Propane (gas) Pompeii won't get up to correct temperature

[ss0357]

I just completed a Pompeii oven with 42" floor. I have hooked up propane to it and have a great flame. I spent a week bringing it up to temperatures. I fired it up today for 1 hour. From a half hour to a hour the oven kept the same temperature readings with my laser temperature gun. It reads around 1050 at dome and only 450 on floor. Does anyone know why I can't get the floor to the 800 degrees that I need to make my 90 second pizzas?

[Lburou]

Two things:

1) You may not be totally cured yet, driving the moisture out may require a few cool cycles to allow the moisture to equalize and then get eliminated by the next heat cycle.

2) Safe use of gas to heat the oven is a precise and tricky process, one that the ownership of this board doesn't condone. You will have to find another place for advice about using gas to heat your oven.

HTH

[Ken524]

Originally Posted by ss0357

It reads around 1050 at dome and only 450 on floor. Does anyone know why I can't get the floor to the 800 degrees that I need to make my 90 second pizzas?

I hate to ask... did you insulate under your floor? If so, what material did you use and how much?

Are you heating ONLY with gas? It would take a huge amount of propane to bring a Pompeii up to full heat. Where are the burners located? You can't beat a wood fire for speed and temperature. I would ditch the gas altogether and use wood. I promise you, I can get my WFO oven fully heated and ready for pizza faster (and cheaper) than any gas oven. And wood is a heck of a lot safer.

[brickie in oz]

Well said Lee.
The other thing is propane seems to leave a lot of condensation, if you use a propane heater inside a room the windows always fog up.

[Lburou]

Originally Posted by Ken524

I hate to ask... did you insulate under your floor? If so, what material did you use and how much?

Are you heating ONLY with gas? It would take a huge amount of propane to bring a Pompeii up to full heat. Where are the burners located? You can't beat a wood fire for speed and temperature. I would ditch the gas altogether and use wood. I promise you, I can get my WFO oven fully heated and ready for pizza faster (and cheaper) than any gas oven. And wood is a heck of a lot safer.

Wish I had said that about the insulation under the floor Ken....But moisture, from the propane or residual, in the oven floor was my first thought.

To illustrate how fast a Wood Fired Oven can get to pizza temperature, I went to town a few days ago (a 25 minute drive each way and about 25-35 minutes at Home Depot). I lit the fire as I left for town. I called to check on the fire and the paper had not burned....So My good wife re-lit the fire. She added some wood after it took off and the dome was 1050 F and floor was 820 F when I got home, that was about 65-75 minutes after she re-lit it. That time to pizza temp is a record for us. I burned the first pizzas big time , won't try to cook at that temp again.

[david s]

Try a little semolina flour cast into the centre of the floor before placing the first pizza. It should turn black in 3 secs. It is the best floor temp test IMO

[Ken524]

This thread got quiet. I figured we would have heard back from the original poster. Hope he didn't hurt himself with the propane.

[Neil2]

Here is a picture of him:

[Ken524]

Ouch. I don't wish that on anyone!
ss0357, You out there? I'm sure we can help you.