# what temp should a woodstove be run at?



## husky455rancher (Nov 24, 2008)

i just installed a woodstove this past weekend its an old shenandoah. seems to be a great stove. i have a tempature probe i can use to take a reading of the stove. whats the ideal tempos to keep a stove at to keep the creosote down?

i been running my insert for the last 2 years and i never measured the temp as i just looked at the fire through the glass. so im looking for a good way to judge the fire inside the woodstove.


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## KsWoodsMan (Nov 25, 2008)

Below 250* in the stovepipe is the danger zone for creosote buildup. When my stove is running about 350-400 at the outlet it is making good heat. At 250 it is doing OK but not quite keeping up with the need for heat, not unless it is warming up outside.

Keep in mind that the temp inside the pipe will be higher than the surface temp, A probe will be more acurate than a surface mount like I use.


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## savageactor7 (Nov 25, 2008)

huskey are you the one that just installed the R77? We burned with that one for 10/15 years or so. Seemed to me we burned right around 400 but first thing every morning one of us would crank it into the red zone for a good 3 minutes or so.


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## Blowncrewcab (Nov 25, 2008)

I have a magnetic condor temp gauge (made for the flue pipe) stuck on the front door. it shows the sweet spot for best combustion and least creasote being 225*-475*...I try to run between 350*-450*... My snap stat won't come on below 300*.


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## husky455rancher (Nov 25, 2008)

ok thanks guys i was figuring in the 400+ range but lower is good. 

yeah i just installed the r-76 and i like it so far. i took the door off the cellar and im trying to see if i can effectivly heat the whole house with it and not use the insert. granted i can easily use the insert if need be and also i can use it to get the temp up. its not cold out right now but the last 2 days were great the house has been almost totally heated evenly. not like the insert where the kitchen and kids room are cold. oh not to mention the nice warm floors

im not sure if this is gonna use more wood than the insert, i would think it would. but if it does so far it seems worth it.


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## volks-man (Nov 25, 2008)

out of curiousity guys, how hot is too hot in the pipe?


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## dwinch53 (Nov 25, 2008)

according to rutland chimney thermometer 600 degrees is over the moderate range... this little thermometer is great to monitor your stove / furnace performance..DW


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## ShoerFast (Nov 25, 2008)

husky455rancher said:


> ok thanks guys i was figuring in the 400+ *range but lower is good*.
> 
> yeah i just installed the r-76 and i like it so far. i took the door off the cellar and im trying to see if i can effectivly heat the whole house with it and not use the insert. granted i can easily use the insert if need be and also i can use it to get the temp up. its not cold out right now but the last 2 days were great the house has been almost totally heated evenly. not like the insert where the kitchen and kids room are cold. oh not to mention the nice warm floors
> 
> im not sure if this is gonna use more wood than the insert, i would think it would. but if it does so far it seems worth it.



Too cold and you will build creosote. 

Maybe I am not understanding your understanding? 

Just thought I would mention it in case you have this backwards, 'nevermind' if you got it.


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## Octane (Nov 25, 2008)

300-400 would be a good range to keep it at. My woodstove has a temp gauge that gives the catalyst temp and I normally keep that between 800-1,000 degrees and I dont get much buildup. Keep in mind though, thats catalyst temp, not the temp of the stovepipe.
My brother has a thermometer that sticks to the stovepipe on his stove and the, "operating" range thats marked on the gauge is 400-600 degrees.


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## 046 (Nov 25, 2008)

every stove is a bit different... tale of the tape is to look at how much smoke your stove is emitting after it reaches operating temps. 

all stoves will smoke while starting up. if your stove is emitting little to no smoke. it's burning clean. 

how hot your chimney operates depends upon how efficient your heat exchanger works. for instance my firebox is 12 cubic feet surrounded by a hollow structure made of 1/4in steel. with a forced air blowing across at high CPM. 

it's got one of the most efficient heat exchanger of any wood stove. simply due to the massive heat exchange area. 

my exhaust temps will run much cooler than a stove with a less efficient heat exchanger. 

soooo it really depends upon the individual stove.


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## husky455rancher (Nov 25, 2008)

http://www.instawares.com/standard-thermometer-kit-includes.cak-93960k.0.7.htm


i cant find a pic of it but thats teh brand and model number .thats what im useing to take my temps. i used to need it when i did plastic injection molding back in my younger day lol. now i have something i casn use it on. its supposed to be accurate to 1 degree anyway.


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## husky455rancher (Nov 25, 2008)

046 said:


> every stove is a bit different... tale of the tape is to look at how much smoke your stove is emitting after it reaches operating temps.
> 
> all stoves will smoke while starting up. if your stove is emitting little to no smoke. it's burning clean.
> 
> ...


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## dwinch53 (Nov 25, 2008)

046 said:


> every stove is a bit different... tale of the tape is to look at how much smoke your stove is emitting after it reaches operating temps.
> 
> all stoves will smoke while starting up. if your stove is emitting little to no smoke. it's burning clean.
> 
> ...



:agree2: DW


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## dwinch53 (Nov 25, 2008)

husky455rancher said:


> 046 said:
> 
> 
> > every stove is a bit different... tale of the tape is to look at how much smoke your stove is emitting after it reaches operating temps.
> ...


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## husky455rancher (Nov 25, 2008)

ill prolly pick one up. anyway i can see if its accurate atleast.


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## 046 (Nov 25, 2008)

having a thermometer is a really good idea. 
will tell you exactly what your stove is doing. 

I use a mini-temp IR temp gun with laser. 
what I'm interested most is outlet air temps. 

where you measure your stove could be completely different.


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## hangnail (Nov 28, 2008)

i run mine almost wide open or 3/4 all the time, mostly becuase it is actually a little small for my house, but my house is also really drafty, so maintaining heat is a challange inside during the winter. so i generally keep it running at about 400-500* under 300 and the fire struggles. i shut the damper almost all the way at around 9 at night, and wake up with enough coals to get it going again with some ash door .

I'm still learning with this stove, but for right now, it works for me

i have a jotul 400 and its recommended range is 400-600*


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## Joshlaugh (Nov 28, 2008)

400 degrees. When it is really cold out I run it closer to 500.


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