BK Princess installed with one question about chimney temps

[Edav]

I installed the my new bk princess today and used Duraplus Chimney pipe.

I was checking the temperature of the chimney sections and something didn't seem right.

In the attic one 36' piece of Class A felt noticeably cooler than the pipe directly above it.

It still wasn't too hot that I couldn't touch it, but that doesn't seem right.

Another words, one Class A pipe section was cooler then a Class A pipe section directly above it.

I am worried that there is a leak or somehow the inner pipe isn't lined up correctly and gases are making there way to the outside of the triple wall pipe from the inside for the pipe above.

Does this make sense?

Thanks for any insight!

 

[Poindexter]

There might be a leak in the pipe, most likely at a joint.

Odd, I'll check back tomorrow to see what the more experienced think.

 

[Gareth96]

Is there an elbow connected to the top of the higher section? So colder piece, hotter piece, elbow?

 

[Edav]

No elbow. Straight DVL to first ceiling, then duraplus in attic then through roof.

 

[Highbeam]

I have two stoves installed just like that and the chimneys behave as you would expect. Hotter at the bottom but almost the same temp.

Perhaps the hot chunk of pipe lacks insulation or it was packed looser on that length. Could just be a defective length of pipe that you paid big bucks for. Have you called duravent? Get average temperatures on the skins of each pipe with an IR gun (cheap is fine) and take a photo. Send to duravent. They should be emberrased if the temp differential is much.

 

[Edav]

I wanted to make sure it wasn't installation error first.

Today I took apart the chimney from the ceiling support to the roof. I swapped sections and put the "hot" piece on the roof. I just got the fire roaring and tested the pipes. The pipe in the attic is once again "hotter" than the one below it. I got on the roof and felt the pipe on the roof, and that pipe is "cooler" than the one below it, however that could just be because it is outside.

The only thing I can think is that there is pressure created at the chimney cap that is causing heat/smoke at a certain point in the chimney, and for me that is in the attic.

I am not happy about this and will be contacting duravent on Monday. Will post details of what they say. Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[kennyp2339]

I noticed almost the same thing with my duravent pipe to, your hot maybe different than my hot but it is noticeable , mine just feels warmer maybe 110deg ?, but anyway I chalked it to the pipe near the roof but in the attic was cooler because the colder outside temps influence it, the botton section attached to the support box is cooler because the pipe is slightly mounted off the support box to get airflow. that's how the chimney system stays cooler and why it has a reduced clearance (2") from combustibles. How many sections of triple wall are you running, I have (5) 3ft sections of class a pipe.

 

[Edav]

I have (3) 3 foot sections and (1) 1 foot section.

 

[Edav]

I spoke with a duravent technical engineer today.

He told me that the duraplus pipe pulls air from the ceiling support box through the outer wall of the pipe. This air then travels up the length of the chimney pipe all the way to the chimney cap as well as pulling cold air DOWN from the top of the chimney opening.

He says this constant flushing causes different temperate variations in the pipe, which can cause one section to be hotter than the other and that it is normal operation.

I did ask him why it wouldn't create a gradient of temperature difference instead of changing temp before and after a joint between two sections of pipe and he really didn't have an answer. But at least it makes sense enough that I know nothing is defective.

Hope this helps anyone else that noticed this.