@*plainlazy* Well, I'll answer the questions I can and someone else can fill in the blanks.
I've packed up to a 1cm tall pellet of ground mmj into a stem when I'm in more pain and don't want to have to move much to get more hits. For big loads, try to keep it loose so that air flow is not severely restricted. You risk charring the top layer if all the air is somehow diverted through a narrow channel. Lots of stirring between puffs helps.
I leave mine on 24/7, with it idling at around 5. When I start to pack, i bump up to six and then it usually stays between 6.5 and 7 if using a dry stem. Ed's stems with the metal tip seem to require me to bump the temp up a little bit. Maybe this is to account for a bit of heat soak through the metal?
Also, when using a water pipe, I also bump the temp up a little. Often, I just start at 7 or just under and leave it there.
But all of the temperature adjustments change depending on the material I'm using. Some of the really amazing competition grade stuff is amazing for doing the 5.5,6.0.6.5 slow step method. But my homegrown outdoor Bubba Kush which tastes and medicates beautifully gives me just one great tasting hit at 6.5 and then it goes flat.