HELP NEEDED low clearance and short distance to flue opening problem

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bozo

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May 5, 2013
8
moss beach california
i am installing a C210 Performer insert into my Heatilator prefab fireplace but i only have 2.5 inches of clearance between the bottom of the smoke shelf flue opening and the top of the insert opening.
the flue flex pipe and the insert hole line up almost side by side with the 2.5 inches of clearance between them and i cant figure out how no connect the insert to the flex pipe. i know about offset but i dont think i have room to get the offset in between the 2 openings.DOES ANYONE HAVE SOME IDEAS OR INFORMATION THAT CAN HELP ME CONNECT? Do these offsets come apart so i can install half and that put the other half together so they clear? any help will be appreciated Thanks!
 
It sounds like your flue pipe is coming down off center inside your fireplace opening, assuming the insert has its flue opening centered, which is most common for inserts. Perhaps if you took a photo or two if the inside of your fireplace opening at the top where your flex liner is coming down it would give us a better idea of what you are dealing with. Since you have so little clearance to work with it sounds to me like you are going to have to rework the flue liner and get it to come out in the center of the fireplace. With just two and a half inches to work with I can't see how an offset is going to work.
 
Yes pictures would help alot imagining this. Do you mean the liner is too far to the left or the right of the flue outlet on the stove?
 
bozo said:
i am installing a C210 Performer insert into my Heatilator prefab fireplace but i only have 2.5 inches of clearance between the bottom of the smoke shelf flue opening and the top of the insert opening.
the flue flex pipe and the insert hole line up almost side by side with the 2.5 inches of clearance between them and i cant figure out how no connect the insert to the flex pipe. i know about offset but i dont think i have room to get the offset in between the 2 openings.DOES ANYONE HAVE SOME IDEAS OR INFORMATION THAT CAN HELP ME CONNECT? Do these offsets come apart so i can install half and that put the other half together so they clear? any help will be appreciated Thanks!
Click to expand...
it is centered but they line up directly in front of each other like front to back where front side of the flex pipe begins and the rear of the insert hole starts
 
Is there a possibility of cutting some of the brick out of the front side of the fireplace to allow the liner to come forward some more? What is preventing the liner from coming forward?
 
chimneylinerjames said:
Is there a possibility of cutting some of the brick out of the front side of the fireplace to allow the liner to come forward some more? What is preventing the liner from coming forward?
Click to expand...
it is inside the existing 8 inch flue exhaust pipe that is centered in the middle of the metal smoke shelf of my z/c prefab fireplace (there are no bricks that can be removed) there is just a metal smoke shelf that cannot be altered
 
Ok, now I understand better, I missed that where you said it was a pre-fab fireplace. The best thing is to use the offset box, you can have a custom offset box made to your specs.
 
chimneylinerjames said:
Ok, now I understand better, I missed that where you said it was a pre-fab fireplace. The best thing is to use the offset box, you can have a custom offset box made to your specs.
Click to expand...
i only have 2.5 inches of clearance in between the 2 openings, i dont think i have enough clearance to get an offset box in. i see that they come in 2 pieces but i done know what that means, do they come apart and can they be installed and than connected once in place? or is there another type of fitting that can be used with only 2.5 inches of working height?
Thanks
 
The standard height is 3". But we have made custom boxes for this situation before, here is an example of something that will work for you. It is possible to make a box like this and have it set at 2" high. Then the liner can drop down into it and you can screw the appliance connector into the collar of the box from the sides. The pic of this box is upside down, but you get the idea. It is very simple design.
 

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chimneylinerjames said:
The standard height is 3". But we have made custom boxes for this situation before, here is an example of something that will work for you. It is possible to make a box like this and have it set at 2" high. Then the liner can drop down into it and you can screw the appliance connector into the collar of the box from the sides. The pic of this box is upside down, but you get the idea. It is very simple design.
Click to expand...
thank you for the reply but i dont see how this will work for me. my chimney flue and flex liner is to the rear of the insert exhaust opening and without a bottom how will it move my flue liner forward towards the insert exhaust opening a few inches.
maybe i am missing something this is all new to me. i understand putting the flex line through the opening in the box but than how can i connect it to the insert and move the opening forward towards the insert exhaust hole without a bottom on the box and extended off the rear of the insert? please help me understand Thank You
 
Basically you will screw the flanges of that box to the top of the insert. Have the hole on the top side of the box as far back as you need it to align with the liner. The box in the pix would be too small for your needs, but it can be made to any size. You are looking at offset boxes online I assume, imagine that box but with out the bottom piece. It just uses to top of the stove as the bottom. Look at the attachment, I drew it up really quick its basic. It is the red lines.
 

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chimneylinerjames said:
Basically you will screw the flanges of that box to the top of the insert. Have the hole on the top side of the box as far back as you need it to align with the liner. The box in the pix would be too small for your needs, but it can be made to any size. You are looking at offset boxes online I assume, imagine that box but with out the bottom piece. It just uses to top of the stove as the bottom. Look at the attachment, I drew it up really quick its basic. It is the red lines.
Click to expand...

thanks again that would work but my liner comes down the flue several inches in back(rear) of the insert not on the top of the insert at all.
my insert hole is set all the way back about 1 inch from the rear of the insert ( Country C210 Performer)
the flex pipe / flue is several inches to the rear of that where there is no insert top to use as a base
the insert is several inches forward and there is not enough room / clearance to make a bend forward
i do appreciate all the help though, thanks but i think i am screwed here
i dont think this insert will connect to my Heatilator EC 36 fireplace flue which is set way in the back
Thank You any other ideas?
 
We make it wide enough so the draft will be effected very little if at all. We sell these boots quite often and not once have we hade someone say it reduced their draft.

You use metal screws to the top of the stove.
 
@chimneylinerjames - Would one of these work in my situation? I have 2" from the stove pipe to the back wall where the blower exhaust shoot out of.

I only need a 1"-1_1/2" offset.

I'd prefer the width to be minimal as well since the box will be blocking the airflow from the blower. I'm wondering if I should just get an insert at this point..

Photo Oct 01.jpg Photo Oct 01_2.jpg
 
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Looking at my clearances I don't think it would work unless It was something like this:
 

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Is there a way to use just an adjustable elbow? Seems like an adjustable elbow may be able to be adjusted in the right position to offset the liner just a bit. An adjustable elbow will go completely straight and anywhere in between.
 
Well, the 13NCi would be simpler, but you already know that. Does it have the leg kit? I am wondering if shortening the legs would provide enough room to let the flex to the offset. What is blocking the flex from coming a bit more forward toward the stove?
 
begreen said:
Well, the 13NCi would be simpler, but you already know that. Does it have the leg kit? I am wondering if shortening the legs would provide enough room to let the flex to the offset. What is blocking the flex from coming a bit more forward toward the stove?
Click to expand...
I thought about chopping a half inch off the legs :) Me and the wife much prefer the pedestal look and even the 1/2" chop on the legs might not be enough.

Hard to spend almost double the price on the 13NCi when it's probably an inferior product. I'm looking at other inserts now. Maybe the 13NCi, Century CW2900 or maybe bite the bullet and get an Osburn or the like.
 
Beegreen are you suggesting he put a freestanding stove inside a prefab fireplace? An insert in there has enough issues but a freestander?
 
bholler said:
Beegreen are you suggesting he put a freestanding stove inside a prefab fireplace? An insert in there has enough issues but a freestander?
Click to expand...
begreen was talking to me, I hijacked the original thread. I'm working on a masonry fireplace.
 
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