Wood stove pipe keeps leaking!

[SWood]

Our wood stove has been leaking dark liquid for a while. We thought it was because of the pipe that was installed last year was not installed properly, so we had someone else install a new better quality pipe today and it is still leaking!

 

[Tron]

My guess is: Those pipe joints are usually only stuck into one another, and then secured by a few screws. Meaning they are not sealed. And your section looks like a horizontal section. So if you burn on low and it's cold outside, chances are that vapor will condense in the flue. If that drips down and mixes with the creosote, I'd expect to see what you are seeing there...

 

[Rearscreen]

It appears the pipe is in backwards? Flange wrong direction? If that's the back of the stove we are looking at.

 

[SWood]

It appears the pipe is in backwards? Flange wrong direction? If that's the back of the stove we are looking at.

It is the back of the stove. Posting a better picture, I'm not sure what part the flange is if you could clarify.

 

[Caw]

Do you have a chimney cap installed? Rain or snow is likely getting into the pipe somehow.

 

[Rearscreen]

So, let's say the the pipe was installed the other way, the condensation, creosote, moisture from wind swept rain enterering the cap, it would drip into the next section eventually burning up from the heat. The way it is, it drips. Now, if you truly do have a violation from the cap, that would not be good. Maybe a pic of the cap for us to see?

 

[Rearscreen]

Also, consider a "T" at the 90 angle.

 

[Highbeam]

Single wall or double wall pipe?

You can see more of the taper exposed on top indicating the 90 is not high enough.

 

[MongoMongoson]

Also, consider a "T" at the 90 angle.

I agree. It would be pretty normal with that kind of hook up to have a cleanout T female end attached to the stove, female pointing up, and male pointing down with a cleanout cap on it. That is the way the old rear exit Fishers hooked up, an that is how I had my All Nighter hooked up.

 

[SWood]

So, let's say the the pipe was installed the other way, the condensation, creosote, moisture from wind swept rain enterering the cap, it would drip into the next section eventually burning up from the heat. The way it is, it drips. Now, if you truly do have a violation from the cap, that would not be good. Maybe a pic of the cap for us to see?

 

[GENECOP]

That cap looks worthy of a closer look...
Something doesn’t look right, looks like a lopsided flattened black top hat...

 

[Rearscreen]

Looks normal to me but I would have added bracing as 2 joints above the roof would scare me. - not related to your issue. The cap looks pretty dark with creosote which I would get if I had a spark arrestor..." looks like a lopsided flattened black top hat"...Angle of pic is bad to determine. Get the binoculars out and have a look see. But all this aside, no T and the flange installed reversed will give you the drip drip drips...

 

[PA Mountain Man]

My 2sence. If the liquid is dripping out during dry weather you are getting condensation inside the pipe. The cap looks well coated with creosote. I can't tell if the pipe above the roof is single wall or double wall. Single wall would be bad.
It looks to me like you are burning at low temps and probably not burning dry wood.
It doesn't matter which way the pipe is put together, you are on the road to a chimney fire.
I would let the fire go out, remove and inspect the inside pipe and clean the pipe thru the roof.
There are a lot of things to learn on the smoke dragons.
Here is a good place to start
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/papa-bear-no-stovepipe-damper.185565/
@coaly knows. Read his posts.
Just some friendly advice.

 

[coaly]

Our wood stove has been leaking dark liquid for a while. We thought it was because of the pipe that was installed last year was not installed properly, so we had someone else install a new better quality pipe today and it is still leaking! View attachment 274727

Do you have a thermometer on the pipe??
Chances are you are burning too cool.

Water vapor from combustion condenses in the chimney and flue pipe below 250* f. This wets the walls of the chimney allowing smoke particles to stick. This forms creosote. The object is keeping the temperature above 250* to the top when smoke is present.

Notice the temperature graduations on a pipe thermometer for cool, normal and hot operation. Keep it in the normal zone when smoke is present. The thermometer on the pipe surface reads about 1/2 the actual inside flue gas temp. So 250 on the dial is about 500 internal. This cools as it rises, hence the 250 reading is giving you the estimated flue temp at top after cooling.

Wood (Edit) above 20% moisture content adds even more water vapor that needs to be evaporated and driven out the flue at higher temps. Both a moisture meter and pipe thermometer should solve your problems.

 

[PA Mountain Man]

Wood below 20% moisture content
Did you mean above?

 

[begreen]

What brand of stove pipe is this? Double or single wall? The elbow connection to the stove adapter is wrong if this is single-wall. The crimped end always points to the stove. This is so that creosote and moisture drip back into the stove.

That chimney must get a proper bracing installed at the 5' level.

 

[coaly]

Wood below 20% moisture content
Did you mean above?

Yes, edited thanks