Creosote from pipe after just 1/2 bag burned in new Big E...

[flamegrabber]

My stove was installed last weekend and so far I've burned 1.2 bag of Lignetics hardwood pellets.

It's vented vertically for ~18 feet TOTAL with 3" pipe and there's some creosote dripping from the pipe through one of the 45 degree joints.

I did burn it on low for a while.

Is this normal?

Thanks for any help,

FG.

 

[Xena]

Over ten tons through my st croix since new and
never once have I had "creosote dripping".
Always dry powdery ash when I brush down the
15+ foot of piping. (I used 4" pipe all the way up)

In light of my experiences I'd say it is not normal at all.

 

[jacobaimhoff]

you need to go to 4 in pipe, that distance is too much for 3 in.

 

[wil lanfear]

http://www.pelletking.com/pellet-stove-manuals/Breckwell-BigE-Pellet-Stove-Manual.pdf

I just finished helping my son install his vent for the Big-E per the instructions in the owners manual. Page number 7 explains the minimum venting requirements using the calculations. With the info that you have mentioned, IMO, you needed to use 4" pipe.

 

[flamegrabber]

I just spoke to an installer and he said it's most likely the oil coating coming down from the new pipes.

It looked and felt like oil and I find it hard to believe that after just 1/2 bag of high quality pellets, ( Lignetics Hardwood ) that left hardly any ash in the burnpot ( felt just like very fine sand, no creosote there ) that there'd be enough creosote in the pipe to leak down through a sealed joint.

But he did say keep an eye in it, which I'll do.

He said his set up a clean-out tee ( one 90 degree joint counts as 5 feet ) leads to a 25 foot vertical rise vent, all 3 inch pipe.

That's an EVL of 30, and he's never had any problems with it.

But thanks everyone for your suggestions. I will switch over to 4" pipe in a heart beat if I have to but I'll wait and see for now.

Thanks again,

FG.

http://www.pelletking.com/pellet-stove-manuals/Breckwell-BigE-Pellet-Stove-Manual.pdf

I just finished helping my son install his vent for the Big-E per the instructions in the owners manual. Page number 7 explains the minimum venting requirements using the calculations. With the info that you have mentioned, IMO, you needed to use 4" pipe.

 

[pelletwood]

My pipe also had some oil coating on the inside that burned off in a couple of hours.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

If it is an all vertical pipe, what is a 45 elbow doing in there? I would have used 4".

Eric

 

[flamegrabber]

The stove is back against a wall and vented up an existing wood stove metal chimney, which is directly above the middle of the stove.

So I used 2 45's to offset the 3" pipe from the back of the stove, and placed the 3" directly under the metal chimney and over the hopper lid, if you can picture it.

If I didn't used the 45's I'd have to place the rear of the stove directly under the metal chimney and go straight up, which would position it ( the stove ) too far out into the room.

I should have used 4" pipe and that was an oversight on my part, but I'm pretty sure it'll be fine. Many installations go much farther than I did using 3" pipe and have no problems.

We'll see.

Thanks,

FG.

If it is an all vertical pipe, what is a 45 elbow doing in there? I would have used 4".

Eric

 

[sinnian]

Where has the stove been sitting before it was lit up? Creosote is from moisture. Perhaps you're just burning the moisture out of your system.

 

[flamegrabber]

The pellet stove is brand new and replaces a small wood stove that use to be diectly under the metal chimney.

The 3" pipe goes all the way up the existing 8" wood stove pipe. So it's a brand new 3" pipe all the way up and through an 8" stove pipe. A 3" pipe within an 8" pipe. Isolated.

Creostoe is sticky, the liquid I wiped off the top of the pellet stove this morning was light brown and slippery. I'm pretty certain it was oil.

We'll see.

Thanks for the response, I'll report back when I know the facts.

FG.

Where has the stove been sitting before it was lit up? Creosote is from moisture. Perhaps you're just burning the moisture out of your system.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

I would have used 4". I am just glad it was not 10' + horizontal, lol.

Eric