Pellet Stove Vent Too Big?

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tboner

New Member
Hearth Supporter
Jan 16, 2009
2
Toronto
Hi There

I recently installed a pellet stove in my insulated basement. I installed a 4" direct vent kit from Selkirk that starts off with a 3" to 4" increaser fitting at the stove. The pipe is too hot to keep your hand on it, and i'm not getting very much heat out of the front of the unit. Is it possible to over vent these units? Are double walled pipes generally too hot to touch? I'm concerned that all off my heat is going out the vent.

Thanks in Advance

Tom
 
I don't think that the size of the vent really affects the heat coming out of the stove itself. You should be perfectly fine boosting from 3" to 4" pipe as you describe. The heat exhausted probably has more to do with your particular stove and the stove settings. Please respond with your stove make and model. Maybe include your settings. Perhaps someone with the same stove can offer their exhaust heat experience.

I have a Harman Advance and usually I can put my hand on the 'T' right off the back of my stove. The vertical pipe also stays warm to the touch. I have noticed that my horizontal run seems to be a bit warmer. I guess that is where the resistance is.
 
It is a Warnock Hersey Glowboy Pellet Insert. I just noticed I have a fair amount of smoke coming out of the pipe outside as well. I have the fresh air intake baffle set to about 1/4 so as not to blow the pellets out of the burn pot.
 
You might want to read this https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/QA_Templates/info/1926/ as to what Warnock Hersey really is.

You could lower your draft (close your air intake down a little bit) and see if that helps. While I can touch my 3" vent pipe I really wouldn't want to hold onto it any amount of time.

You might want to see if your heat exchanger is covered in soot and needs to be cleaned. Along the same lines some stoves have impingement plates which need to be properly seated. I don't know if yours does or not.

Your stove is a Glowboy made by Dansons http://www.dansons.com/glowboy-bw.htm
 
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