HELP! DVL Install Problem

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Bugboy

New Member
Mar 5, 2007
102
north-central Kansas
I'm in the middle of trying to install my DVL stove pipe and have hit a problem. I have the close clearance adapter (8674) and I installed it into the ceiling box. When I tried to mate the DVL stovepipe to it it would not connect. The top of the stovepipe hit the bottom of the ceiling box before the tabs got in deep enough to connect and hold.

So I got a new close clearance adatper (now that the first one was ruined trying to get it out) and I put it in the stovepipe and tried to mate it with the ceiling box. Same problem, the top of the stovepipe hit the bottom of the ceiling box before the tabs had a chance to grab on to anything.

Have you run into this problem?

Looking at all of the Simpson literature, it looks like the close clearance adapter is the only part that can be used to mate the DVL to the ceiling box.

The only fix that I can see right now is to grind down the top of the DVL stovepipe so that I can get deeper penetration so the tabs can find something to hold on to. But it looks like grinding would do away witht the rivets that are holding the interior and exterior walls together.

Am I an idiot and just not seeing something? Is there a "trick" involved?
 
This may seem obvious, but just to eliminate possibilities, is this a Simpson brand ceiling support box? Is it possible that the DVL pipe is upside down?
 
No, I've double and triple checked that. I've even tried two different pieces of DVL.
 
I was gonna post the same thing yesterday. I'm in the same boat except I'm trying to tie into a thimble.
I ran the stove. The pipe isn't going anywhere but I'd like to get a proper connection.
Now that my stove is cool I'm going to try to get the adapter out of the DVL without trashing it and regroup.
It almost seems like you need to rotate it after putting the 4 tabs in the 4 slots of the finishing collar ? I couldn't accomplish that, though.
I'll let you know if I come up with a solution.
 
Yes, the pipe is inserted, then rotated to lock the tabs.
 
When you try to twist the tabs past the notches the tabs hook on the sides of the notches so the adapter just spins inside the DVL.
I had these 3 small pieces in my shop so it was manageable. I was able to reach through the DVL and tap the adapter torwards the finishing collar.
It would not go in far enough for the tabs to engage. That also explains why it wouldn't "twist lock".
I decided to grind the corners off the tabs that go into the collar notches hoping they'd "ramp" into place when turned. No go.
I ended up grinding the tabs shorter and then prying them back out a bit.
This, essentially, moved the tabs farther apart. My 6"x6" DVL is now locked to the finishing collar.
I don't think this could be accomplished by just pushing the 2 pieces of pipe torwards each other.
Once the adapter is locked to one piece you need to be able to get inside that piece and drive the adapter torwards the other piece.

My adapter was already locked to the DVL when I realized my predicament. Maybe if I locked it to the finishing collar 1st I could have driven the adapter into the DVL.
I doubt it though. I think the tabs are just too close together.
I hope you guys can follow this babble. LOL
 
when I installed mine I inserted the tabs of the adapter into the ceiling support and turned it to the point midway between the female slots, left it there then pushed the pipe on. The adapter does not twist lock into the support box.
 
I don't know if the previous post was clear, put the adapter into the support box then push the pipe onto it.
 
Well, I got it installed. First I cut of 1/16 - 1/8" off of the DVL,,, it still wouldn't go. Next I cut 1/32" to 1/16" off of the tabs,,,, that did the trick.

Got the pipe installed and started a little fire. I think this 30-NC is going to keep me pretty warm this winter. I'll post some pics of the final product a little later.

Thanks for your help.
 
I just installed my DVL and didn't have any problems. Did you have the small end of the snap connector in the DVL pipe?
I pressed the the small end of the snap connector into the DVL just until I could hear the taps snap into place, then I could insert the other end in the support box and twist to lock into place.
 
I need to install the Close Clearance Adapter between DVL pipe and a DuraPlus wall thimble. After reading these posts it's not clear which end to install first.

Should I connect the Close Clearance Adapter first to the thimble and then to the DVL or the other way around? I see both mentioned in this post. Does it matter?
 
DVL is fitted and screw together. The class A is fitted and twisted together. The class A only passes through the thimble, not fittings there.

You have a thimble with class A going through it, a finishing collar on the class A piece inside (twist locked), the adapter into the finishing collar (twist locked), and the DVL pressed onto the adapter.

Make sense?
 
Thanks. Everything makes sense except for one thing. The DuraPlus through-the-wall kit has a wall thimble but no finishing collar. It looks like the Clearance Adapter snaps over a lip on the black section of the wall thimble - the piece on the inside. Do you know if that works or if I need the finishing collar?

Also, reading earlier posts on this thread it seems it might be easier to connect one end first. Does it matter?
 
Sorry, I was referring to DuraTech. I don't think DuraPlus is much different though.

On DuraTech. a finishing collar is a requirement on any installation. The class A passes through the thimble, hangs out 6 inches, and the finishing collar twists onto it. I would call the mfg or the retail for sure on the DuraPlus though.

I assembled everything for the class A starting at the bottom up to the top. Then, I installed the DVL from the stove up to the class A. Where they connect at the adaptor, the DVL snaps into the adaptor but the adaptor twists onto the class A. So, you don't really have a choice if you want the pre-drilled holes on the DVL to line up correctly :)

Once you have the parts you *think* you need, make sure everything goes together before you drill any holes.
 
Thanks again. My setup is DuraTech DVL from the stove to the wall thimble. The wall thimble and everything else is DuraPlus.

DuraPlus is different than DuraTech. The hole in the wall thimble is about 6 inches in diameter so only the center pipe of the class A pipe fits into center hole in the thimble . And the center pipe does not extend beyond the thimble - it is about 1/8 inch short the face of the black section that faces the room.

It looks like the Close Clearance Adapter presses into the thimble and the ridges on it snap over the edge of the thimble hole. On the DVL end it looks like the adapter either snaps in or twist locks.
 
I have had people put the CCA (close clearance adaptor) in upside down, and also put the entire DVL vent run in upside down. Usually they figure it out when they get to the end and something doesn't line up right. BTW everything has a flow direction arrow on the sticker with the part #. This is the only situation when I have ever had problems with the DVL pipe. Thats all we use for wood stove installs.
 
We got everything installed successfully today. First pressed the Close Clearance Adapter into the DVL - it was a snap fit, not twist on. Then pressed the Close Clearance Adapter into the thimble and the ridges on it snapped over the edge of the thimble hole. No problem on either end.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.