OK I'm an idiot now what?

[Margo]

I bought a fireplace insert off Craigslist. It's a Vermont Castings Dutchwest Large Convection #264CCL or #264CCLR. The first problem is it's old 82-86 I can't find a reducer to fit on the back of the stove it's an oval thats 21 inches around an 8in is 25 inches a 6in is 19 inches. The second problem is because it needs to go up an existing chimney I can't go straight up. It goes over then up then over then straight up to the outside. The chimney isn't lined is this really a problem?

So how do I fix this mess without spending tons of money or can't I? I did make a block off plate can I just put a piece of pipe from the back of the stove through this and partially into the chimney? Where do I find an oval reducer with this sizing?

Should I just say forget it and go back to using the fireplace?

 

[webbie]

It is a 6". The pipe goes inside - crimped end down. You can use furnace cement to seal the joint.

You need to make a block off plate if you want this to work correctly, and at minimum put a 5 or 6 foot piece of flex pipe up through the damper and to the first flue time. Actually, according to current NFPA code, you probably have to line all the way, but this was not the case when that unit was produced. If you have an interior chimney of 8x12, you may be OK, but if your chimney is cold (exterior) and larger than that you may have draft problems.

I guess, in the end, if you are going to do wood heat you should do it right. Heating oil has come down.......so maybe you should stock up and save up some money for a proper stove and install.

Note: oval to round adapters are also available at many sources:
http://www.elitedeals.com/cpf-73675.html

But you might not even use this - if you use an oval flex pipe to go up through your damper, you might be able to find an oval ss adapter so that this goes right into your flue collar.

 

[Margo]

Thanks for the fast reply. I was thinking along the same lines. It is an interior chimney and I already made a block off plate. I just need to clarify something you can't hook a SS flexible pipe directly to a galvanized pipe without a SS adapter? In other words the adapter to the oval needs to be SS if I use a SS flexible pipe? Can I use regular pipe with an adapter to go up the chimney?

 

[webbie]

There are various ways you might be able to put an oval ss pipe with into there...

example:
http://www.hartshearth.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=502&idproduct=4003
might go on the bottom end of
http://www.hartshearth.com/productcart/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=30

just shown as one example. Most flex pipe can come with an adapter at bottom - you simply need an oval flex with an oval to oval adapter at bottom. No reason to go to round and then back again.