my wood stove temps vary?

[ecocavalier02]

Hey guys just wondering here. A lot of times when im burning i will get the flue temp cooked up to 550 to 600 degrees. But when i cut the main damper it will cut in half to 250 to 300 degrees. while the stove temp remains bout 450 to 500 normally. I just want to make sure that this is not a bad thing. I have a dutchwest 2479. Also every once in a while it will burn hotter at 450 500. I here so much about people running stove pipe at constant 400 500 which is why I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong . also the fire seems fine

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Stove pipe is thinner material and will cool quicker than the heavy metal walls of the stove. It doesn't sound like much to worry about as long as it is heating your home without running you out or putting icicles on the ol'lady's feet at night.

A good bed of coals will keep the stove hot with radiant heat but the pipe isnt getting any of this so it is going to get cooler.

 

[ecocavalier02]

this is what i figured. You shut the damper and then it will trap the heat in stove? Instead of wasting it up the flue.

 

[Rookie1]

this is what i figured. You shut the damper and then it will trap the heat in stove? Instead of wasting it up the flue.

You are correct. My pipe temp. varies through the whole heat cycle.

 

[ericjeeper]

well a couple of theorys

this is what i figured. You shut the damper and then it will trap the heat in stove? Instead of wasting it up the flue.

When you cut the draft, you slow the fire. When you slow the fire you are slowing the burn rate. Therefore lowering the amount of btus produced.
The other theory I have not pulled out of my hat as of yet.

 

[ecocavalier02]

Im talking about the main damper on the stove. I do not have a damper on the stove pipe as well. It only makes sense that cutting off the extra air to the flue would do such a thing.

 

[ecocavalier02]

Also when i shut the primary air down slowly after the fire is burning hot as i shut it down gradually the flue temp goes down. And the stove stays as 450 550 constantly. I think that the best advice is what i got from woodheat.org and KS saying that a stove temp gauge can be the worse thing on a freking stove because you are constantly trying to achieve these goals, and instead of paying attention that the fire is burning just fine and the house is warm. Then there is nothing to worry about.

 

[danrclem]

Also when i shut the primary air down slowly after the fire is burning hot as i shut it down gradually the flue temp goes down. And the stove stays as 450 550 constantly. I think that the best advice is what i got from woodheat.org and KS saying that a stove temp gauge can be the worse thing on a freking stove because you are constantly trying to achieve these goals, and instead of paying attention that the fire is burning just fine and the house is warm. Then there is nothing to worry about.

I don't have a thermometer on my stove. I just go by what I feel. If I'm cold I put more wood in and if I'm hot I turn the stove dampers back.

 

[Crofter]

You will get quite a change in exhaust gas temperature depending on whether the volatiles have all burned or not (whether you are getting secondary combustion of gasses on top of the wood) or are burned down to coals. burning the coals needs much less secondary air.

Even if the volatiles are not all burned, closing the draft too much can extinguish the secondary combustion and those gasses go unburned up the chimney. That point of extinguishing the burning gasses can make a sudden change in exit gas temperatures. Really dry or resinous wood can burn just like an over rich mixture in your chainsaw.