6" stove to 8" Double Wall Chimney?

[vanhoesenj]

Hi all -

This is a double post from the thread on the Century stoves at Lowes, I realized it might not get much viewing if I didn't post a new thread. I'm debating whether to replace my older VC Vigilant with this stove:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?acti...ctId=135410-1639-FW300010&lpage=none&pad=true

I have a short stainless double wall chimney exiting a shed roof, ~ 2 feet into the room, through the roof (maybe another 2-3 feet) and then 5 feet above the roof. Inside I have black pipe connecting the stove to the double wall pipe (~ 4-5 feet). So the total "chimney" from the stove connection is ~12-14 feet. I'm wondering if I'll have much reduction in draft over such a short run? I did a search and read through all the posts on 6-8" but most of them are in regards to clay lined chimneys or liners.

Does anyone think I'm crazy for swapping out the Vigilant for the Century? The Vigilant is happily pumping out good heat, but I know it's not as efficient as the newer stoves AND my wife would love to be able to see the flames (ok, I would too). So any thoughts on trading in a great cast iron workhorse for a more efficient non-cast stove?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions. I'll post pics if anyone wants to see them.
cheers
John

 

[elkimmeg]

Did you know Viligants had optional glass doors? and that I have seen them sold. At the woodsman or discount stove parts one of those reptailers

You have a couple of strike against the modern effecien stoves. One they are much more draft senstive measning I don't think you have a chance in Hello to get them to draft and function correctly in your current chimney setup


Even you Villigant requires 16' verticle run Running a 6" in a situation already fare too short and needing a more demanding draft to run it properly won't work no matter what price of the stove.

So you have 3 options live withwhat you have BTW the second generation Villigants did have thermoatically controled secondary air and burn
second option keep what you have and locate glass doors
third option replace what you have which will include that existing chimney and add to the verticle length.

Part of lack of response to you prior inquiry was many do not want to tell one he has inadequate setup Some do not want to to reply negatively
Me I feel I doing a Howard Cosell and telling it like it is not negative but just the facts mam

 

[webbie]

I will offer an opposing opinion to Cosell......

Straight up prefabs tend to have strong draft. You know better than anyone whether your draft is decent. A vigilant requires as much or more draft than a non cat of the type you are looking at.

There were glass door panels for the Vig, but as I remember only to fit doors that already had the removable cast inserts. Also, they will get very dirty as they do not have proper airwash.

As you may have seen in previous discussions, chimneys are a long and complex subject. I've had 12 foot straight up chimneys draft to beat the band, and 40 foot exterior brick ones that are terrible. All in all, your setup has a decent chance of working correctly. As said previously, you probably know better than any because if your Vig is easy to start and can go into downdraft position, that is saying something.

 

[vanhoesenj]

Thanks for the brutal truth Elk That's what I wanted to hear (e.g. either it will or won't work). I have another 4 ft section I'm going to add to the outside chimney this spring when I re-roof the shed room BUT I haven't had ANY issues with draft using this stove, even when it's warm. No backpuffing, runs steady through the night on cold nights and just kicks out the heat (running at 600 degrees right now stovetop temp).

I was just thinking that if the smoke didn't have to travel as far it might not matter if it's an 8" chimney... considering some folks are attaching 6" to 8" with much higher than I have... For the $400 I just might try it and if it doesn't work hold on to it until next winter season when folks are headed to Lowes to buy them for $800 again.


EDIT: Yeah, I poked around for the doors, but apparently they can't fit them for my stove... I would definately have black soot, in updraft it stays hot (~350-400) but does produce a bit of creosote, but it burns off as soon as I get it hot again. Thanks for an alternative perspective.
cheers
John

 

[vanhoesenj]

Hi again, just bumping this up to see if anyone thinks I'm crazy for giving up the old cast iron Vigilant for the thinner Century? I have the 2000 sq.ft model sitting in my living room ready to install. If I don't install it here I'll just sell it for a tad over what I paid to recoup the investment. Anyone have any thoughts? Now that I have it here I'm stuck on this fence... argh!

Thanks
J~

 

[Gooserider]

The price you paid for the new (VC) Century is low enough that as long as you don't overfire it or otherwise do it in, you probably will still be able to sell it at a profit even if it's used. Aside from it being a pain in the a..natomy I see no reason not to swap out the two stoves - the old one isn't going to vanish when you take the pipe off, and if you don't like the results you can always put things back the way they were....

(Elk, close your eyes for a moment) Assuming your old stove was a safe install, I'd think swapping a new one into the same place isn't going to be unsafe, so I doubt that you'd gain much by pulling a permit, act dumb if anybody asks you about it until you've made up your mind...

Gooserider

 

[elkimmeg]

John code wise 6' into 8 is allowed, however code wise certaint manufactures specs have to be followed such as Verticle length requirements.
There is also a code that states something like this And I hesitate to anounce this but if an appliance has worked d=safetly in an location or setup for many years then it can be replaced withan alike appliance with similar capacities. This is one hard code to prove in terms of equilvancies. 4' more feet may make a world of difference.

With all the insurance talk, try out your new purchase, as Goose and craig suggested, then do the right thing and pull a permit. Get it inspected .Then copy
your approval and send it to your insurance Co.

To me ,I would not have been diss honest, if I did not point out the existing short commings of your setup. But also pointed out alternatives to achieve better preformance and greater sucess

Good luck and report back how things worked out. We want pictures of sucessfull installations and your assesment of stove preformance helps others make informed decisions