Need help, OWB remote temperature monitoring, what do you use?

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dave_dj1

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I don't need it to be out at the stove, I'm fine if I can monitor the incoming water temp at the HX from my living room. LOL (read recliner)
I had a BBQ probe strapped to the copper HX but the battery only lasted 4 days so I took it back.
I can hard wire it if need be.
TYIA
Dave
 
My buddy has a wifi barbecue thermo he checks on his phone. He changes the batteries once a season. He got it off amazon but it is no longer available. He read all the reviews and found one that didn't die quick and had longevity. He runs his behind his pump coming from the boiler for output line temp.
 
Thank you, I'll look up that model.

Do you have a model number and is it wireless? thanks

Yes, it is wireless. Number on box is ET-732C. Batteries in the sender, and batteries in the display. I think AAA's. Or could be AA's.
 
Why are you concerned with monitoring that temp. constantly? I have heated with an OWB for 20 years and have only on occasion assessed the temp of water leaving my heat exchanger with an infrared temp gun a few times (to evaluate HE effectiveness). Temp is available at the stove and I figure if I am going to fill/load the stove based on the water temp inside the house I might be too late and would end up building a fire. Just curious not trying to dog your idea, something I might be missing over the years that can help me burn more efficiently.
 
Why are you concerned with monitoring that temp. constantly? I have heated with an OWB for 20 years and have only on occasion assessed the temp of water leaving my heat exchanger with an infrared temp gun a few times (to evaluate HE effectiveness). Temp is available at the stove and I figure if I am going to fill/load the stove based on the water temp inside the house I might be too late and would end up building a fire. Just curious not trying to dog your idea, something I might be missing over the years that can help me burn more efficiently.

Easier to look at the temps inside and see they have dropped and fire needs more fuel, vs. going out to the boiler to check. They should drop some well before the fire goes completely out cold & needs a relight, takes quite a while for all coals to burn out. Might save some fuel too, vs. going out & seeing it still up to temp but then deciding to put wood in anyway since you're already out there.
 
Gotcha...I'm a creature of habit and just add wood twice a day. Once in the morning before work, once in the evening after work. If I tried to go by temp from my throne I'd snooze till it was too late and the fire would be out. That would lead to wife and daughters hollering about hot water and I'd wake from my slumber less than happy.
 
Fill my OWB twice a day when temps are below 25 degrees out. Once a day if warmer. Can check digital display from kitchen with binoculars.
I wish I had a digital display out there ...lol

Why are you concerned with monitoring that temp. constantly? I have heated with an OWB for 20 years and have only on occasion assessed the temp of water leaving my heat exchanger with an infrared temp gun a few times (to evaluate HE effectiveness). Temp is available at the stove and I figure if I am going to fill/load the stove based on the water temp inside the house I might be too late and would end up building a fire. Just curious not trying to dog your idea, something I might be missing over the years that can help me burn more efficiently.[/QUOTE

I guess it's just that it's new to me and I am just trying to get a feel for things.
The first week I lit it outside temps were in the 50's to 70's so not real world experience in cold weather, now it's getting down to 30's at night and 40's during the day I am trying to get a handle on when and how much wood to put in it.
I did get 24 hrs of burn today, got home at 5:00 PM and there was still a nice batch of coals and the blower was on, I loaded her up with probably 8 splits so hopefully it will go 24 hrs again.
My wood is cut to 24" and the splits are not real big so I am happy, it's all seasoned two years or so.

Thanks for all the help.
 
My hand.
Old rule of thumb:
If you can hold your hand on a hot pipe for 5 seconds, it’s less than 150 degrees.
An old electrician taught me that. If you suspected a motor was running hot, use the above test. This was before thermal cameras were available.
 
My hand.
Old rule of thumb:
If you can hold your hand on a hot pipe for 5 seconds, it’s less than 150 degrees.
An old electrician taught me that. If you suspected a motor was running hot, use the above test. This was before thermal cameras were available.

Ya but you can't do that from the couch. :)
 
Last year I changed my heating system drastically adding 4200 sq ft of radiant in the barn. My timing on loading the OWB was off, so I installed 2 wifi cameras, one outside looking at the display on the OWB and another at the oil boiler, zone controls and temperature gauges I have in the boiler room. It has been a very inexpensive way to monitor and make adjustments to the system.
When I first installed the OWB I added a home energy monitoring sensor to the OWB circuit and I was able to watch the fan cycle on and off with an online app. The wifi bridge failed 2 years ago and was a bit expensive to replace. Technology has advanced so much driving down the price of these systems, I think I may install a new home energy monitoring system to get the OWB fan info again. It's neat to see the fan cycle graph, it has very consistent "on cycle time" until it starts to run out of wood. As you get used to reading the graph, it is like looking at a fuel gauge.
 

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