This seems to be a redundant question/topic on this board so this will be the last time I personally bring it up. I installed Simpson Duravent PelletPro vent from my Big E and after sealing all the joints prior to installing, even the lock-joints and the manufactured seems, we still have smoke in the house! I even ran a bead of sealer around the joint on the outside of the vents to be certain. Is this product just not that good and I need to select another vent system and if so what would everyone recommend? Thank you!
Still Smoking....
- Thread starter JoeTammy
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How much smoke in the house? And for how long? Is the smoke just on the initial 15 minute startup? Was this all just installed?
The smoke begins on start-up and increases for the duration of the burn. I just installed the stove a couple weeks back in the rear of the house and you can see smoke in the front of the house, approximately 30' away.
j00fek
Feeling the Heat
i would get right up to your pipes when you start up the stove and see if you can get the area where the smoke is coming from
i had this same problem on my first burn but it was just the burn off smoke from my newly painted duravent pipes
i had this same problem on my first burn but it was just the burn off smoke from my newly painted duravent pipes
slls
Minister of Fire
Did you check the pipes in the dark with a strong flash light. Mine was leaking at the adapter, it could only be seen with the side panel open, it was smoking out the adapter air gap.
I tried this but can't see the smoke escaping-even in a completely dark room with a flashlight.
At lunch today I took a walk down to the local stove shop and asked them about this issue. Initially they explained to me that they install the Simpson Duravent pipe and never had a problem with it. I explained how I installed it right after I bought the kit at HD. Three guys in the shop stood up and said, "Ahhh, right there, that's the problem." I was told Simpson manufacture's this pipe exclusively for HD and it is a much cheaper made product than the vent Simpson would normaly manufacture. Is this really the case?
At lunch today I took a walk down to the local stove shop and asked them about this issue. Initially they explained to me that they install the Simpson Duravent pipe and never had a problem with it. I explained how I installed it right after I bought the kit at HD. Three guys in the shop stood up and said, "Ahhh, right there, that's the problem." I was told Simpson manufacture's this pipe exclusively for HD and it is a much cheaper made product than the vent Simpson would normaly manufacture. Is this really the case?
j00fek
Feeling the Heat
no idea, i got mine at lowes
did you use high temp silicone? i did this on all of my connections.
my father used the silicone and tape on his connections
did you use high temp silicone? i did this on all of my connections.
my father used the silicone and tape on his connections
I used "RTV" silicone and sealed the inside of all the connections and then ran a bead around the outside of all the connections. I even sealed all the manufactured seams of the elbows and pipe and it still smokes.
Very weird. One of my friends has the same set that he bought at HD without issue. I should have mine installed by the weekend, have the same kit, I will let you know. What about wind? And what type of install do you have? Are you getting some sort of crazy backdraft? My install is going to be straight out the back facing the east. Wish I could help more, that why I am asking more questions and hopefully this might trigger a response from someone else. As for what the guy said at the local stove shop, of course they would say this since they want to charge $650 bucks for a simple install at my house...
I don't think wind is an issue-I have a horizontal cap on the end of the vent. My install came out of the stove into an adpater, clean-out tee, 36" vertical pipe, 12" adjustable pipe, 90-degree elbow, 12" horizontal pipe through a wall thimble and ending with the horizontal cap. To replace this HD pipe with the local stove vent pipe will run $375 for just the materials (that's a half tank of NO. 2 fuel oil) not to mention the cost of the HD vent!
slls
Minister of Fire
ICC Excel will fix your problem. Silicone o-rings seal it and it is one peice no joint all lazer welded inside and out with a lifetime warrenty. Also you can {unofficially} cut Excel pipe to exact length if need be, the only pellet pipe I know of that you can do this with and no silicone needed at any joint but the stove adapter at the stove end.
It is stupid expensive but well worth it and a joy to work with.
Quote from Excel:
Laser welded stainless steel flue resists corrosion from all agricultural products including corn.
Laser welded galvalume steel outer casing. The primary applications for galvalume are automotive and metal building cladding. It is much more corrosion resistant than galvanized and is designed to be painted.
Lifetime warranted pure silicone gasket is 100% leak proof eliminating the need for field application of silicone.
Smooth clean exterior finish looks like single wall pipe.
Very easy to paint in the field.
It is stupid expensive but well worth it and a joy to work with.
Quote from Excel:
Laser welded stainless steel flue resists corrosion from all agricultural products including corn.
Laser welded galvalume steel outer casing. The primary applications for galvalume are automotive and metal building cladding. It is much more corrosion resistant than galvanized and is designed to be painted.
Lifetime warranted pure silicone gasket is 100% leak proof eliminating the need for field application of silicone.
Smooth clean exterior finish looks like single wall pipe.
Very easy to paint in the field.
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j00fek
Feeling the Heat
slls said:
i was going to suggest this as well, i also put silicone in my adapter on the end that faces the stove (looks like i shouldn't have by the setup but you never know)
first thing i would do is try to isolate the area where the smoke is coming from
obviously its inside the house, where your pipe goes to the outside, concentrate on this area to try and pin point the area where the leak is coming from.
too bad its not sunny today and or you have sunlight on the pipe that is leaking as you could be able to catch where the smoke is comning from (just checked the radar and itll be raining all day it seems.)
j00fek
Feeling the Heat
It's been very frustrating trying to find the leak. The room has been completely dark and I can not find any seepage from the pipe at all with a flashlight. I'm beginning to wonder if the smoke is escaping from the stove somehow/somewhere...
if the RTV you used is of the clear variety, the smoke will begin to stain where ever the smoke is leaking from, turning the silcone yellowish. that may help you locate the leak. Leaks at the adapter are the worst. The distribution fan will grab the smoke before you can see it. Sneaky little buggers.
Unfortunately I used black silicon to seal the joints. At this point we are contemplating just tearing out the Duravent and installing a different/new vent system. Which leads me to another two questions: I heard someone mention the ICC Excel vent but where can I get it around Portland, ME and what are the other alternatives? ...and how do I now get the silicon I used around the adapter where it meets the stove removed so I can get a good seal with the new adaptor?
I'll try that...plug the exhaust on the outside. Any suggestions for cleaning the silicone off the stove where the adapter connects in the event I replace the vent system completely?
pellet9999
Member
I am on my second burn with a Big E. I have a small leak also even after putting foil tape on the inside joints. (by the way my tape didnt say hi temp,Home Depot but it sure seals good..??? 8 $.
Nashua 322 foil tape. Watch out at Home Depot, they will always recommend the more expensive stuff.Its a policy with them.
I am not impressed with the Big E and have it for sale. But if I had it to do again I would not go ..adaptor-tee the tech at Duravent said its ok but I think he is WRONG. its too abrupt a turn
right out of the stove.I put silicone on the adaptor but you have to smear it all in the inside of the stainless inner pipe. Any missed points will show up with that sharp turn that you have.
Lots of pressure there. After the foil tape its better but not perfect. If you are going to use that stave for your main heat ,I would pull it apart and do a straighter vent and seal the heck out of the adaptor.
Nashua 322 foil tape. Watch out at Home Depot, they will always recommend the more expensive stuff.Its a policy with them.
I am not impressed with the Big E and have it for sale. But if I had it to do again I would not go ..adaptor-tee the tech at Duravent said its ok but I think he is WRONG. its too abrupt a turn
right out of the stove.I put silicone on the adaptor but you have to smear it all in the inside of the stainless inner pipe. Any missed points will show up with that sharp turn that you have.
Lots of pressure there. After the foil tape its better but not perfect. If you are going to use that stave for your main heat ,I would pull it apart and do a straighter vent and seal the heck out of the adaptor.
JoeTammy said:
That theory is very hard for me to believe.
Pellet vent is expensive and probably for a good reason. That being in it`s fabrication processes.
Both the the material and construction has to meet and/or exceed testing standards.
That said , it`s my opinion that this standard grade is borderline in quality at best anyway and I could not imagine they would make a line of this pipe with lower quality than their standard line PV already is.
I understand there is a higher quality product available by at least one manufacturer and this is good since the standard line is itself questionable .
But few things surprise me anymore so go ahead and enlighten me if you can.
I think it's very common for these mass retailers (HD, Lowes, Wal-Mart, etc) to have a product manufactured cheaper so they can sell it cheaper. Sure there are standards that need to be met but these companies, in most instances, don't exceed those standards-it's too expensive. Part of me wants to believe the guys in the shop shot down HD because they also have a product to sell. However, when I can buy the Simpson vent kit (the whole kit with lots of left-over pieces) for $229 from HD and the stove shop wants to sell me just the pieces I need for $375, a 60% increase, this has more to do with the quality of the stove shop pipe vs the buying power of HD...just my opinion.
FHS- Is there a better product than Simpson Duravent that you are aware of?
Thanks!
FHS- Is there a better product than Simpson Duravent that you are aware of?
Thanks!
Xena
Minister of Fire
JoeTammy said:
You may want to go back and read through the thread. I believe Flashbang
already mentioned a good alternative in post #11. G'luck!
Would that be the Excel wonder-pipe that Alan is having leak like a sieve in this post? https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/25627/zeta said:
Venting pipe is beginning to sound like a religion here. Truth be told, lots of people have successful installations with all of the various brands (Selkirk, Duravent and Duravent Pro, Excel) and other people have problems with these as well. There is no magic fairy dust involved.
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