Is this too much fire in Drolet Deco?

[begreen]

This is the base of DSP telescoping pipe.

 

[Gray_Day_On_Oregon_Coast]

If this was DSP stovepipe then the bottom inner layer would be crimped. That's why I wondered if this is an older product. How old is the stove pipe?

This is what modern DSP looks like.
View attachment 337218

The chimney adapter is up top at the ceiling support box. Not at the bottom.

It was installed in 2023, but the bottom inner layer is totally smoothe.

 

[begreen]

As Stovelark said, I think I'm missing this at the top: https://www.amazon.com/Metalbest-266244-Universal-Chimney-Adapter/dp/B004HAG792/ref=mp_s_a_1_12

That may get you there if it fits the telescoping pipe. Check measurements.
https://www.amazon.com/Metalbest-26...sprefix=chimney+pipe+adapter+,aps,289&sr=8-12

I also think I'm missing this at the bottom by the stove: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007JVLFAC?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image

All I literally have on there right now is a DW telescoping pipe.

If the DSP damper section fits the flue collar well then this may not be needed.

The telescoping pipe brand is unknown. Call the shop that installed it and ask what they are using for double-wall stovepipe.

 

[Gray_Day_On_Oregon_Coast]

Okay, I got ahold of the shop and they use "Excel." Or maybe "XL." I can't find out much about it, though. I'm so confused. That might explain why the installer said he couldn't find an adapter.

 

[begreen]

Great, that's a good pipe. It could be if the crimp at the top is inserted into the gap of the stove pipe. If I zoom in to the picture of the support box, that looks like that may be the case. If it's Ultrablack then their damper section is part UBD.

 

[Gray_Day_On_Oregon_Coast]

Great, that's a good pipe. It could be if the crimp at the top is inserted into the gap of the stove pipe. If I zoom in to the picture of the support box, that looks like that may be the case. If it's Ultrablack then their damper section is part UBD.

What do you mean by gap of the stove pipe?

 

[begreen]

What do you mean by gap of the stove pipe?

There is an inner and outer layer in double wall. Does the crimp at the top go between these layers?

 

[Gray_Day_On_Oregon_Coast]

There is an inner and outer layer in double wall. Does the crimp at the top go between these layers?

The part sticking down through the box looks like this:

The crimped part of the DW pipe is basically the same as this. The walls come together at the crimp and there's no way to get between them. So I basically have the DW crimp over this thing's crimp.

 

[Gray_Day_On_Oregon_Coast]

After a bit more research, it looks like these Excel Ultrablack DW are designed not to need adapters. The lower smooth side is just supposed to get shoved into your stove and the upper crimped side is meant to go over your ceiling support adapter. They sell a band to go around and hide the crimped part. The only thing I'll say is it doesn't go in very tight at the top. The crimped part coming down from the support box is pretty short and even after the installer shoved it on as hard as he could and put in four screws, you can still wiggle it around pretty good. It's basically only held on by the screws.

 

[stovelark]

Jeez- all this just to get DW installed? So no chimney adaptor nor stove adaptor is needed for Excel DW? That's different. At least it seems it was installed as meant to be, that's a good thing. Whatever you need to do to get the connections tight, do it. I've put stove gasket around stove flanges to provide a tighter seal, tucked in gasket along the inner edge of stove pipe that fit loose in certain stove flanges, 6" is sometimes different depending on the stove, LOL. Keep warm.

 

[Gray_Day_On_Oregon_Coast]

Well, I have no idea what I'm doing and I don't even know if I'm really right about needing adapters. The directions are...not comprehensive, to say the least. It says "in most cases an adapter is not needed." It's been my experience that I usually don't get one of the "most cases."

Stove door gasket? That's actually a pretty smart idea. The installer took stove and furnace cement and slathered it all around the Selkirk chimney adapter and then shoved the Excel on as hard as he could and screwed it in before it had a chance to fall back down. Then with three more screws in the middle, it stayed at that height for three winters. When I took the Excel pipe loose to swap out stoves, 90 percent of it crumbled and fell down and made a huge mess. It was definitely filling up the cracks through virtue of existing, but I don't think it was bonded or firm or anything.

I'd just feel a lot better safety-wise with my family and stuff if everything was the same system and went firmly together like it was supposed to. I have a lot of problem with pressure differentials in the shoulder seasons and if I forget to open a window downstairs, smoke will actually come out of that chimney connection, as well as the telescoping part in the middle of the Excel pipe, not around the connection to the stove outlet, though. Eventually it'll come out of the stove air intakes as well. I know a lot of people live with single wall snap-connect all shoved together and accept that there are gaps at the crimps as part of the system.

I ordered a Selkirk "Universal Chimney Adapter" just out of curiosity. I don't know if it adapts Selkirk stove pipe to any chimney or Selkirk chimney to any stove pipe, but there are free returns, lol. I also ordered a stove adapter, but I feel pretty confident in that connection in that the smooth pipe on the bottom shoves all the way into the stove flange, even if the outer wall isn't flush. Again, in the manual it says "in most cases it will be flush" but doesn't really provide any reassurances about it not being flush.

I'm wondering why the Excel pipe has an ugly crimped end for the chimney connection if it goes on the outside. Maybe easier to manufacture as a way to close off the top of the dual wall.

 

[Gray_Day_On_Oregon_Coast]

How tight (or loose) was the crimp fitting into the flue collar.

Note that draft is not going to be weaker when the temp is above 50ºF outside. In that case, leave the damper open. It may only be helpful when temps drop below 40 or lower, depending on the draft strength and how tightly packed the firebox is.

The crimp fitting for the damper was actually pretty tight. I had a second pair of hands help me force it down. It did push the inner wall of the DW stove pipe in to accommodate the crimp, which I'm sure added to the tightness. When I took it back off I had to have someone hold the DW while I reefed and wiggled on my homemade damper. I imagine if someone shoved a bit of Rutland Stovo (or something similar) in the remaining gap, that'd keep any smoke in. I'm also learning that even with my 25' chimney, this Alto Deco is actually able to downgrade the fire from "raging inferno" to "maybe a bit too much wood" levels, even at 600 degrees with a max load of wood. I don't know what sort of stress that'll put on the door or window seals in terms of wearing them out earlier.

 

[Gray_Day_On_Oregon_Coast]

I had a second licensed, bonded, insured professional do a camera inspection. The first pro said the chimney slumped in the middle. This pro said the chimney wasn't quite plumb and blamed it on the house settling over the decades. He said the first pro was the victim of an optical illusion. He took the stove pipe apart and reassembled it and then gave me a report to send to the homeowner's insurance company to say it's done right. His camera inspection showed all the chimney joints in good condition and that they were all straight. Both pros said it was okay to burn. The house has no other heat. I guess I burn!