diff --git a/PRIVATE b/PRIVATE
index ab64793bb..95f7faea9 160000
--- a/PRIVATE
+++ b/PRIVATE
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit ab64793bb04c506d815ebc850672ed0f2d013e67
+Subproject commit 95f7faea920dd6956884e4a55f72e5d5b1ffcdc8
diff --git a/examples/config/phase/thermal/Al.yaml b/examples/config/phase/thermal/Al.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8837f30af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/config/phase/thermal/Al.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+references:
+  - www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-metals-d_858.html
+  - www.engineeringtoolbox.com/specific-heat-metals-d_152.html
+c_p: 0.91e3
+K_11: 236.0
+K_22: 236.0
+K_33: 236.0
diff --git a/examples/config/phase/thermal/Steel-0.5C.yaml b/examples/config/phase/thermal/Steel-0.5C.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..861cbbee5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/config/phase/thermal/Steel-0.5C.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+references:
+  - www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-metals-d_858.html
+  - www.engineeringtoolbox.com/specific-heat-metals-d_152.html
+c_p: 0.49e3
+K_11: 54.0
+K_22: 54.0
+K_33: 54.0
diff --git a/src/grid/grid_thermal_spectral.f90 b/src/grid/grid_thermal_spectral.f90
index 1ccb3b901..5a1745668 100644
--- a/src/grid/grid_thermal_spectral.f90
+++ b/src/grid/grid_thermal_spectral.f90
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ subroutine grid_thermal_spectral_init(T_0)
 
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ! set default and user defined options for PETSc
- call PetscOptionsInsertString(PETSC_NULL_OPTIONS,'-thermal_snes_type ngmres',ierr)
+ call PetscOptionsInsertString(PETSC_NULL_OPTIONS,'-thermal_snes_type newtonls -thermal_snes_mf &
+                               &-thermal_snes_ksp_ew -thermal_ksp_type fgmres',ierr)
  CHKERRQ(ierr)
  call PetscOptionsInsertString(PETSC_NULL_OPTIONS,num_grid%get_asString('petsc_options',defaultVal=''),ierr)
  CHKERRQ(ierr)