Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: PhinPhan on October 30, 2008, 12:51:37 PM
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Last night I borrowed an IR thermometer gun to test some temps on my OWB setup. The water temp at the pump said 170 which is correct. However when I read the temp on the pex pipe as it came into the house it read 160. My question is how much of this difference is do to the pex pipe? I know I am not losing 10 degrees from the OWB to the house (it is about 60 feet from OWB to house).
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Here are some tips on using a IR thermometer to measure temperatures:
Make sure that the color of the surfaces that you are measuring is the same, preferrably flat black. Most consumer grade IR thermometers do not have adjustable emissivity (color correction).
Measure from the same distance, some IR thermometers are only good for an inch or so, the better ones are good for a few inches to several feet, depending on the cost.
Make sure the pump is turned on and has been circulating for several minutes in order to get the whole system up to temperature.
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Try taking the temp. at the fitting on the inlet of your flat plate or at the copper fitting at the inlet of your forced air heat exchanger,not on the pex pipe.
Ron
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A lot of OWB manufacturers also recommend putting an in-line thermometer somewhere on your return line also. Those are generally fairly cheap and will give you a good indication of the heat loss you are getting through your heat exchanger also. Most OWB manufacturers will say that they like to see less than 10 degrees of difference between your supply and return lines. If you know someone in your area that has a lot of experience plumbing these units you might be able to get some help from him if you need it.
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I got a cheap unit from walmart for like $10.00 (accutemp?) anyway it has a small digital thermometer that shows inside and outside temps about the size of a skoal can. To get the outside temp you have a little sending unit about the size of a skoal can that you put outside.
I took the outside mounting unit and put it on my pex, wrapped it with pipe insulation and it send the temp to the easy to read unit. Its hillbilly but 1. It works 2. Its cheap 3. Tells me if I am getting low on wood w/o going outisde
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I got a cheap unit from walmart for like $10.00 (accutemp?) anyway it has a small digital thermometer that shows inside and outside temps about the size of a skoal can. To get the outside temp you have a little sending unit about the size of a skoal can that you put outside.
I took the outside mounting unit and put it on my pex, wrapped it with pipe insulation and it send the temp to the easy to read unit. Its hillbilly but 1. It works 2. Its cheap 3. Tells me if I am getting low on wood w/o going outisde
i like this idea
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Yes willieg, I like to call it a hillbilly chic design