ICC Connector experts - is something amiss with my pipe?

[Nigel459]

Took apart and cleaned up the stove today and was about to sweep when I had a peek up there. I'm pretty sure something is amiss with my one year old install but want to see what you all think.

ICC Ultrablack connector. Beautiful stuff.

From stove up it goes an 18" length then joins to an adjustable length. This first join is the one in question. I can see the locking screws and pretty sure I can see the outer wall and thus a big gap in the inner pipe connection there.

It's hard to see in the photos but there seems to be a ridge an inch or so from the top of the inner wall of the lower section where the upper section should slide into to fix up the issue.

BUT, the head scratcher is that the outer wall looks to be snugged up as the screw hole would get hidden if it went down further.

UNLESS, the screw holes are not pre drilled in which case, can I can simply unscrew, tighten it up, pre-drill and screw per directions? ...

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[begreen]

Yes, a tap hole should have been pre-drilled in the inner wall. Instead the screw is just pushing in the liner.

 

[Nigel459]

Ok thanks. After drilling and re-screwing it looks basically the same.

This ICC Ultrablack seems to have more of a step-fit instead of a taper and the top inner wall sure looks like it's not seated down far enough into the "stepped" section in the bottom inner wall.

I'm sure I can see a gap between inner walls nearly all the way around... something still doesn't seem right to me.

Again, the top pipe is telescoping, bottom is a standard 18" length.

I guess I'm wondering, has anyone who has used the ICC Ultrablack has ever come across anything similar?

 

[Nigel459]

Ok I've taken the thing apart, measured, checked twice, and there is simply a visible gap in the inner wall at this joint between the bottom of the telescoping pipe and the standard section. I can see the outer wall through it. Very weird. I see nothing in the installation literature or product catalogues that indicate there's anything missing.

Some searching has revealed some debate about using furnace cement to achieve a good seal in a stove pipe, among other solutions... Is it ok to run with this gap?

 

[Nigel459]

Ok no one wants to join in but I'll keep a monologue going in case it helps anyone down the line!

I realized the the 18" length of pipe at the bottom wasn't actually necessary as the telescoping pipe only needed to go 57" and it can go to 69" or something I believe. So I removed it and have eliminated the gap in the inner wall issue.

However, the telescoping pipe fits higher on the stove collar, only 3/4" or so, whereas the 18" length fit almost 1" further down. This seems to confirm that the adjustable pipe is narrower, thus that gap. Weird. maybe that's why they put in the other length of pipe.

Is that 3/4" overlap enough at the stove? (the connectors all screwed together properly up the line etc) or I should grab an adapter?

Cheers

 

[Ludlow]

Is it long enough to get screws in the pipe? If so Id say yes.

 

[Nigel459]

Thanks for your input @Ludlow, much appreciated. The answer is, “barely”! I think I’ll try the stove adapter to improve the fit.

I’m hoping for an even cleaner pipe after this season by eliminating that gap...

Thanks for chiming in, was getting lonely in here haha

 

[bholler]

Is that a joint in the pipe we are looking at the inside of or is it at the stove collar?

 

[Nigel459]

Is that a joint in the pipe we are looking at the inside of or is it at the stove collar?

Hey thanks for chiming in. I’m just back from a trip up north thus the late reply...

It’s a joint in the pipe. First one up, between a standard section and the bottom of the telescoping section. The diameters definitely do not match up properly.