Dripping down the flue

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Joshuabienlein

New Member
Oct 2, 2011
34
Baltimore MD
Hello :)

I posted here a good few months back about problems ive been having with my earth stove mp35-50. Got everything solved. HOWEVER there is some black like substance dripping from the flue pipes. Its really wet and black when the stove runs for along time. And ive been whiping it away for a while now, ive got alot of running down the outside of the flue. This stuff hardens back up in a few days. I know this cant be right.

Contractor told me its normal, and that the sealant used was per manufacturer. I asked for more information and its been 10+ days with no responce.

Pics upon request.
 
Joshuabienlein said:
Hello :)

I posted here a good few months back about problems ive been having with my earth stove mp35-50. Got everything solved. HOWEVER there is some black like substance dripping from the flue pipes. Its really wet and black when the stove runs for along time. And ive been whiping it away for a while now, ive got alot of running down the outside of the flue. This stuff hardens back up in a few days. I know this cant be right.

Contractor told me its normal, and that the sealant used was per manufacturer. I asked for more information and its been 10+ days with no responce.

Pics upon request.

Please post the pictures and this is coming down the outside correct. Have you checked the inside of the flue. This sounds like creosote but why the outside and I sure hope it isn't on the inside because it isn't a good thing.
 
Why is it leaking out the pipes? If its sealed, there should be no leakage.

What brand of venting do have?? And can you explain every piece of the venting, including lengths and what is inside and whats outside??
 

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This is a new system, everything is well under a year old. This is coming from the outside of the pipe. The brand would be simpson duravent 4pvp. I believe this is the sealent used to connect the pipe. Working on pictures.
 
Holy chit Ida never guessed a p/stove could do that!

Like Dex said hows it getting on the outside?
 
That doesn't look like any sealant I've ever used, can you get a picture in the attic area please.

I hope the dumbo you had do the work didn't use tar against the pipe where it went through the roof.
 
Just looking at that Fire in the last pic says its a Lazy/Sooty flame. That stove needs cleaned (prob plugged up BIG TIME) and the motors completely disassembled and lubed and cleaned. The vent needs swept/cleaned.

When was the last time you had the stove apart and dis a Deep Clean to it? Including all the small passages and ash traps??

Also you added more vent in your previous thread. The Woodstove rule is 10-3-2 for venting. Does not apply to pellet stoves. You added more restrictions to the system by adding that. IMO. I would have left it alone.

You also stated the voltage on High in the previous thread was like 74 or 75. Should be much higher than that??? No??? Maybe they work different. But most stoves on High should be around 110v.


Just an observation. But I wouldnt run the stove until it has been fully taken apart, all ash traps cleaned, and the vent fully swept out. Then when its fully cleaned, if the stive has a damper on it? Open it much more than it was.

Is that black stuff hard??? The way Pellet vent pro is designed, the male goes into the female. So it shouldn't leak out, if it were to create anything of that sort, it should be contained within the system.

Maybe I am wrong. But that looks bad to me.
 
DexterDay said:
Just looking at that Fire in the last pic says its a Lazy/Sooty flame. That stove needs cleaned (prob plugged up BIG TIME) and the motors completely disassembled and lubed and cleaned. The vent needs swept/cleaned.

When was the last time you had the stove apart and dis a Deep Clean to it? Including all the small passages and ash traps??

Also you added more vent in your previous thread. The Woodstove rule is 10-3-2 for venting. Does not apply to pellet stoves. You added more restrictions to the system by adding that. IMO. I would have left it alone.

You also stated the voltage on High in the previous thread was like 74 or 75. Should be much higher than that??? No??? Maybe they work different. But most stoves on High should be around 110v.


Just an observation. But I wouldnt run the stove until it has been fully taken apart, all ash traps cleaned, and the vent fully swept out. Then when its fully cleaned, if the stive has a damper on it? Open it much more than it was.

Is that black stuff hard??? The way Pellet vent pro is designed, the male goes into the female. So it shouldn't leak out, if it were to create anything of that sort, it should be contained within the system.

Maybe I am wrong. But that looks bad to me.

Dexter the venting is in conformance with the earth stove manual. It is almost a wood stove.
 
That picture was taken after the fans were turned off, so ofcourse the flame would look lazy. Ive taken this whole stove apart and cleaned everything out myself, as for the fan voltages, the owners manual states that its the correct voltage.

Went into theatic and took some pictures. Its not tar from the roof, but maybe they used tar for the connections in the living room?
 
If its some sort of sealant and not creosote it will eventually stop. no?

I know if thats the case you'd probly want to reseal with the correct substance.
 
You had better clean that piping and find out the topmost place it is on the outside of the pipe and look in that area, in the meantime do not run the stove.

That looks like it could be creosote, I've never seen a silicone sealant do that even when used at the combustion blower as gasket replacement.

msmith66 is absolutely correct, time for a cleaning.
 
Cleaning is no problem, however i find it odd that it would require it with maybe a total of 10 full bags burned.

The upper most part that i see it coming out of is the first bend right after the ceiling penetration into the attic
 
Boy, that looks like creosote to me! Remember I had a buildup a few years ago after running on low for an extended period of time? That is a long vent pipe and it would give the gasses time to cool off and the moisture would condense on the walls of the pipe. The pictures from the attic support this as it's far from the stove and thus cooler. Now, why is it dripping on the outside?
 
That last picture just about says it all it is coming from the inside of the venting and you have at least one bad seal this doesn't answer the question if it is what was used as a sealant but it could be.

I'd want to see the inside of that venting as well. Not safe to burn in until cleaned and properly sealed.
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
DexterDay said:
Just looking at that Fire in the last pic says its a Lazy/Sooty flame. That stove needs cleaned (prob plugged up BIG TIME) and the motors completely disassembled and lubed and cleaned. The vent needs swept/cleaned.

When was the last time you had the stove apart and dis a Deep Clean to it? Including all the small passages and ash traps??

Also you added more vent in your previous thread. The Woodstove rule is 10-3-2 for venting. Does not apply to pellet stoves. You added more restrictions to the system by adding that. IMO. I would have left it alone.

You also stated the voltage on High in the previous thread was like 74 or 75. Should be much higher than that??? No??? Maybe they work different. But most stoves on High should be around 110v.


Just an observation. But I wouldnt run the stove until it has been fully taken apart, all ash traps cleaned, and the vent fully swept out. Then when its fully cleaned, if the stive has a damper on it? Open it much more than it was.

Is that black stuff hard??? The way Pellet vent pro is designed, the male goes into the female. So it shouldn't leak out, if it were to create anything of that sort, it should be contained within the system.

Maybe I am wrong. But that looks bad to me.

Dexter the venting is in conformance with the earth stove manual. It is almost a wood stove.

Ok...... The vent might have to be that high and the voltage may be correct. The Flames should be out when the you kill the blowers?? Even if its done manually,????

But that $#it isnt tar... Its coming from the joints and does not look safe to me.

Either way, it needs taken fully apart. Downloading manual now. To better understand.

Pellet stoves can create creosote. Although amlost all do not when operating correctly.

Do you have any video of it running that can be posted to YouTube?
 
That looks like creosote to me. I'd be taking it apart just to make sure. Also, I can't tell from the pics, is the male (crimped) end pointing down? It should be inside the female below it so creosote would drip down the interior of the pipe and back into the stove.

Matt
 
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