Leaking Air Intake?

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Boned

New Member
Dec 29, 2014
2
Ontario, Canada
Hi Folks

I have a Majestic DVR 33RN gas fireplace. It has the vent where the intake and the exhaust are in the same pipe in pipe.

When I have the pilot running I can smell the burning gas. I know the smell, its not raw gas, its "that" smell of the gas combustion and not dust or something like that. When I have the burner on it goes away.

I had the window gasket replaced. Thinking that would be the most common place to start.

What I noticed is that the majority of the smell seems to be from from the bottom. Anyone ever hear of the 2 air intake pipes that go into the firebox leaking? I can reach up and touch them but its crowded in there with the fan in from and below them. I can't tell if this is where its leaking or not. I can see the pipes behind the burner. Approx 3" diameter.

My thinking is that maybe with the main burner on the updraft from the heat is great enough that all the gasses go up and out the exhaust vent. But when only the pilot is on the lack of heat allows the combustion gasses to backflow through the possibly leaking air intakes. This might be increased due to the house being sealed well and negative pressure from bathroom fans and kitchen range hoods being on.

Thoughts anybody?
 
If the thermopile, the thermocouple or the pilot assembly have been replaced in your unit, the RTV silicone that was used to seal the holes in the floor of the firebox may have failed or been knocked out of those holes. That's where I'd check first. If it's gone, simply buy a tube & apply more... I don't think it's a venting issue. The intake is the outer of the coaxial pipes & if it wasn't sealed from the inner 4" vent pipe, the fireplace wouldn't burn correctly. A leak would allow combustion gases to re-enter the intake & your glass would turn black.
 
I sealed that already thinking the same thing. I can smell it a bit up top too. Does the seal on that overpressure flap/vent on the top of the firebox ever fail?
 
The only time I've seen those seals damaged is if the covers were actually blown open by a gas explosion caused by a delayed ignition.
 
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