Checking stack temperature's?

[Bucket Head]

Hello,

Where on the base stack is the best place to check the temperature? How high up should I be? Is there a reccomended distance from the evaporator for checking the temp.?

Thank's,
Steve

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

And where do you get a stack theremometer??

[tapper]

I put mine in at eye level. Did a test boil on it last week and had 1,000 degree temp with no problem.

[sapman]

On my oil-fired arch, the heating guys checked it at the base of the stack, just above the collar on the arch. I've since purchased my own thermometer, so I can monitor the temp occasionally. It's surprising how it can fluctuate on different days, probably depending on barometric pressure. I think mine came from Grainger, but it might have been another outfit. We have access to this kind of stuff where I work.

Tim

[maplehound]

I bought mine at a fireplace sales place near me. actually they gave it to me when I bought my pellet stove. I made it part of the deal.

[Bucket Head]

Westvirginiamapler,

Depend's. What kind of thermometer do you want?

Many producer's use the dial type/magnetic one's and they can be purchased from any stove/fireplace distributor. Most hardware store's carry them also.

There are also digital thermometer's. I recently purchased a hand-held unit from Marcland. I got two probe's with it. One is for sap/syrup, and the other one is a heavy duty/high heat probe for inserting directly into the stack.

I will be installing a fitting on my stack for the probe and was curious as to where the other Mapletraders check their temperature's.

Steve

[sapman]

When the guy went to check my stack temp, he simply drilled a 1/4" hole, or thereabouts, in the base stack. No fitting or anything, and it has worked out fine. My dial thermometer has about a 6" stem on it.

Tim

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

What is the reason for checking stack temperature??

RICH

[saphead]

Checking stack temp. is an easy way to check on your boiling efficiency,wood consumption. With a forced draft unit that has under fire, or better yet, under and over fire air, you can adjust for maximum boil off rate w/ fan speed and or dampers, without sending excessive heat up the stack. Unfortunately many companies haven't changed arch design in decades,they just stick in forced draft under the fire and don't consentrate on burning the gases before they go up the stack.

[HanginAround]

Yes, most forced air units have nice air dampers with notched control rods, but no way to know what you are doing with them as there is very little feedback. At least with stack temps, you have some way of knowing what's going on.