when I'm home to babysit the primary lever a little. I just run it a little warmer when Im at work for the peak and glide effect to keep the house temp up, and to keep the stove from going into a smolder after I leave.

 

Also remember if you get your flue temps up a little more you will create more draft and have to turn down the primary a little more, especially with a full load. And once those secondaries really kick in thats where the brunt of your heat is going to come from! You will get the stove top temps up then! I've had mine peak up close to 800 a few times with no damage, so don't freak if you see temps like that. As long as you are dampend down the temps will come back down. Just try not to make a habit of those temps.

 

That depends. Did I forget I had just reload the stove and haven't closed the air down? If so, then around 850 with the wonderful smell of stove pipe paint in the air.

Otherwise, the 30 tops off at around 650-750.

600-700 for the VC stoves, the filthy bastards.