Help with a leaky pipe

[RockyMountain]

Hi all,

I recently purchased a home which had a wood stove established, however the former owners took it with them. I purchased a nice stove, but due to the existing horizontal piping through the outside wall, I am forced to vent the stove with a vertical section of pipe into a 90 degree elbow, that in turn goes into a dripless adapter. For some reason, when the stove is closed off to burn slow the fitting where the dripless adapter meets the elbow leaks despite this being a very tight fitting.

There is a small amount of bind in the overall joint which is because I didn't want to have to cut about 1/2 inch off of the vertical pipe.

Any suggestions???

 

[pen]

Is this connected with single wall stove pipe? If so, are the male ends of the pipe facing down? If I'm picturing what you are describing correctly, it sounds like it's dripping at a 90 right above the stove, before the horizontal run to the wall?

Any chance you could post a pic or two of the setup and the problem area, that would be a big help.

Good luck, and welcome to the site.

 

[RockyMountain]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have clarified in that the pipe is leaking smoke when the stove is shut down to a slow burn. The horizontal wall has metalbestos that empties into a horizontal adapter. The 90 degree elbow hooks to the adapter and then to a vertical piece of single wall pipe that goes into the stove. All the male ends are pointing toward the stove, and the fitting that smokes is very tight. Im wondering if this isn't just a draft problem? Ill get some photos today.

Thanks again.

 

[pen]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have clarified in that the pipe is leaking smoke when the stove is shut down to a slow burn. The horizontal wall has metalbestos that empties into a horizontal adapter. The 90 degree elbow hooks to the adapter and then to a vertical piece of single wall pipe that goes into the stove. All the male ends are pointing toward the stove, and the fitting that smokes is very tight. Im wondering if this isn't just a draft problem? Ill get some photos today.

Thanks again.

It sounds like a draft problem. Has the chimney been cleaned before you started operation? Is there a cap? I'm wondering if there is a restriction. That joint, even if it isn't tight, should see negative pressure from the draft of the chimney, and should be sucking in air, not letting out smoke.

Hmm.

Also, how low are you turning this down? Is the glass on the stove staying clean?

As far as the chimney, is it at least 3 feet above where it sticks out of the roof? And at least 2 feet higher than anything within 10 ft of the cap?

What's the overall height of the chimney?

 

[RockyMountain]

I think have it resolved, and that it was simply a draft issue that created out of a combination of things. The weather last night was about -8 when the issue happened, and my wife had shut the flue completely to let the fire burn slowly. The chimney is relatively short, and expecting all the heat to go through the heat chambers on side of the stove before going up the chimney pipe wasn't enough force to keep -8 degree air from pushing some smoke back down. Unfortunately, the two 90 degree elbows in the path of the pipe don't help, but I haven't had any trouble now that Ive cracked the ash pan slightly to allow for some draft from the bottom.

 

[bholler]

Do not crack open the ash pan drawer most manufacturers specifically say not to do this you run the risk of over firing very easily. I know some people do this to help with startup but even that is not a good idea

 

[RockyMountain]

Would my alternative then be to never completely close the flue to make sure I have an adequate draft?

 

[pen]

Would my alternative then be to never completely close the flue to make sure I have an adequate draft?

Yep, I'd start there.

Also, is your flue a SS insulated chimney? Or masonry? If it's SS, I'd be throwing another couple foot section of pipe on it.